“He never took that out on the boat unless he was going after lake trout.”

Sophie reached in and dragged the metal case off the wooden shelf, setting it down on the dirt floor with a heavy thud.

In the space behind where it had been sat a square box made of polished cherry wood.

“He built that in his woodshop,” Sophie whispered.

I reached into the dark shelf and drew the cherry box forward into the light.

It had no lock, just a little brass hook fastened to the front.