Chapter 15 - The Door Beneath the Montgomery House
The vehicles stopped outside the cemetery.
Doors opened.
People stepped out.
Not soldiers.
Not police.
Men and women in expensive clothes.
Lawyers.
Business executives.
Former politicians.
People Nora had seen in photographs on the walls of Montgomery Holdings.
The most powerful names in Charleston.
David stared.
They're all here.
Michael nodded.
They've been waiting.
For what?
For you.
Nora looked around.
Me?
Her grandfather stepped forward.
The trust becomes active when you turn thirty.
The first ledger reveals the financial network.
The second ledger reveals who ordered the murders.
Nora looked at Michael.
Where is the second ledger?
Michael looked toward the old family estate.
Under the house.
Nora's heart began pounding.
She knew the estate.
The study.
The nursery.
The hidden doors.
But she had never seen anything beneath it.
They returned to the house.
The people outside remained at a distance.
Nobody followed.
Inside, Nora stood in her grandfather's study.
She examined the floor.
Nothing.
Then she noticed the portrait.
It was slightly crooked.
She touched it.
A click.
The portrait moved.
Behind it was a narrow staircase descending into darkness.
Nora looked at David.
This is what my grandfather meant.
The ledger is where nobody would think to look.
They descended.
At the bottom was a steel door.
Michael stepped forward.
The pendant.
Nora inserted it.
Nothing happened.
Michael shook his head.
It needs both.
He placed his hand against a panel.
The door opened.
Inside was a small chamber.
A table.
Two chairs.
And a locked glass case.
Inside the case was a second black ledger.
Nora stepped closer.
The glass case displayed a small inscription.
Only the Montgomery heirs may open this.
Nora and Michael placed their hands against the glass.
The lock clicked.
The case opened.
Nora reached for the ledger.
But before she touched it, a voice came from the doorway.
Don't.
Everyone turned.
Charles stood there.
Nora's father.
His face was covered in tears.
Nora looked at him.
Why?
Charles stepped into the room.
Because once you open that book, there is no going back.
Nora stared at the ledger.
You spent twenty-five years hiding the truth.
I'm done being afraid of it.
Charles shook his head.
You don't understand.
Then explain.
Charles looked at Michael.
Then Evelyn.
Then the old man.
Finally he looked at Nora.
The second ledger doesn't only contain the names of the people who betrayed our family.
What else?
Charles whispered:
It contains the name of the person who ordered your mother's disappearance.
Nora reached toward the ledger.
Her fingers touched the cover.
Then Charles said something that stopped her.
And that person is not Silas.
Nora slowly looked up.
Who is it?
Charles couldn't answer.
A sound came from the staircase.
Footsteps.
Someone was coming down.
David moved toward the door.
The footsteps stopped.
Then a woman appeared.
She wore a dark coat.
A silver bracelet around her wrist.
Nora recognized her instantly.
Clara.
Her aunt.
But Clara wasn't alone.
Beside her stood a man Nora had never seen before.
Clara smiled.
You've finally found it.
Nora stared at her.
Why did you call me?
Clara looked at the ledger.
Because I needed to know whether you were ready.
Ready for what?
Clara's smile disappeared.
To learn why your grandfather kept both ledgers.
She looked at Charles.
And why your father was never the true enemy.
Nora's heart raced.
Then who was?
Clara stepped closer.
She looked directly into Nora's eyes.
Before I tell you, there's something you need to understand.
Your grandfather didn't build the Montgomery empire.
He inherited it.
From someone who disappeared more than fifty years ago.
Nora frowned.
Who?
Clara reached into her coat and removed an old photograph.
She handed it to Nora.
Nora looked down.
The photograph showed a young man standing beside her grandfather.
The young man's face was unfamiliar.
But the name written beneath the photograph was unmistakable.
Bell.
Nora looked at Julian.
Julian had gone completely pale.
Clara whispered:
The first Montgomery secret began with your family.
The second began with his.
She pointed toward Julian.
Then the lights went out.
In complete darkness, Nora heard the sound of the ledger being opened.
Someone screamed.
Then a man's voice whispered directly beside her ear.
You were never supposed to find this.
The lights came back on.
The ledger was gone.
And standing where Julian had been was a stranger wearing his suit.
Nora looked around wildly.
Julian was nowhere to be seen.
Her mother screamed his name.
David ran toward the staircase.
Michael locked the chamber door.
Charles stared at Nora with absolute terror.
And Clara quietly said:
Now you understand why we needed the wedding.
Nora looked at her.
Why?
Clara didn't answer.
Instead, she pointed toward the wall.
A hidden screen had appeared behind the portrait.
On it was a live video.
Julian was sitting in a dark room.
His hands were tied.
Someone stood behind him.
Nora stepped closer.
Julian looked directly into the camera.
His eyes widened.
Nora.
The screen flickered.
A man's voice came from behind him.
The wedding was never about the marriage.
It was about bringing every heir into the same room.
The screen went black.
Nora stood frozen.
Her grandfather slowly turned toward the sealed chamber door.
David raised his weapon.
Michael looked at the missing ledger.
Evelyn grabbed Nora's hand.
And Charles whispered the one sentence that made Nora realize the story was only beginning.
The person who took Julian already knows where the first ledger is.
Nora looked at the pendant around her neck.
Then at the hidden door beneath the Montgomery house.
Somewhere beyond the walls, a phone began to ring.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
Nobody moved.
Then Nora answered.
A familiar voice spoke.
You wanted the truth.
Nora's blood ran cold.
It was Julian.
But this time, he wasn't asking for help.
He was warning her.
Nora, whatever they tell you next...
Do not open the third door.
The call ended.
Nora looked toward her grandfather.
He was staring at a section of the wall nobody had noticed before.
There was a door there.
A door that had never been visible.
And above it was the Montgomery family crest.
Except the crest had been scratched out.
Replaced with another symbol.
The same symbol engraved on Nora's pendant.
Her grandfather whispered:
There are three doors.
Nora stared at the hidden entrance.
Then she heard a lock turn from the other side.
May you like
The door began to open.
And whoever was standing behind it knew her name.
