Chapter 1: The Arrival at Blackwood Lake
The gravel driveway of the Blackwood estate didn’t just crunch; it groaned. As Elena Brooks killed the engine of her sedan, the sudden silence of the surrounding pines felt heavy, almost physical. She stayed in the driver’s seat for a full minute, her hands still gripped tightly at ten and two on the steering wheel.
At twenty-nine, Elena had mastered the art of the "quiet retreat." She was observant by necessity and guarded by habit. She noticed the way t