The storm outside the window continued to rage, but inside the Livingston mansion there was almost absolute silence. Arthur Havelock, accustomed to the sounds of the big city, found this deep silence disturbing. It seemed to him that she was hiding not only the secrets of the mansion, but also the dark secrets of its inhabitants.

Havelock delved into the study of the house plan, which he managed to get from the old archives. This mansion, built several centuries ago, was a maze of rooms, corridors and secret passages. Special attention was drawn to several strange rooms that were not marked on modern plans.

He was now standing in front of one of those rooms that shouldn't have been there. At first glance, it was an ordinary wall at the end of one of the long corridors on the second floor. But the detective's experienced eye noted subtle differences — irregularities in the masonry, barely noticeable cracks in the wallpaper.

"There's something here," Havelock whispered, reaching for the wall.

His fingers found a ledge that gave way easily. With a soft click, the wall opened like a door, and a narrow passage opened in front of him, leading down into darkness.

After passing through this hidden entrance, Havelock found himself in a narrow, damp corridor. The air smelled musty and musty. The corridor led to a small room, dimly lit only by the faint light of the lantern he had brought with him.

In the center of the room stood a massive wooden chest covered with a thick layer of dust. No one had touched him for years. The detective's heart began to beat faster. He knew that this chest might hold the answers to his questions.

Havelock carefully opened the lid. Inside, among the old books and papers, there was a leather folder. There were symbols stamped on it—the same ones he had seen earlier on the ring found next to Lord Livingston's body.

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"This is what I was looking for,— he said in an undertone.

There were old notes made by Lord Livingston in the folder. His handwriting was neat but nervous—the lines were uneven, as if he was writing in a hurry. They talked about mysterious rituals, ancient texts and mentions of a certain "Transition", the essence of which Havelock did not yet understand. Lord Livingston was clearly on the verge of madness, obsessed with the idea of immortality.

But most importantly, among the papers were personal letters addressed to various family members. They revealed the strained relationship between him and his sons. Harold and Eliot clearly did not support his strange research. In one of the letters, Livingston threatened his sons if they interfered in his affairs.

— A threat to the family? A motive for the murder? Havelock wondered, looking through the letters.

His attention was attracted by something else hidden under the papers — a strange metal object resembling a key. This key was unusual, covered with the same symbols as the ring. Havelock guessed that this key could open another secret entrance or room in the mansion.

"Perhaps it has to do with the very essence of his research," Havelock said, turning the key in his hands. — We need to find out what it opens.

Looking around, the detective noticed that strange symbols were painted on the walls of the room. They were scratched into the stone, as if someone had carefully hammered them into the memory of the walls. Havelock knew that there was more to these symbols, perhaps the answer to the question of who killed Lord Livingston.

But the final solution was still far away.

Havelock returned from the secret room, holding a key and a folder of notes. He went to the office, where he could calmly study the materials he found. But an unexpected surprise awaited him — there was an envelope on the table. He wasn't here when Havelock left.

He carefully opened the envelope. There was a short but important message inside: "You are getting closer to the truth, but if you continue, you will become the victim yourself."

Havelock realized that someone was watching his every move and was ready to stop him if he revealed too much. But this threat only fueled his interest. He is already close to revealing the whole truth. Too close to stop.

Livingston's old notes and the key could lead him to reveal not only the identity of the killer, but also the dark secret that Lord Livingston hid from his family until his death.

That night, Havelock decided to search several more rooms where, according to his guesses, there might be hiding places. But strange noises coming from the dark corridors made him realize that he was no longer alone. Someone was following him, quietly and unnoticed.

When he turned around, there was no one there. But the detective was uneasy in his heart. He understood that his every move was now being carefully monitored. Someone in this house was willing to do anything to prevent the truth from being revealed.

Now, for Havelock, the investigation has become not only a matter of solving the murder, but also of fighting for his own life.