Chapter 6 - The Community Rallies
Havenbrook was not Manhattan. In this tight-knit town of fishermen, small-business owners, and retirees, outsiders watching houses did not go unnoticed.
When Julian visited the local diner the next morning to speak with Sheriff Thomas, an old friend of Eleanor’s late father, he found unexpected allies. The townspeople had quickly grown fond of the humble couple who helped clean up beach debris after storms and always greeted neighbors with warmth.
"We saw the fellow snooping around the schoolhouse and down by your cove," Sheriff Thomas said, sipping black coffee. "Ran his plates. Private investigator from New York."
"He's gathering leverage for my mother," Julian admitted openly, feeling the weight of the confession. "She wants custody of our daughter."
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Sheriff Thomas set down his cup and rested his hands on the counter. "Around here, son, a family is measured by how they treat their neighbors, not the balance of their bank accounts. If someone comes around trying to harass honest folks, they'll find the whole harbor standing in their way."
Over the following days, the black sedan found itself blocked by delivery trucks, politely questioned by town deputies on minor parking violations, and watched with cold suspicion by fishermen mending nets along the docks. The hostile observer soon realized that in Havenbrook, privacy was protected collectively.
