Chapter 5 - Behind the Paneling
They opened the wall at noon.
Not secretly.
Not recklessly.
Julian brought a preservation contractor, an attorney, and a retired detective Rebecca trusted.
Charles refused to attend.
Then another.
Behind them was brick.
Charles had been right.
For three minutes.
Different mortar.
Newer than the rest.
A filled doorway.
Mara covered her mouth.
“My mother was right.”
They removed six bricks.
No body.
No skeleton.
Just dust.
A narrow chamber.
Wallpaper faded blue.
A chair.
A small desk.
And scratches on the inside of the bricked doorway.
Julian stared.
Mara began crying.
The marks looked like someone had clawed at the wall.
The retired detective, Frank Holloway, stopped everyone.
“Do not touch anything.”
He called state police.
A water glass.
A dried fountain pen.
And a diary.
Last entry:
October 16, 1989.
Lucia,
Charles says he only needs one night. His father found out. They are afraid Margaret will learn.
Julian felt sick.
Charles.
His grandfather.
His mother.
Everyone connected.
The final line was unfinished.
Someone is coming up the hall—
Then nothing.
Mara whispered, “She was here.”
Frank nodded.
“But she left somehow.”
Julian looked around.
“No second door.”
Frank examined the floor.
“There might have been.”
A rug covered half the chamber.
Under it was a square iron ring.
Trapdoor.
They opened it.
Mara looked at Julian.
“My mother never knew.”
Frank turned on a flashlight.
May you like
At the bottom of the stairs was another door.
And on the other side, someone had recently installed a new padlock.
