THE ROAD NOT TAKEN

CHAPTER 8

by Lindariel

“Oh, nothing, nothing!” Devin replied to Cullen. “I almost squashed my finger under this book Catherine brought us.”

Devin tossed the Jones book onto the table, and it fell open to a large two-page schematic with the top right corner turned down – Subterranean Waterworks of New York City, West Side.

Well, my ghostly tormenter did say I was looking at the wrong page in the wrong book, Devin thought.  There was even a smudge of dust that looked suspiciously like a fingerprint on the lowest level.

Bingo!

“Cullen, take a look at this,” Devin said, brushing the smudge of dust away and pointing to the symbol underneath. “Am I dreaming, or is that the symbol for the water shut-off valve we’re looking for?”

“You found it?” Vincent inquired excitedly as he and Catherine entered Cullen’s workshop.

“Well, I found it in this book Cathy brought us, Fuzz,” Devin replied. “Let’s see exactly where this might be on our maps.”

While Cullen, Vincent, and Catherine compared the schematic to the Tunnel maps, Devin quickly opened the Granick book once again, looking for a turned-down corner. Sure enough, another turned-down corner marked yet another old schematic, but this one depicted the access tunnels used during the original installation of the current water and steam systems on the West Side. Another dusty fingerprint smudge drew Devin’s attention to an unfamiliar tunnel.

“Hey, Fuzz,” Devin called. “Come look at this.”

While Cullen and Catherine continued comparing the book schematic to the Tunnel maps, Devin quietly showed Vincent the schematic in the Granick book, whispering, “Our ghostly buddy marked both this schematic and the one you guys are looking at. Notice the fingerprint smudge? I don’t recall seeing that tunnel on our maps. Do you think he’s showing us an old tunnel that was closed off after the original installation 100 years ago? One we could break into and more safely use for our repairs?”

Vincent gasped. “You just might be right. I think Kristopher is determined to save us all.”

Catherine joined them with the Jones book gripped in her hands. “Vincent, I have to get this book to Elliot and the Con Ed crew; they’re meeting at the West Side Con Ed office to discuss the repair right now. We have to let them turn off the water main. Tunnel workers can’t just magically turn off the water main for the central West Side without bringing all kinds of unwanted attention Below. We have to direct Topside workers to the shut-off valve in a way that won’t reveal the Tunnel community.”

Cullen joined them with one of the Tunnel maps in his hands, “And I know just how to do it. Look here. If we throw up false walls here, here, and here, then Con Ed workers can enter at this manhole just down the street from Smythe’s bookshop and move directly to the corridor with the water main shut-off down at N45.”

“What’s this?” Father inquired as he stumped into the workshop. “Mouse said you were meeting here to discuss potential solutions?”

“The books Catherine brought us have proven to be extremely helpful,” Vincent replied. “But we must act quickly. Look here.”

Vincent briefly summarized the information from both the Granick and Jones books and urged Father to have Catherine take the Jones book to the Con Ed meeting immediately. “In the meantime, we should have Cullen’s team install those false walls as fast as possible, while my team investigates this old tunnel in the Granick book. It may provide us with much safer access to the repairs we need to make.”

“I agree,” Father replied, handing the Jones book to Catherine. “Go safely, my dear, and thank you from the bottom of my heart for bringing us these important books. How on earth did you find them?”

Catherine looked at Devin and Vincent and smiled. “Let’s just say an old friend at Mr. Smythe’s bookstore pointed me in the right direction.”