There was only a small piece of white paper at the bottom.

I picked it up.

Written on it in black ink were the coordinates of the old well behind the stables.

“Daniel,” I called out.

“It’s not here.”

“He lied.”

“He wanted us to come here to waste time.”

“He sent us to the library because he knew we’d think of it first.”

Daniel turned around, his face pale.

“The well?” Daniel asked.

“The well is a three-minute run from here,” I said.

“We don’t have three minutes.”

I looked at the grandfather clock.

The minute hand seemed to move before my eyes.

“We have to go,” I said.

We ran out of the library, our footsteps echoing off the marble floor of the foyer.

As we reached the front doors, the phone in my pocket began to vibrate again.

I pulled it out.

The screen flickered.

It wasn’t dead.

The battery icon was flashing red, but the display was active.

Another incoming call from the blocked number.

I pressed the screen, my hand shaking so hard I almost dropped the device.