Just in case the wall fell down, Chloe took Oscar’s hand and moved a few feet away. “The building’s old but well built. It seems unlikely this would be the only part of the wall to have damaged mortar.”
Liam kneeled beside Richard and studied the bricks that were a few feet on either side of the brass catch. “This part of the wall could have been modified after the original building was constructed.”
Richard pointed to the bricks a few feet away from the catch. “The bricks in the rest of the room were laid off-center, but these ones line up with each other.”
Chloe couldn’t imagine a reason why anyone would change the way the bricks were laid. She held Eleanor’s sketch in front of her, then looked around the room, trying to find any other differences.
Richard looked at Liam. “Are you thinking what I’m thinking?”
Liam nodded. “If it is a door, it’s been concealed for a reason.”
Chloe frowned. “Why would anyone …?” Her eyes widened. “Do you think it’s got something to do with the Prohibition?”
Richard nodded. “If this was the place where you could drink or buy alcohol, it’d make sense to hide the evidence of what was happening.”
Chloe bit her bottom lip. This was more than she’d ever thought they’d find. “If the bootleggers concealed a door in the wall, the brass catch probably opens it.”
Liam placed his hand on the wall. “Let’s see if you’re right.” He pushed the bricks surrounding the catch. As he did, a thin stream of dirt and dust cascaded down the wall, filling the air with a musty scent.
Chloe coughed and waved her hand in front of her face. “It’s been undisturbed for a while.”
Liam kept pushing. With a low groan, a small section of the wall shifted inward. The hidden door creaked open, revealing a dark passageway.
“Oh, my goodness,” Chloe whispered, her heart pounding in her chest. “There really is something behind it.”
Liam took his cell phone out of his pocket and turned on the flashlight. Crouching down, he wiped away the cobwebs and peered into the opening. “We’ve found the still in the photo,” he said excitedly. He moved out of the way and handed Chloe his phone. “It’s in an alcove on the right-hand side.”
She looked into the dusty passageway and grinned. Sitting beside the brick wall was a large, mottled-green copper boiler and a metal tube. The cooling coil was propped against the boiler, waiting for another batch of moonshine to be made. Ifthat wasn’t exciting enough, it looked as though there was a tunnel a few feet away.
She handed Liam his phone. “Is that what I think it is?”
He shone his flashlight into the hidden room. “It looks like a tunnel to me. I wonder where it goes.”
Chloe turned to Richard. “Do you know if there are any plans for the building?”
Richard frowned. “I haven’t seen any, but I’ll ask Pastor John. Given the age of the building, I don’t think we’ll find anything, but it’s worth a try.” He walked to a shelf behind him and came back with a large flashlight. After studying the entrance to the tunnel and looking inside the hidden room, he glanced at Liam. “As far as I can tell, the tunnel’s safe. Do you want to have a look with me?”
Liam took some photos of the opening, then grinned. “I wouldn’t miss it for the world.”
Chloe searched Richard’s face. “Are you sure it’s safe?”
“The beams look solid and there are plenty of them to support the walls and ceiling. We won’t go too far.”
Liam slid his phone into his pocket. “If we think it’s unsafe, we’ll come straight out.”
Chloe still wasn’t sure it was the best thing to do, but she was as excited as they were to see where the tunnel went. “Promise me you’ll be careful.”
Liam kissed her cheek. “We’ll be careful.” Crouching down, he followed Richard into the narrow opening.
Chloe kneeled beside Oscar, watching what they were doing. The beam of Richard’s flashlight pierced the darkness, revealing a set of stone steps leading downward.
“It’s definitely a tunnel,” Richard said.
Chloe used the flashlight on her phone to give them more light. Before going down the steps, Richard checked the walls and floor. When he was happy, they crept forward.
Once they were gone, all she could hear were their voices echoing against the walls as they moved farther away.
Oscar wiggled forward until his head was inside the hidden door. “What’s in the tunnel?”
