The Lost Treasure Map Series by V Bertolaccini Page A

be
strong enough not to collapse. They could have easily built it to
last! He had only seen derelict castles crumbling away, and he had
never heard of one such as it falling down. However, he had heard
of parts of modern
structures collapsing.
    “ If we
could just obtain some more information about Sir Richard!” Merton suggested, looking at the books,
with interested.
    “ What do
you think ...? Is this Sir Richard’s personal library ...? We’ve
only searched through some.”
    “ How
many of them are there,” Mortimer replied.
    “ It’s a
large amount.”
    “ They
seem to be mainly business books, but I have not thoroughly checked
them.”
    “ Let’s
search for an answer to the clue ...”
    Bryson shifted
out of his seat. “There is a large collection, but we may be able
to check them without wasting time.”
     

Chapter 25
     
    Uninvited Guests
     
    Robert’s face
showed signs of strain, so Bryson promptly sat along the table from
him, not wishing to displease him. The stress causing it was not in
any way evident. There were no signs of anything taking place, or
having occurred in his absence.
    Nonetheless,
he just took it that he was running out of proper ideas – the many
other problems – and the grim reality of the situation.
    The others
stayed almost silent, as they had been, only conferring in mutters,
in their groups, which they were working in; with their discussions
noticeably avoiding talking about their search.
    Robert placed
his head in his hands, tightly pressing his elbows against the
table, which had already marked his jumper. Now he knew why they
used those ridiculous elbow patches.
    Robert
eventually removed one of his elbows, looking slightly sleepy,
making an effort to be sociable.
    Bryson fought
to rectify a smile, which emerged on his face, while Robert pulled
his chair over to him.
    “ Do you
know that the police have not found anything?” he spoke, shuffling
a napkin around, and folding it.
    “ They’re
doing their best!”
    “ They’re
carrying out their investigations at the village,” he continued,
almost yawning.
    “ I
didn’t know that.”
    Bryson checked
Mortimer, Merton, and Helen sitting silently, in a line, going
along the opposite side of the table. They occasionally took
something to eat.
    His watch told
him that it was later than he had imagined, and that they would not
be there long, before they would return to the library, to continue
their search. He was still positive that Merton and Mortimer were
planning to stay there until it was late, to continue to conduct a
proper research of the castle.
    “ Where’s
James?” Bryson asked, trying to find some more information about
him, knowing that Robert had been closely watching him, almost
following him around – perhaps to see why he had been so obsessed
with working on his own. Most of the others seemed to have been
working near him, as if he now had magnetism.
    “ He
returned to his room, just before I came here,” he instantly
replied, giving a slight venomous grin.
    “ So was
he annoyed at not finding anything?”
    “ He was
arguing, but I don’t know if it had anything to do with him not
finding anything. Why ...?”
    Bryson saw
that the others were growing restless.
    “ Let’s
have another look in the library.”
    “ Good
idea!” Bryson replied, leaving with him, observing the pictures on
the walls, once again.
    Bryson could
not see any sign that there was anything of value. But there could
be a connection between something and the clue. The answer to the
clue could be in one of the scenes of the paintings.
    At the door to
the library room, Robert turned silent, looking startled for a
moment, holding his composure. He proceeded in, creeping, not
making any sounds.
    Bryson saw the
door partially open, and that the light was on.
    He stuck out
his head, and promptly shoved the door wide open.
    Bryson, in one
movement, shifted in front of it – instantly seeing James, sitting
himself, at the