TJ gave another look over her shoulder and yelped when the sound of flipping pages ended with another sturdy whump at the railing on the stairs. She hustled after us into the hallway.
I crouched down and peered back into the room.
“Hellcat, get back.”
Excitement flooded my system. “Do you think it’s Harriette?”
“Of course it’s not,” TJ said quickly, but she wouldn’t meet my gaze.
“I mean, that was some ghost shit, was it not?” I yelped as Nolan dragged me back into the tunnel and shut the doorway. “Hey!”
“I don’t have the insurance set up for any stupid accidents yet.”
I huffed out a breath. “You’re no fun.” I brushed my hands on the seat of my pants. “C’mon, let’s go back.”
“Absolutely not.” He turned me toward where we’d come from.
TJ led the way with her flashlight as we followed the turn toward another shaft of sunlight. This time, we ended up back on the second landing of the stairs. She ducked under the short doorway, and I followed, and finally, so did Nolan.
He looked around, surprise lighting his usually stern features. “Well, shit. How did you find that?”
TJ grinned. “I was researching how to make a secret bookcase and they showed a bunch of examples from old Victorians.” She found the acorn-shaped molding on the shelf and pulled. “Voilá.”
“No way.” I pushed her hand away so I could pull it down too. I could hear the latch release even though the doorway was still open. “That is so freaking cool.”
“Where did yours go?” TJ leaned on the railing, the palm of her hand smoothing over the ornate banister.
“The tower room.”
TJ’s voice was nearly as excited as mine. “This house is even more amazing than I thought. But that secret room? I want to know more about that.”
“Harriette’s room?” I asked innocently.
“You don’t know that,” Nolan muttered.
“Don’t I?”
Nolan rolled his eyes.
“Dahlia? TJ?” Gideon’s voice came from the lower level.
“Up here,” I called out.
Gideon came into the foyer. “What are you guys doing up there?”
“Secret rooms.” I clasped my hands under my chin. “Can you believe it?”
Gideon grinned. “I can. Servants used to have secret passages so they didn’t have to be seen by the rich people.”
I wrinkled my nose. “Don’t ruin it, John Gideon.”
“What? I’m only speaking truth.” He waved me down. “Get down here. We have to do a walkthrough before any of you should be in here.”
I sighed and started down the stairs. “All of you are spoilsports.” I was sure that secret room had been Harriette’s. There was no doubt in my mind. I just wasn’t sure why she didn’t want us in there. She’d been fine with TJ.
Nolan slid around me at the bottom of the stairs and my breath stalled as his hand brushed my ass. He met Gideon at the door and from what I could hear, Rob had arrived, as well. Since TJ was more in the know of those kinds of things, I waved on to go talk with all of them.
I’d had a feeling Harriette would show her face, but not so quickly.
Maybe that really had been her secret room. I’d found a diary in the Crescent Cove library, but I hadn’t had time to sit in the archives to read it. Now I was definitely making time for it.
What if there were more in that room?
I sneaked a look over my shoulder. The four of them were outside, deep in conversation about the porch and all manner of structural things.
Maybe I could just go back in there and take a little looksee. I crept back up the stairs, wincing when one of the stairs squeaked. I paused, but when no one came looking for me, I quickly made my way back up to the second landing.
Dammit, where was the lever again?
There were all sorts of intricate carvings in the bookcase. My fingers brushed over something that looked like a pair of acorns and it moved. I heard the latch give and the bookcase opened. I patted my pocket to make sure my phone was in it and slipped inside.
It was a hell of a lot darker this time without the other side open to offer some light. With shaky fingers, I pulled out my phone and put on the torch. Something skittered and I swallowed down a shriek.
Nope, I wouldn’t be thinking about that, thanks.
I followed the turn from before and filtered sunlight tinged in green urged me closer. I pushed open the bookcase that was still partially cracked opened to find the rounded room. It echoed the turret room that I’d found Nolan in before. One of my favorite aspects of the house.
But a secret library?
