It sat on a ridge overlooking the gray expanse of the river far below.

The air here smelled of damp earth and rotting pine needles.

I climbed out of the car, my boots sinking into the wet gravel.

The cabin looked abandoned, its windows covered in grime, the porch steps sagging.

I walked up the steps, the wood creaking under my weight.

I inserted the brass key into the old padlock on the front door.

It turned with a stiff, heavy click.

I pushed the door open, and the smell of stale air and cedar dust hit us.

Liam followed me inside, his flashlight beam cutting through the gloom.

The living room was bare, save for a dust-covered sofa and an empty stone fireplace.

“Where is it?” Liam asked, shining the light around the wooden walls.

“Under the floorboards in the pantry,” I said.

I walked into the small kitchen at the back of the cabin.

I opened the narrow pantry door and stepped inside.

I knelt on the dusty floor, my knees pressing into the hard wood.