Chapter 9 - The Subterranean Vault
The subterranean wine cellar beneath the Sterling estate was a sprawling, stone-ribbed cavern built in the late nineteenth century, smelling of damp earth, aged oak, and cold limestone.
Two hours had passed.
The house above was filled with floodlights, forensic vans, and the low hum of heavy machinery. Down in the vault, industrial work lights had been erected, casting harsh, stark white shadows across the ancient brick walls.
David stood at the bottom of the stone stairs, wrapped in a heavy jacket, holding Chloe, who had fallen into an exhausted, deep sleep against his neck. Beside him stood Detective Marcus.
At the far end of the cellar, near the third barrel rack, two forensic technicians in white Tyvek suits were using a portable jackhammer to break through a fresh layer of gray sealant that had been poured over the stone floor.
The loud, rhythmic thud-thud-thud of the jackhammer echoed through the cavern like a giant heart beating beneath the earth.
CRACK.
The slab gave way. A cloud of fine gray dust drifted into the air, caught in the beam of the halogen work lights.
The head forensic analyst knelt down, using a small brush to clear away the debris and pulverized lime. He reached into the opening with a pair of long mechanical tongs.
David held his breath, his eyes wide, his jaw clenched so hard his teeth throbbed.
The technician lifted an object from the hole and placed it on a white sterile sheet on the floor.
It was not a body.
It was a heavy, stainless-steel waterproof vault box, roughly the size of a suitcase, secured with a digital biometric keypad.
Detective Marcus stepped forward, gesturing for the technician to hold. "Bring the bypass kit."
"No need," David said, his voice hoarse as he walked slowly toward the excavation pit. "I know the combination. It's not a date. It's the coordinates of the Sterling family's founding land grant."
David lowered himself to one knee, keeping Chloe balanced in his arm. With his trembling right hand, he entered six digits into the keypad: 1-8-8-4-0-9.
The lock chimed softly. A green LED flashed.
May you like
CLICK.
The heavy steel lid hissed open, revealing the contents inside.
