The Room Behind the Wall
The steel door slowly opened.
Henry held his breath.
A man entered.
He was older, perhaps sixty.
Gray hair.
Dark coat.
But Henry recognized him immediately.
The eyes.
Daniel.
The man from the photographs.
Leo stared at him.
Instead of attacking, the lion walked forward.
Daniel knelt.
Leo touched his nose to the man's hand.
Henry was stunned.
"You know him."
Daniel looked at Henry.
"I knew your grandfather."
"Who are you?"
"Daniel Montgomery."
Henry stepped backward.
"You were supposed to be dead."
"I needed the world to believe that."
"Why?"
"Because your father discovered the truth."
"What truth?"
Daniel looked at the documents.
"Someone inside Richard's company had been stealing money for years."
"Who?"
Daniel shook his head.
"I never found proof."
"Then why did my father die?"
"Because he was getting too close."
Henry clenched his fists.
"Did Richard know who killed him?"
"Yes."
"Who?"
Daniel looked toward Leo.
"Your grandfather never trusted paper."
Henry frowned.
"What does that mean?"
"He trusted the lion."
Daniel explained that Richard had trained Leo to recognize certain scents.
Before his death, Richard had given Leo an object belonging to the person he feared.
Henry looked at Leo.
"What object?"
Daniel pointed toward the lion's collar.
Henry touched it.
Hidden beneath the leather was a tiny metal capsule.
Inside was a fragment of paper.
One name was written on it.
THOMAS.
Henry's blood ran cold.
Daniel whispered,
May you like
"Your grandfather knew his lawyer was involved."
Then the lights suddenly went out.
