Anthony's Legal Heir

There was a swirl of thoughts going around in Charu’s mind – the sword, Sheryl wishing for a mountain and more importantly her being the spitting image of Sheryl. She wanted to find out more and thus went back to Uncle Vincent’s house, but she was in for a disappointment. Ruth, the son of the caretaker Martha, told her that Uncle Vincent has left suddenly for Egypt. Charu was surprised as he did not tell her anything about going to Egypt when she last met him. She then asked for his contact details in Egypt and it was in for Ruth to be surprised now at the urgency of Charu to meet Uncle Vincent. He asked Charu to take a seat and went in to call his mother Martha. The moment Martha came in and saw Charu, she started shrieking. She called Charu “Sherry” again and again and fainted. A frightened Charu rushed back home with more questions than answers in her mind.

Even after reaching home the Charu's unsettling feeling was not going away. She was trying to recollect everything she read in the book. The words that were printed into both her conscious and unconscious mind were Sheryl and MV02FK09. She needed to know why Sheryl looked like her and find the what MV02FK09. Vincent uncle left the country suddenly stopped her pursue of knowing Sheryl. She wanted to examine the sword and see for herself and try to decipher what MV02FK09 meant. But the museum was closed for the day.

Sitting next to her Grandmother's bed, Charu started reading the book. Every chapter she read jogged some of her long-lost memories.

"Anthony constructed a big hotel and named it Mount Varghese. Sheryl was happy that her husband took all efforts to do that on her wish. Sheryl proudly showed off the hotel to all her family. She invited every one of her family once a year for a week. Sheryl served the family tea and cookies she made for them. The family used to sit around a table that can sit fifty. The kids used to run around playing. The kids loved Sheryl, especially for the tray of cookies she held in her hand."

Reading that brought some memories to Charu. She remembers running around in the hotel and having those delicious cookies. But how can that be? She or any of his family were not related to the Varghese family, or was she?

The next morning, she got ready to head to the museum with the book in hand. On reaching the museum, Charu had to face a new set of hurdles waiting for her. She got down and walked to the counter for buying a ticket to the museum. But the counter had no one. Puzzled, she walked past the counter and tried to walk into the museum. Once reaching the gate, she noticed a few police. There was a crowd outside watching intently. She did not get a chance even to enter the gate and ask the officer for permission. She walked around, trying to gauge what was going on.

The crowd was talking randomly. "There had been a murder of caretaker, the night before." said one. The other said, "There was corruption going on in the museum. The caretaker killed himself when he came to know he was going to get caught."

Another guy said, "There was a theft in the museum. The thieves got into the museum, killed the caretaker, and looted some valuable items."

Charu did not know what to make of the gossip. One thing, however, was clear access to the museum had just become impossible. Disappointed, she wanted to leave and headed to her car. On reaching the car, she noticed the book. She then remembered something from the book.

"Anthony would come late to home, frequently. Sheryl used to wait long hours for him and slept disappointed. The help used to open the door for him late in the night. Sheryl accepted this as a side effect of his occupation. But what vexed her was Anthony behaved as if nothing happened, the next day. So, Sheryl asked the help not to open the door for Anthony. The next morning when Sheryl woke up, Anthony was next to her on the bed. She does not remember him coming when she was awake, she was angry.

Anthony woke up with shouts in the living room. It was Sheryl, she was angry with help, who opened the door. Anthony tried to stop her. He tried to tell Sheryl no one opened the door for him. She was not ready to listen. She stopped only when Anthony showed her the broken window, which used to climb into the home. 

Sheryl later learns that window was his usual route home, as a teenager, to escape his father's scolding’s."

The museum was once Anthony's home, and Charu knew that. Immediately an idea stuck her. She slowly walked to the back door of the museum. It had too many shrubs covering the path. Those were not going to stop her. She walked the window without trouble, thanks to the author who gave a detailed map through his words. The climb was a little rough, but she scrapped through and entered the museum.

Charu noticed the police kept themselves to the ground floor where the caretaker died. She found the stairs to head to the first floor. The Sword was in the third room on the right, as per the museum guide. Without much trouble, she reached the door and opened it to enter the room.

Once inside, Charu closed the door behind her. The room was dark, and she could not see anything. She could not even find the light switch in the dark. With no other option, she switched on the torch on her mobile. She started flashing the light on the exhibits. The first exhibit was the portrait of Anthony, and he looked handsome. The next was a life-size portrait of Sheryl. Charu could not believe her eyes. She looked more and more like her, except for the jewelry she was wearing. Charu could not take her eye off. Suddenly, in that silence, she heard a sound coming from outside the room. That brought her back to the current. She immediately knew she needs to leave. But not before seeing the sword and what the code meant. She moved her torch towards the exhibit where the sword was to be. But to her surprise, the sword was not there. She went closer to the frame, kept flashing her light everywhere. But could not find the sword.

Charu was still searching for the sword when she heard the sound closer as if trying to open the door to the room, she was in. She quickly stopped the torch and went to a corner of the room. She remembered something, as per the book, there should be a hidden door. It was there, and she quietly opened the door and walked into the next room. Once out of the room, she quickly stepped down to the ground floor and left the museum using the window. Before anyone could notice her, she was back in her car and was leaving for home.

On reaching home another surprise waiting for her. A man who looked like Anthony was waiting outside her home. This created goosebumps, and now she started to get scared. She remained in the car. Charu felt someone knew her search and trying to stop her. What she did not notice in all hurry was someone opened the other door to her car. Before she could see who, it was, they gave her chloroform, and she lost consciousness.

Charu woke up after a few hours in an abandoned place tied to a chair. Looking around, she noticed something. It was another person tied to a chair. It was none other than Vincent Uncle. He was trying to tell her something but could not as his mouth was tied. He then signaled her to an object, a sword. It was the missing sword from the museum. He signaled her to push that towards him. Using that, uncle cut his ropes and helped Charu to free herself.

Charu wanted to ask, "When have you come back from Egypt? How are you here? and What was going on."

Before she could ask, Vincent uncle pointed to something and asked her, "Why is the sword required? How are the treasure and sword linked.”?

Charu was surprised the Vincent uncle knew about the treasure. She kept the information to herself. For two reasons, she did not believe the treasure existed, two she wanted if existed. So, she asked, "How do you know about the treasure. Did you read the book as well.”?

"I read the book many times but never believed there was a treasure. The man who kidnapped you was the long-lost great-grandson of Anthony. He believes the treasure exists; he will torture you till you tell him where it is."

"Yes, uncle. I know where the treasure is. The book had all the details of the treasure. I went to the museum this morning to find how to get the sword. What I don't know yet is why me and what MV02FK09 means."

"I also don't know what MV02FK09. But I know the treasure belongs to you, your grandmother. Anthony left all of it to your grandmother. She left it to you in her will, if ever found."

Before he finished talking, the man came laughing. "Uncle Vincent, we got the information. Let us kill Charu and get the treasure."

"Idiot, can't you wait a little more. I would have got the rest of the details and direction to treasure. Always in a hurry," said Vincent.

Charu was shocked to learn Vincent was in partnership with this man.

"The treasure has too much money Charu. I am not going to let it go. I know you are the legal heir, but I had been waiting for these many years. Now tell me everything, otherwise, I will not hesitate to kill you", said Vincent.

Charu was scared and confused. She saw the other man had a gun in hand. She immediately thought there was no other way but to tell everything she knows.

"The treasure is buried in a corner in hotel Mount Varghese."

"How do you I believe you? What is the guarantee of your word?"

"I have proof," said Charu and read a chapter that gave directions but without mentioning the treasure. She then showed a paragraph with similar writing but had words treasure in it. When the chapters were read together the directions to the treasure were clear.

They took Charu with them to help point to the right place. Once inside Charu pointed to a location where she said the treasure is buried. Both started digging, after a few hours, they started hearing a sound that felt foreign. Excited they both dug harder and suddenly the ground under them just gave away. Both Vincent and the man fell into a deep well.

Charu, laughing sheepishly, picked the sword. Vincent uncle read the book many times but what he did not read well was about the well that was closed. When in danger Charu quickly used the information to trap them.

P.S.: Walking towards the hotel she was hoping the room K09 is available. After all the treasure was hidden in that room.

MV02 - Mount Varghese Block 02

FK09 - First Floor, K09 room.

The room was available, she now must place the sword in the right place to open the door to the treasure chest.