“We heard it this morning,” a lady said quickly. “What an amazing discovery. We came here when the letter written by Abraham Lincoln was discovered, too.”
“Who would’ve thought there’d be so much history in this little town?” another woman added. “Can we see the tunnel?”
Caught off guard, Chloe blinked. It was just as well Pastor John had made sure only the people who worked in the old steamboat museum could enter. “You’ll have to speak to Pastor John. He works from the Connect Church and owns the building where we found the tunnel.”
The woman beamed. “We’ll do that! We came here hoping to learn more and it looks as though we will. Our friends back home will be so envious!”
“You could ask him if anyone’s organizing tours of the tunnel,” Chloe suggested. “In the meantime, can I get you something to eat and drink?” After taking their orders, she returned to the front counter.
“It looks like you’re becoming a local celebrity,” Kathleen teased.
Chloe shook her head. “That’s the last thing I want.”
“Too late,” Kathleen sang, tapping her finger on the screen of her cell phone. “You’re trending on social media.”
“Great,” Chloe groaned good-naturedly. “That’s just what I need.”
“Hey, it’s good for business,” Kathleen pointed out. “And who knows? We might discover more about Eleanor.”
“You’re right. If it helps us, then it’s worth it.”
Kathleen glanced at the clock. “We have an hour until we close. Do you feel like staying for coffee and cake once everyone’s gone?”
“I’d love to, but I promised Oscar we’d work on his art project this afternoon,” Chloe said apologetically. “Rain check?”
“I’ll hold you to that,” Kathleen said with a smile. “Just remember that I was your friend before you became famous.”
Chloe’s smile faded as she carried the coffeepot to the closest table. With everything else that was happening, the last thing she needed was more stress.
CHAPTER 15
Liam stoodoutside the general store on Main Street, hands deep in his jacket pockets. He was here with Chloe and the other volunteers to decorate the street with colorful Christmas decorations. The town was abuzz with holiday spirit, and he could feel the infectious energy all around him. Laughter and chatter echoed from every corner as residents bustled about, preparing for the upcoming festivities.
“Here you go,” Chloe said, handing him a bundle of bright red bows. “Mabel’s already added the fairy lights to her trees, so it shouldn’t take us as long as it did the other stores.”
“Got it,” Liam replied, taking the bows from her. Oscar skipped beside them, humming a Christmas tune.
“Can I help?” Oscar asked, his eyes wide with excitement.
“Absolutely, buddy,” Liam smiled. “You’re in charge of picking the perfect spot on each tree for these bows.”
Oscar grinned. “Yes!”
Each store had two miniature Christmas trees on either side of their entrance. A few years ago, the business association had received funding from the county to spend on decorations. The Christmas Committee had bought artificial trees and each year they were a favorite with the community and visitors to the area.
Liam knelt beside Oscar. “Where should this bow go?”
Oscar pointed decisively. “Right there in the middle, so everyone can see it!”
“Excellent choice,” Liam said, tying the bow where Oscar had pointed.
Chloe watched them with a soft smile. “You two make a great team.”
“I couldn’t do it without my trusty assistant,” Liam winked at Oscar.
After they’d covered the trees in bows, they checked the solar-powered lights, making sure they were working properly.
Oscar tugged on Liam’s sleeve. “Our school play is soon. Can you still come?”
