Chapter 15: Ashes and Answers
513 Words
The drive to the Stone family estate felt endless.
Flames lit up the night sky long before Alexander, Maya, Jordan, and Detective Bennett arrived. Firefighters were already battling the blaze, their hoses sending streams of water toward the historic mansion.
Alexander stepped out of the car, his face filled with disbelief.
"My home..."
Maya gently touched his arm.
"We'll get through this."
A firefighter rushed over.
"Sir, the fire started in the west wing. We've managed to contain most of it, but the library suffered severe damage."
Alexander's eyes widened.
"The library..."
Without waiting, he ran toward the house.
"Alexander, wait!" Maya called.
Ignoring the smoke, he entered the mansion.
---
Inside, ash floated through the air like snow. Burned books covered the floor, and pieces of the ceiling had collapsed.
Alexander coughed as he made his way to the library.
His father had spent countless hours there.
If there was another clue, it would have been hidden among those shelves.
He searched desperately through the debris.
Nothing.
Then...
Maya noticed an old portrait hanging crookedly above the fireplace.
"Alexander!"
He looked up.
The portrait had survived the fire.
She carefully lifted it from the wall.
Behind it was a narrow steel compartment.
"The key," Maya whispered.
Alexander took the gold key they had found at the railway station and inserted it into the lock.
It turned with a soft click.
Inside the compartment was a leather folder, untouched by the fire.
Alexander opened it.
The first page was a list of names.
Executives.
Lawyers.
Investors.
Several names had checkmarks beside them.
One name was circled in red.
Richard Hale
Maya frowned.
"Who's Richard Hale?"
Alexander's expression darkened.
"He was my father's closest adviser."
Jordan looked confused.
"I thought he retired years ago."
"He disappeared the week my father died," Alexander replied.
Detective Bennett quickly searched her tablet.
Her eyes widened.
"He didn't disappear."
Everyone looked at her.
"He changed his identity."
Silence filled the room.
She continued reading.
"Richard Hale has been living under another name for nearly twenty years."
"What's his new name?" Maya asked.
Detective Bennett hesitated.
"You've already met him."
Alexander felt his heart pound.
"Who is he?"
Before she could answer, one of the firefighters ran into the library.
"Mr. Stone!"
"What is it?"
"We found someone outside trying to get into the estate."
Security officers escorted an older man into the room.
His clothes were dirty, and he looked exhausted.
The moment Alexander saw him, he froze.
"Nathan..."
Nathan slowly raised his hands.
"I'm not here to fight."
The room fell silent.
He looked directly at Alexander.
"If you want to know who Richard Hale really is..."
He took a deep breath.
"...then you need to know why our father never trusted him."
Just then, the lights flickered.
A hidden speaker somewhere in the mansion crackled to life.
A familiar voice echoed through the burned library.
"You're getting closer than I expected, Alexander."
Everyone recognized the voice instantly.
It wasn't Nathan.
It wasn't Damien.
It wasn't Vanessa.
The mastermind had finally decided to speak.
To be continued
- Writer
