The dust on the lock wasn''t evenly spread, a clear sign that someone had unlocked it recently.


    Colby pulled out a key he had ready and said, "These locks are old masterpieces, designed with such ingenuity. Without a key, there''s no way to get into the Costello family''s ancestral hall." With that, he opened the grand doors to the hall.


    Inside, the ce was filled with memorial tablets of the Costello ancestors, and it looked a bit more spacious than the Russell family''s hall.


    Sophie, gazing at the tablets, realized she had never formally paid her respects to Colby''s ancestors since they got married.


    "Mom, Dad, Grandma, Grandpa, Great-Grandma, Great-Grandpa, I''ve brought Sophie to see you," Colby said softly, holding Sophie''s hand. Sophie squeezed his hand back and said to the tablets, "Mom, Dad, Grandma, Grandpa, Great-Grandma, Great-Grandpa, Colby and I havee to see you. We hope you can bless us from above and help us find the culprit behind the tragedy that struck the great families soon.''


    "We will," Colby reassured her, tightening his grip on her hand. "Let''s start looking for the ledger."


    "Okay."


    Sophie had expected finding the ledger in the Costello family''s hall to be tough, but to her surprise, it was hidden right under a column.


    Looking at the box containing the ledger, she said, puzzled, "This wasn''t as hard to find as I thought."


    "But getting into this hall wasn''t easy."Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org.


    Colby, seeing that Sophie had already found it, walked over, checked the ledger''s age, and then said, "Let''s head back and see if putting the ledgers from the four great families together reveals any clues." "Okay."


    If the treasure map theory was right, they should soon uncover the secrets hidden in the ledger.


    When they got back to the Burke Estate, Jenna was stunned. "How did you two get back so fast?" Checking her watch, she eximed, "It''s only been an hour!"


    Sophie nced over at Timothy, who was busy in the corner, and said, "Let''s talk in my room." "Alright."


    Jenna and Adler quickly followed.


    Upstairs, Odie had expected them to return muchter. Surprised to see them back so soon, she called out, "Sophie!"


    "What''s up?"


    Sophie turned to see Odie standing right behind them.


    Odie, noticing they seemed ready for a private discussion, said, "I''ve got something to tell you."


    "Maybe... we can all talk together?" Sophie suggested, gesturing towards her and Colby''s bedroom.


    The five of them squeezed into the bedroom, and just as Odie was about


    o speak, Sophie


    et those ledgers out f


    "Oh, right!"


    Jenna pulled out a ledger from her coat, and Sophie brought out the ones from the Russell and Costello families, followed by the Aldridge family''s ledger.


    All four ledgers wereid out on the table.


    It was clear they were from the same era, with simr levels of wear and tear.


    The five of them stared at the


    silence, "So, what now?


    ledgers for a while, until Jenna finally


    What should we do next?"


    Adler shook his head, "No idea, ask them?"


    The three then looked at Sophie and Colby.


    Colby said, "We haven''t found any leads yet."


    "Staring at the covers without opening the ledgers isn''t going to reveal anything," Sophie added.