The Case of the Midnight Lantern
Episode 2: The Lighthouse Keeper
Before descending the cliff path, Caleb checked the lower service rooms to check on the veteran lighthouse keeper, old man Miller. Caleb finds the veteran keeper locked in the oil pantry, his keys stolen and the kerosene fuel lines severed. He unbolted the pantry door, helping the bruised and shivering old keeper out onto a wooden chair and wrapping a wool blanket around his shoulders. Miller coughed weakly, explaining that two masked men had ambushed him during his evening rounds, binding his hands and disabling the beacon before vanishing into the shadows. “They’re bringing in a contraband freighter through the Devil’s Chimney channel, Caleb. You have to stop them before they unload the weapons,” Miller warned, his voice shaking with righteous anger. Caleb reassured the old keeper, leaving him with a flask of warm tea and his backup flashlight while he pressed on toward the cliffside path. The duty to protect the coast burned brightly in Caleb’s chest, driving him forward into the teeth of the gale-force wind.
Footprints in the Sand
Descending the treacherous, winding stone stairway carved into the face of the sea cliffs, Caleb reached the pebbled beach of the secluded cove below. Deep hobnail boot impressions lead down the cliff path to a secluded cove strewn with empty cargo crates and discarded wooden packing materials. The tide was low, exposing the slick, seaweed-covered rocks where a smuggler’s longboat had recently beached itself above the surf line. Caleb followed the boot prints across the damp sand, keeping his hand resting firmly on the grip of his service revolver as he approached the mouth of the dark sea cave. The rhythmic flashing of the signaling lantern echoed faintly from deep within the cavern interior, accompanied by the muffled voices of men shouting over the roar of crashing waves. The trail was hot, and Caleb knew he was running out of time before the massive passenger steamer out on the open sea entered the lethal danger zone near the reefs.