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It was still a tavern with apartments above it Peanuts were served in shells, the walls were decorated with old advertiseenial
As soon as they entered, the hostess directed Abby and Malachi down to the rum cellar Once, it had probably housed little more than rum Now, it still held the old casks, but there were also endless rows of wine, and cases and stacks of fine bourbons, whiskeys, ruins and other alcohol, too
Steve, a barrel-chested balding man, was there with Jackson Crow, David Caswell and a number of other officers The shelves had been re the police and Jackson a section of that wall
Jackson and David hailed Abby and Malachi when they arrived
"We sent some officers out on a door-to-door," Jackson explained "And Steve called to tell us about the tunnel"
"So there is a tunnel here?" Abby asked "I never knew about this one, either!"
Steve joined the conversation "None of us knew about it We did soo," he said "When we did, we had engineers in--you know, you have toat the pilings and found that we had a false wall here They knocked it down My assistant did so the info on our newthe War Between the States was a heartfelt abolitionist, and this place was a stop on the Underground Railroad Anyway, they must have kept the entrance hidden behind ruot to it, the false walls had been painted over again and again But, like I was showing the police, we had our entrance here sealed as part of the renovation"
It ht, but not anyeha beneath the earth The artificial light from the cellar faded into the far reaches David Caswell held a large searchlight and startedslowly into the dank tunnel
"Shall we?" Jackson asked, pulling out a flashlight, as well
Abby felt Malachi’s hand on the sht played over the walls of the tunnel There were places where the earth had fallen in and other places where plaster or wooden walls remained to shore it up
They walked for about fifty feet and came to a dead end
Jackson, David and Malachi tapped on the solid wall of earth they’d reached, listening for a hollow sound that would indicate the tunnel had been blocked but continued Malachi used the end of his light to dig at the earth He hit ht in different directions, tapping and searching, but an hour later, they re," Jackson said "I could’ve sworn there’d be soet soineers down here to For now"
"For noe have to give it up?" Abby asked
"An engineer will uncover e can’t," Malachi told her
"Right" Abby felt deflated; she’d been so certain they’d find soed back out of the tunnel Steve and the other officers reet someone in here tomorrow," David announced
Jackson stepped forward to thank Steve for all his help "Hey, it’s my city," Steve said "And it tears atWhatever I can do"
"Sorry about wrecking the wall," Jackson reminded him
"Easy to fix," Steve assured the up to the tavern and out to the street, where David, Jackson, Malachi and Abby stood together, looking at one another
They reseht "Well," David said with a wry grin "Ti hasn’t surfaced, has she?" Abby said It wasn’t really a question
Bianca, her disappearance, had to be the reason for tonight’s exertions
"No," David ad"
"He has her," Abby said
David turned to Jackson "We traced her cell phone The signal disappeared so up at the restaurant But I have o broke on overti unturned We have police vessels out on the river and the coast guard, too We’re doing everything we possibly can"
Abby nodded "But--"
"We have to quit for tonight," Jackson said decisively "Everyone needs to sleep"
They wished one another a good night Then Abby and Malachi returned to the Dragonslayer
Grant Green was at the desk when they walked in "My God!" he said, staring at the two of the roo with the trio of Bootsie, Aldous and Dirk--were at the bar Grant hurried around the host stand toin the dirt," Abby said facetiously
"Okay, neverwell"