Chapter 6 

Daniel called his uncle.

Richard answered immediately.

“Where are you?”

Daniel frowned.

“How did you know I wasn’t home?”

Silence.

Then Richard said:

“Come back.”

“Why?”

“Because you don’t understand what you’re looking for.”

Daniel’s anger rose.

“You knew my father was searching for something.”

Richard didn’t answer.

“You knew Samuel Hayes.”

Another silence.

“Daniel, listen to me.”

“No. You listen.”

Daniel looked toward Clara.

“Who was the fourth man?”

Richard’s voice changed.

“Don’t ask that question.”

The call ended.

Daniel stared at the phone.

Clara whispered:

“He knows.”

“Yes.”

“But why won’t he tell us?”

Before Daniel could answer, they heard movement outside the cave.

A man stepped into view.

He wore an old ranger’s jacket.

His name was Walter.

He claimed to have worked with Thomas years ago.

“I know what you’re looking for,” he said.

Daniel didn’t trust him.

But Walter produced an old notebook.

It belonged to Samuel.

Inside was a drawing of a mountain tunnel.

Walter pointed to it.

“The gold is beneath the eastern chamber.”

Clara looked at the page.

Something felt wrong.

The drawing had been made in pencil.

But one section had been recently traced over.

Daniel noticed it too.

“You changed this.”

Walter smiled.

“You’re smarter than your father.”

Clara stepped back.

Walter reached inside his jacket.

Daniel grabbed her hand.

They ran.

A gunshot struck the rock behind them.

They escaped through a narrow tunnel.

When they finally stopped, Clara looked at Daniel.

“Walter lied.”

Daniel nodded.

“The question is why.”

Clara looked at Samuel’s notebook.

There was one page missing.

The page that would have explained the drawing.

Someone had deliberately removed it.