Chapter 11: Betrayal Inside the Mansion
Chapter 11: Betrayal Inside the Mansion
The grand entrance of Blackwood Manor erupted into chaos.
FBI agents swept through the mansion, securing every hallway while uniformed officers escorted staff members into the ballroom for questioning.
Detective Brian Keller walked in beside Special Agent Laura Bennett, the lead investigator assigned to the federal case.
Margaret Blackwood stood at the top of the staircase, perfectly composed despite the dozens of armed agents surrounding her.
"You certainly know how to make an entrance, Detective," she said.
Keller held up the federal warrant.
"We're searching the entire estate."
Margaret smiled faintly.
"You won't find what you're looking for."
Agent Bennett met her gaze.
"We'll decide that."
Within minutes, agents spread across the mansion.
Charles Blackwood's study was sealed.
The security office was dismantled.
Every computer, hard drive, and document was cataloged.
One team headed directly to the underground surveillance room.
A young forensic technician frowned as he examined the security server.
"Agent Bennett..."
She walked over.
"What is it?"
"The balcony footage wasn't deleted."
"It wasn't?"
The technician shook his head.
"It was replaced."
He enlarged several files.
"Someone copied six minutes of older footage over the original recording."
Bennett exchanged a look with Keller.
"So the evidence still exists."
"Maybe."
"If whoever replaced it made a mistake."
Meanwhile, Emily, Ethan, Daniel, and Rachel gathered at the guesthouse.
The atmosphere was tense.
Daniel had barely spoken since listening to Charles's cassette.
He stared out the window toward the lake.
"I keep wondering..."
Emily looked at him.
"What?"
"If my parents adopted me..."
"Who were my real parents?"
No one had an answer.
Ethan finally broke the silence.
"Charles wanted you to know the truth."
Daniel nodded slowly.
"I know."
"But now I have another question."
He turned toward Emily.
"If I had a twin brother..."
"Why did no one ever look for him?"
Rachel sighed softly.
"I don't think that's true."
"What do you mean?"
"I think someone did."
Everyone looked at her.
"Charles."
Back at Blackwood Manor, the forensic technician called Keller over.
"I found something."
On the monitor appeared a damaged video file.
Most of it had been corrupted.
Only twenty-three seconds remained.
The footage showed the second-floor balcony just moments before Emily fell.
Margaret was visible.
So was Emily.
Then a third figure entered the frame.
The image glitched repeatedly, making the face impossible to identify.
But one detail was perfectly clear.
The person wore a silver ring engraved with a hawk.
Keller's expression darkened.
"The Hawthorne Circle."
The technician nodded.
"It looks that way."
Then the video froze on the final frame.
Emily reached for Margaret's sleeve.
At the same moment...
The mysterious third figure placed both hands on Emily's back.
The push had come from behind.
Margaret hadn't acted alone.
Agent Bennett immediately ordered facial reconstruction specialists to enhance the footage.
"Can you identify him?"
The technician zoomed in.
"Not yet."
"But..."
He enlarged the man's wrist.
A tattoo became visible beneath his shirt cuff.
A Roman numeral.
IV
Bennett frowned.
"Number Four."
Keller remembered Charles's old photograph.
The founders. Never trust Number Four.
Victor Sloan.
Across town, Richard Hawthorne sat alone in his office.
He opened a hidden drawer beneath his desk.
Inside rested an old revolver.
Beside it lay a yellowed envelope.
He hesitated before opening it.
The letter inside was addressed in Charles's handwriting.
Richard,
If you're reading this, then Victor has returned.
Don't trust anyone wearing the hawk.
Not even if they call themselves family.
Richard slowly closed the letter.
His hands trembled.
A quiet knock interrupted him.
"Come in."
His secretary stepped inside.
"There's someone here to see you."
"Who?"
"He wouldn't give his name."
Before Richard could respond, the office lights suddenly went out.
Darkness filled the room.
A deep voice echoed from somewhere behind him.
"You've lived twenty-six years longer than you were supposed to."
Richard turned sharply.
"Victor..."
The lights flickered back on.
No one was there.
Then a single gunshot shattered the silence.
At the guesthouse, Ethan's phone rang.
He answered immediately.
"Keller?"
"No."
It was Agent Bennett.
"We need you here."
"What happened?"
"There was a shooting."
Ethan's face hardened.
"Who's been shot?"
"Richard Hawthorne."
Emily stood.
"Is he alive?"
"We don't know."
Forty minutes later, Ethan and Emily arrived at Hawthorne Financial.
Police tape surrounded the building.
Paramedics rushed a stretcher toward an ambulance.
Richard lay unconscious, an oxygen mask covering his face.
Emily ran forward.
"Richard!"
His eyes opened briefly.
He recognized her.
With the last of his strength, he grabbed her wrist.
"Emily..."
She leaned closer.
"Who did this?"
Richard struggled to breathe.
"It wasn't..."
His voice faded.
"It wasn't Margaret."
Emily frowned.
"What?"
Richard's grip tightened.
"Find..."
"The music box..."
"What music box?"
"Charles..."
"...hid the will..."
"...inside..."
The monitor beside the stretcher began to beep rapidly.
Doctors pushed Emily aside.
"Clear!"
Richard's body jerked as the defibrillator discharged.
Again.
Again.
After a long, agonizing minute, a steady heartbeat finally returned.
The lead doctor looked at Emily.
"He's alive."
"But barely."
Later that night, Keller returned to Blackwood Manor.
The forensic team had completed their search of Charles's study.
Most drawers were empty.
Most files had already been removed.
Then one young agent noticed something unusual.
The antique piano in the corner seemed slightly out of place.
He pressed one of the lower keys.
Instead of producing a note...
A hidden compartment slid open.
Inside rested a single object.
A beautifully carved wooden music box.
Keller carefully lifted it out.
There was no keyhole.
No visible latch.
Only a brass plate engraved with seven words.
The melody reveals what silence protects.
Keller smiled.
May you like
Charles had left another puzzle.
And this one had been waiting inside the mansion all along.
