Chapter 13 - The Room Beneath the Restaurant
They returned to the restaurant after midnight.
The building was closed.
Frank unlocked the back door.
Maya followed him into the kitchen.
Beneath the floor was a hidden metal hatch.
The brass key opened it.
A staircase descended into darkness.
The room beneath the restaurant was larger than Maya expected.
Walls covered in photographs.
Documents.
Maps.
And a single empty chair.
Arthur stopped walking.
“This is where your mother was questioned.”
Maya stared at the chair.
“She was tortured here?”
Frank shook his head.
“Not by Victor.”
Maya turned.
“Then who?”
Frank looked at Arthur.
Arthur said nothing.
Maya understood.
“You.”
Arthur’s eyes filled with shame.
“I thought I was protecting my family.”
“You helped destroy mine.”
Arthur lowered his head.
Then Maya saw something on the wall.
A series of dates.
Every date marked the day someone disappeared.
The final date was tomorrow.
Beside it was one name.
MAYA CARTER.
A sound came from the far end of the room.
Someone clapped slowly.
Victor Bell stepped from the shadows.
May you like
He was smiling.
“You finally came home.”
