Chapter 7
The hidden doorway swung open, releasing a rush of stale, freezing air into the warm study. It smelled of ancient dust, damp stone, and something sharp and metallic that Mr. Duca couldn't immediately identify. The amber lighting from the study barely penetrated the profound darkness of the corridor beyond the threshold.
Mr. Duca stood rigid, his broad shoulders filling the entrance. His pale eyes attempted to pierce the gloom, but the passageway took a sharp, immediate turn into total darkness.
"Stay back, sir," Elias commanded in a harsh whisper. The security chief had already drawn his sidearm, the black metal gleaming in the lamplight. He stepped laterally, keeping himself firmly between the open void and the two small children.
Mia was trembling violently, her simple shoes rooted to the carpet. She clutched her damp cleaning cloth against her chest like a shield, her terrified eyes wide as she stared at the gaping black hole in the wall.
"Elias," Mr. Duca said, his voice entirely devoid of panic, resonating with cold, calculated authority. "Take the girls out of this room. Lock them in the master suite on the third floor. Post two men outside the door. Nobody gets in."
"I am not leaving you alone with an unsecured breach, Mr. Duca," Elias argued fiercely, keeping his weapon trained on the darkness. "Let me call the tactical team. We can have this passage cleared in five minutes."
"If we wait five minutes, whoever is in there might bleed out, or they might escape deeper into the walls," Mr. Duca countered, taking a step toward the threshold. "They knocked for help. If it was an assassination team, they wouldn't be banging on the walls. They’d be waiting in silence."
"It could be a trap to draw you in," Elias warned.
"Then it’s a trap I am walking into," Mr. Duca stated, pulling a small, high-powered tactical flashlight from a hidden pocket inside his tailored suit jacket. He clicked it on, sending a blinding beam of white light into the dusty corridor. "Get the children out of here, Elias. That is a direct order. If I am not out in ten minutes, burn the house down."
Elias jaw clenched, but he knew better than to disobey a direct, final order from the billionaire. He holstered his weapon and turned to Mia.
"Come on, sweetheart," Elias said, his voice dropping into a gentle, reassuring tone. He scooped the six-year-old up effortlessly, careful not to disturb the sleeping baby strapped to her back in the pink carrier. "We're going to go upstairs and get you some hot chocolate, okay?"
"Is Mr. Duca going into the scary room?" Mia asked, looking over Elias’s shoulder, her rosy face pale with worry.
"I'll be right back, Mia," Mr. Duca promised, turning his rugged face to give her a final, reassuring nod. "You did a very brave thing tonight. Thank you."
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Elias carried the children out of the study, the heavy mahogany doors sealing shut behind them.
Mr. Duca was entirely alone. He unbuttoned his suit jacket, letting it hang loose, and stepped across the threshold. The hidden world behind his library swallowed him whole, the heavy bookcase remaining open behind him like the mouth of a dark cavern.
