Chapter 3 - The Cryptic Note
Julian knelt beside the mahogany banister, his fingers carefully lifting the crumpled scrap of paper from beneath the oriental runner. The ink was fresh, smelling faintly of the expensive fountain pen he had gifted Marcus on his anniversary. Clara leaned in cautiously, while Dr. Harris watched the perimeter of the hallway, his hand resting instinctively near his suit pocket where he kept his medical bag.
"What is it, Mr. Vance?" Clara asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
Julian flattened the paper against his knee. Scrawled in Marcus's hurried handwriting were the words: The delivery is complete. Do not look in the north wing. Julian’s blood ran cold. The north wing housed the unused guest quarters and the old estate archives—a labyrinth of forgotten history and locked doors where anyone could hide unseen for days.
"Marcus," Julian muttered, his voice trembling with a mixture of betrayal and fury. He looked back at Lilly, who was now standing quietly, smoothing down the front of her blue dress as if nothing out of the ordinary had occurred.
"Lilly," Julian said softly, walking over to kneel beside her again. "Did you see this man near the kitchen?"
Lilly nodded slowly, her large brown eyes reflecting the harsh light of the chandelier. "He wore a black coat. And he had a ring with a green stone."
Julian’s breath caught in his throat. A heavy signet ring with an emerald gemstone—a family heirloom that only one other person on the estate possessed. His older brother, Robert, who had vanished under mysterious circumstances three years ago after a bitter dispute over the family trust. Robert was legally declared dead, but the ring was unmistakable.
"That's impossible," Dr. Harris murmured, stepping closer to inspect the note. "Robert is gone. We all attended the memorial."
"People can fake a death, Doctor," Julian replied coldly, standing up to his full height. "And someone in this house is helping him."
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Before Dr. Harris could respond, a heavy, metallic thud echoed from the upper floor, directly above Ethan’s bedroom, followed by the faint sound of breaking glass.
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