Chapter 4 - The Room Elliot Was Forbidden to Enter)
Agatha's sitting room was locked.
Conrad discovered that at seven thirteen that evening.
His mother had never locked interior doors before.
Samuel stood behind him in the west corridor while Elliot remained downstairs with Mrs. Hart and the doctor.
"Do you have a key?" Samuel asked.
Conrad tried the handle again.
"No."
"Master key?"
"House manager should."
Footsteps approached.
Mrs. Hart appeared carrying a brass ring containing more than thirty keys.
She looked deeply uncomfortable.
"Mr. Bellafonte."
"Thank you."
She did not hand him the keys.
Conrad noticed.
"What is it?"
Mrs. Hart looked toward the locked door.
"Your mother changed that lock six months ago."
Samuel frowned.
"Why?"
"She said valuables were missing."
Conrad held out his hand.
"Do you have the replacement?"
Mrs. Hart shook her head.
"Only Mrs. Bellafonte and Mr. Mercer."
Conrad stared at her.
"Julian has a key to my mother's private room?"
Mrs. Hart nodded.
"Since last winter."
Samuel looked at Conrad.
That explained enough.
Conrad took out his phone.
He called security.
"Bring me the maintenance supervisor and a drill."
Mrs. Hart stepped closer.
"Sir."
He looked at her.
She lowered her voice.
"There is something else."
"What?"
"The room used to have two doors."
Conrad remembered.
One connected to the corridor.
The other led into Dominic's old study.
After Dominic died, Agatha renovated the west wing.
The second doorway disappeared behind built in bookshelves.
"Where is the old entrance now?"
Mrs. Hart pointed toward the next room.
Conrad walked into Dominic's former study.
It had become a formal reading room nobody used.
Tall bookshelves covered the walls.
Samuel followed.
Mrs. Hart approached the center shelf.
"Your father once showed me."
She reached behind a carved wooden edge.
A hidden latch clicked.
The center bookshelf shifted forward half an inch.
Conrad stared.
Mrs. Hart looked embarrassed.
"Mr. Dominic enjoyed dramatic architecture."
Samuel almost smiled.
Conrad pulled.
The entire bookshelf opened on concealed hinges.
Behind it stood the original narrow door.
Unlocked.
They entered Agatha's sitting room.
The room smelled faintly of perfume and fireplace ash.
Everything appeared perfect.
Cream furniture.
Antique desk.
Silver framed photographs.
Conrad looked around.
"Little door in the wall."
Samuel began checking behind curtains and cabinets.
Conrad moved toward the fireplace.
Something about the paneling looked different.
One narrow section beside the mantel had been replaced recently.
The wood grain did not match.
He pressed it.
Nothing.
Samuel crouched.
"There."
Near the baseboard sat a tiny keyhole.
Mrs. Hart whispered, "I've never seen that."
Conrad searched the desk.
No key.
He opened drawers.
Letters.
Receipts.
Stationery.
A photograph of Dominic.
Then one drawer refused to open.
Locked.
Conrad grabbed a bronze paperweight.
Samuel looked at him.
"We could request a warrant and do this correctly."
"This is my house."
"That argument will become less useful when we reach criminal evidence."
Conrad brought the paperweight down.
The small desk lock broke.
Inside lay a velvet jewelry pouch.
Conrad opened it.
A tiny brass key fell into his hand.
The wall panel opened.
Behind it was a steel safe.
Not large.
Not old.
Recently installed.
Digital keypad.
Samuel sighed.
"Now we stop."
Conrad looked at him.
"If we force that open, Mercer will argue evidence contamination."
"My son was chained in my garden."
"I know."
"My dead wife left me evidence against these people."
"I know."
"And my mother has a hidden safe."
"I know."
Samuel stepped closer.
"Which is exactly why we do this correctly."
Conrad breathed through his nose.
Samuel continued.
"Secure the room. Change the exterior locks. Put security outside. Nobody enters until authorities arrive."
Conrad nodded reluctantly.
Then Mrs. Hart spoke.
"Mr. Bellafonte."
She was looking at the fireplace.
A small red light blinked beneath the mantel.
Conrad approached.
A camera.
No larger than a shirt button.
Pointing directly toward the sofa.
Samuel stared.
"Interesting."
Mrs. Hart covered her mouth.
Conrad followed the tiny wire behind the mantel.
It led into the wall.
He opened a lower cabinet.
A recording unit sat inside.
Six channels.
Five inactive.
One recording.
Samuel pulled on gloves from his briefcase.
"Do not touch anything."
Conrad stared at the screen.
A small preview window showed the room.
Agatha had been recording her own private sitting room.
Why?
Then footsteps sounded in the corridor.
Fast.
Security had not arrived yet.
Conrad stepped toward the hidden bookshelf entrance.
Julian appeared.
He stopped.
His face changed when he saw the open wall compartment.
"You shouldn't be in here."
Conrad almost laughed.
"My house."
Julian moved toward the safe.
Samuel blocked him.
"Don't."
Julian stared at the recording unit.
Then at Conrad.
"Turn that off."
"No."
"You don't understand what you're looking at."
"Then explain."
Julian said nothing.
Conrad stepped closer.
"What is in the safe?"
Julian smiled nervously.
"Ask your mother."
"Where is she?"
Julian's eyes flicked toward the window.
Conrad turned.
Outside, headlights moved quickly down the driveway.
A black Mercedes.
Agatha's car.
Conrad grabbed his phone.
Security answered.
"Stop my mother's vehicle."
A pause.
Then the guard replied.
"Sir, she already passed the east gate."
Conrad looked at Julian.
Julian's smile returned.
Conrad understood.
Agatha had run.
May you like
But Julian had stayed behind.
Which meant whatever Julian wanted most was still inside the house.
