AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I grabbed her arm urgently. “Where’s the entry into this wall?”
“Narcissus.”
“Get Ian,” I said.
“I don’t think—” she tried.
I didn’t listen.
I took off.
Thirty-Seven
THE PASSAGEWAYS
I found the hidden panel easily in the cheery yellow and white bedroom, and as I had seen Ian had done, I pressed against it.
It came unlatched immediately, springing away from the wall about half an inch.
I opened it more and wondered at my sanity when I peered into the gloom.
Then I heard a creak down the way…above me.
There was nothing for it. I engaged the flashlight on my phone and headed in.
This wasn’t a stairway, this was a passageway, but it did lead to a stairway, one that only went up inside the wall which on the other side would be the grand stairwell.
That was where the sound came from, so I went up and there was nowhere else to go. There was also no one there. It was a landing.
Except it had a door. I could see the ring that could be used to pull it closed.
I pushed it open.
And found myself in a bedroom on the second floor.
This one, the furniture was again covered in sheets.
But unlike how they kept the house, the door was open.
I moved that way, out of it, and looked left.
I couldn’t be certain, but I thought I saw someone going into a room down the hall, beyond the stairwell, in the southeastern wing.
I ran that direction, entered the room, and yes, you guessed it, a quick perusal exposed a hidden door.
Worse, I heard someone in the wall.
My heart beating madly, I opened the door, went in and shined my flashlight.
Well down the dark hall, I saw shadowed movement going up.
I raced down the hall, my feet in my booties pounding on the threadbare carpet under them.
Not exactly stealth, but they were far ahead of me, and this was a big place, easy for them to lose me.
I heard a slam above me.
I chased up the stairs.
