Chapter 8 - the room beneath the chapel
The mansion search lasted twenty-three minutes.
It felt like hours.
Nolan ordered every exit sealed. Maya Torres checked the security feed while Claire searched the west wing and Arthur called Evelyn’s name through the portrait gallery.
Graham appeared in a silk dressing gown, performing outrage.
“What is happening?”
“Evelyn is missing,” Claire said.
His expression shifted into concern.
“She may have wandered.”
“She cannot walk without assistance.”
“Then someone moved her.”
Claire stepped closer.
“Where is she?”
Graham stared at her.
“I was asleep.”
“You knew about the ledger.”
“I have no idea what you are talking about.”
Claire showed him the threatening message.
He barely glanced at it.
“Anyone could have sent that.”
“Someone entered Evelyn’s room.”
“Perhaps she asked Rosa to return.”
“You removed Rosa from the estate.”
“For theft.”
“She did not steal anything.”
Graham’s eyes hardened.
“You should remember that you are a guest here.”
“And you should remember that guests do not drug the owner.”
Nolan moved between them before Graham could respond.
Maya approached from the service corridor.
“We found wheelchair tracks near the chapel.”
The Hartwell chapel had not been used since Alexander’s funeral. It stood beyond the eastern garden, connected to the main house by an underground passage built during Prohibition.
The chapel doors were locked.
Arthur produced an old key.
Inside, dust covered the pews and dead leaves had gathered near a cracked window. The wheelchair tracks continued toward the altar, then disappeared.
Miriam arrived, wrapped in a coat.
“There is a room beneath the chapel,” she said.
Arthur looked at her.
“How do you know?”
“Alexander showed me once. He stored family documents there.”
They moved the altar cloth and found an iron handle beneath the stone platform.
Nolan and Maya pulled open a hidden door.
A staircase descended into darkness.
Claire heard Evelyn coughing below.
She rushed down.
Evelyn sat in her wheelchair inside a small archive room. Her wrists were loosely tied with silk fabric, and a lamp burned beside her. She was frightened but conscious.
Claire untied her.
“Who brought you here?”
“I did not see his face.”
“Was it Graham?”
“He wore one of the guards’ uniforms.”
Nolan looked toward Maya.
“Count the private guards.”
Maya spoke into her radio.
“One is missing.”
Claire noticed a stack of documents on the floor.
The person who had taken Evelyn had been searching the room.
“What were they looking for?” she asked.
Evelyn pointed to a brass wall safe.
“The second trust.”
Claire tried Rosa’s key. It did not fit.
Arthur stepped forward.
“Alexander once told me the safe did not open with a key.”
Miriam examined the dial.
“There are no numbers.”
Instead, the dial displayed letters.
Claire thought of Alexander’s message.
Trust the sparrow.
She turned the dial to S, then P, A, R, R, O, W.
The safe clicked open.
Inside was a single blue envelope.
Graham appeared at the top of the stairs.
“Step away from it.”
Nolan drew his weapon but kept it pointed toward the floor.
“How did you enter the chapel?” he asked.
“The doors were open.”
“No, they were not.”
Graham looked at Evelyn.
“Are you hurt?”
“You sound disappointed,” she replied.
He descended slowly.
“This has gone far enough. Claire has manipulated you into believing absurd accusations.”
Claire held the blue envelope against her chest.
“You know what is inside.”
“An outdated family document.”
“You sent someone to find it.”
“That is a serious allegation.”
“So is attempted poisoning.”
Graham looked toward Nolan.
“Take the envelope.”
Nolan did not move.
“I take instructions from the property owner.”
Graham’s smile returned.
“Not after tomorrow.”
Evelyn’s face tightened.
“The gala is eleven days away.”
“I moved it.”
“To when?”
“Tomorrow evening.”
Everyone fell silent.
Graham continued.
“The board is already coming. The judge reviewing the incapacity petition will attend. Dr. Sloane has signed her final report.”
“Helena is missing,” Claire said.
“She resigned.”
“Where is she?”
“Ask her son.”
Claire understood the threat.
Graham turned back toward Evelyn.
“Tomorrow, you will sign the agreement. If you refuse, the court will remove your authority.”
Claire tore open the blue envelope.
It contained a document bearing Alexander’s seal.
Before she could read it, Graham said, “That paper is worthless without the witness page.”
Claire searched the envelope.
There was no second page.
Graham smiled.
“And the only living witness is a man who cannot remember his own name.”
Everyone looked at Arthur.
May you like
Arthur’s face went blank.
Then he whispered, “I remember where Daniel took it.”
