Chapter 12 - Excavating the PastThe East Wing library smelled of aged leather, dust, and damp earth. Since the police investigation, the room had been sealed off, shrouded in yellow police tape that Claire had legally ordered removed.
Armed with a heavy iron crowbar from the estate’s tool shed, Claire stood before the grand stone fireplace. Ethan’s letter had specifically mentioned the foundation stone—the massive, carved granite block bearing the Sterling family crest right at the base of the hearth.
"Let’s see what kind of ghosts you left behind, Ethan," she whispered to the empty room.
She wedged the tip of the crowbar into the narrow mortar seam beneath the crest. Her muscles strained, her knuckles turning white as she threw her entire body weight into the leverage.
Crack!
The ancient mortar gave way with a cloud of choking dust and gray powder. Claire coughed, waving her hand to clear the air before prying again. With a heavy, echoing thud, the massive granite block shifted forward, tumbling out of the wall and crashing onto the hardwood floor.
Behind the stone lay a dark, hollow cavity in the brickwork.
Claire reached inside, her fingers brushing against something cold and metallic. She pulled it out: a heavy, waterproof metal lockbox, locked with a biometric scanner that had long lost its battery power.
May you like
Frowning, she grabbed a small hammer from her toolkit and sharply struck the side latch of the lockbox. With a metallic snap, the lid popped open.
Inside wasn't money or gold. It was a stack of old VHS tapes, a leather-bound journal, and an official adoption decree dated twenty-five years ago.
