Free Nabbed!: The 1925 Journal of G. Codd Fitzmorgan by Bill Doyle

where the tracks had
     led.
    I took a breath and had a closer look. A brick wall might appear to be the end of the line to most people. But when looked
     at through Houdini's eyes, a wall was another wonderful setup for an illusion.
    Because I was looking for it, the steel ring concealed in the ground was almost instantly clear. Getting a good grip on this
     handle, I pulled. The brick tunnels echoed with the screeching sound of the ancient hinges. A trapdoor in the floor swung
     open.
    Holding the candelabra down into the opening, I saw part of a small circular tunnel that was about three feet in diameter.
     It dipped down on this side of the wall and straightened out. I could just barely make out where the passage rose back up
     on the other side of the wall.
    There were drag marks in the small passage, and they looked fresh. The Scotsman or even Judge could be on the other side.
     I would have to go in. The candelabra would be too awkward to carry, so I set it on the ground and removed a single candle.
     This would have to be enough light.
    I lowered myself through the trapdoor, feeling like I was crawling into the mouth of a hungry lion.
    If I crouched very low, I could make my way without having to crawl or rub my head against the slimy top of the tunnel. After
     only a few feet, the passage curved up and led to an open trapdoor.
    As I climbed into what appeared to be a small chamber carved into rock, my shirt caught on the locking mechanism of the trapdoor.
     The door leaned back against the brick wall I had just passed under. A pipe that ran along the wall had drooped over the years,
     coming to rest on top of the trapdoor.

    The trapdoor
    Two boxes sat immediately in front of me. Bringing the candle closer, I jiggled them and heard the distinctive clink of glass
     against glass. I didn't need to smell it to know what the boxes contained. It was a hidden stash of liquor, and the lack of
     dust on the boxes let me know they had been put there recently.
    I took a step further into the hidden chamber. My small candle was the only source of light. The back wall of the room, if
     there was one, remained hidden in the pitch black.
    Just then, I heard the sound of breathing.
    “Hello…?” I whispered, but inside my head, I screamed, Run!
    There was silence and then, above the sound of my pounding hear, I could hear the breathing again. It sounded ragged, and
     I realized someone might be in trouble.
    Another step, and another, and the candlelight slid along the ground…over a shoe and then a second shoe…and before long, I
     was looking at the Scotsman.
    I gasped.
    He lay face up, but a blindfold covered his eyes and gag prevented him from speaking. I saw his chest rising and lowering,
     and realized the sounds of breathing didn't match with his. They were coming from further inside the room. I took two more
     steps and…there was John.
    Jumpin' John Hatherford, Judge's fiancé, the man we had all been searching for, right here in front of me. He lay awkwardly
     on his side, as if someone had tossed him there. He was the source of the ragged breathing.
    “John?” I said. “Can you hear me?” I brought the candle down to examine his face. His closed eyes fluttered slightly, but
     beyond that, his pale skin showed little signs of life.
    I needed to get help. “John, I'm going to get a doctor. I'll be right back.”
    I turned to leave the small chamber—

    Behind me, quick footsteps rushed out of the darkness. Before I could turn around to see who was approaching, I was grabbed
     roughly from behind. A large arm pinned my arms against the sides of my body, and a blindfold slid over my head.
    “Let me go, Mang!” I shouted, wriggling in the strong man's grasp.
    “Don't move!” a voice hissed in a husky whisper. It was a man, that much I was sure of. “I'm going to tie you up. If you struggle…”
    My assailant didn't finish his sentence. He didn't need to.
    The man gave me a push, indicating I should sit down on the