Straight ahead, there was one last door, which did not look like a door to a room. It was a little wider and had no door handle. Val felt around the frame for any mechanism to indicate how it could possibly open but found nothing. How odd! And where are the stairs going up to the attic? How did anyone get to that floor? Since nothing was obvious, there was only one way to find out.

Val went down the stairs that led back to Gabrielle’s room. To Mrs. Morgan. “The door at the end of the hall, the one without a knob, what’s that for?”

“We had a new heating and air conditioning system placed about ten years ago. The access to the unit, to the part that services the third and fourth floors is behind that entry. James had the contractor make it look inconspicuous. The maintenance people know how to get in but I have no idea.”

“How do you get to the fourth floor?”

“Didn’t you find the stairwell?”

“No.”

“I’m sorry but it’s been so long since I’ve been up there.” Mrs. Morgan shook her head, at a loss. “I can ask Claudia to help, if you like. I really don’t know all that much about the fourth floor. But honestly it’s just an attic now.”

“No need to bother Claudia.” Val saw no reason for it, she’d seen all she needed to.

Mrs. Morgan put her hand on Val’s shoulder and with a big smile said, “Well then, before you leave I must show you the greenhouse. It’s quite beautiful and I’ve been starting my new fruit garden. I think I finally have some seedlings sprouting.”

Val quickly tried to think of a polite excuse but Mrs. Morgan had been kind enough to let her snoop around the house and it would be terribly rude at this point not to complete the tour. “I would love to see your greenhouse.”

“Oh it’s not my greenhouse.”

Val narrowed her eyes.

“It really belongs to Claudia. My husband had the greenhouse built in gratitude for her service to our family. Claudia is the true gardener and horticulturist. Her green thumb is amazing.”

He built it for Claudia? That information Val found interesting. She followed Mrs. Morgan back downstairs, through the kitchen and down a hallway. They entered a large glass structure. “It’s remarkable, isn’t it?” Mrs. Morgan said.

It really was. Slate floors, arched glass walls, and wrought-iron tables and chairs, created a welcoming and serene environment. To the side there were rows of tables for seedlings. They held plants at various stages of growth.