I'm looking for a story I read many many years ago in which the MC either inherits or buys an old bank building which has been disused for many years and when he gains access there are no stairs to the upper floor and the only access is a door in the outside wall which he needs a ladder to get up to. There is also an old vault which is locked and doesn't seem to have key - he finds the key later but keeps it quiet. The local Historical Society demands access to the vault to look at any old documents, It turns out the woman who leads the society is a descendant of the original bank owner who swindled people out of their houses/land and she is trying to cover it up.
I've tried searching but have not found anything. It was a long time ago and might not be on this site.
