Chapter 10
Beneath the foundation, Lily used every ounce of her remaining strength to lift the heavy iron grating set into the exterior cellar wall. The rusty hinges groaned in protest, flaking flakes of orange rust onto her shoulders as she pushed upward with both hands. With a sudden, jarring snap, the latch gave way, swinging the iron flap outward into the cold, crisp night air of the overgrown greenhouse. A rush of fresh oxygen hit her face, reviving her tired muscles and clearing the lingering smoke from her lungs.
Without hesitation, Lily hoisted herself up through the narrow opening, scrambling onto the damp stone tiles of the greenhouse floor. The expansive glass structure was filled with rows of overgrown winter ferns and dormant tomato plants, casting eerie, twisted shadows under the pale moonlight filtering through the dirty glass panes. Outside, she could hear the heavy rumble of fire engines idling in the driveway and the urgent shouting of emergency personnel near the front entrance of the mansion.
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She clutched her father’s heavy leather ledger tightly against her chest with both arms, using the tall foliage as cover as she crept toward the rear exit door of the greenhouse. Her light blue dress was ruined—torn, stained with soot, and soaked with cellar dampness—and her bare feet were scraped and bleeding from the rough stones, but she felt no pain, only a singular, driving purpose. She needed to reach the main road before anyone discovered her escape through the lower service shaft.
As she reached the rear glass door of the greenhouse, she carefully pushed it open an inch and peered out toward the driveway. Through the skeletal branches of the oak trees, she spotted the flashing red lights of a police cruiser that had just arrived to join the fire trucks. A uniformed officer was standing near the back of the squad car, speaking into a handheld radio. Lily took a deep breath, clutching the ledger like a shield, and prepared to step out of the shadows into the cold winter night to deliver the evidence that would finally bring the truth to light.
