Chapter 36
“ W e just pulled into a parking spot at the curb,” Gordon said into the phone. “We’ll be at the front door in under a minute.”
Sam disconnected the call and stepped out onto the sidewalk, holding the door.
Gordon and Anita raced up the sidewalk. Without breaking stride, they slipped through the open door.
Jeff was waiting inside and handed each of them a flashlight.
Sam stepped in behind them. “That was a quick trip,” he said, raising an eyebrow at Anita. “If you were almost at the airport, you must’ve driven like a bat out of hell to get back here.”
Gordon and Anita exchanged a glance.
“Let’s just say we’re thankful the highway patrol wasn’t out tonight,” Gordon said. “Anita has a lead foot when she’s in a hurry.”
“Enough conversation,” Anita said, her impatience clear. “Show us what you found.”
Sam switched on his flashlight and led them down the steep basement stairs.
“Oh my gosh,” Anita whispered, casting her beam over the wall with the newly cut opening. “There’s a big room back there.”
“Yep,” Sam said. “Jeff and one of the workers found it. I’ll let Jeff tell you.”
“We uncovered this hidden room when we removed the wooden planks on the wall. Follow me,” Jeff said, stepping through the jagged opening into the space. “This is where the bootleg operation took place.”
He swept his flashlight over the rusted still, then across the massive rolltop desk. “We haven’t gone through everything, but it appears the bookkeeping happened at that desk.”
“That’s interesting,” Anita said, angling her beam toward the floor as she approached the still.
“I’d love to examine any records in that desk,” Gordon added. “This is an exciting find.”
“That’s not all,” Sam said. “They found something else.” He trained his flashlight on the smooth, dark brown object protruding from the soil in the corner.
“What’s that?” Anita asked, stepping toward it.
Sam motioned for Gordon to follow.
“Someone’s been digging,” Gordon said, gesturing to the nearby bucket, pickaxe, and trowel.
“I spent the summer after sixth grade with a setup like that,” Anita said. “Judy and I were fossil hunting.” The levity in her voice vanished as she dropped to her knees and ran her hand lightly over the curved surface. Her fingertips lingered, reverent.
Gordon knelt beside her and did the same. They both turned wide-eyed to Sam and Jeff.
“Is this …?” Anita let the question hang in the air.
“We can’t say for sure,” Sam said, “but it’s almost certainly a prehistoric bone.
Judging by the curve and size, my guess is it’s a tusk.
Both mastodon and woolly mammoth remains have been discovered in this region.
” He looked down at the exposed surface.
“The only other possibility is a tree root—but, with no trees nearby, that’s unlikely. ”
Anita brought one hand to her head. “This is unbelievable,” she said. “First, a basement full of whiskey … then a hidden room from a Prohibition-era operation … and now the remains of a prehistoric creature?”
Gordon stood and held out both hands to help her up. “I’d say you bought the most interesting piece of real estate I’ve ever heard of.”
“Do I have to report this to anyone?” Anita asked. “I hate to sound selfish, but … will this interfere with the museum?”
Sam shook his head. “I hope you don’t mind, but we called Tim while we were waiting for you. He said bones found on private property belong to the property owner. Have them excavated or leave them alone. It’s entirely up to you.”
“I’m not leaving them alone,” Anita said. “This is an incredible find. What if there’s an entire skeleton under there?”
“There’s no way to know until excavation begins,” Jeff replied. “Sometimes the skeleton is intact, but other times scavengers dragged off parts, or the ground shifted.”
“Who should I contact to handle this?” Anita asked.
“Maggie,” Gordon, Sam, and Jeff said at once.
“This is routine for universities,” Gordon stated. “Highpointe probably has a geology department.”
“The Joseph Moore Museum at Earlham College in Indiana has one of the most complete mastodon skeletons on public display,” Sam said. “My parents took me to see it when I was a kid. If Highpointe can’t do the dig themselves, I’m sure that museum would point you in the right direction.”
“How do they do an excavation like this?” Anita asked. “Will it mess up the work you’ve already completed?”
“It shouldn’t,” Gordon assured her. “If it’s done like an archaeological dig, they’ll establish a grid using string and stakes to map the site. Every find will be photographed, documented, and logged by location. They’ll use trowels, brushes, even dental picks. Everything’s removed with care.”
“No bulldozers?” Anita asked.
“Nope,” Gordon smiled. “Bones are far too fragile. Once they’re uncovered, they’re stabilized with plaster or a preservative and then carefully removed. It won’t be noisy or messy.”
“I was reading online,” Jeff said, “about a university dig where they unearthed an entire mastodon in a single day. That specimen was in an open field, so it was easier than a basement—but I don’t think this dig will derail your plans.”
“The broken pipe has already delayed us at least four weeks,” Sam said. “And the elevator is on back order. Don’t worry about opening your museum. It’ll be a while yet.”
Anita stood still, arms crossed, eyes fixed on the dirt. “I’ve got a new byline for the museum,” she said. “It’ll beStitches in Time: Linking the Past to the Present.”
“And you could refer to this as the Hidden Histories Room,” Gordon offered.
“I like that,” Anita said. She turned to Jeff and Sam. “Thank you for waiting for us.”
“I’m glad we turned the car around and I came back with Anita.”
“Do you mind if Sam and I bring Judy and Joan here in the morning?” Jeff asked. “We told them we found something interesting in the basement. As soon as we tell them what it is, they’ll want to see it.”
Anita chuckled. “Of course you can.”
“Unless,” Sam added, “you’d like to keep this a secret.”
“A secret? In Westbury?” Anita laughed. “You know better than that, Sam. Everyone in town will know this news by lunchtime tomorrow.”
She turned and headed for the stairs. “I’ll text Maggie tonight. If she’s still up, I’m sure she’ll call. As soon as I know more, I’ll let the two of you know.”
The four of them stepped out into the crisp winter night and said their goodbyes.
Anita and Gordon climbed back into her car. The street was quiet, the stars faint behind a veil of clouds.
“And people say New York City is exciting,” Gordon scoffed. “It hasnothingon Westbury.”