Page 38 of Bitter House

Cole grabs it first but hands it over to me when I reach for it without a scene. I tear it open. This is starting to feel cruel. I’m not sure how much my heart can take or how I’ll survive another soul-crushing secret.

Dear Bridget,

For all of Vera’s secrets, this house has a secret too. Before you make any decisions, I need to show it to you.

In the basement, in the far corner of the room, you’ll find a metal door built into the floor. During prohibition, the tunnels were used to transport liquor to and from the town center. Before that, there were many rumors about what they were used for. Now, most people have forgotten they exist.

Not everyone, though.

Vera knew about the tunnels, and they helped her commit some of her most atrocious crimes. Don’t believe me? Go check.

Signed,

A friend

I glance at Cole, who’s reading the letter over my shoulder.

“Tunnels?” I ask with a sigh. “Seriously?”

He scratches his eyebrow in thought. “Have you ever been in the basement?”

“No. I know there is a basement, but Vera made it clear that it was off limits. It floods really badly when it storms, and she was always worried about rats and mold. She said it was dangerous.”

His brows jerk upward. “And you still want to go check it out?”

“Don’t you?”

“Well, you’re really selling it here, I’ve gotta tell you.”

“Come on. We have to, don’t we? That’s the whole reason we’re here. The reason we haven’t called the police.”

“I’m teasing. I’m obviously in if you are.” He pulls open the door and we step inside. “Lead the way.”

I head toward the hall and turn left, making my way toward the laundry room and guest bath, then down a smaller hall with two doors. One is just a broom closet. The other leads to the basement.

Cole stares at it strangely. “I can’t believe you never tried to look down here.”

“Vera told me not to. Besides, I’d seen enough scary movies that creepy, old basements didn’t interest me in the least.” I eye him. “Why? Did you go down here?”

He shakes his head. “I never really explored the house. Mom made it clear the areas I was allowed to go in: the yard, the bedroom I was given, and the common areas. If I snooped, she could’ve lost her job, so I stayed where I was allowed to be.”

The words hurt my heart. Until this week, I’d never spent much time thinking about how life must’ve felt for Cole while he was here. Like a prisoner, almost. That’s how it seems. Like this was his cage, but he was never allowed to fully make it his home.

Vera could’ve done more to make him feel welcome. She should’ve done more.

And so should I.

The truth weighs heavily on me. I should’ve done more. I should’ve been kinder. I shouldn’t have let my own issues cloud my judgment of Cole.

Reaching for the handle, I pull the door open. It sticks at first, and I have to wiggle it a bit, but eventually it gives.

The musty smell and warm, humid air hit me quickly, the humidity sticking to my skin. The room is dark, and I use the flashlight on my phone to search for a light switch on the walls, though there’s nothing to be found.

Over my shoulder, Cole sucks in a breath. “Do you think there’s a light down there?”

“Maybe.” I’m trying to sound braver than I feel.

“I can go check. You stay here.”

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