Chapter 4

I followed the instructions in the letter and found the hidden mechanism beneath the study floor.

With a soft click, a panel of wood gave way, revealing a narrow stairwell descending into darkness.

The basement was thick with dust, sealed tight on all sides. In the corners, boxes of old documents sat stacked and forgotten, their edges yellowed with age.

I opened the top box.

Inside were my mother's personal belongings: handwritten journals, a jewelry box—and a photo still stained with drying blood.

In the picture, Norbert was meeting in secret with a man I didn't recognize.

I opened one…