Chapter 5 - The Cipher in the Logs
Back in the staff quarters, Anna remained wide awake, staring at the blank screen of her phone. The threat had stopped coming, but the silence felt heavier than noise.
A sharp, three-part knock rapped softly against her door.
Anna froze, her hand sliding into her pocket where she gripped a heavy metal letter opener. "Who is it?"
"It’s Dominic," a low voice answered from the other side.
She exhaled slowly, sliding the iron doorstop out from beneath the handle and turning the brass knob. Dominic stood in the corridor, looking every bit the ruthless patriarch, though the harsh lines of fatigue were etched deep around his eyes.
He didn't step inside, respecting the threshold. "Did she sleep?"
"She’s exhausted," Anna replied, keeping her body half-blocking the doorway to shield Lily from view. "What happened at the greenhouse?"
"Emily is alive," Dominic said flatly. "She was set up. Someone coerced her into planting the allergen by threatening her family."
Anna’s expression tightened. "So it was an inside job backed by someone outside."
"Yes." Dominic pulled a folded packet of heavy cardstock from his jacket pocket and handed it across the threshold. "These are the visitor logs and staff entry codes from yesterday. Emily’s computer terminal was accessed at 7:14 PM using an administrator override code."
Anna took the papers, flipping through the dense rows of digital timestamps and ID numbers. Her training as a head housekeeper meant she knew every routine, every quirk, and every digital signature associated with the estate's operations.
Her eyes scanned down the page until they hit a specific line entry.
"Look at this," Anna whispered, pointing a finger at a highlighted row.
Dominic leaned in closer, his shoulder brushing hers as he read the text.
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Terminal Override ID: 004-V Location: Third-Floor Private Study Timestamp: 7:14:02 PM
Dominic’s jaw clenched so hard a muscle twitched in his cheek. "That code belongs to my late father’s private terminal. Only three people alive have the master key to access that terminal: myself, Marco, and..." He paused, the words tasting like ash in his mouth. "...my cousin, Vincent."
