by Unknown
Avery stood again. “Before we officially decide to find the treasure, can we all pledge that regardless of what we find and no matter who it’s eventually determined to belong to, that it won’t tear us apart and there will be absolutely no arguing over the possession or distribution of whatever is found.”
“Great idea,” Lara said.
One by one, they went around the room and made a solemn pledge to seek the treasure, only for the sake of reuniting families and with no selfish motives. Everyone sat down again, except Levi.
“Our next order of business is to decide how to address the issue with our parents and grandparents.”
Paige caught the glimmer of sadness in his eyes. Levi might not have living parents and grandparents, but now he had a large extended family. If everything went as planned, he’d also gain parents and grandparents in the process.
Victor raised his hand to speak, remaining in his seat this time. “I believe it would be best not to mention the treasure hunt to anyone outside this circle, but I do think we should each talk to the older generations and even our cousins who aren’t here today because they are holding on to the feud. The better cooperation we can get now, the smoother a reconciliation will be later.”
The group debated for the next ten minutes. Several good points were brought up for each argument, but Paige tuned them out. Her own parents were on her mind. She hadn’t talked to her mother or father since the day at Levi’s house when she confronted them with the knowledge she knew the truth. As mad as she was, keeping the bitterness alive wouldn’t help matters any.
She pulled Levi to the side. “I have a favor to ask.”
He quirked a brow. “What is it?”
“Come with me to my parents after this meeting is over.”
The briefest of flinches covered his eyes for a split second. “If it’s important to you, I will.”
She kissed his cheek to show her appreciation. “It is, and thank you.”
“We’ll talk more after the meeting. I think we’ve pretty much wrapped it up and made all the decisions.”
***
Paige sat in the passenger seat of Levi’s car with her back ramrod straight and her hands folded tightly in her lap. Her eyes stared vacantly at the imposing structure in front of her. As a child and teenager, she’d loved her parents’ house. The vain side of her loved that she had the biggest bedroom of all her friends, plus an indoor and outdoor pool.
She’d been the envy of her peers, and for a long time, that fed her ego. Then, as she entered high school, she began to realize all of that came at a cost. Time with her parents who were always busy working or organizing social activities. The trust of friends. The summer before she started ninth grade, she learned the hard way that some people only liked her for what she could do or buy for them. Money wasn’t everything, and it certainly didn’t buy happiness.
Since then, the house seemed a joyless fortress, there as a monument to wealth and material success, but not a home. Her parents offered little affection and thought showering her with gifts was good enough when all she really wanted was their attention—and not the kind in which they placed demands on how she lived her life.
“Are you getting out?” Levi flashed her a wink she knew was to make her feel better.
“Eventually.”
“Would you rather do this tomorrow?” His voice held the understanding that she needed. “It’s been a long day.”
“No, I need to do this now. For better or worse, I love my parents. In their own way, I think they love me too, and I can’t keep this battle going.” Inhaling a deep breath, she felt the tension roll away. She wasn’t doing this alone—she had Levi at her side, and that made a world of difference.
“Take all the time you need. When you’re ready to go in, we’ll go.”
She closed her eyes and prayed. “Dear God, please give me wisdom and patience in this conversation with my parents. Help me not to say anything to make the situation worse. The hurt they’ve caused me still burns, but I know I must forgive them. Be my strength and give me the right words to say please. In your name, Amen.”
When she opened her eyes, Levi had his gaze fixed on her.
He leaned over and kissed her. “I admire your faith.”
“I couldn’t get through life without it.” She pursed her lips. “After you left, I struggled and became a difficult person. I took my anger out on those around me. I stopped going to church, but one day I decided to attend Safe Harbor. The service ended, and I went to the altar and prayed with Pastor Riggins. Since then, my life has been completely different in a good way.”
“Which is why you wanted to talk to your parents tonight?”
“Yes. All that talk of reconciliation and I realized how much resentment I harbored toward my parents. I can’t return to that person I was.” Her gaze drifted to the house again. “My parents are not easy to deal with, but I still have to honor them. At the very least, I need to offer forgiveness for what they did.”
“Then let’s get it done.”
“Are you sure you don’t mind going with me?” She cringed as she imagined the stinging insults her parents were likely to fling his way. “I can’t promise they’ll be on good behavior.”
“I can handle them.” He flashed a wink and the charming smile she’d never been able to resist. “You’re not the only one who’s matured into a better person. Besides, we’re in this together. I won’t leave you to face them alone.”
Not until she stood in front of the door, with her hand firmly ensconced in Levi’s, did she begin to breathe normally. She pressed the doorbell and waited.
In a few seconds, her mother opened the door, dressed in a linen pantsuit and pearls lining her neck. She blinked once as though surprised to see her and then held open her arms. “Baby, I’m sorry.”
Her reaction couldn’t have stunned Paige more. She stole a glance at Levi, who mouthed, “I told you,” and then nudged her toward her mother. She moved hesitantly into her mother’s embrace.
Her mother backed away and wiped a tear. “Forgive me. Your father and I never should have meddled in your life.”
“You’re forgiven.” A weight lifted from her shoulders. She wasn’t held down by anger and was free to fly.
“Come in. Your father and I have something for you.”
Paige looked at Levi, who nodded. “Where is Father?”
“In his study.” She waved them both into the house. “He’ll want to see you. I’ve never seen him distraught like this until you refused to answer his call. He truly regrets his actions in the past.”
Levi remained her support over the next hour as they held an intimate conversation with her parents. The conversation surprised her, in the most pleasant of ways. In the end, the four of them even held hands and shared a prayer. She believed her parents’ remorse was genuine, and she wanted to start building trust again. With God’s help, she would have a good relationship with her parents.
Thank you, Lord, for your miraculous and healing work.
She and Levi stood to take their leave.
“Wait.” Her father pulled a slip of paper from his desk and brought it to her. “This is for you.”
Taking the paper, she saw it was a check for a five-digit amount. She furrowed her brows, crinkling her forehead. “What is this?”
“Your mother and I agreed you should have it.” Her father paused and took a deep breath. “For the wedding you should have had eight years ago.”
Heat suffused her face, and she couldn’t bring herself to look at Levi. “We’re not engaged.”
“Yet.” Her mother kissed her cheek. “Love radiates between the two of you. It’s only a matter of time.”
Paige looked at Levi from the corner of her eye, expecting to see embarrassment written on his face. Instead, she only saw amusement in his wide grin. To not create further awkwardness on her part, she slipped the check into her pocket. “Thank you.”
Chapter Eight
“It’s
hopeless. We’re never going to find the treasure.” Paige leaned against the sofa cushion.
“There has to be something we’re not seeing.” Avery held a printed paper, examining it closely.
Levi surveyed the room. He, Ryan, Brody, Victor and his fiancée Mallory, Avery, Lara, Bree, and Paige sat in Lara’s condo. The end of October fast approached, and they weren’t any closer to finding the treasure. A few of the other cousins had already left, and some couldn’t make the meeting tonight.
He didn’t want to admit it, but he was discouraged they hadn’t made progress. With all the knowledge pulled from the various families, he had thought they’d find the missing piece of the puzzle. Maybe the idea didn’t have merit at all.
Despite his frustration on that matter, there were plenty other events that encouraged him. Primarily, his relationship with Paige. Their love bonded them together as though they’d never been separated. Remembering that night at her parents, he smiled.
She’d been flustered to the point of speechlessness when her father had given her a check for their wedding. He had to admit, there was a touch of awkwardness since they weren’t engaged, but he planned to remedy that very soon.
On another positive front, the older generations of Callahans and Burtons were taking examples from their children and getting along. A few had been spotted having dinner together and sharing laughs at the Harborview Inn last night.
Perhaps the treasure didn’t need to be found to forge a bond after all. Maybe the friendships among their children were enough to make them realize the time had come to move beyond the feud.
“He’s a genius!”
Ryan’s excited proclamation and frantic scrambling of papers on the coffee table caught everyone’s attention.
“What is it?” Lara kneeled beside her fiancé.
“I think I’ve figured it out.” He lined several papers in a row and highlighted different passages.
“Where the treasure is?” Levi sat on the edge of the sofa next to Paige.
“Yes. I can’t believe no one has ever pieced it together.” Ryan’s words quickened as he spoke. “I could be wrong, but it makes perfect sense. It has to be there.”
“Well, tell us,” Avery prodded.
“In the cross above Camilla’s grave.” Ryan pointed to the picture in front of him of the grave. “I bet if we remove the cross, we’ll find the treasure inside.”
“Huh?” Paige didn’t sound convinced.
“It’s all right here.” Ryan grabbed the first sheet of paper. “In this entry, he recounts the events leading to Camilla’s murder. He vowed to Sebastian that from this point forward none of your Callahan ancestors will ever touch this treasure, even if I have to bury it at the bottom of the sea.”
Levi tried to follow his logic, but couldn’t connect the dots. “How does that relate to the cross?”
“It’s a play on words.” Ryan handed over the photo. “Do you see the C? Drake was an intelligent man. It’s a play on words. Everyone would think the C stands for Camilla, but it has a dual purpose. The C also stands for sea—the treasure is buried in cross near the C.”
Disappointed groans and sighs filled the room.
“That’s pretty far-fetched, man.” Brody frowned. “I hate saying it, but you’re grasping at straws.”
Ryan held a hand. “I’m not finished. Hear me out.”
Lara patted his shoulder. “I think Brody’s right, sweetheart. Maybe we should put it aside for the night and start again tomorrow.”
A frustrated scowl pulled at Ryan’s eyes and mouth. “Seriously, it makes sense if you listen to the rest.”
“Let’s hear him out.” Coming to her cousin’s defense, Bree moved to the coffee table to examine the papers.
“Thanks, Bree.” Ryan grabbed another printout. “On this page of the journal, Drake said he buried the treasure right under everyone’s noses. Look carefully at the cross. Where is the C located?”
Still holding the picture, Levi held it out, and he examined it with Paige.
“Judging from the photo, it’s about neck level.” Paige took the picture and handed it to Mallory beside her, who looked and passed it to the next person.
The excitement returned to Ryan’s voice. “Remember, that several centuries ago, the average height was shorter, so it would have been right below nose level.”
“You might be on to something, but it still seems implausible.” Levi wanted to believe, but the location seemed too simplistic to not be uncovered in hundreds of years.
Victor studied the photograph. “While interesting, it all sounds coincidental to me.”
“I agree, but consider this.” Ryan pointed to yet another paper. “Drake said that he paid Mr. Smythe, the undertaker, a hefty sum to take care of Camilla. Undertakers didn’t make much money, so there must have been a reason he paid so much.”
“Now we’re getting somewhere.” Paige grabbed Levi’s hand.
He loved the vivid shade of green her eyes turned when she was happy. “That does add more credibility, but maybe he paid extra because he loved her that much and wanted to ensure she’d be taken care of.”
“A valid argument, but the clincher comes in Drake’s final entry before he died in the storm.” Ryan read the entry. “I vowed never to return to Treasure Harbor, but my brother has decided to live there, for reasons I cannot fathom. If there is anything in the situation to erase my ill feeling about his choice of locations, it’s that he has begun a new business, at which he employs the broken Callahan family. Continual maladies have struck them and taken away their remaining fortune. I can’t find any sympathy for them within my soul. I believe it is their punishment for taking Camilla’s life. While in port, I paid a visit to Smythe and was pleased to find he’d taken care of everything, exactly as I asked. I stopped at Camilla’s final resting place to witness it for myself, but I couldn’t stay for long, as grief overwhelmed me. Time has passed, but my sorrow has not faded. Tomorrow I leave Treasure Harbor, and a sense of foreboding lingers in my heart. I fear that I may not survive this next run, though no logic can explain my feelings. I’ve left my most personal belongings in the care of my brother, for he and Smythe are the two people in this world whom I know I can trust.”
Beside Levi, Paige covered a gasp with her hand.
Lara’s eyes widened. “I thought you were crazy, but I really think you could be on track.”
“This is huge.” Bree clapped her hands. “Just think, all those years of hunting and searching, and it was right in front of us, just as Drake said.”
Avery spoke up. “There’s one problem. Let’s go with the theory that the treasure is in the cross. We can’t disturb someone’s final resting place.”
“Not necessarily.” Bree flipped through her phone. “I’m looking up different precedents now. There have been many situations throughout history when graves are exhumed or markers adjusted. Despite the possible historical significance, I don’t believe in disturbing the grave, but removing the cross is slightly different.”
“What does everyone think?” Levi asked.
A detailed conversation ensued until they reached the unanimous decision that removing the cross was acceptable with the stipulation it would be replaced as though never moved. They also agreed that if the treasure wasn’t in the cross, there was a possibility it could be in Camilla’s actual grave. After that consensus was made, they proceeded to agree if that’s where it was, no one would ever know as none believed they should disturb the coffin.
Victor returned from the kitchen with a drink in hand. “Who do we need to talk to next?”
“I’m not sure, but I guess the mayor and the closest living relative, which would be my father, I’m assuming.” Ryan stacked the papers in a pile, keeping out the pertinent ones. “Is everyone okay with me talking to Dad about it? It will mean letting him know what we’ve been doing.”
Lara gazed at him with love. “Your dad has changed a lot since we’ve been engaged. I think he’ll be
supportive of the effort.”
Ryan returned her adoring gaze before addressing the issue at hand. “Any objections? Speak now or forever hold your peace.” When no one spoke, he continued. “I’ll talk to him tomorrow. If that conversation goes well, I’ll talk to the mayor also and see how long it will take before we can do this.”
“Sounds good to me.” Levi stood and assisted Paige to her feet. “If you’ll excuse us, we have dinner plans.”
Paige shot him a look that asked we do?
He smiled at her and told everyone bye. Paige took longer to bid her farewells, and ten minutes later, they finally left.
“Dinner plans?” she asked with an arched brow once they were in the car.
“Kind of.”
“What’s going on?”
“You’ll see.” He sent her a cryptic smile.
He parked at Pirate Pizzeria.
“Pizza for dinner?” A tinge of disappointment squeaked in her tone.
“I thought you loved their pizza?”
“I do. I just thought when you dragged us away you had something special in mind.” The straight line of her lips curved into a self-deprecating smile. “Wow that sounded bratty of me. Ignore what I just said. Anywhere I am with you makes me happy.”
“The truth is, I thought we’d go shopping, but I know you and shopping on an empty stomach don’t mix.” He fought not to grin like an imp, or he’d give it away.
“You’re right. What are we shopping for tonight?”
“Memories of us.” When they had dated right out of high school, they’d made a game out of choosing a theme and then searching the shops for the best related item. It was a silly game they had played, but they’d always had fun with it.
“I love it.”
They sat at a small booth inside the pizzeria and shared a small cheese pizza. For once, Paige ate more than him. His nerves bounced continually, anticipating their shopping trip.
“You’re quiet.” Paige wiped the corner of her mouth with a napkin. “Thinking about the treasure?”
“Yes.” It wasn’t an outright lie. He was thinking about her, and she was his treasure.