Sean pulled his heavy coat tightly around his shoulders as he stepped through the grand front doors of his childhood home.
The air inside the main hallway felt remarkably cold and smelled faintly of damp dust and old paper.
He placed his heavy travel bag down on the polished hardwood floor near the tall grandfather clock.
The large house felt completely empty in a way that immediately made Sean feel uneasy.
He expected his elderly parents to meet him near the door with warm hugs like they always did.
Sean: Mom? Dad? I am back from my city business trip early!
His loud voice echoed through the high ceilings of the empty living room without any reply.
He walked slowly into the kitchen and noticed two untouched coffee cups resting inside the porcelain sink.
A thick stack of unopened mail sat piled near the edge of the granite kitchen island.
Sean picked up the top letter and noticed it was an urgent notice regarding the property taxes.
His father was always meticulous about paying every family bill at least two weeks early.
Seeing unpaid bills lying around like garbage made Sean feel a sudden tightening inside his chest.
He walked out toward the central staircase and looked up at the quiet second floor bedrooms.
Sean: Is anyone upstairs right now?
The house remained completely silent while the tall clock ticked rhythmically against the silence.
Sean pulled out his cell phone and dialed his mother's primary phone number once again.
The call went straight to automated voicemail after ringing four full times without an answer.
He tried calling his father's mobile line next, but the call disconnected almost instantly.
Sean walked slowly toward the back parlor where his father kept his private desk and paperwork.
The heavy wooden door to the family office was locked tight from the outside.
That was very strange because his father never locked his home office during the daytime.
Sean reached into his pocket and found his master key ring to unlock the door.
The heavy brass lock clicked open loudly, and the door swung slowly inward toward the dark room.
The large leather armchair behind the dark mahogany desk sat completely empty and slightly turned.
Important legal documents lay scattered all across the top of the dark green blotter paper.
Sean stepped closer and saw thick files regarding the family estate trust and property inheritance.
His father's favorite golden pen lay open on top of an unsigned legal deed contract.
It looked as though his father had been pulled away from his work very suddenly.
Sean reached down and picked up a small sheet of paper with rushed handwriting on it.
The note contained several financial figures alongside the names of local estate planning lawyers.
Sean felt a strong wave of suspicion washing over his entire mind as he read.
He turned around quickly when he heard a quiet creaking sound coming from the main hallway.
He hurried out of the office and saw his cousin Clara walking through the front door.
She held a thick black clipboard tightly against her dark burgundy dress and looked surprised.
Clara: Sean! I did not expect you back in town until next week.
Sean: Where are my parents, Clara?
Clara: They went away on a quiet vacation for the winter holidays.
Sean: They left without telling me or taking their primary suitcases?
Clara adjusted her clipboard nervously and avoided looking directly into Sean's searching eyes.
Clara: They decided to leave very suddenly on a restful mountain retreat.
Sean: My father would never leave unpaid property tax bills sitting on the counter.
Clara: I am managing all the family estate finances while they are away.
Sean narrowed his eyes as he watched Clara pull a heavy brass key from her purse.
She quickly slid the key away when she noticed Sean watching her precise movements.
Sean: Something is clearly not right in this house.
Clara: You are just exhausted from your long business trip, cousin.
Sean looked toward the dark hallway leading down to the deep stone basement entrance.
He thought he heard a very faint knocking sound coming from beneath the wooden floorboards.