Eight
Behind Closed DoorsAbove the handle of the steel door, a deep scratch zigzagged through the black paint and ended at the hasp where a rusted padlock hung. The entry at the end of the central corridor in the basement was almost invisible in the dim light. Many residents were aware of its existence, but most couldn't care less.
I stared up at the exit as it beckoned and dared me to pass through and follow the long, dark tunnel on the other side. I stepped closer and rested my ear against the cold steel. The tunnel led to the old house. It was through that passageway that Jasper pushed a laundry cart carrying my and Beth's unconscious bodies to safety the night of the fire. Kept locked, only a few of Cecil's accomplices knew what was behind it.
“What are you doing?”
I startled and
