Chapter 8: The Local Secrets

 Back in town, Haven's Peak felt different. The air was dense with unsaid tension, a jittery energy that hovered over everything. Liam could feel it in the way people stared at him, the short glances and murmured comments. He and Elara had become a focal point, a source of both interest and dread. 

 He felt he needed to comprehend the area, to dive further into the local mysteries that were definitely being guarded. He decided to start with the Crooked Crow, the neighborhood bar, a site where secrets frequently slipped out after a few drinks. 

 The bar was poorly lit, the air heavy with the scent of old beer and woodsmoke. A few locals were spread about the room, their features carved with the lines of hard life and silent dread. Liam took a seat at the bar, and ordered a drink from the bartender, a large guy with a weathered face. 

 "Quiet night," Liam replied, attempting to start up a discussion. 

 "Always is," the bartender said, wiping down the counter. "Except when it ain't." 

 "Heard there's been some trouble," Liam remarked, keeping his voice casual. "About the orchid." 

 The bartender's eyes twitched. "That's Elara's business," he answered, his voice strained. "She's always been mixed up in those mountain stories." 

 "Stories?" Liam asked. "What kind of stories?" 

 The bartender paused, his attention going to the other diners. "Just old tales," he replied. "About the mountains, about things best left alone." 

 Liam felt a wall coming up. These folks knew something, but they weren't saying. He needed to find a way to break through their quiet. 

 He drank his drink, then strolled up to a table where a couple of elderly guys were playing cards. "Mind if I join you?" he inquired. 

 The guys glanced up, their eyes cautious. "Suit yourself," one of them replied. 

 Liam sat down, observing the card game. "Heard you folks know these mountains pretty well," he remarked. 

 "Been here all our lives," the other guy added. "Know every trail, every rock." 

 "Then maybe you can help me," Liam responded. "I'm trying to understand what's going on with the orchid, with Elara." 

 The guys shared a look, their emotions cautious. "That's mountain business," one of them remarked. "Best left to those who understand it." 

 "I'm trying to understand," Liam replied. "But I need your help." 

 The guys remained quiet, their eyes riveted on their cards. Liam knew he wasn't going to get anything out of them tonight. 

 He exited the bar, the stillness of the town pressing in on him. He strolled through the dark streets, the fog whirling about him, hiding the homes, the trees, everything. He felt like he was traveling through a ghost town, a place where mysteries lurked in every shade. 

 He decided to see Jebediah, the farmer he'd talked to at the Crooked Crow. He drove to the outskirts of town, where Jebediah's farm was situated, a modest, lonely cottage surrounded by fields. 

 The house was dark, but a light was on in the barn. Liam parked the cruiser and headed towards the barn, the sound of his footfall echoing in the solitude. 

 He opened the barn entrance, the scent of hay and cattle flooding his senses. Jebediah was inside, carrying a horse, his back to the entrance. 

 "Jebediah," Liam murmured, his voice booming throughout the barn. 

 Jebediah turned, his eyes wide with astonishment. "O'Connell," he murmured, his voice strained. "What are you doing here?" 

 "I wanted to talk," Liam replied. "About the orchid, about what you know." 

 Jebediah paused, his eyes darting to the darkness behind Liam. "I don't know anything," he replied. 

 "I think you do," Liam responded. "I noticed the way you stared at those guys at the pub. You're terrified." 

 Jebediah's eyes flashed, his grasp tightening on the horse's reins. "They're… they're powerful," he muttered his voice scarcely a whisper. "They don't like people asking questions." 

 "Who are they?" Liam asked. "The Silent Path?" 

 Jebediah's eyes widened. "Don't say that name," he murmured, his voice shaking. "They're watching, always watching." 

 "Watching you?" Liam questioned. 

 Jebediah nodded, his gaze darting around the barn. "They know everything," he said. "They see everything." 

 "What do they want?" Liam asked. "With the orchid, with Elara?" 

 Jebediah paused, his eyes riveted on the ground. "I don't know," he answered. "They have their reasons. They usually do." 

 "Reasons that involve stealing a rare plant?" Liam asked. "Reasons that involve a missing woman?" 

 Jebediah's eyes caught his, a flash of apprehension in their depths. "They're not like us," he remarked. "They're… different. They have abilities." 

 "Powers?" Liam questioned, lifting an eyebrow. 

 "Powers beyond our understanding," Jebediah replied. "They can control things, affect people. They can make things… vanish." 

 Liam gazed at him, his head whirling. Jebediah was talking about magic, about superhuman skills. It was hard to believe, but the dread in his eyes was genuine. 

 "What about Elara's sister?" Liam asked. "Anya. What happened to her?" 

 Jebediah paused, his eyes turning to the darkness. "She got too close," he remarked. "She saw something she shouldn't have seen." 

 "Something the Silent Path didn't want her to see?" Liam asked. 

 Jebediah nodded, his eyes filled with a combination of dread and sorrow. "She was a good girl," he continued. "But she was intrigued. Too inquisitive." 

 "And they made her disappear?" Liam asked. 

 Jebediah nodded again, his eyes filling with sorrow. "They can do anything," he remarked. "They're not human." 

 Liam glanced at him, his thoughts racing. He was dealing with something considerably more intricate, far more hazardous, than he had expected. The local mysteries were more than simply gossip and superstition. They were a reality, a dark and scary reality. 

 He exited the barn, the stillness of the night pushing in on him. He drove back to his cabin, the fog whirling around him, the picture of Jebediah's horrified eyes burnt into his head. He knew he was getting closer to the truth, but he also knew he was traveling into a darkness he didn't completely grasp. The local mysteries were only the beginning.