Chloe scanned the article, her expression shifting from surprise to intrigue. “I never would have guessed. She was an artistandan activist.”
“Exactly,” Liam nodded. “But here’s where it gets more interesting. Samuel Hartman—the railway executive she was connected with—was rumored to be involved in smuggling alcohol using the rail network during Prohibition.”
Chloe looked up, eyes widening. “So they were on opposite sides of a very contentious issue?”
“That’s what it looks like,” Liam agreed. “In the documents Percy found, there was a letter that talked about Eleanor and how frustrated she was about someone called Samuel. Whoeverwrote the letter was worried Eleanor’s feelings for him were getting in the way of what she needed to do.”
Chloe leaned back, processing the information. “This could explain so much—why she disappeared and why their relationship didn’t work out.”
“That’s what I thought, too,” Liam said. “If Samuel was using the railway for bootlegging and Eleanor was campaigning against alcohol, it would’ve created a serious rift between them.”
Chloe sighed. “Imagine being torn between your beliefs and someone you love.”
“If that’s how they felt, it must have been difficult for them.” Liam picked up another piece of paper. “There’s something else I want to show you.”
The sketch he held up was slightly worn, but the details were still vivid. “I found this tucked between some of Percy’s old documents. It’s one of Eleanor’s sketches.”
Chloe leaned forward, her eyes fixed on the drawing as Liam laid it on the table. The sketch showed a room inside an old brick building. People were sitting around a large wooden table, their faces intent and serious, as if engaged in a heated discussion. In the background, almost hidden in the shadows, was what appeared to be an old-fashioned still.
Chloe frowned as she studied the image. “This is incredible. The detail in it is amazing.”
“Look closely at the architecture,” Liam suggested. “Does it seem familiar to you?”
She examined the brick walls, the arched windows, and the distinctive wooden beams crossing the ceiling. Suddenly, her eyes widened. “It almost looks like the old steamboat museum.”
Liam nodded. “That’s what Percy thought, too. He said the steamboat museum used to be a warehouse back in the early 1900s.”
Chloe nodded. “Some documents Percy showed me last week talked about the old steamboat museum. It was rumored to be a meeting place during Prohibition, possibly even a speakeasy, but no one could prove it. I was hoping the copies of Penny Terry’s great-grandmother’s journals would mention something, but I haven’t had a chance to re-read all of them.”
“The sketch could be an actual depiction of one of those meetings,” Liam said excitedly. “There’s so much detail that Eleanor had to have been there.”
Chloe’s frown deepened. “She might not have been there as part of the temperance movement. She might have been documenting what was happening in town or even exposing illegal activities.”
“That could have put her in danger,” Liam pointed out. “Especially if influential people were involved in transporting liquor around the country.”
Chloe’s expression grew thoughtful. “If Samuel was connected to these activities, and Eleanor found out, it would’ve been a huge betrayal.”
“Exactly,” Liam said. “This sketch could help us figure out what Eleanor was doing and why she suddenly disappeared.”
Chloe picked up the image. “The only way we’ll know if this is the old steamboat museum is to compare the sketch to the interior of the museum. Pastor John might know more about what happened in the building, too.”
“I’ll ask him tomorrow,” Liam told her. “I like your idea of looking around the building. Do you want to go there one afternoon this week?”
Chloe checked the daily planner on her phone. “I’m working at the café for the next three days, so they’re out. And on Friday I have another baking class at The Welcome Center. What about Saturday morning, or is that too late?”
“It suits me. I have a lot more editing to do, so I’m happy to leave it until the weekend. I’ll make sure it’s okay with Pastor John, then call you.”
Chloe’s eyes shone with excitement as she looked at the papers on the table. “I can’t believe how much we’ve discovered since we started looking.”
Liam smiled. “Neither can I. Usually, it takes a lot longer to find information about something that happened so long ago. But everyone I’ve spoken to wants to know what happened to Eleanor.”
Chloe handed him the drawing of the meeting. “Next time we see Percy, we’ll have to thank him for keeping copies of the documents. It’s easy for things like this to be thrown out.”
Liam slid the rest of the information Percy had given him into its folder. “I said the same thing to him. He was happy he could help.” Liam checked the time. “I should go. Trixie gets grumpy if she doesn’t get enough sleep in her crate.”
When she heard her name, Trixie got up and stretched, ready to head home.
Chloe’s eyes widened when she saw the time. “I didn’t realize it was so late.”
