Chapter 14

CHAPTER 14

On Monday, Liam sat at the small wooden desk in his room at The Welcome Center with papers scattered around him. There were notes from his visit to the steamboat museum, photocopies of Eleanor’s sketches, and images of the hidden tunnel and the room they’d discovered.

Pastor John had been as excited as they were about the discovery. With help from Percy, they’d pieced together more information about the Prohibition era in this part of Montana. Chloe had met with them yesterday to make a plan on how to preserve what they’d found. All in all, it hadn’t been your average weekend, in more ways than one.

Picking up his phone, he scrolled to Mark’s number. Taking a deep breath, he pressed “Call” and listened to the ringing on the other end.

“Hey, Liam! Long time no chat,” Mark’s upbeat voice answered.

“Hi, Mark,” Liam replied, trying to keep his tone steady. “I’ve got a few things I wanted to discuss with you. Is it a good time to talk?”

“It’s perfect timing. Do you want to make any changes to the contract from Wanderlust Publishing? They’re eager to have you on board.”

“That’s what I wanted to speak to you about,” Liam said, glancing at the opened email on his laptop screen.

“Great! Tell me what you’re thinking and I’ll run the changes past my lawyer.”

“Well, that’s the thing.” Liam hesitated. Thinking about what he’d say to Mark was completely different from saying the words. “I’ve put a lot of thought into what I’d like to do next, and I have a different project in mind.”

There was a brief pause. “A different project? Writing for a publisher like Wanderlust has been your dream for years. What’s changed?”

He rubbed the back of his neck and looked at Trixie. “I stumbled upon something here in Sapphire Bay that’s got me really excited. It’s a story about an artist named Eleanor Whittaker who was involved in the Prohibition era. She was in the last chapter of my book that I sent you. We just discovered a hidden room linked to her—and it’s filled with artifacts from the 1920s.”

“Wait, slow down,” Mark said. “You’re telling me you want to pass up a contract with the leading travel guide publisher to write about a woman no one knows anything about?”

“From what we’ve discovered, she was involved in a part of American history that rarely gets told,” Liam insisted. “I’ve put together a proposal for a book about her life and the mystery surrounding her disappearance.”

“Liam,” Mark began carefully, “I get that this is interesting, but you’ve always wanted to be a travel writer. This is a massive shift for you.”

“I know it’s different,” he admitted, “but I feel a connection to this story. It’s compelling, and I think others will enjoy it too.”

Mark sighed. “Look, opportunities at Wanderlust don’t come around often. You’ve worked hard to get here. Why throw that away?”

“Because this feels important,” Liam said firmly.

There was a moment of silence. “Is this about the woman you’ve met? Chloe, was it?”

Liam paused. “She’s part of it. She’s helped with the research, and yes, we’ve grown close. But this is my decision. I want to pursue this project.”

“So you’re willing to give up your dream job for something that sounds interesting?” Mark sounded incredulous.

“Maybe my dream job isn’t what I thought it was,” Liam replied quietly. “People change. Goals change.”

Mark exhaled loudly. “All right, suppose I humor you. What’s the plan?”

“I’ll send you the proposal I’ve been working on,” Liam said. “It outlines the story, the historical significance, potential markets—everything.”

“And you think a publisher will bite?” Mark asked skeptically.

“I do. This will be more than a book about the Prohibition era. Eleanor was a strong, determined woman who was a successful artist. She lived on her own terms and stood up for what she believed in. If her involvement with a future president of the Great Northern Railway is as contentious as we think, it’ll be an incredible story.”

Mark was silent for a few moments. “Okay, send me the proposal. I’ll take a look and see what we can do. But Liam, I have to be honest—this might be a tough sell.”

“I understand,” Liam said. “I appreciate you giving it a chance.”

“Just don’t burn your bridges with Wanderlust,” Mark cautioned. “At least consider keeping that door open.”

“I’ll think about it,” Liam agreed, although he knew what he wanted to do.

“I’ll call you when I’ve read your proposal,” Mark told him. “In the meantime, send me the rest of the book you’re working on.”

“Thanks, Mark.”

“Don’t thank me yet,” he replied. “We’ll talk soon.”

Liam set the phone down and leaned back in his chair, letting out a breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding. The conversation had been as challenging as he expected, but he felt a weight lift off his shoulders.

Turning back to his laptop, he attached the proposal to an email and hit “Send.” His gaze drifted to a photo pinned on the cork board above his desk—a candid shot of Chloe laughing with Oscar at the park. A smile tugged at the corners of his mouth.

His phone buzzed with a text message. It was from Chloe.

Any news from your agent?

He typed back, Just sent him the proposal. Fingers crossed.

A few minutes later, she replied, I’m sure he’ll see how amazing your idea is!

Liam smiled. Thanks for the vote of confidence.

Chloe added a smiling emoji to the beginning of her reply. Dinner at my place tonight? I want to hear all about it.

Wouldn’t miss it. See you soon, he texted back.

Liam stood and stretched. If the publishing house who’d bought his current book were interested in Eleanor’s story, it’d be perfect. He’d have money to look for somewhere more permanent to stay, a book that many people would find interesting, and he could spend more time with Chloe and Oscar. It was a win-win situation for everyone, including Trixie.

Grabbing his jacket, he decided to take his Golden Labrador for a quick walk before heading to Chloe’s. As he locked his bedroom door behind him, he said hello to two of the volunteers working in The Welcome Center.

For someone who’d arrived in Sapphire Bay expecting to stay for a few weeks, he’d settled into the town better than he thought. All he had to do now was find out what had happened to Eleanor.

Chloe maneuvered around the tables at The Lakeside Café, carrying a tray of coffee mugs. The familiar hum of chatter and the clinking of cutlery filled the air.

“Order up!” called Kathleen from behind the counter, sliding two plates of blueberry pancakes onto the pickup shelf.

Chloe delivered the coffees to a group of regulars and made her way back to the counter. “It’s busier than usual for a weekday,” she remarked, grabbing the plates.

Kathleen flashed a knowing smile. “I have a feeling we can thank Liam for that.”

Chloe’s eyebrows rose. “What do you mean?”

“You didn’t hear?” Kathleen leaned in conspiratorially. “I caught Liam’s interview with Theo on the community radio station this morning. He was talking about the hidden cellar you guys found in the old steamboat museum.”

Chloe’s eyes widened. She knew he was going to talk to Theo, but she hadn’t realized it would be so soon. “Did he mention the moonshine and the still?”

Kathleen nodded. “He was careful not to give away too many details, but he definitely made it sound interesting. Lots of people called in after the interview to ask him questions.”

Chloe picked up the pancakes. “I’ll be back in a minute.” As she waited for some customers to move before heading to table five, Chloe thought about Liam’s interview. Hopefully, someone who had information about Eleanor would come forward and speak to them.

Cassie Devlin, one of Chloe’s favorite customers, smiled when she saw her plate of pancakes. “I’m glad I ordered my lunch when I did. It looks like the whole town wants to hear more about your discovery. The community Facebook page is full of rumors about secret treasure and mysterious bootleggers.”

Chloe glanced around the café, noticing the buzz of animated conversations. Snippets of words like “prohibition,” “Eleanor Whittaker,” and “hidden room” floated through the air.

“I hope we discover even more exciting things about Eleanor,” Chloe said with a grin. She set the other plate of pancakes in front of Cassie’s husband, Noah, and took a few more orders before returning to the counter. During a brief lull, Kathleen joined her at the front counter, wiping down the espresso machine.

“So, any other news?” Kathleen asked casually. “How are things going with Liam?”

Chloe felt warmth rise to her cheeks. “They’re good.”

Kathleen gave her a playful nudge. “Details, please.”

Chloe laughed softly. “We’ve been spending a lot of time together, working on his project and Eleanor’s story. He’s been amazing with Oscar, too. They get along so well.”

“That’s great to hear,” Kathleen said sincerely. “You deserve someone like him.”

“Thanks,” Chloe replied, her gaze drifting to another group of people who’d just walked into the café. “Now I know why Mabel said the community Facebook page is going crazy. I had no idea what she was talking about.”

Kathleen smiled at a customer who was looking for their credit card to pay their bill. “Last time I looked, there were hundreds of comments under some of the photos and just as many shares.”

Chloe’s eyes widened. “Really? I thought people would be interested in Eleanor’s story, but not when we don’t know what happened to her.”

Kathleen leaned against the counter. “Well, I hope the story goes viral. Not for the attention, but because someone who reads or hears her story might know more about Eleanor. It’s kind of romantic, isn’t it? Uncovering a mystery from the past.”

Chloe smiled. “It is. And it’s been a wonderful distraction from... everything else.”

Kathleen reached out and squeezed her hand. “How about you take our next customer’s orders while I whip up some omelets, then you can tell me how things are with Paul.”

Chloe sighed softly. “You might regret asking.”

“It can’t be that bad.”

Kathleen had no idea how bad it could get, but Chloe did. She’d called her lawyer yesterday after Paul had called her. She had a feeling things were about to get a whole lot worse before they got better.

After Chloe had taken the next order and cleaned a table, she returned to the kitchen to give Kathleen a hand.

“Well?” Kathleen asked.

Chloe had been hoping she’d forget. “Apart from Paul calling and talking to Oscar, there are no new developments. Laura is optimistic about the supervised visitation request, but it’s still hanging over me.”

“Well, if anyone can handle it, you can,” Kathleen said firmly. “Just remember that a lot of people care about you.”

Chloe felt a surge of gratitude. “Thanks, Kathleen.”

The bell above the door jingled as a group of tourists walked in, maps and cameras in hand.

“Looks like we’re back on,” Kathleen said with a wink.

Chloe grabbed a few menus. “I’ll have their drink orders soon.” As she guided the newcomers to a table, one of them spoke to her.

“Excuse me, are you Chloe? A friend of a friend said you’re one of the people who found the secret tunnel. Can you tell us about it?”

Chloe handed the women the menus and nodded. “That’s me. If you’ve heard Liam’s interview, you probably know as much as I do.”

“We heard it this morning,” a lady said quickly. “What an amazing discovery. We came here when the letter written by Abraham Lincoln was discovered, too.”

“Who would’ve thought there’d be so much history in this little town?” another woman added. “Can we see the tunnel?”

Caught off guard, Chloe blinked. It was just as well Pastor John had made sure only the people who worked in the old steamboat museum could enter. “You’ll have to speak to Pastor John. He works from the Connect Church and owns the building where we found the tunnel.”

The woman beamed. “We’ll do that! We came here hoping to learn more and it looks as though we will. Our friends back home will be so envious!”

“You could ask him if anyone’s organizing tours of the tunnel,” Chloe suggested. “In the meantime, can I get you something to eat and drink?” After taking their orders, she returned to the front counter.

“It looks like you’re becoming a local celebrity,” Kathleen teased.

Chloe shook her head. “That’s the last thing I want.”

“Too late,” Kathleen sang, tapping her finger on the screen of her cell phone. “You’re trending on social media.”

“Great,” Chloe groaned good-naturedly. “That’s just what I need.”

“Hey, it’s good for business,” Kathleen pointed out. “And who knows? We might discover more about Eleanor.”

“You’re right. If it helps us, then it’s worth it.”

Kathleen glanced at the clock. “We have an hour until we close. Do you feel like staying for coffee and cake once everyone’s gone?”

“I’d love to, but I promised Oscar we’d work on his art project this afternoon,” Chloe said apologetically. “Rain check?”

“I’ll hold you to that,” Kathleen said with a smile. “Just remember that I was your friend before you became famous.”

Chloe’s smile faded as she carried the coffeepot to the closest table. With everything else that was happening, the last thing she needed was more stress.