Under the bottom shelf, the subfloor was made of thick oak planks laid right over the concrete foundation joists.

I jammed the flat end of the crowbar into the thin gap between two boards and leaned my shoulder on it until the old iron nails let go.

The board came loose with a dry crack that sounded like a gunshot in the dark garage.

I froze for ten seconds, listening for the door to the house, but no footsteps came down the hall.

I laid the oak board on the floor and reached down into the black gap under the frame.