Chapter 26 - The Brass Key
The brass key found inside Thomas Hale's envelope puzzled everyone.
It was small.
Older than modern security keys.
One side carried an engraved number.
214.
The other side bore a tiny symbol.
An oak tree.
Rachel frowned.
"I've seen that tree before."
Every detective turned toward her.
"Where?"
She thought for several seconds.
"The warehouse."
Officer Hale immediately ordered technicians to review every photograph recovered from Warehouse 12.
Thousands of images flashed across the monitor.
Boxes.
Shelves.
Documents.
Then Kevin stopped.
"There."
Printed on the corner of an old cardboard archive box sat the exact same oak tree symbol.
Detective Ortega enlarged the image.
Beneath the logo appeared faded lettering.
Evergreen Records Storage
Marcus leaned closer.
"Search the company."
Kevin typed rapidly.
"No active business."
"What about historical records?"
A pause.
Then another result appeared.
"Evergreen Records Storage closed twenty-one years ago."
Rachel whispered,
"The same year your father died."
Marcus slowly nodded.
Another coincidence.
Or perhaps not.
Kevin continued searching city archives.
An address finally appeared.
214 Riverside Avenue.
The room fell silent.
"The number on the key."
Marcus picked it up again.
"And Riverside."
The same word investigators had recovered from Hannah's kidnapping photograph.
Detective Ortega grabbed her jacket.
"We're going tonight."
Before anyone could leave, another forensic analyst hurried inside carrying a folder.
"We finished examining the key."
Marcus looked up.
"What did you find?"
The analyst opened the report.
"It isn't a locker key."
"Then what is it?"
"It's a safety deposit key."
"Bank?"
The analyst shook his head.
"No."
He pointed toward the report.
"It belongs to a private archive facility that officially closed two decades ago..."
"...but according to utility records..."
He looked directly at Marcus.
May you like
"...someone is still paying the electricity bill every month."
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