Jane and the Fire – Part XXVII

Jane is back! In 1958, young Jane has just moved to the city of Chicago, Illinois with her parents and cousins Billy. When Jane’s younger cousins find a puppy by the abandoned old house, everyone is excited to have Tommy (the puppy) \join the family. Tommy has boundless energy and is a joy to be around. When they take him for a walk, however, they make a startling discovery…

Including Tommy in the family left everyone so pleased that the evening flew by, and Jane hardly thought of the Abandoned House Mystery. He was a remarkably intelligent puppy and picked up a number of skills and tricks on the very first night.

The next day, Jane and the cousins took Tommy for a walk. As the Billy and William ran ahead, with Tommy trotting behind, Jane brought up the rear. It was a bright, sunny day, with the faintest chill in the air. As they approached the main road adjacent to Lincoln Park, Tommy began suddenly to bark and snap at the air. Billy and William hardly noticed, but Jane realized at once that they had reached the abandoned old house.

“Hey Tommy,” cried Jane, “Come back here, what are you doing, don’t go near that house!”

Tommy barked insistently, heeding no one’s warning, although Billy William and Jane ran after him. He strained and pulled at the leash and tried to pull them over towards the house. Jane was a few steps ahead of Billy and William, as she had Tommy’s leash. She wasn’t sure why it was that Tommy was so eager to get back to the house, but she knew there had to be a good reason. “Tommy,” said Jane, “listen. Not now. But we’ll come back here. We can’t let Billy and William into this house, but we’ll come back here, and you can show me what you want me to see.”

Tommy turned his intelligent face toward them, and he seemed to understand. And the children continued towards the park.

That afternoon, back at home, Tommy pawed the door, barking and panting.

“He wants to go for another walk!” said Jane, springing to her feet. “I’ll take him!”

Mr. Joyce looked doubtful. “It’s getting late, Jane,” he began, “Be back before dark.”

Jane unlocked the door, and Tommy bounded out, barking. Before leaving the apartment, Jane ensured that they passed the Thugs’ apartment. Tommy quietened immediately, as if he felt a need for secrecy. The lights inside Mr. Bennet’s flat were on, and a low murmur of voices could be heard.

They walked at a brisk clip, in perfect understanding of each other’s plans: Tommy wanted to show something, and Jane wanted to know what it was. The golden afternoon light was sharp as ever, and pedestrians ambled homewards, though they were sparse on both sides of the street. Jane and Tommy reached the abandoned house faster than usual with the waning traffic.

Tommy circled round to the back of the house, sniffing furiously with his nose to the ground. The lights inside were all off. “I don’t know if we’re supposed to be here, Tommy,” said Jane, stepping cautiously behind the puppy, as he clambered up the steps of the back porch. Tommy barked encouragingly in reply. He nudged the door once with his snout and nudged again harder; with a creak of the broken lock, the door slowly wheezed open.

Tommy trundled forward, barking and pulling Jane along behind.

The rooms were as empty as always, but Tommy appeared to know where to go. He turned inquisitively several times to ensure that Jane was following; once he was convinced, in each instance, he hurried forward with redoubled speed. They found themselves in the empty dining room, and Tommy pointed Jane to a loose wooden panel in the dining room cupboard wall. The house was still and silent. The fading light outside left the room looking extra gloomy.

She crouched by the panel, which was tilted loosely over a darkened opening in the wall. Tommy circled like a furry shark around Jane’s ankles, barking encouragingly.

She pushed the panel aside gently. The little cupboard space was dark but spotless, contrasting sharply from the dusty hardwood around them. As Jane glanced about, noting the texture of the floor around them, Tommy nudged the panel farther away. The fading light from the dining room window fell on a pile of papers. The topmost paper was the very drawing Mr. Peele had been holding such a short time before. Jane reached in slowly, taking the top paper off the pile and glancing more closely at the drawing. It was a blueprint, drawn up precisely, showing what seemed to be… “A tunnel?” Jane wondered aloud, flipping the paper, “What could they want with a tunnel?”

She looked back into the cupboard, blinking as the light shifted and grew dimmer. Below the blueprint had been the false newspaper the Three Thugs had been reading on that first day in The Hungry Eagle. She picked it up, looking carefully at the picture of the building. At that moment, she heard the creak of a step on the front porch.

What will happen next? Catch Jane again next month, dear readers!