Chapter 21 - The Unmarked Oak Box Found In The Master Attic
Late on a warm Friday evening in late August, Mark was organizing the top-floor storage attic of the Boston mansion while Lily slept.
Behind an old leather trunk containing Sarah’s vintage dresses, Mark discovered a small, secret floor compartment hidden under the rug.
Inside lay an old, unmarked wooden box crafted from dark American oak, secured with a heavy antique brass padlock from 1950.
Resting on top of the dark oak box was a fresh, handwritten index card written in a bold, unfamiliar masculine handwriting:
“Mark, you defeated Marcus and Vanessa... but you never checked the second vault beneath the kitchen floorboards.”
May you like
“The chemical formula Vanessa stole was only half of the research... the rest is buried six feet under the back terrace lawn.”
“Open this box before six o'clock tomorrow morning, or the federal inspectors will arrive with a search warrant for your property.”
