Chapter 5: A: Steal Tin Box

👉 [Previous Decision]: You chose Option A – Steal the tin box while Marcus is distracted by a pipe inspection.

I watched through the grate as Marcus Pendelton placed the dusty tin box on a shelf in the storage area. He then moved deeper into the adjacent boiler room, his back turned, inspecting a network of rusted pipes. His wrench clanged against metal. This was my chance.

Holding my breath, I carefully lifted the loose grate again, twisting it slightly to widen the gap. The basement door was still locked from the inside.

I pushed the heavy door open, stepping silently into the cool, musty air. Every creak of the floorboards felt like a gunshot. Marcus continued to clank away at the pipes, his attention fully absorbed.

I moved with careful, hushed steps, my eyes fixed on the tin box. It was old, maybe two feet long, secured with a rusted latch. My fingers brushed against the cold metal as I reached for it.

The latch gave way with a soft click. I opened it. Inside, nestled amongst brittle, yellowed papers and what looked like old ledger books, was a single, folded letter. It was addressed to “My Dearest Eleanor,” dated thirty years ago, and signed with a flourish: “Your loving husband, Thomas Pendelton.” Marcus’s father.

My heart surged. This was it. The real evidence.

I snatched the letter, feeling the thin, dry paper crackle in my fingers. I tucked it deep into my inner coat pocket. The tin box contained other documents, but this letter felt primary. I didn’t have time to sift through everything.

I closed the tin box, pushing it back into place on the shelf. Then, just as quietly as I entered, I slipped back towards the basement door, relocking it from the inside.

Marcus’s wrench continued its rhythmic clanging. He hadn’t noticed a thing.

My hand trembled as I ascended the service stairs, the letter a solid, folded presence against my chest.