The metal was not part of the floor. It was a hatch, fitted between the boards and painted brown to match the wood. Four iron hinges ran along one side. On the other was a small keyhole. Andrew knelt and tried the brass key. It slid in easily. When he turned it, a lock released beneath his hand.
The hatch opened onto a narrow staircase. Cool air rose from below. Andrew switched on his flashlight and descended carefully. The steps ended in a concrete landing. Ahead stood a steel door. Wiring entered the wall beside it, along with a ventilation pipe. Whatever lay beyond had been planned, built, and hidden.
Andrew tried the brass key in the steel door. It did not fit. He searched the landing instead. Near the wall, he found a metal box containing fuses, an old battery, and a label marked only with a date from twelve years earlier. Nothing explained the locked door. Andrew climbed back upstairs and sat in Walter’s chair. He could call someone, but Walter’s note felt personal. Maybe Walter expected him to solve this himself. Andrew looked again at the key and wondered whether it opened something else inside the cabin.