Chapter 3 - Daniel’s First Lie
Police were called.
Victor refused to let family handle investigation privately.
That decision angered Eleanor.
It terrified Daniel.
The second door was opened by locksmith under police supervision.
Beyond it was an archive room.
No prisoner.
No body.
No hidden torture chamber.
Shelves.
Boxes.
A desk.
An old cot.
Several empty water bottles.
And a recently used plate.
Someone had been inside within past day.
On desk sat photograph of Catherine.
Victor picked it up.
Taken fourteen years ago.
Catherine stood outside mansion holding newborn baby.
Victor frowned.
They had never had a child together.
He turned photograph over.
Nothing.
Daniel appeared behind him.
His face drained.
Victor slowly faced him.
“You've seen this.”
“No.”
“Don't.”
Daniel said nothing.
Victor placed photograph beside gold key.
“Start with Lily.”
Daniel finally admitted key had been found three days earlier.
Where?
Inside Eleanor’s private safe.
Lily wandered into bedroom while Daniel was helping Eleanor move documents.
The safe was open.
Lily picked key up.
Daniel saw her.
He took it away.
Then why did Lily say he made her hide it?
Because later Daniel gave it back.
Why?
“I panicked.”
“That doesn't answer me.”
Daniel claimed Eleanor noticed key missing and demanded entire house searched.
Daniel feared Eleanor would punish Lily.
So he slipped key into Lily’s pocket and told her:
“Keep this hidden until I tell you.”
Victor stared at him.
“You used a four-year-old to hide evidence from your mother?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because I wanted to know what it opened before she destroyed it.”
That was believable.
But not enough.
Daniel knew number 17 mattered.
How?
He had seen it in father’s old papers.
Victor froze.
Their father, Arthur Hale, died seven years ago.
Arthur had built much of mansion.
Daniel had discovered invoices for:
PRIVATE ROOM 17 — C.H. ACCESS ONLY.
C.H.
Catherine Hale.
Victor’s wife.
Why would Arthur build secret archive for Catherine?
Daniel didn't know.
Then investigators found recent fingerprint on desk.
Not Daniel.
Not Eleanor.
Not Victor.
Database returned identity.
Mara Quinn.
Victor stared at name.
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Mara had been Catherine’s personal assistant.
She disappeared three weeks after Catherine.
