Shelby obeyed. “I see a mud pool. What of it?”
“Look again. Watch how the sunlight reflects off the surface.”
“I-It looks like water!” He was almost breathless.
Justin guided him to look left. “Now what do you see?”
“The rock formation!”
“I believe you’ll find the treasure there.”
Shelby ran, motioning his men to follow. Magnolia appeared at his side.
“So you saw it too.”
Justin shielded his eyes. “I did.”
“What took you so long to show them? My feet are in dire need of a rest.” She lifted her leg and slipped off her shoes.
“I was attempting to tire them. When we run, I want them to be too tired to care.”
“Justin—”
“We can’t trust them. They have what they want. Why do they need us?” She didn’t respond. “Maybe you don’t want to leave because you have an affinity for Mr. Shelby.” It hurt to think, it hurt to say.
“Justin Blakemoor! I resent such a statement. I have no designs on Shelby or any other man.”
That stung even more.
“We should probably move closer and see if they find this elusive treasure.” He moved without her. He couldn’t look at her while the sting of her words still burned.
****
Magnolia could have slapped herself. She’d lied to Justin. She had enjoyed his kiss and she did have designs on him, but now didn’t seem appropriate for the revelation.
She followed Justin until she could hear the crew’s voices.
They chipped away at the stone formation, but something seemed remiss.
“Wait!”
The crew halted and faced Shelby.
Shelby narrowed his eyes. “Don’t you see it?”
Rove cocked a brow. “What?”
Shelby threw his hands into the air. “It’s a chair. A blasted chair!”
“A chair, Cap’n?” Rove repeated his captain’s words. Shock was the only way to describe it.
Shelby sat, his eyes widened, and he shook his head.
Magnolia almost felt sorry for Shelby as he staggered to his feet. His shoulders slumped and breath hissed between his parted lips.
“Come. We will return to the ship.”
“What? What did you see? Don’t we need to secure the chair? Maybe there is something under it.” Rove took a place behind the formation, tilting his head from side and side and squinting.
Shelby had already crested the hill. His voice drifted down the embankment. “I don’t need anything more. I saw the view.”
Chapter Ten: Stranded
Magnolia huddled by his side. The ship left headed to Ibiza, Spain, or England, he didn’t know which and he didn’t care. Shelby was gone and that was all that mattered.
“They left us.” Magnolia sounded shocked. He wasn’t.
“Shelby did it to protect you.” The captain had feelings for Magnolia. They had been written all over his face as he ordered his crew to leave the area and return to the dingies. Charlie had shaken his fist and threatened to drag Magnolia along, but Shelby had convinced him that leaving her was a worse punishment.
“How can you say that?”
“Because he left us food and water and he left us together.” That might not have been a boon for her but it was for him.
“How did you know the precise time to show them the oasis?”
It wasn’t a garden, it wasn’t an oasis. The book’s words had been misleading. “I guessed.”
She bit her lip. She was fighting curiosity. “Did you know?”
“When Shelby discovered the chair, I suspected. My mother loved the ocean view. My grandmother was always creating games or puzzles whereby my mother would find a view to linger upon. Then my mother would paint it and send it to my grandmother. It was their thing.”
“I tried to tell him.” She stared longingly at the disappearing ship. Did she miss Shelby?
“We’ll rest here tonight and wait for low tide to cross to Formentera.” He didn’t want to think about the captain. It was better to focus on their current situation. They had enough concerns to last for awhile.
She put her hand on his waist, and he jumped.
“Does it hurt overly much?”
It hurt like the devil, but he wouldn’t admit it. He stroked her cheek. “You shouldn’t have jumped in front of me.”
Did he imagine it or did she lean closer to his hand? Her cheek was smooth even if it was scarred.
“Let’s get some sleep.”
He spread out a blanket. She lay on her side and he lay behind her—cradling her. She relaxed against him in sleep. Shelby had given him one gift—he’d given him Magnolia. No matter what he didn’t plan to lose her ever again.
****
She woke, surprisingly warm. An arm was lying across her middle, holding her down. She blinked. She was still on S'Espalmador—with Justin. Shelby and his men were gone. They’d left them on the white sandy beaches, with the mud pools and the extraordinary views. They’d left them with no way home.
Justin rolled over. “I never want another case where we are forced to sleep on the ground.”
He rose and stretched his arms above his head.
She sat. Her entire body ached. Every movement brought more pain. “How long do you think we have until low tide?”
“I’m not sure. If we can move, I say we get closer to the sandbar and wait for it to happen.”
She struggled to her feet. “As long as we are placing conditions on future cases, I say no more without fresh clothes and access to a hot bath.”
“I second that!”
He slung the supply bag over his shoulder and grunted. It must have hurt because he allowed it to slip into his hand. He would need ointment to keep down infection. How were they going to find that in the middle of nowhere?
She shuffled her feet through the sand, creating a cool feeling between her toes when the sand slipped through the holes of her thinning slippers. It didn’t take long to reach the sandbar. Formentera was in sight. Houses dotted the landscape, although not as many as she’d hoped. Small vessels bobbed in the water off rocking docks. Again, not as many as she’d hoped.
“Do you think we’ll ever get home?” Fear entered her voice, but she couldn’t help it. She was afraid. Afraid they would be stuck on the uninhabited island forever. Afraid her father wouldn’t know she lived. Afraid she would never change out of her outfit.
“I plan on it. And I won’t leave without you.” He winked.
It felt good to know he was with her.
They waited, napping off and on until the tide lowered. When it did they were ready.
They stepped onto the sandbar. The current was strong and dragged Magnolia under. Justin caught her and drew her back to the shore.
“The water is too strong.” The wind was rising and he yelled.
“We can make it! We have to!” She wasn’t going to stop. She was going to Formentera.
He tried to draw her back to S'Espalmador but she kept going forward. Her feet were unsteady. Water swept at the fringes of her skirt. A wave crashed over her feet, and she lost her footing once more. He grabbed her around the waist and bodily hauled her back to the uninhabited island.
She kicked but eventually stopped. She could send them both into the ocean and they might never reach land again. She collapsed onto S'Espalmador, allowing tears to stream along her cheeks.
They were stranded.
Author’s Note
Sorry I had to strand them. The truth is while some people say you can cross on foot from one island to another, the Formentera Guide for S'Espalmador says that it is dangerous. So Justin and Magnolia are stranded on the tiny uninhabited island.
If you want to know how they get off, because they have to—right? Then join me for The Case of the Lost Island.
I promise not to take too long to finish it.
If you are enjoying the Justice and Miss Quinn Mysteries, then be sure t
o check out The Board Series. Six brothers move to a dying town and take wives. They meet some really wonderful people along the way. And just so you know Maralie, book one, is free!
Other works by Felicia Rogers:
The Renaissance Hearts Series
Book One: There Your Heart Will Be Also
Book Two: By God’s Grace
Book Three: Labor of Love
Book Four: Beyond a Doubt
Book Five: Letters in the Grove
Stand alone works:
Love Octagon
The Painted Lady
The Perfect Rose
The Holiday Truce
A Month in Cologne
Andrews Brothers
The Ruse
The Rescue
Southern Hearts Series:
Millicent
Amelia
Cora
Wounded Solider Series:
Diamond Mine
Pearl Valley
Emerald Street
“Justice” and Miss Quinn Mysteries
The Case of the Missing Cross
The Case of the Puppet Constable
The Case of the Secret Love
The Case of the Chinese Boxes
The Case of the Hidden Treasure
The Case of the Lost Island (Dec 2016)
Meaningful Numbers Series
One of Forty
One of Twelve (Jan. 2017)
One of Three (March 2017)
The Board Series by F. A. Rogers
(novellas are listed in order)
Maralie
Reuben
Vanessa
Simon
Darla
Daniel
Irving
Levi
Francesca
Benjamin
James
The Return to Eden’s Hollow
Table of Contents
Chapter One: The Stroll
Chapter Two: The Bath
Chapter Three: Ibiza???
Chapter Four: The Search Is On
Chapter Five: Escape?
Chapter Six: S'Espalmador
Chapter Seven: The Journey Begins
Chapter Eight: The Garden
Chapter Nine: The Treasure
Chapter Ten: Stranded
Author’s Note
The Case of the Hidden Treasure (A Justice and Miss Quinn Mystery Book 5) Page 5