Eight-year-old Lily stood inside the massive sunlit hallway of the coastal mansion.
The white marble floor stretched out toward the sweeping front staircase.
Her father was a very wealthy investor who managed a large family trust fund.
He spent most of his days inside a private glass office in the city.
Lily usually played quietly with her soft visual dolls in the warm sun.
Her mother had suddenly gone missing three long days ago during a cold storm.
Her father insisted her sweet mother left for a sudden relaxing vacation in Europe.
He claimed she needed time alone to rest away from family duties.
Lily knew in her tender heart that something was completely wrong about his story.
Her mother never left the house without kissing her sweet cheeks first.
She would never miss her weekly tea party on the sunny side porch.
Lily walked slowly down the bright north hallway while holding her tiny cloth bear.
The quiet house smelled like fresh floor polish and expensive cut red roses.
A long decorative carpet covered the center of the white marble hall floor.
Lily dropped her small red toy ball near the edge of the blue carpet.
The ball rolled softly and made an odd wooden thud sound under the rug.
Lily stooped down to pick up her small red plastic rolling toy.
She pulled back the corner of the long blue decorative carpet with both hands.
A small wooden trapdoor was carefully cut into the shiny white marble surface.
A thick metallic padlock held the heavy iron door frame tightly closed.
Lily placed her tiny warm ear directly against the cool wooden board.
A very faint scratch sound came from deep down inside the dark gap.
Her little heart beat very fast against her chest like a tiny bird.
She pressed her face closer to the tiny dust crack in the floor.
A weak voice whispered her name from deep inside the hidden room below.
Lily gasped softly and backed away on her small bare hands and knees.
Her missing mother was trapped underneath the shiny white floor of their home.
She needed to find a tool quickly before her father returned home.
The big grandfather clock in the entry foyer chimed three loud times.
Lily scrambled up and ran quietly toward the small back garden shed.