Chapter 24 - BEACON HILL SHADOWS
The autumn air in Boston was crisp and damp, filling the narrow cobblestone streets of Beacon Hill with the scent of fallen oak leaves.
I pulled my trench coat tightly around my shoulders as I stood before the iron gates of 142 Chestnut Street.
The Vance Manor was an imposing four-story Georgian estate with dark red brick, tall arched windows, and looming black shutters.
A massive framed US flag hung prominently beside the heavy carved mahogany front door, swaying gently in the chilly coastal breeze.
The estate had stood vacant for over two decades, locked in endless probate litigation following Sterling Vance’s unexplained vanishing.
I met my local contact, a veteran structural inspector named Marcus Cole, outside the rusted iron side entrance.
Marcus carried heavy laser-scanning equipment and a master permit issued for historic preservation surveys.
"This place has been off the market since 1998, Miss Bennett," Marcus said, fitting a heavy brass key into the side lock.
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"The bank maintains minimal heating to keep the pipes from freezing, but nobody has set foot inside the upper floors for years," he added.
The heavy door creaked open, revealing a towering grand foyer lined with dark mahogany paneling and dust-covered crystal chandeliers.
