Chapter 28 - The Hidden Wall Chamber
Arriving at the historic original Sterling Hotel site in Richmond, Virginia, Victoria was met by government architects and federal historians.
During renovation work on the hotel's 1920s foundation wall, workers had uncovered a hidden steel chamber buried behind brickwork.
Victoria walked down into the dusty, stone basement, accompanied by Marcus and the lead federal historian, Dr. Henry Cole.
Dr. Cole shined a powerful lantern onto a reinforced iron safe built directly into the bedrock of the hotel's foundation.
"This safe was forged in 1918, Miss Sterling," Dr. Cole explained, pointing at the antique brass combination dial.
"It requires a custom family signet key to open... the key your grandfather wore on his pocket watch chain," he noted.
Victoria reached into her blazer pocket, pulling out her grandfather's antique gold pocket watch key that her father had given her.
She inserted the key into the dial, turning it three times to the left until a heavy mechanical click echoed through the chamber.
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The iron safe door swung open, releasing a cloud of century-old dust into the cool subterranean air.
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