There wasn't a single light switch in the place--just old lanterns left on every shelf and in every corner. The narrow room and all its contents were covered in a murky layer of dust; even the air was thick and stale with age. No one, she realized with relief, had been in this place for years. She moved the moth-eaten curtains aside to let the morning light in, but jumped to see a man's curious face pressed against the glass.
1. The Empty House.
It didn't look like much, that little house. It certainly didn't look like the kind of place anyone would leave anything important. Then again, few people would consider what she was looking for 'important,' least of all the foolish codger who'd left it there--if indeed he had. If this was indeed the place she wanted. She took a deep breath to steady herself. There was only one way to find out, and now was not the moment to reconsider.