Nobody had lived in the house for years, so the water and power had long since been shut off.

Middle of the night.

I went room to room alone with a flashlight.

Floorboards, wall tiles, under the bed, behind the closet.

I tapped and knocked at everything.

Looking for any false panel or hidden compartment.

I was deep in the search when my phone suddenly rang.

It startled me. I saw it was Phyllis and picked up with a low hello.

"Theo, where did you go?"

"It's too hot, I couldn't sleep. Came out to get some air."

"You're lying. I saw the contract. The money for our big condo, you actually spent it on that run-down second-hand house?"

There was no hiding it now, so I admitted it. "Yeah. Babe, listen to me, this house—"

"Theo, is your brain waterlogged or what?"

"My parents put up all that money."

"And you buy me a second-hand house for our wedding home?"

"How am I supposed to face the girls?"

"I really can't do this with you anymore."

"First thing tomorrow I'm going to the hospital to abort it."

"We're completely done!"

Before I could explain,

Phyllis hung up.

I almost called back to explain.

Then I thought better of it and let it go.

Nothing I said would matter right now.

Once I found the money hidden in this house,

she'd forgive me.

So I threw myself back into the search.

About ten minutes in,

that child's voice came to me again.

"Check the bathroom, mister."

I froze for a second.

"Who are you?"

No answer.

"I already searched the bathroom. Are you messing with me on purpose?"

Still nothing.

Nothing for it. I made myself go back to the bathroom.

Aside from the washbasin and a yellowed, stinking squat toilet,

there was hardly anything of value in there.

I went over the floor and the walls all around again, carefully.

Solid, all of it.

Fast.

I lost my patience.

"Damn it, you really are just messing with me?"

Just as I was about to leave the bathroom,

a faint, barely noticeable cold draft slid past overhead.

The vent had been broken for ages.

So where was this air coming from?

I looked up, puzzled.

And my eyes lit up in an instant.

Could it be...

Was there something in the exhaust vent?

I hurried to grab a chair and pried off the vent cover.

Then I shone the flashlight and stuck my head inside.

But apart from an even thicker stench,

there was nothing.

Just as disappointment settled in, my phone accidentally knocked against the tile beside me.

Thud!

A crisp, hollow sound rang out.

"Hollow?"

I froze, and a second later the excitement hit me all at once.

I'd finally found it.

I wanted to grab a hammer or something and break the wall open to see.

But after searching the whole place,

all this house had was a few tables, chairs, stools, and a bed frame.

Nothing else.

There was no help for it.

I'd have to go home for tools.

But the moment I walked in, I saw Phyllis sitting on the couch, crying.

My parents' faces were darker than dark.

The second they saw me,

they shot me a vicious glare.

Phyllis shot to her feet and threw a handwritten agreement at me.

"Theo Simmons, I've had enough of you."

"Sign it."

"After this, we never see each other again as long as we live!"

I glanced over what it said.

The gist was that she wanted to break up.

She'd keep the baby.

But she'd raise it alone.

And I was never to come around and bother the child again.

I balled the agreement up and tossed it in the trash.

"What are you doing?"

Phyllis glared at me.

"Phyllis, don't be silly. How could I ever break up with you?"

"We've already set the wedding date."

"You don't even want to marry me. So what if we set a date? We'll just cancel it."

"No. I've told you, you're the only one I'll ever marry in this life."

My parents jabbed a finger at me and let loose a torrent of cursing.

I almost told them my plan.

But I hesitated, and in the end I held it in.

What if there was no money in that second-hand house's hidden compartment?

How would I explain that?

"Phyllis, there are some things you probably won't believe even if I tell you."

"But we're about to get married, and I don't want to keep it from you."

"Come with me. Just once."

I found an iron hammer in the storage room, then grabbed Phyllis and started for the door.

My parents scrambled to stop me.

"Have you lost your mind? You want to bash Phyllis to death with that hammer?"

"Son, are you sick in the head?"

Phyllis yanked her hand back too, scared.

Faced with how badly they'd misread it, all I could do was give a bitter laugh.

"Mom, Dad, stop making this worse."

"I'll explain everything to Phyllis myself."

"Just wait until we're back!"

I dragged Phyllis out of the house by force.

Then we rushed straight to that second-hand house.

When we got there,

Phyllis wrenched her hand free of mine.

She looked at me with an expression that was equal parts shock and disbelief.

"Theo Simmons, have you actually lost it?"

"You're telling me some kid whispered in your ear,"

"telling you this house is hiding a lot of money?"

I nodded hard. "Yes. And when I came earlier I already found the hidden compartment. Once I break the wall open, we're going to be rich!"

Phyllis touched my forehead, uneasy and unsure. "Stop scaring me. You don't even have a fever, so why are you talking nonsense?"

"I know this is hard to believe."

"Seeing is believing."

"Come on, I'll break it open and show you."

I took her by the hand and led her to the bathroom.

"Phyllis, step back a little."

"I'm about to start swinging!"