Chapter 6 - The Blue Pantry
Rosa did not answer another call.
By morning, she was gone from Vance House.
Eleanor told police Rosa had quit.
Arthur did not believe it.
"Rosa sends money to her mother every Friday," he said. "She wouldn't disappear without her paycheck."
Sarah remained in the hospital, so Daniel and Arthur went back to the mansion with Detective Brooks.
This time, they had permission to retrieve Daniel's personal property.
The blue pantry sat behind the main kitchen, a narrow room used for old serving pieces and table linens.
Arthur shut the door behind them.
"What exactly are we looking for?" Daniel asked.
"Anything Rosa wanted hidden."
They pulled out trays, boxes, and bins.
Nothing.
Then Daniel noticed one shelf was newer than the others.
He lifted it.
A phone was taped underneath.
Not Rosa's phone. An old house phone.
Arthur stared at it.
"Intercom recorder."
"You recorded staff?"
"Your grandfather did. For security. It hasn't been used in years."
Daniel turned it on.
There were dozens of old files.
Most were noise.
Then Arthur found one from the afternoon Sarah fell.
At 4:08 p.m., Eleanor's voice came through.
"Malcolm, shut down the west landing camera."
Malcolm answered, "How long?"
"Until I tell you."
Daniel went still.
The recording continued.
At 4:15, Graham Pike's voice.
"The guardianship forms are ready."
Eleanor replied, "Good. If she panics, Daniel will sign anything."
Sarah had been at her doctor's office then.
Daniel leaned against the counter.
"This was planned."
Detective Brooks held out an evidence bag.
"We need the device."
A knock hit the pantry door.
"Mr. Vance?" a staff member called.
Daniel opened it.
No one was there.
Then the door slammed behind him.
The lock clicked from the outside.
Arthur tried the handle.
"Locked."
A thin gray line drifted under the door.
Smoke.
Daniel looked up.
There was no fire alarm inside the pantry.
Arthur grabbed a silver serving tray and smashed it against the small window.
The glass cracked but held.
Smoke thickened.
Then a woman's voice came through the other side of the door.
Soft.
Calm.
Eleanor.
"You should have stayed at the hospital with your wife, Daniel."
He hit the door with both fists.
"Mother!"
May you like
"You've always had terrible timing."
A second later, the lights went out.
