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Abby sloalked the tunnel to the river; she saw nothing It didn’t seem anyone had been down recently But of course they’d kept the grate locked with a new combination lock since last week She, Malachi and Jackson Croere the only people who knew the combination to the new lock

But she’d learned that the tunnel frouard on at the Wulf and Whistle, though No one could have used these tunnels since the situation was discovered--not without being seen And if she looked at it the way the police and Malachi and Jackson’s Kreere looking at it, all the suspects were currently accounted for Aldous was at the station; the others were in the Dragonslayer

It took her a few minutes to work the catch on the false or pocket door that led from tunnel to tunnel She wished she’d paid more attention when Malachi had opened it But, eventually, she heard the catch give and then the pocket door gave, as well

She ht carefully over the walls First, she retraced the steps they’d taken when she came doith Malachi

When she reached the junction, where the second tunnel branched off, she hesitated, casting her light to either side She saw nothing Then she heard a cry Ragged, throaty

"Helphelp"

The sound eak, but it seemed to ricochet off the tunnel walls

"Malachi?" she called

No response

She instantly took out her phone to call for help Of course, there was no signal She was so angry she nearly threw the phone against the wall but refrained, sliding it back into her pocket "I’m here!" she shouted "Where are you?"

Still no response She was sure the sound hadn’t come from behind her, so she started forward, into the second tunnel, calling out, "Malachi!"

"Abby, stop!" she heard him call back, but it wasn’t with the same voice she’d heard before

"Where are you?" she cried

"Don’t move any farther I’et you out," she said,carefully, step by step

"It’s a trap in the floor I walked right into it," he said with disgust "There aren’t any holds here, anywhere Get help Go get Jackson I’m okay"

His voice had become clearer, louder She must be almost on top of hi the distance, feeling the ground as she did so She’d just about reached hi behind her

It wasn’t a tap, tap, tap

It was a thump, thump, thump

"Abby!" she heard Malachi yell

She started to turn, started to reach for her Glock

That hen the object slaister exactly what the sound was

"Abby!"

Malachi heard the thud Abby asp of surprise and pain He pulled out his gun but he was afraid to fire; he couldn’t see from the depths of the hole and he was afraid he’d hurt her

He shouted out instead "Let her be We all knoho you are now It’s over!"

"Ah,old Aldous for my sins, and it’s a shame, but that’s the fate of seaan to scrabble at the earth The killer had her He heard the soft thunk, thunk, thunk, as the killer moved aith Abby

And Abby

Abby hadn’t let out another sound

Swearing, Malachi scratched and clawed at the earth, desperate to find a handhold

At so jostled, Abby started to come to

Bootsie had used the hard end of an old blunderbuss to strike her She was astonished that she had coh her awareness was dulled by the sharp pain in her head

Thump, thump, thump turned to tap, tap, tap, and then she felt herself thron She was in a boat Yes Thu The sound she’d been told about

And nowa rowboat

Blue had said so about a rowboat When the rowboats were out