Chapter 8 - The House That Remembered Her
The old Montgomery estate had been abandoned for nearly twenty years.
Nora remembered it only in fragments.
Tall windows.
Dark wooden stairs.
A piano nobody played.
Her grandfather's study.
She arrived just before midnight with David, Julian, Evelyn, and two veterans.
David had wanted Nora to stay behind.
She refused.
The front door opened before they reached it.
Nobody touched it.
The house seemed to invite them inside.
Nora stepped through.
The smell of dust and old wood surrounded her.
Evelyn stopped.
I haven't been here since that night.
Nora looked at her.
What happened here?
Evelyn pointed toward the staircase.
Your grandfather died upstairs.
They climbed.
At the end of the hallway was the study.
The door was locked.
Nora held up the key from the warehouse.
It fit.
The door opened.
Everything inside looked untouched.
A desk.
A fireplace.
A bookshelf.
And a portrait of Nora's grandfather.
Nora walked toward the desk.
A small box sat on top.
Her pendant fit the lock.
Inside was a cassette recorder.
Julian frowned.
That's old.
Nora pressed play.
Her grandfather's voice filled the room.
If you are hearing this, Nora, then the people I feared have finally found you.
Nora closed her eyes.
I don't know who you can trust.
Not Charles.
Not Silas.
And not everyone who claims to love you.
Julian looked at Nora.
Her grandfather continued.
The ledger is not in the bank.
It is not in the foundation.
It is not in any vault.
It is where nobody would think to look.
The recording stopped.
Nora pressed play again.
Nothing.
David examined the recorder.
There may be another tape.
Nora searched the desk.
She found a hidden compartment.
Inside was a second cassette.
She played it.
Her grandfather's voice returned.
The person who possesses the ledger possesses the power to destroy the Montgomery name.
But the ledger does not reveal the truth.
It reveals the first layer of it.
Nora frowned.
What does that mean?
The recording continued.
There was another voice.
A woman's voice.
Young.
Terrified.
Evelyn.
Nora looked at her mother.
Evelyn shook her head.
I never made that recording.
Nora listened.
The woman said:
Charles knows.
Then the recording ended.
Nora stared at Charles's name in the old documents.
Suddenly the front door slammed downstairs.
David drew his weapon but kept it lowered.
Everyone froze.
Footsteps crossed the marble floor.
Someone was inside.
A voice called from below.
Nora.
She knew it immediately.
Charles.
Nora walked toward the stairs.
David grabbed her arm.
Don't.
Charles shouted again.
Nora, you need to hear this from me.
She looked at Evelyn.
Her mother shook her head.
But Nora stepped onto the first stair.
Charles's voice trembled.
I didn't kill your grandfather.
Nora stopped.
May you like
Charles continued.
But I know who did.
