Startling Discoveries at the Basteel Mansion

Talia twisted the key from one side to the next, but the lock wouldn't budge. "What the hell?" she grumbled. In her hand was a massive ring of keys from her uncle's attorney. She was sure this was the right key. She turned the key again, but the lock wouldn't move. As Talia dug through the massive keyring once more, she noticed an elderly woman peering through the window of a run-down building across the street. "Nosey old bat," she muttered as she continued looking for a key to open the door.

Frustrated, Talia walked to the back entrance. The monstrous structure was three stories tall and took up the entire block. The locals called it the Basteel mansion; to Talia, it was just her uncle's old house. At the back entrance, she finally found a key that worked. The old door creaked noisily when she pushed it open.

Talia brushed past the cobwebs as she made her way to another door across the room. Bright light streaming from the window assaulted her eyes as she entered Uncle Reggie's study. A fine layer of dust covered every surface in the room. According to the attorney, Reggie passed away eight months ago.

It was almost two years ago since her mom, Mira, had also passed away. After she settled her mother's affairs, she finished her last college classes then left for a year-long trip to Europe with her inheritance. Tears stung her eyes as she thought of her mom.

Talia wiped the tears away as she scanned the room for a light switch. Her uncle's estate had fallen to her since there was no other family. She wanted nothing to do with the old house and preferred to sell everything. But, Reggie's lawyer insisted Talia must personally settle the estate. It was going to take months to clean out the mansion! Talia agreed to have her belongings sent to the house so she could live there while handling Reggie's estate.

Finally locating the light switch, she flipped it on and the room was bathed in warm tones giving it a homey feeling. Talia shuttered, "no way would this monstrosity ever feel like home!" She thought back to her last and only visit when she was six years old.

"Mira, get that brat's grimy hands OFF my books.", her uncle thundered.

"Reggie, please don't yell at her."

"I was yelling at you, not that ...that monster." He yelled, pointing at Talia across the room.

Talia's eyes filled with tears; she was hungry and tired after their long trip. Mommy said they'd have a nice bed and hot food when they got to Uncle Reggie's. Even though her tummy was rumbling, she didn't want to stay here.

Mira took Talia by the hand and led her outside the study.

"Talia, sit here until mommy comes back."

Talia nodded as her mom wiped the tears from her eyes. But once Mira returned to the study, she quietly crept to the door and peered through the crack.

"Reggie, please, just a couple of weeks, we have nowhere to go."

"Not my problem! You wanted nothing to do with the family once you met Mr. Worthless."

"That's not true, Reggie, and you know it! Dad didn't approve of Danny because he worked at the factory. He wanted me to marry that up-tight Fredrick and wouldn't accept Danny."

"Whatever! You made your choice. Look where it got you. He abandoned you and sent you crawling back for daddy's money."

"I didn't ask you for a dime, Reggie!"

"Oh, right! First, it's a place to sleep, and then, I'm footing the bill to feed you and that kid."

At the mention of food, Talia's tummy grumbled loudly. Suddenly her mother slapped Uncle Reggie right across the face! Talia was startled and stumbled backward, almost knocking over Uncle Reggie's umbrella stand. She was sure they heard the commotion. But, as she crept back to the door they were still yelling:

"You monster! How can you be so heartless?" Mira screamed as she began to cry.

"Your tears don't impress me. Dad gave you a choice, you made it, now you live with it!"

"Dad was unreasonable, self-righteous..."

Talia glanced at Uncle Reggie, and he looked furious. Her mom was walking towards the door.

"There's a room above the carriage house.", Uncle Reggie growled. "You and that ...that child can stay there tonight. There's a soup kitchen down the road if you need something to eat. It's about time you learn what it's like to make it on your own. The two of you had better be gone by morning."

"Thank you, Reg.."

Reggie cut her off. "Don't thank me. It's what I would do for any homeless beggar. Get out of my sight and take your sneaky brat with you. You'd better hope she didn't break my umbrella stand!"

Talia could feel the heat rising in her face as the memory came flooding back. She stormed from the study towards the front door. She wouldn't spend a single night in this house! At the front entrance, she saw his precious umbrella stand sitting in the corner. She kicked it as hard as she could and the old container shattered, sending dusty umbrellas flying everywhere. She gave the mess a satisfied smirk as she continued towards the door. But her attention was caught by a small black notebook amongst the rubble.

She carefully picked it up and thumbed through the worn ivory pages; jumbled words were scrawled across every page. She wondered why it was in the umbrella stand. Her anger subsiding, she tucked it into the pocket of her jeans and knelt to clean up the mess. Since the umbrellas no longer had a place to sit, she carelessly tossed them into the nearby closet before returning to the study.

The afternoon passed quickly as she browsed the shelves of books. She'd intended to clean up the desk but couldn't resist the allure of a book she found.

At the unexpected chimes of the doorbell, Talia jumped to her feet dropping the book to the floor.

Whoever it was, they were not very patient as the clear tones rang once again. At the door was a delivery driver.

"I didn't order..." she began as she pushed the door closed.

"Miz Talia Bergman?", the kid asked.

"Yes..." Talia opened the door.

He thrust a steaming pizza box into her hands and quickly retreated to his car. As she watched him drive away she noticed the old woman peering out the window at her again.

Talia returned to the study and placed the box on the brown leather couch beside her. She picked up a slice of hot pizza and continued reading the book she had dropped. She grinned as she remembered her uncle complaining about her "grimy hands."

Hours later, the noise of a mouse scurrying across the floor startled Talia. She glanced at the clock and was surprised at how late it was. She cleaned up the remains of the pizza and headed upstairs to get some rest.

As she began to get dressed for bed, the black notebook fell from her jeans pocket. She set it on the nightstand and put on her pajamas. Once she was snuggled into the huge mahogany bed, she picked it up and opened the front cover.

Daniel Bergman - November 2005

Why did Uncle Reggie have her dad's notebook! She thumbed through it again but none of the writing made sense. Before she put it down, she glanced at the last page. It looked like information for a safe deposit box at a nearby bank.

Early the next morning, Talia arrived at the bank to ask about the box. The teller directed her to wait in a cubicle near the elevator. A few minutes later, a short, balding man in a crisp suit arrived and sat at the desk.

"How can I help you, Miss...?"

"Talia, Talia Bergman. I'm here about a safe deposit box in my father's name."

"Certainly, Miss Bergman. Is your father with you?" he asked, glancing across the room."

"No, I haven't heard from my father in several years."

"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that. I'm afraid if the box is in his name, I can't help you."

"Can you at least look up his information?" Talia asked in a strained voice as her patience was wearing thin.

"Certainly, tell me your father's name and box number."

She pushed the black notebook across his desk and opened it to the last page. He checked the information and punched in a few keys on the keyboard.

"Your father did rent a safe deposit box in 2005 and it's still active. Your name, along with a Mira Bergman, is listed on the box. I assume you have your identification and a key?"

Talia dug out her driver's license and he quickly confirmed her identity.

"And the key?" he asked."

"I'm afraid I don't have the key," Talia stated.

"Without the key, I'm unable to allow you access to the box."

Talia thought about the massive keyring her uncle's attorney had given her. She pulled the ring of keys from her purse and slid them across the desk.

"Would one of these happen to be the key?" she asked.

The bank clerk glared at her as he picked up the keys and began to inspect them one by one.

"This one looks right," he said after several minutes. "Follow me, Miss Bergman."

Talia followed him to the elevator and they descended to the basement. The security guard standing by the iron gate verified their credentials as they entered the vault. Hundreds of boxes covered three walls inside the vault. The bank clerk removed a small box and placed it on the table.

"When you're finished, Mr. Reynolds will unlock the elevator for you to return upstairs."

Talia watched as he walked away. Turning to the small box, She lifted the lid and saw an envelope with her mother's name along with a much thicker envelope. Talia picked up the first envelope, inside was a letter:

My Dearest Mira,

It was too risky for me to return home. I wasn't sure if I could trust Reggie after all these years, but I had no one else I could turn to. I'm sure once he knows our lives are in danger, he'll help us. I'm terribly sorry to leave this way. I can't explain what's happening right now.

I will return as soon as I can. Please keep my notebook safely hidden with you. The money should get you by until I return home. I promise it will be soon.

I love you, please give my love to Talia.

Danny

Tears pricked Talia's eyes as she read her dad's letter. She opened the other envelope and couldn't believe her eyes as she counted $20,000!

She had so many questions, but most importantly - where was her dad now!

###

Sixteen years ago...

Reggie returned to his desk and put his head in his hands. After a moment, he looked up and said:

"They're gone."

A muscular man entered Reggie's study from the servant's quarters.

"I told you, Mira doesn't know anything about a large sum of money or this black notebook you're looking for."

"And where is Daniel Bergman?" the muscular man asked.

"I haven't seen my sister or Daniel in six years. He showed up a couple of weeks ago asking for help. I told him to get lost. I haven't seen him since."

Reggie was angry when Daniel showed up asking for his help. Daniel handed him a small notebook for Mira which Reggie carelessly tossed into the umbrella stand. He told Daniel to get lost and slammed the door in his face. The notebook didn't seem important at the time but was now more intriguing with this thug standing in his study. He decided to keep quiet about the notebook being in his possession.