Chapter 6 - THE BASEMENT DOOR
The key opened a hidden room beneath Arthur's estate.
My basement.
The same place where he had knocked on my door.
The room had been behind the boiler.
I stared.
“You knew?”
“No.”
We opened it.
Inside were boxes.
Photographs.
Documents.
And a journal.
My father's journal.
I read for hours.
He had documented everything.
Names.
Dates.
Payments.
People who had disappeared.
Then I saw one name.
Gabriel Costello.
But the final pages were different.
My father wrote:
Gabriel is not the mastermind.
I looked at Arthur.
“Then who is?”
The next page was missing.
Arthur searched the boxes.
Nothing.
Then footsteps sounded above us.
Someone entered the basement.
We froze.
Arthur pulled me behind him.
The door opened.
Margaret stepped inside.
I stared.
She smiled.
“I wondered when you'd find this.”
Arthur raised his weapon.
“You.”
Margaret laughed.
“You were always clever, Arthur.”
“Where is Gabriel?”
“Alive.”
“Where?”
“Safe.”
“Why?”
“Because he understands what you never did.”
“What?”
“The Costello empire belongs to him.”
Arthur's expression darkened.
Margaret pulled out a gun.
“Put yours down.”
Arthur didn't move.
I whispered:
“Arthur.”
He looked at me.
Then lowered his weapon.
Margaret smiled.
“Good.”
She moved toward the boxes.
“You have no idea how long I've waited.”
“For what?”
“To destroy this family.”
She looked at me.
“Your father was going to expose us.”
“He tried.”
“And failed.”
“No.”
I stepped forward.
“He left the evidence.”
Margaret's smile vanished.
Arthur looked at me.
I understood.
The missing page.
It wasn't missing.
I had it.
It was hidden inside the cover of my father's journal.
I pulled it free.
Margaret lunged.
Arthur tackled her.
The gun went off.
May you like
The basement lights shattered.
Darkness swallowed us.
