Chapter 6: The Hidden Compartment
Later that afternoon, Julian sat with Clara in the expansive library while Lily napped upstairs. He had placed the canvas bag on the large mahogany table between them, determined to examine every item with absolute precision. Clara watched him quietly, her arms crossed over her chest, guarding her privacy with the fierce independence of a street-smart survivor.
"Clara," Julian began softly, choosing his words with care. "Your mother was a very smart woman. She knew how to keep you safe when things got difficult. Did she ever give you anything special to hold onto? A letter, a drawing, or perhaps something wrapped up tightly?"
Clara stared at the wooden table for a moment before shaking her head. "She gave me the silver locket. And she told me that if the bad man ever found us, I should never open the secret pocket in the lining of my winter coat."
Julian’s eyes locked onto hers. "Your winter coat? Clara, where is that coat now?"
"In the hallway closet," she replied, standing up abruptly. "Mrs. Gable hung it up to dry."
Julian moved swiftly toward the coat closet, his heart beating a rapid rhythm against his ribs. He pulled the heavy wool coat off its hanger, turning it inside out. His fingers searched the frayed hem near the inner lining, feeling the stiff outline of something rectangular stitched expertly into the fabric. Using a small silver pocketknife from his desk, he carefully sliced the thread, parting the dark fabric. A sealed blue envelope slid out into his waiting hand. The paper was slightly damp from the rain, but the wax seal remained unbroken, stamped with an unfamiliar emblem featuring a stylized raven.
May you like
Clara stood beside him, watching the envelope with wide, fearful eyes. "Is that what the man wanted?"
"I believe so, Clara," Julian whispered, turning the envelope over in his hands. He knew breaking that seal would pull him directly into whatever danger had haunted Sarah’s final months. But handing it over or ignoring it was no longer an option. This envelope held the answers to why Sarah had died and why his newfound daughters were targeted.
