Chapter 23
GRANT
T he musty scent of earth filled his nostrils as Grant peered into the dark passage. The cool air floating from within sent a shiver down his spine. The blackness mirrored the trouble that had surrounded them for the past two years. And he didn’t like it. In fact, he hated it.
“We found a secret passage!” Sierra exclaimed as she shot a grin over her shoulder at them.
She shined her cell phone’s flashlight into the gaping hole. It barely made a dent in the darkness.
“Come on, let’s go!” Sierra said with a grin.
“No, no, no.” Grant grabbed her elbow and tugged her back before she could step inside.
“Daddy!” Sierra groaned. “This is exactly what we came here for. We came to find clues. This is a major clue. Did you never read mystery books?”
“Yes, Sierra, I have read a mystery book,” he answered with a sigh.
Sierra crossed her arms. “Well, you can’t tell because you don’t see to understand how an investigation works. You find something, and then you follow up on it. You don’t just find it and then leave it.”
“That is exactly what we’re going to do,” Grant said with a wag of his finger. “We’re going to leave it for the police.”
“Umm, no. We’re going to go inside, and then we’re going to lord it over the two cops that we’re better sleuths than they are,” Sierra said with a shake of her head. “If you want to wait here, you can.”
“I’m with Sierra. What was the point in coming if we’re not going to go into the creepy passage?”
Sierra flung a hand at Kyle. “Exactly. Even Kyle thinks so.”
He snapped his gaze to her sister. “That’s sort of passive-aggressive, sis. ‘Even Kyle thinks so’ is vaguely reminiscent of ‘Even Kyle thinks so and he’s crazy.’”
“I didn’t say crazy,” Sierra said, “but fine. Kyle thinks so, and he’s an ultra-smart doctor.”
Kyle nodded at her. “Yes, that’s an improvement, thanks.”
“No,” Grant said with a shake of his head. “I don’t care if he’s a doctor or crazy. The answer is no.”
“Well, we’re two votes, and you are one. Let’s ask Julia. Julia, what do you think about the creepy passage?” Sierra asked.
Julia glanced at him, an apologetic expression floating in her eyes as she winced. “I want to go in the creepy passage.”
He flung his hands in the air with a sigh. “Ugh.”
“Ha! Outvoted!” Sierra said as she poked a finger at him. “Come on, Daddy. Toggle on that flashlight, and let’s go!”
Sierra spun back toward the passage and inched inside.
With a hesitant sigh, Grant fished out his cell phone, its screen a lone beacon in the enveloping darkness.
He flicked on the flashlight, a feeble ray of light piercing the oppressive blackness, its beam trembling slightly in his grip–a silent testament to the unease that gripped him. “I can’t believe you voted against me.”
“I didn’t vote against you, Grant,” she said as she held her cell phone up, flashlight shining. “I voted to explore.”
“Against me who didn’t want to explore,” he said as they entered the passage. “We should have at least told someone where we’re going.”
“I think it’ll be obvious when they see the bookcase open.”
“Oh, will it?” he asked. “Really? Now, I’m going to question who has and has not read a mystery novel.”
She stopped flicking him a wrinkled-nose glance. “Seriously? You do recall that I write mystery novels, right?”
“I do. And I cannot believe you don’t know that you don’t go into the creepy passage without telling anyone because the bad guy will close you in and trap you.”
She chuckled at him as she continued down the dark corridor. “There are no bad guys lurking, Grant. It’ll be fine. The only other people here are James, Ally, and Ethan.”
“And one of them could be the bad guy in a twist we never saw coming. Are you sure you’re a mystery writer?”
“I was, but then a random man asked me to marry him and told me I could spend all my time writing, but really, I spent all my time solving mysteries. At least the pay wasn’t bad.” She offered him an amused glance.
“Oh, really?” He slowed to a stop, offering her a coy smile as he wrapped his arms around her. “I didn’t think you were in it for the money.”
“I wasn’t,” she answered as she pressed closer to him.
He closed his eyes as he leaned in to kiss her when Sierra’s voice cut through the silence. “Where are you? We found something!”
He let his eyes slide to the ceiling as he sighed. “They have the worst timing.”
She grinned at him before she gave him a peck on the lips and grabbed his hand to pull him further down the dark hall.
As they navigated the dim corridor, Sierra’s light danced ahead, casting long shadows that seemed to play with the tension between them.
The sounds of their bickering, a familiar soundtrack to their adventures, added a new layer to their family dynamics.
Sierra’s relentless determination clashed with Kyle’s cautious skepticism.
“Just open it, Kyle.”
“We should wait, Sierra. We have no idea what’s behind that door.”
“What are you, afraid? Move aside, let a real Harrington do it.”
“I can’t believe you. I am never going to be nice to you again,” Kyle answered.
“What is going on here?” Julia asked as they reached them.
“We found a door. And I want to open it. But ‘Fraidy Cat Kyle is too scared to open it,” Sierra explained.
“I am not afraid to open it. I just thought we may all want to decide on this.”
“I vote no,” Grant answered.
“Daddy, you can’t keep voting no because you don’t want to do this.”
Grant slid his flashlight beam along the rusty metal door with a grimace. “I can and I will. I vote we leave it closed.”
“I vote we open it,” Julia said.
Grant clicked his tongue at her. “Julia, we’re supposed to be a team. Stop voting against me.”
“I’m voting for solving the mystery, not against you,” she answered.
“I vote we open it, so we open it,” Sierra said.
Kyle blocked her from reaching the door. “Wait, I didn’t even vote yet.”
“Your vote doesn’t count,” Sierra said.
“Uh, yes, it does. And just for that, I’m voting with Dad. Now we’re stuck.”
“OMG, you are such a child. I can’t believe you would vote against Julia.” Sierra twisted to eye her stepmother. “Now, we all know how he really feels about you.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Kyle asked. “My vote has nothing to do with how I feel about Julia.”
“How do you feel about Julia?” Grant asked, Kyle’s words riling him.
“Enough,” Julia answered with a slice of her hands through the air. “Open the door, Sierra.”
“I’d honestly like to discuss Kyle’s current feelings now that we are a couple. Seems important to clear the air,” Grant said.
Julia clicked her tongue. “We are not having this discussion now. We all know where we stand. Let’s just keep investigating.”
“Fine,” Kyle said. “I’ll switch my vote. We should open the door. There. Happy now?”
“Yes. Daddy, you’re outvoted again.” Sierra latched onto the handle and tugged. “It’s stuck.”
“Probably rusted shut,” Kyle said. “Move.”
“That is so sexist to think you can do it because you’re a man.”
“I don’t think that. I think I can do it because I have far better upper body strength.”
“Except,” Julia said as she slid between him and the door, “you also have stitches. Grant, open the door.”
“Me? I didn’t even want to open it.”
“But you’re the only one who can, Daddy, so open it. Don’t be a poor sport. You lost the vote.”
“Did I?” He crossed his arms and arched an eyebrow. “Seems like I’m holding all the cards here.”
“Really?” Julia shot him a pointed glance as she set her hands on her hips. Sierra slid her eyes sideways at him.
“I’ll open the door.” He kissed Julia on the cheek before he shifted her out of the way.
“Happy wife, happy life, Daddy,” Sierra said as he tugged at it until it finally gave way, screeching against the jamb.
“What’s inside?” Sierra asked as she shoved her way under Grant’s arm to shine her light inside.
Her features twisted from a smile to a grimace.
“What is it?” Julia asked.
“Stairs,” Kyle said. “That look like they are ancient and really dangerous.”
“Let’s go down them!” Sierra exclaimed as she took a step toward them.
“Wait, Sierra,” Grant said, pulling her back. “They do look dangerous. You could fall.”
“Seriously? Fine, do we need to have another vote? Who wants to go down the scary staircase? All in favor, raise your hand.” She poked her hand in the air along with Julia. Her gaze slid sideways to Kyle, and she elbowed him.
“Oh, right.” Kyle raised his hand.
Grant eyed his son with a shake of his head. “I cannot believe you keep voting with them.”
“I don’t want to be accused of hating Julia again,” Kyle said with a shrug. “Plus, we did come here to investigate.”
Grant heaved a sigh as he shook his head. “Fine, we’ll all go down the scary staircase into the terrifying tunnel.”
Sierra arched an eyebrow at him. “I don’t know how you made a billion dollars, Daddy, I really don’t.”
“That’s harsh,” he said as she stepped onto the first creaky stair before she carefully proceeded further down.
Kyle followed behind her as she made it to the ground.
Grant frowned as he shot a glance at Julia. “It’s getting a little hostile in here.”
She smiled at him as she patted his cheek. “She means well.”
She slid past him and gingerly made her way down the stairs. With another grimace, he mounted the stairs and made his way down to the ground.
“Stop touching things,” Kyle said as he batted at Sierra’s hand.
“It’s light switch, genius.” Sierra pressed the button and bare bulbs bloomed to life, illuminating a passage hewn from the earth. “See?”
Grant clicked off his flashlight and stared down the length of the long corridor. “I guess we’ll keep going.”
Sierra’s challenge cut through the stale air, her silhouette a blur as she dashed ahead. “Race you to the end!”
“Race me? Grow up, Sierra. That’s stupid,” Kyle said as he followed her.
“Because you’re going to lose, loser!” Sierra taunted as she called over her shoulder.
Grant stared after them. “This family togetherness is not what I expected.”
“They’re enjoying it, though.”
Grant slid his arm around her as they traversed the long hall. “Are you?”
“Yes. I’ll be very interested to see if we can find what this key opens.”
“Probably nothing,” he answered. “Probably an empty box of dust. What in the world could Lydia possibly be leading us to?”
“I don’t know, but she seemed to think it was enough that someone would destroy you to find it.”
Grant rolled his eyes. “Lydia always had a knack for the theatrical.”
“There’s another door!” Sierra shouted from down the passage. “It’s locked!”
They closed the gap between them, finding a large metal door blocking the way with a large keyhole in the center over a wheel.
“Do you think the key opens it?” Julia asked.
“One way to find out.” Sierra snatched the key from her fingers and shoved it in the lock.
“Maybe we should–” Grant began.
The glare he received from Sierra stopped his words.
She twisted the key in the lock. “It works!”
After a tug on the wheel, she stamped her foot against the dirt floor. “It won’t open.”
“You have to turn the wheel, duh,” Kyle said as he spun it.
The door fell away easily. A rush of stale air escaped from the dark room beyond.
“What is this place?” Sierra asked as she flicked on her flashlight again.
Julia stepped inside with her, toggling on her flashlight and shining it around the space. “Looks like an underground vault.”
Grant stepped inside, his light sweeping over the file cabinets and shelves filled with bins and boxes. A table sat in the middle of the room, a laptop on top.
“What is in all of these boxes?” Sierra asked as she tugged one free from the shelf and dumped it on the table.
Kyle flicked on a light. Bare fluorescent bulbs blinded everyone for a moment until their eyes adjusted.
Sierra pulled open the box and reached inside. “Whoa. Where did Lydia get this?”
Grant glanced at the emerald necklace dangling from his daughter’s fingers. “She probably stole it. Wait a minute, that was your grandmother’s. She stole all of this.”
“Of course, she did. That’s why she was living with us.” Sierra twisted to eye the other things on the shelf. “I bet this is all stolen.”
Grant clutched the necklace tighter. “This is how she was funding the stock buy-up. I wonder how much of this she fenced.”
Julia approached the file cabinets, her brow furrowed as she studied them. “I wonder–”
A rumbling interrupted her words, followed by a loud boom.
“What is that?” Sierra asked as the ground shook under them. “Is this an earthquake?”
“I don’t know,” Grant said as he took a step toward the door. A massive cloud of dust blew into the space, filling the air. Choking coughs broke the silence left behind.
Grant blinked the dust from his eyes, waving to clear the air. “What was that?”
Julia stared out the door, her face turning a ghostly white. “I have a bad feeling that wasn’t anything good.”
Grant peered out the door. “The lights went out in the hall.”
“Oh, no,” Julia said, her voice low and breathy.
“What?” he asked.
“Yeah, Julia, what?” Sierra asked.
Kyle took a step toward the door with her. “Please don’t tell me you’re thinking what I’m thinking.”
Julia flicked her light down the corridor. This time, it didn’t disappear into blackness. It reflected off a giant mound of dirt.
Grant’s eyes went wide as he stared at it. “Is that–”
“Uh-huh. The tunnel collapsed. We’re trapped,” Julia said.
His stomach clenched at the words. They’d managed to successfully sleuth out the clues Lydia had left behind, but in one final cruel twist of fate, they’d now been trapped and would likely die.