Chapter 11 - The ButlerThe mansion was on lockdown.
Doors sealed.
Guards armed.
Every camera activated.
But Harrison knew the estate better than anyone.
He had worked there for twenty-five years.
He knew the tunnels.
The walls.
The hidden doors.
The places even Leo had forgotten.
Beatrice ran beside Leo.
“Where would he take Lily?”
“The old nursery.”
“Why?”
“Because it was connected to the basement.”
They reached it.
Empty.
A music box played by itself.
Lily's stuffed rabbit lay on the floor.
Beatrice picked it up.
Inside the rabbit was a piece of paper.
A map.
The route ended beneath the west library.
Leo's expression darkened.
“The vault.”
They rushed there.
The hidden corridor opened.
The vault door was already unlocked.
Inside stood Harrison.
Lily was beside him.
A gun pressed against her temple.
Beatrice stopped breathing.
“Lily.”
The little girl looked at her.
“Bea.”
Harrison smiled.
“You always were the brave one.”
Leo raised his gun.
“Let her go.”
“No.”
“You have nowhere to go.”
Harrison laughed.
“You still think this is about escape?”
“What do you want?”
“The key.”
Beatrice stepped forward.
“I have it.”
Leo grabbed her wrist.
“No.”
She looked at him.
“It's the only way.”
Harrison nodded.
“Give me the bracelet.”
Beatrice slowly removed it.
Harrison held out his hand.
“Now.”
She took one step.
Then another.
Suddenly Lily screamed.
“Behind you!”
Beatrice turned.
Leo fired.
Harrison ducked.
The bullet hit the wall.
Mateo stormed in.
Lily ran.
Beatrice caught her.
Harrison vanished through a hidden door.
Leo chased him.
The vault shook.
A timer began blinking on the wall.
00:59
Beatrice stared.
“Leo!”
He turned.
“What?”
“There's a bomb.”
He looked at the timer.
00:54.
Mateo rushed in.
“We need to move!”
“No.”
Beatrice pointed.
“The bomb is connected to the vault.”
Leo understood.
“If the vault opens completely, it detonates.”
“Then why did Harrison want the key?”
“To force us to open it.”
The timer dropped.
00:37.
Leo searched the wall.
“Where's the control?”
Beatrice remembered her mother's words.
The last key will awaken when the girl turns six.
She looked at Lily.
“Come here.”
Lily stepped closer.
Beatrice opened the bracelet compartment.
The microchip had a tiny symbol.
A sun.
Lily's drawings always showed a sun.
Beatrice touched the chip to the wall.
A hidden panel opened.
Inside was a second key.
Leo stared.
“That's not a key.”
Beatrice picked it up.
It was a fingerprint scanner.
“It's biological.”
She pressed her thumb against it.
The vault opened.
The timer stopped.
Everyone exhaled.
Then lights came on.
Rows of documents filled the chamber.
At the center stood a metal box.
Beatrice opened it.
Inside was a letter.
Leo read it.
Then went pale.
Beatrice took it from him.
Three words were written at the top.
I killed Maria.
Leo stared at her.
“Whose handwriting?”
May you like
He answered:
“Mine.”
