Mark stood near the large American flag hanging beside the tall arched doorway.
He cradled Lily safely against his chest while feeling her tiny heart pounding fast.
Elena wiped a stray tear from her cheek as she reached out to touch Mark's arm.
Her white dress rustled softly against the polished floor as she moved closer.
Elena: Someone was waiting in the side hallway when we walked inside the house.
Mark narrowed his eyes as a cold feeling spread through his veins.
Mark: Did you see who the person was, Elena?
Elena shook her head slowly while clutching her handbag tightly with both hands.
Elena: He wore a dark jacket and left before I could get a clear view.
Lily buried her small face into Mark's neck while sobbing softly against his collar.
Mark gently patted her back while looking down at her small trembling hands.
He noticed that her right fist was tightly clenched around a small shiny object.
A thin gold chain hung down from between her small fingers toward the floor.
Mark reached down carefully and uncurled her tiny fingers one by one.
Inside her small hand rested an antique gold locket shaped like a small heart.
Mark felt his breath catch in his throat as he recognized the unique gold pattern.
The locket belonged to his late mother, who had passed away five years ago.
It was supposed to be locked safely inside the family vault downtown.
Mark: Where did you get this, Lily?
Lily looked up at Mark with big tearful eyes and pointed toward the side hall.
Lily: The man dropped it when he saw Mommy coming around the corner.
Elena gasped as she looked closely at the shiny gold locket in Mark's palm.
Elena: How could anyone have that locket inside this house today?
Mark opened the tiny latch on the side of the golden heart with his thumb.
Inside the locket was a small black and white photograph of two young children.
Mark recognized himself as a boy standing beside a girl he had never seen before.
A strange chill ran down his back as he stared at the unfamiliar face.
He turned the locket over and read the short inscription carved into the back.
The initials carved into the soft metal belonged to his father's old business partner.
Mark remembered the bitter legal fight over the family estate twenty years ago.
His father had won the lawsuit, but the former partner had disappeared without a trace.
Mark: Someone from the past is inside this house right now.
Elena pulled back slightly with a look of pure dread across her features.
Elena: We need to leave this mansion immediately and call the police.
Mark shook his head firmly as he looked toward the dark side corridor.
Mark: Not until I find out why they came back for this locket.