As she drove, her hands started shaking again. This time, however, it was less a result of her grandmother’s passing and more because of the mysterious letter and key that lay inside her handbag. In an attempt to calm down, she took a deep breath and eased her death grip on the steering wheel. Doing so helped a little, but nothing could fully stem the sense of unrest that had come with Brooke’s unexpected message from the past.

Her grandmother’s death had hit Chelsea harder than she could have ever imagined. The funeral was scheduled for tomorrow, and she dreaded it. Chelsea’s other three grandparents had also passed, but the death of “Gram” had been especially devastating. The tragedy had rattled Chelsea to her very core, causing her to finally shed the youthful sense of immortality that everyone seems to harbor for a time.

Today was June 1, but as far as the weather was concerned, summer had officially arrived. As with most upstate winters, the previous one had been harsh and uncompromising, causing Syracusans to emerge from their hibernations like sleepy bears, stretching and blinking in the sun’s unfamiliar warmth. The trees were at last showing their leaves, softball leagues were forming, and it seemed that everyone was smiling again. It was a lovely time of year, and had it not been for her grandmother Brooke’s death, Chelsea would have been happy too.

The only child of Lucy and Adam Enright, Chelsea had enjoyed a rather privileged upbringing. Her father owned several large auto dealerships, though he spent little time at them these days, preferring instead to oversee things from his downtown corporate office. Still a robust man, depending on the season he could be found bird or deer hunting, skiing the local slopes, or attacking the golf course at his country club.

To her father’s disappointment, Chelsea had never expressed any interest in the family business, preferring instead to receive her MFA and teaching credentials at Syracuse University. Teaching helped to fulfill her, and she enjoyed having her summers free. Because of Brooke’s inherited wealth and Adam’s financial success, Chelsea’s mother, Lucy, had never worked, instead immersing herself in the Syracuse social scene. She was a fixture at fashion luncheons, charity group meetings, and her much-beloved bridge club games.

Ironically, Chelsea’s family’s social standing had seemingly cursed her love life more than it had helped it. She oftentimes wished that she could meet a good man who had never heard of the Enrights, but the longer she remained in Syracuse the more discouraged she became. Although Syracuse claimed nearly one hundred fifty thousand residents, it seemed that everyone already knew everyone else. Moreover, news and gossip traveled with the speed of light—especially when it concerned the relatively wealthy.

Putting her thoughts aside, Chelsea at last guided her convertible up a long knoll and onto a huge circular drive, where she parked among the host of cars already there. Since her grandmother Brooke’s death, the Enright house had been bombarded with friends, relatives, and the food everyone had brought. At first glance, today appeared no different.

Before getting out of her car, Chelsea took the key her grandmother had included with the letter from her purse and hung it on her cherished silver necklace, also a gift from her grandmother. She then safely tucked both treasures back inside her blouse. Having Brooke’s mysterious key lying directly over her heart felt right, somehow.

Knowing that she would need to redo her hair and makeup, she gazed at her face in the rearview mirror. Her wavy, dark red hair was long and parted on one side. High cheekbones, large green eyes, and a sensuous mouth completed her lovely portrait. Today she was clothed in tan Ralph Lauren slacks, a white silk blouse, and shiny brown pumps.

As Chelsea walked across the driveway, she admired the lovely home in which she had been raised. Built entirely of stone, it closely resembled a small English manor house. Professional gardeners maintained the immaculately trimmed lawn and colorful landscaping, and the house sat atop a hill, allowing for a magnificent view. When Chelsea’s parents divorced, Adam had graciously transferred full ownership to Lucy.

Until she started teaching, Chelsea had lived here all her life. She had loved growing up in this wonderful place and although she now owned a perfectly lovely town house of her own, every time she visited, she was reminded of how much she missed it. After crossing the brick driveway, she opened one of the stately double doors and walked inside.

As expected, she encountered a subdued atmosphere.