Chapter 5 - The Drawer In The Mahogany Desk
The heavy front doors swung shut behind the departing police officers, leaving a profound, suffocating quiet in the mansion hallway. The red and blue flashing lights from the cruisers outside slowly faded into the distance, leaving only the soft amber glow of the wall sconces.
Julian looked down at little Lily, who had finally stopped crying, though her wide eyes still reflected the stress of the evening. He crouched down to her eye level, his stern expression softening just a fraction.
“Go upstairs with your grandmother, Lily,” Julian instructed gently, smoothing down the front of her white and pink dress. “I need to check something in the study.”
“Will the pretty lady come back?” Lily whispered, her small fingers clutching a fold of her skirt.
“No, sweetheart,” Julian promised, his voice firm and reassuring. “She won't be coming back here ever again.”
He watched as Clara and her mother escorted the little girl up the grand staircase, their footsteps quiet against the carpeted steps. Once they were out of sight, Julian stood up and turned toward the east wing. The corridor leading to his private study was dark, illuminated only by the moonlight filtering through the high arched windows.
His mind raced with Bianca’s parting words. Look inside your own private office before you celebrate.
Julian pushed open the heavy mahogany doors of his study. The room smelled of old leather, pipe tobacco, and polished wood. Everything appeared untouched. His desk chairs were in place, the bookshelves were neatly aligned, and his laptop sat closed on the blotter. Yet, an uneasy instinct made his hand tighten into a fist.
He walked directly to his antique mahogany desk. The top drawer, which always remained locked with a brass key, was slightly ajar. The key was missing from its usual hiding spot behind the portrait of his grandfather.
Julian pulled the drawer open. Inside sat a single, unfamiliar object that made his blood run cold—a modern flash drive wrapped in a handwritten note bearing his own handwriting, though he had never written it.
He picked up the note. The ink was fresh.
“If I am arrested, the encryption key releases the offshore accounts of your father’s company, proving he didn't die by accident.”
May you like
Before Julian could process the terrifying depth of the conspiracy, the study’s heavy oak door slammed shut behind him by itself, and the lock clicked firmly into place from the outside.
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