Emma Was Blamed for Breaking Grandma Margaret’s Vase — Then the Pet Camera Revealed What Really Knocked It Over
Chapter 2 — The Key Hidden Inside
Claire picked up the key carefully.
It was old.
Tarnished around the edges.
A small paper tag was tied around it with faded string.
On the tag was a handwritten number.
27.
Claire looked at Margaret.
“Do you know what this is?”
Margaret didn’t answer.
Her eyes remained fixed on the key.
“Mom?”
Margaret finally sat down.
“I haven’t seen that in thirty years.”
Claire stared at her.
“It was hidden inside the vase?”
Margaret nodded slowly.
The vase had belonged to Margaret’s mother, Eleanor.
After Eleanor died, Margaret inherited it.
She always believed it was simply sentimental.
Apparently, Eleanor had used it to hide something.
“What does twenty-seven mean?” Claire asked.
Margaret shook her head.
“I don’t know.”
Emma sat beside Cooper now, one hand resting on his head.
Claire looked again at the broken porcelain.
One piece had unusual markings inside.
Not decorative paint.
Writing.
She lifted it.
Three faded words had been written along the inner surface:
ASK ABOUT RIVER HOUSE.
Margaret went pale.
Claire noticed immediately.
“What’s River House?”
Margaret stood too quickly.
“Nothing.”
Claire frowned.
“Mom.”
“It was an old property.”
“Whose?”
Margaret looked toward the window.
“My father’s.”
Claire knew almost nothing about her grandfather’s property.
As far as she knew, the family had never owned anything called River House.
Then Margaret said quietly:
“We were told it burned down.”
Claire looked at the key.
“Were told?”
Margaret didn’t answer.
