“Gerard has quite the library,” I said, running my fingers over the spines.
“His collection has gotten bigger since the last time I was here. Gerard is considered the scholar of the household. He has an answer for everything, and what he doesn’t know, he researches. It’s why he was promoted to the estate manager.”
“So, it’s safe to say Mae might have needed Gerard to get information of some sort. And if you’re right and the numbers are a combination, then it’s possible that information is locked up.”
Derrick started with the trunks, pulling them down and lining them up, side by side. All of them were unlocked, and we rifled through them, not finding anything of use. Next, we searched the bureau, nightstand, and I did my cursory mattress check.
Nothing.
If the numbers were a combination, there weren’t many places left to look.
“Have you checked the closet?”
“Yeah—nothing but clothes. Let me see the note again.”
I handed it over at the same time something crashed in the hallway. Derrick grabbed my arm and shoved me behind him when the door swung open.
Edward stumbled inside, a cobweb clinging to his spectacles. He swiped at it, knocking the glasses from his face. They swung wildly on their chain while he shook his fingers in the air, trying to dislodge the sticky web.
“Cursed spiders! Bloody nuisance, their webs.”
“Edward, are you all right?” I poked my head from around Derrick’s back.
“There you are, my dear. I’m glad you made it up here in one piece. Can’t say the same for my pride. I might have screamed like a little girl when I walked into that last cobweb. Nasty things.” He shuddered.
Derrick glowered and thrust a finger at his grandfather. “When this is over, you and I are going to have a serious discussion about your little sleuthing caper with Tessa.”
Edward winced and replaced the spectacles on his nose. “We’re in trouble, aren’t we?” he asked me, covering his mouth as if Derrick couldn’t hear.
“You have no idea. You’re lucky you’re old.”
Edward snorted. “Well, you have beauty on your side. All you have to do is charm the young man. That’s a tremendous advantage.” He scratched his chin. “I suppose I could appear frail.”
“Yeah, go with that,” I said. “May I suggest a pronounced limp and a hacking cough? Oh, better yet, a death rattle. It’s virtually impossible to be mad at someone with a death rattle.”
“Good plan, my dear.”
“Will the two of you stop?” Derrick growled, throwing up his hands at our antics.
I flattened my lips to contain a grin. “Derrick’s right. We can work out our multipronged attack to soothe his ire later. Right now, we need to focus on figuring out what the coded numbers mean. We’ve already searched the room with no luck.”
“Read it to me again, son.”
“The numbers are 5, 27, 123.”
We all shifted our gaze around the room, and since we didn’t find anything at ground level, we paid close attention to the ceiling. Exposed beams ran the length of the room, but there didn’t appear to be anything hidden on them.
“What about the painting hanging over the bureau? Maybe there’s something attached to the frame.” Derrick strode toward it and lifted it from its perch on the wall. He turned it over and ran his hand over the back, then he shook his head.
Tapping my foot, I chewed on a thumbnail as I searched the room. We were definitely missing something. What if the numbers weren’t a combination, but coordinates? Gerard was known for his books, so maybe the code specified a certain one.
I studied the bookcase, starting at the top and moving down five shelves, then I counted the books until I reached number twenty-seven.
I read the title out loud. “The Fundamentals of Farming.” I flipped through the pages, hoping something might be stuck between them, but it was simply a book on farming. “Damn, I thought I was onto something there.”
Replacing it on the shelf, I frowned and quickly removed it again. There was something behind it.
My heart thudded in my chest as I placed a handful of books from the shelf on the floor and then reached to the back of the bookcase. The sound inside my chest echoed in my ears as I removed the thick volume.
