Chapter 21 - A Late Night Package Delivers A Chilling Warning
Midnight descended upon the Bel-Air estate, wrapping the sprawling grounds in deep shadows and absolute silence.
David was finishing up final executive emails in the study when a soft thud echoed against the front porch steps.
He paused, grabbing a heavy brass flashlight from his desk before quietly walking down the grand hallway to investigate.
He unlocked the heavy front door, pulling it open to check the stone porch under the glow of the exterior carriage lights.
There was no one in sight, but resting squarely on the welcome mat was a small, unmarked black cardboard box.
David picked it up cautiously, carrying it inside and locking the heavy door behind him with a loud click.
He placed the dark box onto the mahogany entry table, cutting the security tape with his silver pocketknife.
He lifted the lid, sliding away a layer of black tissue paper to reveal a single item resting inside.
It was a rusted skeleton key attached to an old luggage tag bearing the handwritten initials of his late grandfather.
May you like
Scrawled on the back of the tag in unfamiliar block letters was a final, chilling sentence that made his heart stop:
“You defeated the family, David... but you never found the second underground vault hidden beneath the warehouse where the original deeds are buried.”
