Page 83 of Evidence of Secrets

“Open it or don’t. It’s up to you, sweetheart,” said Hank. He placed his arms around her waist and nuzzled her neck. “I can’t imagine what they would have hidden in it back then.”

She almost hated to unlock it. What mysteries did it hold?

It probably had been in the room for eighty or more years. Who put it there? Why build a secret room? So many questions. Would the box hold the answers?

Laura took a deep breath and exhaled. “I’m going in.”

Sam and Hank crowded around her as she unlatched one hinge. Then the other. She held her breath, opened the top, and started laughing.

“Oh, my God. This is what they saved for posterity?” Laura pulled up a leather-bound album and opened it. “This is wonderful. Look at these pictures.”

They looked at men making whiskey, pictures of Black Pointe as it was in the 1920s, and formal images of dapper men smiling.

“I bet these would look great framed on your wall, or maybe the historical society would like them,” said Sam.

Laura looked in the box and pulled up a bunch of receipts and invoices. “I think the mob owned the speakeasy,” she whispered.

“Possible. The mob was into a lot of shady things,” Hank said.

“You know, there were a couple of cases in the back of the room.” Laura smiled at Hank. “Hank, maybe you could bring them out?”

“Sure thing.”

Laura carried the box back into the kitchen. The vent had done a decent job eliminating the smoke, but the smell still lingered.

She put the box in her office and returned to find Hank had pulled out two cases of old whiskey, probably made right at her bistro back when.

“Wow. A treasure trove of unusual finds,” quipped Laura.

“I wonder how much these bottles are worth today,” asked Sam. “A few years ago, someone sold a grilled cheese sandwich with the face of Jesus for twenty-eight thousand dollars.”

Laura looked around the kitchen. “Maybe I could sell them and make enough to put the bistro back in order.” She looked at one bottle. “Or we could have a tasting. That would make a great fundraiser.”

“Is that a pie?” Hank pointed to the blackened pie dish.

“Hmmm. It was,” said Laura. “It was supposed to be a surprise.” She raised her hands. “Surprise?”

Hank pulled her in for a hug.

“If you guys are going to get mushy, I’m leaving,” said Sam. “I’m sure Laura will give you a ride.”

“No worries, boss,” said Hank. “I’ll help Laura close up. See you tomorrow.”

Sam left, promising to get in touch with her later.

Laura and Hank looked around the kitchen. There wasn’t much they could do, so they threw out the pie and left.

“I’d like to go to the hospital and check on Jaimie first,” Laura said. The day had been full of surprises. Ryan, the secret room, and finding out she had a half-sister. It wasn’t how she would have liked to find out she had a half-sibling, but Laura couldn’t wait to get to know Jaimie better. On the way over, she’d tell Hank all about this new discovery.

The morning had started off crappy. But in the end, she had a man who loved her, good friends, a new family member, and two cases of bootleg liquor. What more could she ask for?

CHAPTERFIFTY-NINE

“Here you go, sweetheart.” Hank handed Laura a glass of wine.

The lights from Riverwalk twinkled in the night sky, and she could hear happy voices over the water. After the day from hell, sitting on the balcony sharing a bottle of wine with Hank was comforting.

She made her calls to her employees and contacted a smoke removal company. Mark Stone had called to tell her his company would fix the brick wall. They could replace it or incorporate it into something else. She would get back to him about that.

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