Chapter 3 - The Mechanics of Betrayal
Evelyn slipped away from the dining hall into the estate's basement maintenance room. The room was lined with dusty blueprints, brass pipes, and mechanical bell-wire systems dating back to the late 1800s.
She pulled out the blueprint for St. Gabriel’s Chapel.
Tracing her finger along the faded ink lines, she found the hidden storm shelter built beneath the altar during Prohibition. It had two exits: the primary staircase inside the private study, which was now locked and guarded by Margaret’s loyal men, and an ancient drainage sluice that emptied into the estate’s outer ornamental lake.
"Line seventeen..." Evelyn whispered to herself.
She traced the mechanical bell wire connected to tag seventeen. It ran from the storm shelter directly up to a small, concealed brass bell inside Margaret’s private office.
Gabriel hadn't rung an alarm for help to the entire house. He had rung the private line to his aunt's desk when he was first locked inside.
Margaret had heard the bell toll fifteen hours ago. She had walked down, verified he was trapped, disabled the emergency air vent, and then ordered two hundred black memorial candles to prepare for his public funeral.
"You need help, Evelyn?"
Evelyn jumped, shoving the blueprints under a rag.
Standing in the doorway was Sam, the estate’s veteran electrician and one of the few men who had served Gabriel’s father.
"Sam," Evelyn gasped, trying to steady her breathing. "You scared me."
May you like
Sam looked at the brass tag in her hand, then at the old blueprints on the workbench. His weathered face hardened into a serious, knowing look.
"You know where the boss is, don't you?" Sam asked quietly.
