The search of the basement's service area yielded no results. Theo and his three companions, having meticulously scoured every nook and cranny, were forced to concede that whatever they were looking for wasn't concealed in that particular section.
A sigh escaped Max's lips, his face a picture of dejection. "It seems we'll have to search the storage area now," he stated, the defeat evident in his tone.
Shoko, ever the pragmatist, offered a weary explanation. "Well, it is to be expected that there is nothing hidden here," she said, shaking her head with a hint of resignation. "If there was something of significance, the inn staff would undoubtedly have discovered it long before now." Her words underscored the unlikelihood of finding anything in a place that was regularly maintained.
