THE HIDDEN'S ORDER MYSTERY

CHAPTER FOUR

Theolinda was walking with Kerrigan through the inner courtyard of the Order's main building. This location was a well-kept secret, accessible only through a hidden door in Kerrigan's office. Theolinda admired the carefully tended garden, full of vibrant flowers and fragrant herbs, all thriving under Kerrigan's expert care. The sound of a bubbling fountain in the center of the courtyard added a soothing background melody to their footsteps. Theolinda commented:

"Nice place. I'm always amazed by the Order."

Kerrigan replied:

"The Order's founder, Marcus Lucius, wanted a private outdoor area to enjoy peace."

"Was Marcus Lucius his actual name?" asked Theolinda.

Kerrigan replied:

"Yes. Marcus Lucius was born to noble parents who were strong magicians. They had a fondness for the classics, and Marcus inherited their magical abilities. However, he believed magic should be regulated and was one of the earliest advocates of the Age of the Enlightenment. He believed that by increasing logic, people would lose faith in magic."

"And why did he want that?"

"I don't know," Kerrigan replied. "How's the investigation going?"

Sensing Kerrigan's reluctance to discuss further, Theolinda responded:

"I spoke to Matthew's ex-girlfriend. She ended her relationship with him because he was already involved with another girl. However, I'm unable to find anything about that girl on Matthew's social media, not even a photo."

Kerrigan replied:

"That's strange. It might be helpful if you could take a look at Matthew's phone. We have it."

"Didn't you give it to his mother along with his belongings?" Theolinda asked.

"No, we thought it might come in handy. I keep it in a safe that only I know about. Look, it's hidden in this corner of the yard, on this wall."

Theolinda followed Kerrigan to the wall, where a secret safe was hidden behind a picture. She realized that it could only be opened through magic.

"This is the phone. Our hackers reviewed it, and now you can access all of the apps," said Kerrigan.

"Okay. Thanks, I suppose," Theolinda replied, feeling uneasy about the Order's immense power. It seemed they had no rules and were free to do whatever they wanted without facing any consequences. As a former police officer, Theolinda believed in fairness, and this scenario made her unhappy. However, she knew that she couldn't do anything about it. Besides, she had already benefited from the Order's concealed power. Theolinda decided to put her thoughts aside and focus on the investigation.