Julian Sterling walked down the grand marble staircase of his estate with steady steps.
His long black coat swayed gently as he moved through the quiet hallway.
His young daughter Lily walked beside him in her bright yellow nightgown.
Her small hand felt ice cold inside his warm palm.
Two heavy security guards followed them silently down the dimly lit corridor.
Lily: Daddy, it is down this way.
Julian paused near the bottom of the basement stairs and looked around.
The familiar hallway felt colder than it ever had before.
Julian: Why are all the wall lights turned off down here?
Lily pointed her tiny finger toward a dark corner near the wine cellar.
At the end of the hall stood a heavy reinforced metal door.
A massive golden brass padlock hung from a thick iron chain around the handles.
Julian stepped closer and touched the cold metal of the padlock.
Julian: Who put this heavy lock on this door?
Thomas walked forward from the shadow of the doorway.
He wore a crisp white shirt and held his hands behind his back.
Thomas: Miss Claire requested extra security while you were out of the country.
Julian narrowed his eyes as he looked at the quiet security chief.
Julian: My wife was supposed to be resting upstairs in her bedroom.
Lily pulled tightly on the edge of Julian's dark coat.
Lily: Mommy is inside that room, Daddy.
Julian felt a cold chill run down his spine as he heard her words.
Julian: What did you just say, sweetheart?
Lily: Aunt Claire locked the door yesterday and took the keys away.
Julian turned around slowly to face Thomas with a fierce expression.
Julian: Is my wife inside this locked basement room?
Thomas looked down at the floor and swallowed hard before speaking.
Thomas: I was only following orders from Miss Claire, sir.
Julian took a deep breath to control the rising anger in his chest.
Julian: You answer to me in this house, Thomas.
Thomas: She said it was an emergency medical quarantine for Mrs. Sterling.
Lily shook her head fast and pressed her face into Julian's coat.
Lily: Mommy was crying and calling for help through the door.
Julian grabbed Thomas by the collar of his white shirt.
Julian: Get the heavy bolt cutters from the tool shop immediately.
Thomas nodded quickly and picked up a large pair of iron cutters nearby.
The heavy tool clinked loudly against the stone floor of the hallway.
Thomas: Are you sure you want to break this lock right now, sir?
Julian stared into the eyes of the man with total authority.
Julian: Break it before I break this door down myself.
Thomas placed the sharp metal jaws of the cutter against the thick chain.
He pressed the long handles together with all his strength.
A loud metallic snap echoed through the long basement corridor.
The heavy iron chain dropped to the stone floor with a sharp crash.
Julian pushed the heavy metal door open with a single strong push.
The smell of damp air and old paper drifted out into the hallway.
Julian stepped inside the dark room while keeping Lily right behind him.