Laguna Beach: A Treasure in Laguna (Kindle Worlds Novella)

by Heather Hiestand

  If she had to sulk, she could do it there, on her window seat, looking at the summer sky.

  “You want this meeting with me to be at a pizza place?” Roger Dalton asked Crowe at noon on Thursday on the street in front of Laguna Gold Pizza. Despite the early hour, he reeked of cigar smoke.

  Judging by the man’s protruding belly, Crowe had assumed he’d be a pizza man. “We have permission to film inside.”

  “I don’t go on camera, son.” Dalton closed the limousine door and stepped onto the sidewalk, straightening his funky orange-framed glasses. “Now look, I came here out of respect for your father, but you have to have something to actually show me.”

  “I do,” Crowe assured him. “Shall we go in?”

  They were followed in by Thor and two of Dalton’s assistants. Jenny was working the front desk. Crowe immediately felt calmer upon seeing her, but he saw a quick frown cross her face when she saw Roger Dalton. Did she know Dalton? Crowe had been lucky to get the meeting with the producer, who’d recently come off the filming of Reality TV Triple Play, starring Josh Welsh’s ex, Laura Kincaid.

  “Hi, Jenny,” he said, stepping forward to kiss her on the cheek. Wise to Hollywood-style, she participated in the two-cheek kiss. “Can Mr. Dalton and I have two tables, please?”

  “Of course. I’ll take you to our most secluded area.” The restaurant had a second, smaller dining room. It didn’t have the street view, but at this time of day it was mostly empty.

  Dalton and Crowe settled around a four-top table, with their support teams at the next table. Crowe pulled out a small DVD player with his promo reel loaded on it.

  “Why do you want to go back into the reality television game again, son?” Dalton asked, scratching at a sideburn. “I’d have thought you’d consider yourself badly burned by your first experience.”

  “The lust for gold never dies,” Crowe said with his most winning smile. “Do you know it’s estimated that fifteen percent of all the gold ever found on our planet has been lost? That’s a lot of treasure to find, and I’d like to pitch a show where we go looking for treasure, specifically gold, in the beautiful state of California.”

  “Interesting,” Dalton said, in a tone that indicated his speech had been anything but.

  “California holds a unique role in imagination worldwide. It’s the home of Hollywood,” Crowe continued. “Dreams come true in this state. I can share the Gold Rush history, Spanish history, the Great Depression, even the movies, as we hunt for lost treasures.”

  “Do you have a promo reel for me?” Dalton’s expression didn’t change.

  “Yes, sir.” Crowe turned on his machine and flipped it around. “It consists of footage we’ve taken around here. I propose that my first hunt be for a bandit cache that is supposed to be hidden off Thousand Steps Beach. We’re going to be doing some of that filming tomorrow, on private property.”

  “So as far as you’re concerned, you’re already shooting your pilot?”

  “Yes. I have the time and it just made sense. While I have a track record, it’s more my family’s than mine. Treasure Hunters ran when I was a young teen. I believe it shows I work well on camera, but the concept and strategy was all my father’s.”

  “All right. Let’s see it.”

  Crowe pushed play. A minute in, Jenny came into the room with a pitcher of iced tea. She saw Dalton was staring intently at the reel and didn’t bother to ask about orders, just set the pitcher and glasses on the assistants’ table and stepped away silently.

  Crowe stared at the back of the machine as the ten-minute pitch ran. He and Thor had been through it so many times by now that he knew every word of dialogue, every voice-over, by heart. They’d set up their editing equipment in Justin’s guest bedroom and he and Thor had been up until four in the morning working on it. The reel included the session with his father Beau and the interview with Jenny’s sister Delilah about the missing coins, as well as Laguna Beach shots. He’d used the line about missing gold, and a monologue about California.

  When the reel was over and Dalton had nodded, he handed the machine back to Thor. The assistants huddled over it and restarted the promo reel.

  Crowe poured iced tea for himself and Dalton, then placed his hands on the table. “What do you think?”

  “It’s better than I expected. You have your father’s easy way with the camera.”

  Crowe’s shoulders relaxed, but not too much. Stay focused. “Thank you.”

  “I have to admit I went back and looked at an old tape of Treasure Hunters. I would have expected your older brother Viking to be the breakout star of the family.”

  “He went into the military.” Crowe straightened. “He put eight years into the Marine Corps. We’re very proud of him.”

  “What’s he been doing since?” Roger picked up his glass of iced tea and then set it down after a sip to open a sugar packet and pour it in.

  “He’s been out now for three years. Graduated from college last month. He’s been accepted to graduate school.”

  Roger stirred his tea. “So he’s following a similar path to yours, with a long delay in between.”

  “Yes, we both studied history. But I’m focused on California history, while he studied military history.”

  Roger pointed to the next table. “And Thor?”

  “Beach bum,” Thor said with a laugh. “When I’m not prospecting with my father, I spend time up in Alaska. Quite a bit, actually.”

  “Is your family going to be on camera?”

  Crowe scratched his chin. “I see it as my show, but everything is subject to negotiation.”

  “No show like this is about only one person. You need a cast. I’d see Thor as on-camera talent. I’d see your father as a featured guest. I’m guessing you have a connection to that hostess who brought in the tea. She looks familiar.”

  Jenny didn’t realize the extent of her fame. Here was more proof. “That’s Jenny Craft. She owns this place. She spent five years on Laguna Nights.”

  Roger’s head tipped back. “Ah, yes, the sassy waitress. I’d forgotten. She’s good on camera. Maybe she can be the show skeptic. You sleeping with her?”

  Crowe’s heart had begun to thump. Could this really be happening? “I only just met her. I don’t know if she’d be interested, but it’s possible, and I know she can keep up with me.”

  As Dalton’s eyebrow lifted, he said, “We went mountain biking.”

  “It would be different to have female energy on a show like this,” Dalton mused. “So often you only see male leads. I think I could shop this around after you make changes to the tape.”

  His fingers and thumbs curled together against the table. “Okay, tell me what I need to do.”

  “You need twice the content at half the length, for one thing. Assemble your team. I’m fine with your team being you, Thor, and Jenny for now.”

  “Justin,” Thor mouthed.

  “We have one other partner, but he’s male,” Crowe said. “He’s not here because he has a day job right now.”

  Dalton shrugged. “Get him on the reel. You’re good-looking kids and you have a usable idea. It’s sexy. Yes, it’s local, but you’re right about the lure of this state.”

  “Great.” Crowe figured they were done and they could order lunch, but Dalton had only started. Two hours later, Crowe had been the recipient of a crash course on self-contained episodes, series arcs, and show formats. They had talked about tent-pole moments and contact lists and travel schedules. Crowe’s head was spinning and all he wanted to do was talk to Jenny about possibly co-starring on his show. He already knew Thor and Justin were in. Thankfully, Viking hadn’t come up again.

  Jenny came back and Roger ordered food, then they took the time to polish off a Hawaiian-style pizza and talk about the current state of reality television. Dalton had also consumed a bottle of wine and was looking sleepy. It wasn’t even three p.m.

  “We’ll get the sizzle into our promo reel and get back to you very soon,”
Crowe promised. “Can we meet next week?”

  “I’ll have my office get in touch,” Dalton said. “The next step will be you sending your reel back in. We won’t need to meet again unless I’m officially interested at that stage.”

  “I see.” Crowe forced a smile. “Thank you.” He wasn’t sure how to take that, but at least he’d have a much more polished product in a few days. The meeting had been invaluable in that regard.

  Yawning, Dalton stood up and shook Crowe’s hand. The assistants stood and followed him out. Crowe and Thor stayed behind, assuming it would be unprofessional to trail the producer to his limousine.

  “What do you think, bro?” Thor asked, finishing off his iced tea.

  “I think we have a lot of work to do.”

  Jenny pushed open the door and walked through. She had a businesslike expression. “I kept this area secured for you.”

  “Thank you,” Crowe said, walking toward her. “I didn’t realize.”

  “No, you were totally focused. How did it go?” She put one hand to her neck.

  He bounced on his feet. “Good, I think. We have to take another shot at our promo reel. The content is fine, but I have to define a cast and introduce them.”

  “He said he’d be in touch if he liked the new version,” Thor said. He picked up the pizza carrier Jenny had left at the house and handed it to her. “Thought you might want this.”

  Jenny accepted the carrier. “Thanks. So who is the cast? You, Thor, and Justin?”

  “And my father. He wants my father.” He stared into her gray-green eyes. “And you, actually.”

  Jenny’s free hand moved to her ponytail. “Me?”

  “He thought you were perfect for the team skeptic.”

  Jenny blinked. Her eyelashes were golden. Usually they were covered with dark mascara, but she’d left them untouched today. She looked more innocent this way, and closer to twenty than thirty. Her seriously beautiful, toned body helped the illusion too. Southern California girls knew how to take care of themselves. “Me?”

  “Yes. He could tell we knew each other, and once he realized who you were it was a done deal.”

  She frowned and set the carrier bag on a table. “Do you want your father involved?”

  “As long as he really is a consultant, sure. I don’t want him taking over my show.”

  “It’s got to be hard to be the youngest child,” Jenny said. “I get it. You want your own thing.”

  “What do you think about a role for you?”

  She stroked down her hair then let go, hooking a finger into her front-tied apron strings. “It’s only a promo reel. I’ll give it a try, for your sake. If Roger Dalton doesn’t like it it’s back to the drawing board for you, after all.”

  “I’ll pitch it to other producers next. I have a list,” he assured her.

  “I’m glad to hear that. Roger Dalton’s a slimy guy. My friend Madison got really burned by him with the Laura Kincaid project.”

  “I know all about it,” Crowe said. “From Josh. He was burned just as bad, but it was in service to the show. I feel like if Roger was my producer, he’d be on my side. And he’s talented.”

  Jenny nodded. “I know, but can you ever really trust someone like that?”

  “Why don’t you come shoot with us tomorrow?” Crowe suggested, wanting to change the subject, stay positive. “We didn’t get much sleep last night and we’re beat. I’ll have some thoughts about your role in it, plus Thor and Justin need more to do with this new format idea. By tomorrow I’ll have a strategy.”

  “I could come between lunch and dinner,” she said. “But it’s Friday, so I need to be around in the evening.”

  “Sure. How about two p.m. at the top of the steps?”

  “Perfect.”

  He held out his arms and she stepped into them. It felt like the start of something, until she rubbed his back awkwardly, like any friend congratulating someone she wasn’t super close to. She stepped away, putting a couple of feet between them. No opportunity for a kiss. He didn’t quite understand Jenny Craft.

  Chapter Four

  Jenny pushed open the gate across from Ninth Avenue that led to the secluded and worn staircase that would take her to Thousand Steps Beach. Crowe and the guys were filming on a section that was private property. She took a deep breath as she walked south on the pristine beach, a little excited, a little nervous, taking in the beautiful white-capped waves, even brighter against the blue sky.

  She saw a small huddle of people in front of one of the caves. A family named McHughes owned the property, had for generations. Crowe must have worked out a deal with them. As she came close, Crowe broke away from the little crowd and waved at her.

  “Do I look okay?” she asked, running her hands down her pressed Laguna Beach T-shirt and white shorts. “When I did the show before, I was always in my uniform.” Not to mention she’d been a dozen years younger. She’d attempted to work mega-magic with concealer, to hide the hollows that had developed under her eyes in the last couple of years. Her nerves she couldn’t cover up so easily. Did Crowe really want her here? Did she want to be here, just because Roger Dalton wanted her to be? But it was another chance to spend time with Crowe, and she did want that.

  His gaze took her in, from smoothed hair to pristine tennis shoes. “I think you look fantastic, but then I always do. Having said that, the logo shirt is a nice touch and the shorts really show off your tan. No one would mistake you for anything but a California girl.”

  “Hey,” Thor called. He stumbled on a rock as he came forward, holding a lav mic and a recording pack. “You ready?”

  She nodded, happy with Crowe’s praise, as Thor helped her route the wire under her shirt and attach the pack and the microphone to her clothes. “Sure thing. I sort of remember the process.”

  “We’re going to stand in front of the cave and chat for a minute with the team.”

  “I want to do a little intro first,” Thor said. “It will warm you up and give me a sense of your best camera angles.”

  Crowe moved to stand next to his brother as Justin brought the camcorder. “Stand with your back to the water,” he suggested. “We’ll keep the cave out of the shot for now.”

  She did as he asked and when the camcorder focused on her, she picked up a handful of sand and let the tiny grains drift through her fingers as she gave a little speech about her background, emphasizing her life here in Laguna Beach. Behind her, waves undulated against the shore, darkening the sand visible behind her.

  “Why are you interested in treasure hunting?” Justin asked, playing interviewer.

  “There are all kinds of legends about gold in these parts. My own sister deals in it, after years of listening to our late grandfather telling stories about old Spanish coins and such.”

  “What’s your deal with Crowe?” he asked.

  She pressed her lips together, opened her mouth again, then glanced in his direction, focusing on a palm tree at the edge of the beach rather than on him. “We’re friends,” she said after a moment.

  Thor chuckled. The camera jerked. Crowe’s expression hadn’t changed. She’d yell at Justin later for putting her on the spot. “We’d better get this done. I have to get back for the dinner rush.”

  “Okay, let’s start in front of the cave,” Crowe said.

  A couple of minutes later, Crowe, Jenny, and Justin were positioned in front of the cave’s low, half moon-shaped opening, which was hidden by both a chain-link fence and bushes. Crowe talked about the McHughes family and the technical aspects of the cave. After that, a grin suddenly lit up his face.

  “But what we’re really hoping for is a chest full of gold.” He launched into the story of the Sanchez cache, moving his hands dramatically as he recounted the stagecoach robbery that led to the bandit acquiring his hoard.

  Justin asked several questions, leading Crowe through the 1858 payroll theft of California gold coins. Jenny listened, trying to think of something clever to say about the fasci
nating topic of gold, but came up with nothing. She was a wooden waste of space and she hoped Thor was keeping her out of the frame.

  When Thor turned off the camcorder, she turned to Crowe. “Sorry. I couldn’t think of anything else to add.”

  “It’s okay. We don’t need much film. I already have double what we need and we’ve still got to cut in the team.”

  She could hear that edge of sarcasm in the last word. Crowe didn’t want to do this with a team approach. He wanted to be the star. She remembered her earlier accusations of shallowness in his character. Was he really doing all this to bring history to a larger audience, or for his own glory? “Understood.”

  “Let’s get tape in the outer cave,” Crowe said. “You have the lighting ready?”

  Thor nodded. “I set up a couple of panel lights inside so that I can catch everything clearly, but still be as magical and mysterious as possible.”

  Thor went in first, followed by the rest of them. Jenny was struck by the sudden change in the temperature. She rubbed her arms, which had gone prickly. The ground was slippery with decaying vegetation, and covered in places by varying sizes of boulders. The walls were heavily textured, bumpy in some places, jagged in others. The light at the cave mouth beckoned them to return to the outside world.

  Crowe stepped immediately to the east side of the wall and waited for Thor to get into position. “When I did my initial exploration, this is what caught my eye.”

  Justin stepped into frame. They must have choreographed this without telling her. “What are you seeing? Oh, wait, I’m seeing it now.”

  Crowe traced his finger over the rough cave wall without actually touching it. “My research tells me that these are bandit marks.”

  “Do you know for sure that Sanchez was here?”

  “We’re going to find out,” Crowe said. “But we know something was left here from the marks. Whether it was Sanchez or another bandit remains to be seen.”

  “I can’t wait to find out,” Justin said, pushing his hair out of his eyes. “But I want to understand this mark better. Can you explain the basics to me?”