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“Well, there was a killer,” she pointed out. “Kimberlee’s dog said so.”

Chase laughed.“I’m sorry. I still have to get used to this whole ‘Max said this’ and ‘the dog said that’ thing. As if I’ve just entered a Dr. Dolittle movie. And you don’t even look like Eddie Murphy.”

“We need to follow this lead,” said Odelia. “Find out how far this goes.”

“I’ll bet these corridors run all over the house,” said Chase.

“We better call Uncle Alec,” said Odelia. “He needs to search these corridors for clues.”

“I’ll bet the killer, whoever he or she is, was careful enough not to leave any clues,” said Chase. He’d picked up his phone, launched the flashlight app, and shone it down the corridor. It looked exactly like what it was: a space between two walls, high enough and wide enough for a single person to pass through.

“I wonder why Emerald had these constructed,” said Odelia.

“Emerald didn’t build this house,” said Chase. “She bought it a little under a decade ago. This house is easily a hundred years old. Emerald and Pete, when they got it, did a lot of renovations, though, but I’ll bet these corridors were never touched.”

“How do you know so much about this?”

“Because I talked to Steve and he told me.”

“Maybe the original owner was some old pervert who liked to spy on his guests?” Max suggested.

Odelia laughed. Chase did not. She repeated Max’s words and he grinned. “I’m starting to understand why you like those cats so much. They’re hilarious.”

“And very clever,” she said as she closed the secret door again and it locked into place. “They found this passageway, didn’t they?”

“So this is how you managed to solve all of those mysteries. You had help from your ‘secret sources.’”

Now it was her turn to grin.“I couldn’t very well tell you that my secret sources were my cats, could I? Besides, you would never have believed me.”

“It’s ingenious,” he admitted. “Cats are able to go anywhere undetected, and the bad guys won’t think twice to discuss their nefarious plans in front of a cat or household pet, knowing they won’t spread the word.”

“Only they do spread the word, and very happily so.”

Just then, Odelia thought she saw movement near the door. When she walked over, and opened it, she didn’t see anything. What she did detect were voices, whispering in the dark. She listened intently. And then she heard it.

“Don’t worry about a thing, my darling. I was very careful not to leave a single trace.”

“I worry about you, that’s all.”

“Like I said, nothing to worry about. They’ll never know.”

“I hope you’re right.”

Odelia quickly darted into the hallway and peered into the darkness. She heard a door close, but it was impossible to know which one it was.

“What’s going on?” asked Chase, following her out.

“I heard two people talking,” she said. “But now they’re gone.”

“What did they say?”

“The woman said something about how she’d been very careful and how they’d never catch her. The guy seemed worried and she was reassuring him.”

He gave her a thoughtful look.“Do you think it was the killer?”

“Could be,” she said. “Whoever it was, they’re gone now, and…”

They’d returned to the room and suddenly she saw a white envelope on the floor. Someone must have slipped it under the door. So that was the movement she’d seen. With a frown, she picked it up. It was addressed ‘To Miss Poole, Reporter.’

“Well, open it,” said Chase.

She did, and found a note inside. On it, the words were written:‘Please meet me at ten o’clock in the smoking room. It’s important. Shauna.’

“Who’s Shauna?” asked Chase.

“I have no idea,” said Odelia as she turned the small piece of paper over in her hands. She thought for a moment. “Maybe one of the maids?”

“Do you think she’s the one you heard talking just now?”

“I’m not sure. I don’t think so. She probably came up, put this note under the door and disappeared again as fast as she could.”

“Tomorrow we’ll know more,” said Chase. “And now we better get some sleep.”

He was right. She felt frustrated, though, and had half a mind to go in search of this Shauna person right now, and ask her what she knew or thought she knew. Then again, she had no idea where to find her, and didn’t feel like waking up Emerald. For all she knew Emerald was the killer. At this point they couldn’t rule out anyone. Except maybe Verna.

The door next to their room opened, and Gran poked her head out.“What’s with all the whispering?” she complained. “A person can’t even get a good night’s sleep in this place for all the whispering.”

“I’m sorry, Gran,” said Odelia. “There’s been a development.”

Gran, who was dressed in funky fluorescent PJs, her tiny white curls covered with a hairnet, held out her hand as Odelia handed her the little note.

“Looks like your killer was seen by this Shauna person,” said Gran. “Which begs the question: why didn’t she tell the cops?”

“Maybe she doesn’t trust cops?” said Chase. “Some people don’t.”

“We also found a corridor that presumably connects all rooms,” said Odelia.