Cluttered Attic Secrets (22 page)

Ms. Norris tapped a few keys, and the listing appeared. “Yes. And it’s been modified and listed as multi-family. Just over a million dollars. So, you could leave it that way, or redo it for one family. But it has eight bedrooms. Quite a lot for one person.” She scrolled through the images of the interior.

Tina laughed. “A different bed to sleep in every night of the week, and one to spare.”

Ms. Norris smiled. “It would be interesting to look at. See what you think about re-dong some of it, then re-selling it. Or even become a landlord and live there while renting out the rest.” Ms. Norris changed the page back to the screen with the interior shots.

Tina shook her head. “I never thought about trying that. Definitely something to think about.” She had a fleeting thought about what her mother would think of that idea, but pushed it away. “Looks pretty dark inside.” Tina pointed to the image of the living room.

“Pictures can be deceiving. Especially if not taken in proper lighting. Obviously, these were not taken by a professional.”

Tina smiled. She heard the disapproval in Ms. Norris’s voice. Trying to sell a million-dollar property and scrimping on photos.

After Tina chose six properties, Ms. Norris said, “Why don’t you make yourself comfortable in the reception area while I check with the listing agents to make appointments or get the code to let us in to each one. Maybe you’ll take me up on that offer of something to drink now.”

“That would be nice. A coke will taste great.”

They walked to the reception area, and Ms. Norris told her assistant to get Tina a drink and went back into her office. Tina made herself comfortable. Within about fifteen minutes, Ms. Norris came back.

“I can show you four without making appointments. I’m free until mid-afternoon. It’s the slow season. Do you want to get started, or would you rather make an appointment for a later time?”

Tina checked her watch. “I have an appointment at three myself, but let’s see how many we can go through before then. I’d particularly like see the one on Kay Street. Could we go there first?” She’s been surprised to see one she liked on the same street where Leslie lived. It would be great to live that close.

“All right. Let me grab my purse, and we’ll go.”

The old Queen Anne looked great from the street, and Tina wondered if it had any secret rooms, and if it did, if the present owners knew about them.

It did have a tower fit for a princess. Wrap-around front porch. Gingerbread trim. When they got closer, though, she saw the green paint was peeling. The porch sagged when they stepped onto it. And the brass trim on the door needed a good polish.

Ms. Norris noticed her checking everything out. “All good negotiating points.”

Tina smiled. “You’re right.”

Ms. Norris blocked the keypad with her body and entered some numbers. The door swung open, and they entered a two-story, brightly-sunlit hall. “Oh,” Tina gasped.

“Hello,” someone called.

Ms. Norris appeared startled.

A man entered the hallway and looked each of them up and down. “You a Realtor?” he asked Ms. Norris.

“Yes. Who are you?”

“I’m the rightful owner of this grand palace. Came by to check on things. Sidney Emerson at your service.” The man looked to be middle-aged, rather worn, with receding graying hair and wrinkles around his eyes. He was just under six feet, Tina guessed, and wore a dark purple Henley and neatly creased gray slacks, with tasseled loafers.

“I’m Nina Norris, and this is Tina Shaw, a client. I was told the owner wasn’t in residence, and we didn’t need an appointment.”

“All true. As I said, I’m just here looking things over. Tina Shaw?” His blue eyes searched her face. “Do I know you?”

Tina stiffened. “I don’t think we’ve ever met.”

“Huh. Well, have a look.  If you have any questions, I’ll stick around to answer them. I’ll be in the kitchen. We left a table and some chairs in there.”

Sidney disappeared into a room down the hall. Ms. Norris had a sour look on her face.

“What’s wrong?” Tina asked.

“Homeowners are better off not meeting potential buyers.”

Tina grinned. “Might give away some problems?”

“Exactly. Or somehow put the buyer off. Well.” Her tone turned brisk. “This is a fantastic entryway. All the light.”

Tina agreed. She did a three-sixty turn and couldn’t find a thing wrong with it. They stepped into the first room on the left.

“Lounge.” Ms. Norris’s heels tapped on the wooden floor. Tina noticed it needed some attention, or at least some wax. The windows were grimy, and there was even a cobweb in one of the corners up near the ten-foot high ceiling. “Nicely proportioned.” Ms. Norris was going to ignore what Tina was noticing.

Tina nodded, having some trouble picturing furnishing such a large room.

They walked across the hall to another room. “Formal parlor, probably,” Ms. Norris said. Tina didn’t think there was anything remarkable about it. They entered a connecting room. A huge crystal chandler hung from the center of the ceiling, so Tina figured it was the dining room. It needed a thorough cleaning. The floor was also wood, but Tina noticed it was different from the two front rooms. More grimly windows, but at least she didn’t see a cobweb anywhere.

Another connecting doorway took them through a long butler’s pantry and into the kitchen.

Tina stopped short when she saw it. Mr. Emerson sat at a rickety table reading a newspaper. He barely looked up when they came in. Nothing had been updated, and not just the windows were grimy, the whole room needed a good scrubbing. It smelled of old garbage and cooling oil. Mr. Emerson seemed oblivious.

Ms. Norris’s lips thinned as she looked around. She quickly herded Tina to another door that led into the hallway. They entered the room to their right, and Tina gasped. “Oh, this is wonderful.”

Dark wooden bookcases lined the room from floor to ceiling on three walls. There was even a rolling ladder to reach the top shelves. Tina walked over for a closer look and pushed the ladder to see how it moved. It slid easily across the wooden floor.

She looked at Ms. Norris who stood smiling at her. “Fabulous front hall and library. All the rest is fixable.”

They heard footsteps and Mr. Emerson came into the room. He glanced around. “I’ll miss this room the most. Any questions?”

Tina took a deep breath. “Well, one. I’ve heard these old Victorians often have secret rooms. Do you know if this one does?”

Mr. Emerson frowned, then turned away. “No, I’m sure it doesn’t. If you’ll excuse me, I need to get going.”

Ms. Norris and Tina were left staring at each other. “I think he was lying,” Tina whispered.

Ms. Norris nodded. They heard the front door open and shut.

Without saying anything more, they went up the beautiful curving staircase to the second floor. Each of the five bedrooms had peeling wallpaper and wooden flooring, dark around the perimeters of the rooms because of removed area rugs. All the bathrooms looked original. Tina noticed a musty smell throughout. In one room, an old armoire remained, door agape and listing to one side on a hinge.

Tina walked into the largest bedroom’s empty closet. She looked at the walls, trying to make out anything that would be a spot to push to open a secret door. Nothing. She didn’t dare run her fingers over the area. Ms. Norris would be puzzled or worse.

What did it matter anyway? If she decided she wanted the house, she could pursue looking for hidden spaces then.

When Tina turned around, she found Ms. Norris looking at her with speculative eyes. “You have an interest in secret rooms?”

Tina’s laugh sounded shaky to her own ears. “Yes, they intrigue me.”

“More than that, I suspect. I have an interest in them myself. Want to feel for an opening?” Ms. Norris joined Tina in the closet and began running her fingers over one of the walls.

Tina’s whole body tensed with surprise, then she smiled and began looking for an opening, too.
Maybe
, she thought,
this whole area of Newport is filled with houses with secret rooms. Anything was possible.
She remembered where the catch was positioned in Leslie’s closet and concentrated on a similar area.

Was that a slight indentation in the wood?
She pressed the spot, and heard a creaking noise. She jumped back. Ms. Norris watched wide-eyed as a door slowly opened inward. No stairway here, just another room, about a third of the size of the bedroom.

Tina crept inside. She was disappointed to see the whole space was empty. Empty and dark. No beds, no window, no skylight. She couldn’t see any electrical outlets, either. If anyone ever stayed in this little room, they would be in total darkness, unless they had a flashlight, day and night.

Ms. Norris joined Tina and looked around. “A little disappointing, isn’t it? The only secret we found is the room itself. No furniture or clothing, nothing to indicate anyone has been in this place for years and years. Of course, Mr. Emerson could have cleaned the whole thing out. If he even knew about it.”

“I had the impression he did know, didn’t you?”

“Yes.”

“What’s that?” Tina squinted at an interior wall. Enough light from the doorway to the closet to see--“It looks like a doorway.” She walked over to it and found a faint outline the size of a small door. There was no obvious way to open it, so she used her fingers to feel around where she figured a door handle would be.

Again, a slight depression. Again, a door appeared and opened inward. Tina had to duck to get through and found herself in a low, dark, narrow tunnel. When she reached the end, Ms. Norris on her heels, she came to another doorway, this one slightly ajar. Just enough light came through a space between the eaves and the wall to see she had entered another empty room. Then she remembered the door in Leslie’s house closing and having to wait for rescue. “Don’t let that door close behind you. We need to get back to the bedroom.”

Ms. Norris must have heard the slight panic in Tina’s voice. “Why?”

“We don’t want to get locked in.”

“Oh. Right.” Ms. Norris turned to go back through the tunnel. Tina was relieved to see the door to the other hidden room was open, and the one to the bedroom still ajar.

Tina followed Ms. Norris into the bedroom closet, but didn’t close the secret door. She took a deep breath. “That was fun.”

Ms. Norris grinned. “Until you thought about maybe getting locked in.”

“With no bathroom.”

Ms. Norris had a pleasant, deep laugh. “That I hadn’t thought of. What do you want to do now?”

Tina glanced at her watch. Twelve-thirty. “It’s lunch time, but I’m not really hungry. Are you?”

“Not particularly. I can tell you have something in mind.”

Tina decided she’d better close the secret room’s doors so Mr. Emerson wouldn’t know they’d found them if he decided to come back anytime soon. “Stay here while I close all the doors. Then I’d like to check out any other houses for sale on this street in particular and in the nearby neighborhood in general. Ones built in the same era as this one. Or earlier. Can you do a search like that? Price doesn’t matter.”

“Sure.” Ms. Norris waited for Tina to come back from closing the doors, then walked toward the hallway.

“Do we need to go back to your office?” Tina followed her downstairs and into the kitchen.”

“No, I can do it on my tablet.” She pulled up a chair, sat down, and took her tablet out of her purse.

“That’s great.” Tina joined her at the table.

After a few minutes, Ms. Norris looked up, frowning. “There are several more houses for sale in this area than were listed this morning. All older ones. That’s strange. I’ve never seen anything like this.”

Tina felt her heart jump, and she stood up. “I need to call someone. Can you make up an email with those listings addresses and send it to me?”

“Yes.” Ms. Norris frowned. “What’s your email address?”

Tina told her.

“What’s going on?” Ms. Norris’s frown deepened.

“I’ll explain after I make the call and forward your email to someone.” Tina walked out of the kitchen and headed for the library to call Hank. Fleetingly, she wondered why she hadn’t heard from him.

“Red, you still mad at me?”

“I haven’t had time to think about it, Hank. Look, something strange has come up, and I think you should know about it.”

“Are you all right?” The concern was plain in his voice.

“I’m fine. I’m looking at a property for sale down the street from Leslie’s house. An old Queen Anne. It has at least two secret rooms. The realtor has looked up other older properties for sale in the same area, and since this morning, several more have popped up. She is quite surprised. She’s making up an email with the listings and is sending that to me. I will forward it to you. After that, I want to see if we can go look at some of the other houses.”

“Whoa. Whoa. I can see where you’re going with this. You think there’s a group of human traffickers doing business in the area. If you’re right, poking around like that can be, will be, extremely dangerous. Yes, send me the email, but then go home. Please, Tina.” She could hear the worry in his tone.

Maybe he was right. Maybe this was too much for her to get further involved in. She took a deep breath to steady herself. But she’d come this far. “Did you find out who that man was I told you about last night?”

Hank sighed. “We lost him. And you and I need to talk about him. Where are you right now?”

Tina hesitated, then gave him the address.

“Sit tight. I’ll be there in ten.”

Tina rolled her eyes. “I look forward to it.” She heard him laughing as she hung up.

When she arrived back in the kitchen, she found Ms. Norris tapping on her tablet. “Almost done putting together the email.”

“That’s great. I talked to Hank Silver. He’s on his way.”

Ms. Norris’s eyes lit up. “Hank? Hank Silver? I haven’t seen him in a while.”

“You know him.”

“Yes. For years.”

She’d been gone too long. How many women had old Hank known, and in what sense had he “known” them while she was in Virginia? Did she really want to find out?