Great! Here's **Chapter 23: The Secret of the Old Letters Found in the Library** — ---

 

# **Chapter 23: The Secret of the Old Letters Found in the Library**

The rain drummed against the windows of the city library like a persistent metronome. The tall windows, the dim light, and the smell of old paper gave the place an aura of mystery. Commissioner Jakub Nowak loved to sit here, even if only for a moment—the library always gave him a sense of peace that was missing in his job.

That day, however, he didn't come to rest.

The librarian, Marta—an energetic fifty-year-old with a penchant for arranging everything alphabetically—called.

Her voice was clearly worried.

"Commissioner... you'd better see this in person. It's... something serious."

Jakub glanced at Argo, who, as usual, was already waiting by the door, his tail wagging energetically.

"Looks like we have a new case, partner."

Argo barked briefly, then walked proudly past the commissioner, as if he knew a place glittering with secrets awaited them both.

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## **A Disturbing Discovery**

Ms. Marta led them deeper into the library, to an old warehouse that was rarely used—mainly for storing books that had been withdrawn from circulation. An almost ceremonial silence reigned in this part of the building.

"We were moving collections," she explained. "And we came across an old box. It looks like it's been there for years... And inside were letters. Very disturbing letters."

Jakub frowned.

"Disturbing in what way?"

The librarian opened the heavy door to the warehouse, and Argo immediately lifted his nose, sniffing intently. In the corner, on a metal shelf, sat a small, dust-covered wooden box.

"Look," Mrs. Marta said, sliding open the lid.

Inside were a dozen or so letters tied with a red ribbon. The paper had yellowed, and the envelopes bore dates from over thirty years ago.

Jakub carefully pulled out the first one. The writing was elegant, though hurried. The content… made his eyes freeze.

> *“If you’re reading this, it means I didn’t have time to escape. He knows. He’s watching. And I can’t let him do it again.”*

The commissioner raised his eyebrows.

“Who wrote these letters?”

“We don’t know,” the librarian replied. “But… there’s something else in the last letter.”

She handed him an envelope, which was heavier than the others. Jakub opened it carefully.

Inside was a small, rusty key and a note:

> *“The key to a door that should remain locked.”*

Argo barked, as if to confirm that this case would be much more complex than it appeared.

---

## **The Trail Leads Deep into the Past**

The commissioner and the dog slowly walked through the warehouse. Argo began to pace nervously near one of the walls. He sniffed intently, scratching the floor as if something was clearly troubling him.

Jakub crouched down.

"What have you got there, Argo?"

The dog barked and thumped the floor.

The librarian looked surprised.

"That's... strange. Nothing's ever been hidden here."

Jakub moved the rug that was pressing against the edge of the floor.

Beneath was a small metal hatch.

The commissioner held his breath.

"And yet."

--

## **The Door That Should Have Stayed Closed**

The lock was old, but it fit the key perfectly. When the commissioner turned it in the lock, the metal creaked, and the hatch slowly lifted, revealing a narrow passage down.

“What used to be here?” he asked.

Mrs. Marta shook her head.

“I have no idea. This is the oldest part of the building, dating back to the paper factory.”

Jakub illuminated the stairs with his flashlight. They led to a small room beneath the library—austere, made of brick, smelling of damp and old dust.

Argo jumped down without hesitation.

“Careful,” the commissioner muttered, following him down.

It was cooler downstairs. In the center stood an old wooden table, and on it… another box. Similar to the one with the letters, but larger.

When he opened the lid, the commissioner’s heart skipped a beat.

Inside was a stack of documents, photos, and… newspaper clippings.

All of them related to a series of unsolved crimes dating back thirty years. Crimes whose suspect—the mysterious “He”—had vanished without a trace.

The most terrifying, however, was the last clipping.

The title read:

**“Last Victim: Young Librarian Found Dead Under Mysterious Circumstances.”**

Jakub swallowed.

“Whoever wrote the letters… was afraid he would be next.”

Argo rested his head on the commissioner’s lap, feeling the tension grow.

---

## **A Surprising Connection**

Among the documents, Jakub found a photograph. It showed a group of people standing in front of a former paper mill. On the back was the date and signature:

**“Paper Mill – Management Staff, 1989”**

The commissioner quickly spotted a familiar face.

Ms. Marta sighed, paling.

“It’s… the director of our library. The current one. Mr. Radecki.”

Jakub felt adrenaline begin to pump through his veins.

“So, the case from thirty years ago is coming back to life.”

Here…

Argo barked briefly, warningly—his ears perked up, his body tensed.

As if someone… were nearby.

Jakub raised his head.

“Someone's coming down.”

The stairs creaked.

--

## **Cliffhanger ending chapter**

A tall silhouette stood in the doorway. A shadow obscured the flashlight.

“Commissioner,” a calm, cool voice said. “I didn't expect you to look all the way here.”

Jakub narrowed his eyes.

“Mr. Radecki…?”

The library director smiled faintly—too faintly.

“Some secrets… are better left in the past.”

Argo growled.

And the commissioner realized that the mystery of the old letters was only just beginning to reveal its darkest side.

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