Page 34 of Skin and Bones

“Look for anything that doesn’t look original or seems out of place.” It wasn’t a large room, and I scanned the bricks, searching for something—anything.

“The walls,” I whispered, turning my attention to the brickwork surrounding the large windows. “The mortar looks different here—newer in some spots.”

We both moved to different sections of the curved wall, running our fingers along the mortar lines. The rough texture scraped against my fingertips as I methodically felt each brick, searching for anything unusual.

“Nothing on this side,” Deidre reported, frustration evident in her voice. The sounds from the tour group upstairs were shifting—Mrs. Collins was wrapping up her presentation. We were running out of time.

I worked faster, my fingers pressing and probing each brick near the window. Then I felt it—one brick protruded slightly more than the others, the mortar around it subtly different in color.

“Deidre,” I whispered urgently, “This section looks tampered with.”

She joined me as I pushed gently on the brick. It moved slightly then caught. The ancient mortar crumbled slightly under my fingertips, leaving dusty residue beneath my manicured nails as I tried again, harder this time.

The footsteps on the stairs grew louder. I could hear Mrs. Collins announcing for everyone to take a final look at the view and then watch their step as they started back down the stairs. We had a minute tops. Maybe just seconds.

“Together,” I whispered, lining my fingers up with Deidre’s against the stubborn brick. “One, two, three.”

We pulled in unison, and the brick slid outward with a soft scrape that sounded thunderous to my hyperalert ears. It revealed a small cavity behind it, just large enough to hold?—

A Ziploc bag, yellowed with age, containing what appeared to be a small notebook and several folded papers. The bag had protected its contents from the decades of dampness and salt air.

I extracted the package with trembling fingers and nestled it into the deep pocket of my dress, the plastic crackling softly. I could hear footsteps on the metal stairs above.

In our haste, we’d left the brick displaced, a dark gap in the wall announcing our tampering to anyone who looked closely. Deidre’s eyes widened in alarm.

As the tour group began their descent, I pressed the brick back into place and gave it a good whack with my fist so it would go back into the slot. A wave of dizzying relief washed over me as I felt it slide smoothly into position.

“Thank God I wore black,” I whispered to Deidre. “I’m sweating like a racehorse.”

“Are you all right, dear?” Mrs. Collins asked, noticing that Deidre and I were waiting for the group. “You’re looking flushed.”

“Just a little lightheaded from the climb,” I said, forcing a smile. “All these stairs!”

“Take your time coming down,” she said. “I don’t want any accidents on my watch.”

Dash appeared at my elbow as we joined the group and made our way back down. “Find something?” he murmured, his voice barely audible.

I gave him a slight nod, trying to control my breathing. My hands were still shaking, adrenaline coursing through my veins like electricity. Whatever we’d just recovered had been important enough for someone to kill Elizabeth Calvert. And now it was in my possession.

I was a mess of emotions, and I could barely focus. Dash had moved off when one of the men in the group had started asking him questions about noise ordinances, and I was just trying to put one foot in front of the other.

I was so focused on appearing normal that I nearly collided with Deputy Larson at the bottom of the stairs.

“Enjoying the tour, Mrs. McCoy?” he asked, his beady gaze piercing into mine.

“Very much,” I replied, fighting to keep my voice steady. “I had no idea how complex the mechanical systems were.”

His gaze dropped briefly to my hands. “You’ve got dirt on your hands. Must have found something interesting up there.”

Ice seemed to crystallize in my veins, but I summoned a casual smile. “It’s an old place. I’m sure we’re all bringing a little bit of it back with us.”

His eyes narrowed slightly. “Some things are worth leaving in the past.”

I met his gaze without flinching, though my breaths came quick and shallow. “I disagree. I love the past. We can learn a lot from history. And a lot from the secrets that are buried there.”

“Just make sure you don’t get buried with them.”

I gave him a thin smile, but I maintained my composure as I brushed past him, the proof of Elizabeth Calvert’s final discovery burning like a brand against my skin.

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