The door to the town’s only café creaked as Alice entered, the sound almost lost in the hum of soft conversation and clinking mugs. The small bell above the door tinkled with the familiar welcome, though today it felt more like an omen than a greeting.

  The café was a haven of warmth compared to the chilly streets of Greystone. The smell of freshly brewed coffee and baked pastries filled the air, pulling Alice in as if by magnetic force. She had been here a few times before, but today, something felt different. Her mind was elsewhere—on the notes from David’s research, the threat left at her house, and the growing sense that she wasn’t as alone in this town as she had once thought.

  It had only been a few days since she’d uncovered the first pieces of David’s work on Ashford House, and already, the weight of the town’s secrets seemed to press down on her. She needed answers. She needed someone to talk to—someone who might understand her desire to uncover the truth without succumbing to the fear that had already begun to take root.

  Alice’s eyes scanned the room, searching for a familiar face. She noticed a few townspeople scattered around the room, sipping coffee or reading the morning paper. The place wasn’t exactly bustling, but it had a quiet charm. And then, sitting at the far corner, her eyes fell on a woman she didn’t recognize immediately. She was busy wiping down a table, but as she caught Alice’s gaze, the woman’s expression softened into a welcoming smile.

  Alice felt a strange pull toward the woman, as though there was something in her demeanor that seemed trustworthy. Something in her eyes—a depth of experience or perhaps a quiet knowing. The kind of knowing that comes with living through things one could never put into words.

  Alice made her way over to the counter, where the woman was finishing up her work.

  “Hi,” Alice said, her voice tentative, almost hesitant. “I don’t think we’ve met before. I’m Alice.”

  The woman looked up, her smile broadening, revealing a warmth that put Alice at ease. Her face was round and kind, her hair a tangle of dark curls that framed her face with an effortless charm. She wore a faded apron, a mark of her work behind the counter.

  “I’m Hannah,” the woman replied, extending a hand. “Nice to meet you, Alice. You’re the one who moved into David’s old place, right?”

  Alice nodded, feeling a slight lump form in her throat at the mention of her late husband’s name. It still stung, even though it had been several months.

  “That’s right,” Alice replied, forcing a smile. “I’m trying to settle in, get to know the town. It’s a lot to take in.”

  Hannah nodded sympathetically, her eyes full of understanding. “Greystone has a way of doing that to people. It’s a quiet town, but there’s more going on beneath the surface than most realize.”

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  Alice’s curiosity piqued at her words. “What do you mean?”

  Hannah paused for a moment, her expression flickering with something Alice couldn’t quite place. Then, just as quickly, it was gone, replaced by a neutral, practiced smile.

  “Well,” she said, leaning forward slightly as though to share a secret, “I’m not sure how much I should say. But if you’re looking to get to know Greystone, you should start with the people. They’re a bit… wary of outsiders. Especially when it comes to Ashford House.”

  Alice’s heart skipped a beat at the mention of the mansion. She’d been warned about it before, but hearing it from Hannah’s lips only fueled her curiosity.

  “Why?” Alice asked, her voice barely above a whisper. “What’s so special about Ashford House?”

  Hannah sighed, glancing around the café as if to make sure no one was listening. “Some things are best left alone. Some questions aren’t worth asking.”

  Alice felt a flicker of irritation rise in her chest. “I don’t believe that. Not anymore.”

  Hannah’s gaze softened, and she leaned back, her tone shifting to one of sympathy. “I understand, believe me. But there are some things that are better left buried in the past. People around here… they’ve learned the hard way.” She hesitated, as though weighing her words carefully. “David used to come here often, you know. Before… before everything happened.”

  Alice’s stomach twisted at the mention of her husband. “He did?”

  Hannah nodded. “Yes. He’d sit right over there, always asking questions. Always poking around, digging into things. He was obsessed with Ashford House, just like you are. I think… I think that’s why he ended up getting in so deep.” She paused, a faint trace of sadness in her eyes. “Greystone doesn’t take kindly to people poking into its history. It doesn’t forget easily.”

  Alice’s thoughts raced. She could sense that there was more to Hannah’s words than she was letting on, but the woman seemed hesitant to speak further. Alice pressed on, her voice quiet but insistent. “Do you know anything about the house? About what David found?”

  Hannah bit her lip, her eyes darting toward the kitchen door as though checking to see if anyone was listening. She leaned in closer to Alice, lowering her voice.

  “I know a little,” she said softly. “David thought he was getting close to something. Something big. Something about the house. But it scared him. That’s why he left town, you know. He told me he’d uncovered something he couldn’t ignore, something that had to do with the town’s founding. But when he started asking around, people got nervous. They warned him to stop. They told him to forget what he’d learned, or he’d end up just like everyone else who tried to dig too deep.”

  Alice felt the blood drain from her face as the weight of Hannah’s words settled over her. “What happened to him?”

  Hannah didn’t answer right away. She took a deep breath, as though trying to collect her thoughts, then spoke again, her voice barely above a whisper.

  “I don’t know for sure,” she said, “but I think David was on the verge of discovering something that could destroy everything. I think that’s why… why did they have to silence him?”

  Alice’s heart pounded in her chest as she tried to make sense of what Hannah had said. “Who? Who silenced him?”

  Hannah’s eyes darkened, and she shook her head. “I don’t know. People around here… they’re all too afraid to talk. They know better than to ask questions about the past. But if you keep pushing, you’ll make yourself a target. You have to be careful, Alice. This town doesn’t forget.”

  Alice stared at her for a long moment, absorbing the gravity of her words. She felt a mixture of anger, fear, and determination. There was something in the town’s history, something hidden behind its quiet facade, that had claimed David’s life. And if Alice was going to uncover the truth, she would have to tread carefully.

  “Thank you, Hannah,” Alice said softly. “I won’t stop. Not now.”

  Hannah looked at her with a mixture of concern and resignation. “Just don’t say I didn’t warn you,” she said quietly. “Some things are better left alone.”

  Alice stood up, her resolve hardening as she glanced around the café one last time. “I appreciate the warning,” she said, her voice steady, “but I have to know what happened to David. I have to know what’s in Ashford House.”

  As Alice stepped out of the café and back into the streets of Greystone, the weight of her decision settled over her. She knew now that her search was no longer just about finding out what had happened to David. It was about uncovering the dark secrets that the town had buried for so long.

  And she wouldn’t stop until she had the answers.