Chapter 4 - THE BRASS KEY
Before Grant could process the crushing weight of the timeline, June Harper stepped quietly up to his side, her white-and-blue uniform rustling in the stillness of the room.
June reached into her deep uniform pocket and pulled out a small, metallic object attached to a thin leather cord. Without saying a word, she reached out and pressed the object firmly into Grant’s right palm.
Grant looked down at his hand, his fingers automatically curling around the item before relaxing to reveal what it was.
Resting in the center of his palm was a small, ornate brass key. It was antique, featuring a uniquely cut double-bitted blade and a small, engraved crest on the bow—a key clearly designed for an old-world mechanical lockbox rather than a modern electronic safe.
Grant stared at the piece of brass, his brow furrowing in deep confusion.
"What is this?" Grant asked, looking up from his palm toward the nurse.
June kept her eyes fixed on his, her expression entirely serious. "Mara made me keep it for you. She gave it to me five months ago when she first came to my private clinic under an assumed name."
Grant’s head snapped toward the bed, his dark eyes searching Mara’s face for an explanation.
May you like
"Mara..." Grant said, stepping closer to her mattress. "What does this belong to?"
Mara remained silent, her hands gripping the edge of the light pink hospital bedsheet tightly, her knuckles turning stark white under the harsh fluorescent lights.
