Dark Corners

"You sure this is the place, Jeremy?" Mia tapped her foot nervously as her older brother checked the old GPS. They were on the outskirts of Eldridge, a town that seemed to straddle forgotten and untouched in equal measure. "Positive," Jeremy replied, glancing up at the dilapidated sign that read: 'Welcome to Eldridge: Where Dreamers Thrive.' Mia leaned against the rusty rental car, taking it all in. She was here for a vacation—or at least that’s what she told herself. A break from the monotonous churning of data analysis back in the city. The allure of the ocean air brought her to this sleepy coastal town. But soon, she felt an uneasy energy slithering beneath Eldridge’s tranquil facade. By the end of her first week, Mia collected enough mingled gossip to piece together the latest local buzz. She heard whispers about Mayor Langston’s grand redevelopment plans—or schemes, depending on who you asked. Her curiosity piqued, she began to poke around. A conversation with Edith, the chatty librarian, set the ball rolling. "Old Man Harris used to own that property Langston’s eyeing to purchase," Edith said, as she returned a stack of thrillers to the shelves. "Before he up and vanished. Might not be the first time, either." The following week, Mia was loitering around the cliffside when she spotted Langston. He was engaged in an animated conversation with a group of unfamiliar suits, all gesticulating wildly. Mia peered out from behind a large mossy boulder, straining her ears. "We need this sealed tight—no leaks," Langston’s voice, usually smooth as butter at town halls, carried more bite than charm. She stayed low until they traipsed back towards a sleek sedan. Her heart pounding, Mia snapped a quick photo with her phone. Feeling reckless, she visited Mayor Langston's admin office the next day. "You new here?" the secretary asked, eyeing her jean jacket skeptically. "Just visiting," Mia replied, flashing a winning smile. "Thought I'd say hi to our esteemed mayor." To her surprise, Langston welcomed her into his office. "Always nice to meet another bright young... uh... visitor," he said, but his eyes were steel. Mia played dumb, chatting about the town's charm, biding her time. As she shook his hand, she deftly flicked her phone off record, adrenaline coursing. That same evening, Jeremy joined her at the local bar. "Mia! You look like you're brewing a storm." "Mmm," she said, thumb caressing her cold beer, "this town’s got secrets." The breakthrough came the next day when Edith called Mia in excitement. "Documents from Langston’s great-grandpappy mysteriously disappeared at the museum. Right after he passed by!" That night, Mia ambled along the coastline, views cascading with moonlight, pondering the enormity of her discoveries. Overnight, threats started creeping into her life. Odd phone calls, strange faces loitering with their presence bending shadows. But Mia didn't falter. She roped in Jeremy, turning their motel room into a makeshift base of operations. They scoured maps, records, and notes—finding connections between the Harris property, the lost documents, and mysterious offshore accounts linked to Langston. The next morning, Mia knocked on Edith’s door. "I need you on this," she said. "Always wanted to be in a real-life whodunit," chuckled Edith, boots crunching the gravel. Their team grew, each piecing together the elements of Langston's deception. Local Wayne, the fisherman who knew where and when the sea spoke, delivered a point of intrigue—a guarded scribbled note from Old Man Harris. As dawn broke, Mia saw the momentum shift. She confronted Mayor Langston at his weekly brunch spot. "This ends today," Mia said, sliding over a folder of incriminating evidence. Langston’s bluster faltered, and apologies flowed. But the town of Eldridge had begun to wake. With her business wrapped up, parts of her now woven into this town’s fabric, Mia sat on the cliffs once more, wind whisking through her hair. Jeremy joined her, holding two steaming coffees. "You're not half-bad at playing detective, Sis." "Turns out..." Mia smiled, eyes tracing waves crashing below, "I might need to embrace that side more often."