A Lake Norman Vacation Property and Two Hundred Fifty Thousand Dollars

The brass key slid in, but it wouldn’t turn.

“Lift the door up a bit,” Helen said.

I pulled up on the knob.

The key turned with a click that sounded as if it came from somewhere deep inside the house.

Inside, the air was cool and motionless, as if the house had been holding its breath.

The living room ran straight back to a wall of glass.

Helen put the cooler down.

“Oh, Natalie.”