CHAPTER 9: THE THREE NUMBERS

Dane grabbed Conrad.

Eleanor watched the paper burn until nothing remained except black ash.

“There,” she said. “The foolish mystery is over.”

Ethan kept his face still.

The numbers repeated inside his mind.

9-27-18.

September 27, 2018?

Locker numbers?

A baseball score?

Then Ava whispered, “Daddy, that was Grandpa’s code.”

Ethan looked down at her.

“What code?”

“The numbers on Grandma’s music box.”

Margaret Mercer kept an old wooden music box beside her bed.

Ethan had seen it hundreds of times.

He had never noticed numbers.

Eleanor heard Ava.

“Take the child.”

Dane released Conrad and moved toward her.

Ethan lifted the auction hammer from a nearby table.

“Take one more step.”

Dane stopped.

The hammer was not as dangerous as a gun.

But Ethan’s expression made the security chief hesitate.

Conrad suddenly reached inside his coat and threw a small object toward Ethan.

Ethan caught it.

A brass key.

The same lion symbol from Arthur Bell’s button had been engraved on its head.

“Halcyon Field,” Conrad said. “Locker 927.”

Eleanor struck him across the face.

The entire corridor fell silent.

Conrad slowly turned back toward his wife.

“You always did panic when someone spoke the truth.”

“You are destroying your own family.”

“No,” Conrad replied. “I am choosing which part deserves to survive.”

Police sirens sounded outside the hotel.

For one hopeful second, Ethan believed someone had called for help.

Then Detective Roland Harris entered the corridor with six officers.

Ethan recognized him.

Harris had investigated the burglary at Margaret’s cabin.

He had claimed there were no fingerprints, no witnesses, and no evidence.

Now he looked directly at the brass key in Ethan’s hand.

“Mr. Mercer,” Harris said, “you are under arrest for attempted theft, assault, and threatening guests with a weapon.”

Ethan lowered the hammer.

“My daughter was taken.”

Harris did not look at Ava.

“Put your hands behind your back.”

Eleanor smiled faintly.

Dane took the key from Ethan.

As the officers led Ethan away, Ava ran after him.

“Daddy!”

Harris blocked her.

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Conrad leaned toward Ethan and whispered five words before the elevator doors closed.

“Your wife found the locker first.”