by David Wood
“We were on our way to find you,” Spenser whispered in his ear. “I knew you’d make it.”
“That makes one of us.” Maddock closed his eyes and enjoyed the feeling of her arms around him. He couldn’t remember ever feeling so utterly drained.
He heard Bones let out a grunt of pain, and opened his eyes to see Grizzly, arms wrapped around Bones, squeezing him tight.
“Aww. He’s like a kid who found his lost dog,” Spenser said.
Bones looked down in bemusement at Grizzly, then looked at Riv. “What do I do?”
“He’s just got a case of the feels. You should see him when we watch the finale of The Office.
“It gets me every time,” Grizzly said, breaking off the hug.
“It’s cool,” Bones said. “You should see Maddock cry when Indy lets go of the grail and takes his father’s hand.”
“Yeah, well I’ve got good reason for that,” Maddock said. “And I don’t cry. I just get a little... reflective.”
“Not judging it, dude.”
Someone cleared their throat. Maddock had not noticed the others. Gold, Segar, and Yoshi stood nearby.
“You know what makes me cry? Every single film in Segar’s catalog.”
“I’m just glad you guys are all right,” Grizzly said. “Very few people will listen to my far-fetched theories without dismissing them outright.”
“We get it,” Maddock said. “You’re a true believer, just like us.”
Spenser pursed her lips. “What’s this true believer stuff?”
“Something Rockwell said. I’ll explain later.”
“I’ve got a question,” Riv said. “What is that thing you’ve got in your hand?”
Maddock had forgotten about the thunderstone. He began to explain, but Spenser stopped him.
“Hold on. You’d better start from the beginning. Or at least from wherever things get interesting.”
“It’s a long story.”
She took him by the hand. “It’s a long way back to the ranch.”
––––––––
The sun was high overhead when they finally made it back to the ranch house.
There they cleaned up, tended to injuries, and enjoyed a quick meal. Maddock and
Spenser spent the afternoon in bed, most of it sleeping.
They gathered that night in the big room. No one had the energy to prepare a meal, but Grizzly had a surprise in store. Jashawn, who had been their teammate in the practice race, showed up with four large pizzas from “the best pizza joint in LA.” They were no longer hot, but he insisted they were even better when reheated.
Nigel Gambles arrived around the same time bearing a bottle of brandy and a cooler filled with imported beer.
They spent the evening drinking, laughing, and filling one another in on the events of the previous week. Jashawn was amazed at all that had transpired, and begged to be included whenever Grizzly took a crew down into the caverns.
“I’m sure I can arrange some sort of sponsorship with my company,” he said.
Predictably, Gambles was hungry for every scrap of information on Striker and
Shipman. He devoured Striker’s journal, then peppered them with questions, jotting their answers down on a legal pad in neat cursive.
“You really found it? The Lost Ship of the Desert?” He turned and stared out the window as if he could see the ship from here.
“We’ll take you to see it as soon as the police will allow it,” Maddock said.
Someone found an old Steven Segar movie on television and they enjoyed a few laughs at its expense.
“What’s going to happen with Gold and Segar?” Bones asked.
“Are you kidding? Both are destined for career comebacks,” Spenser said.
“They’ve obviously found a place with fast Internet, because they’ve been uploading teaser clips to the web all afternoon. They’re trending all over social media.”
“What about you?” Bones asked Grizzly. “Have your plans changed at all?”
“We won’t be able to do the treasure hunt show exactly as we planned, since you guys have already found it. But we can still do a series on Iturbe, the ship, and the Poseidon vault. Gambles is going to work with me on a Striker documentary.”
Gambles raised his glass in salute. “Cheers!”
“And we’ve still got the adventure race. We’ll be keeping busy.”
Jashawn turned to Spenser. “Speaking of the race, where’s your brother?”
Spenser rolled her eyes. “He’s in the hospital. He contracted a waterborne parasite from his ‘raw water.’ He’s going to be fine, but he’ll be in for a few more days. Our mom is in full helicopter parent mode. He’s miserable. Punishment fits the crime. I love the guy, but he’s just so...” Lost for words, she made a palms-up gesture.
“I got you,” Jashawn said. “I got a cousin just like that.”
Franzen dropped by late that night to inform Maddock and Bones that, although they were not suspects, they would be required to give statements, and probably to the FBI.
“I’m going to have to ask you not to leave the state for the time being. And keep me informed of your whereabouts.”
“Fine by us,” Maddock said. He suddenly realized he was in no hurry to leave California.
––––––––
Maddock slept in the next morning. Spenser was already awake. She was sitting on the bed, clad in one of Maddock’s shirts and nothing else. She closed her book and greeted him with a smile when he awoke.
“Good morning. How did you sleep?”
“Fine,” Maddock said, a note of suspicion in his voice. Her smile was too big, and there was a twinkle in his eye. “What’s going on?”
“Oh, not much.” She set her book down and reached for her tablet which lay on the bedside table. “Just current events.”
Maddock sat up, feeling every bump and bruise. He wondered which part of the story had gotten out. “The ship? The human trafficking? The revelation of the identity of the Black Dahlia killer?”
Spenser shook her head. “None of those.”
“What then?”
“Remember you told me about the fault line? How you could feel the power running along it? How you felt it split open?” She turned on her tablet and opened a browser. “Check out this video.”
Maddock could tell by her sly grin that she’d been waiting for him to wake up just so she could show him this.
It was a television news report. Beneath the headline, RIVER FORMS OVERNIGHT IN SALTON, chopper footage showed a river pouring into the sea. As the chopper gained altitude, the camera followed the flow back into the hills.
Maddock scanned the article. Residents had been surprised to find themselves cut off from the interstate highway by a river that had appeared seemingly out of nowhere. Experts were puzzled. Everyone was pointing to unusual seismic activity in the area the previous day. All agreed that a river of fresh water was a boon to the Salton Sea and increased the likelihood of its survival.
“Did I do that?” Maddock asked.
“If not, it’s one heck of a coincidence, don’t you think?” She kissed him on the cheek. “You performed a miracle and didn’t even know it. That’s pretty awesome.”
She leaned back, stretched, and arched her back. “God, I’m so jealous that you got to see that vault. Next time, you’re taking me with you. Promise me.”
Maddock was preoccupied admiring her legs and didn’t answer right away.
“Oh, yeah. About that. I’ve been thinking.” He proceeded to tell her about the things Rockwell had said. “So I was thinking, maybe it’s time to put other things first in my life.”
Spenser turned to face him, propped up on her elbow, and looked him in the eye. He could only endure five seconds of her blank stare.
“What?” he demanded.
“You would change your whole life because of a human trafficker’s TED talk?”
He felt his ears burning. “That’s not exact
ly fair.”
“Wouldn’t it be easier to surround yourself with people who get you? I mean, your friends understand, don’t they? And your sister?”
“I suppose.”
“That really only leaves the woman in your life, and if she’s on board...”
Maddock wasn’t sure how to reply.
Spenser’s eyes bored into him. “You didn’t ask me which movie scene always makes me cry. Too late!” She held up a hand. “It’s the final scene of the last Indiana Jones movie. Indy’s just gotten married and it looks like he’s about to walk off into the sunset. Mutt picks up his fedora and everyone in the theater thinks there’s going to be a passing of the torch...”
“And then Indy grabs it away at the last second, puts it on and gives him a look that says, “There’s only one Indiana Jones.”
“That’s the one. Think about it.” She abruptly changed the subject. “Look, this has been awesome, except for the part where I got abducted. But I’ve got to get back to work this week.”
“Oh,” Maddock said. He wasn’t sure what he’d expected. Of course she would go back to her life of luxury resorts and fine dining and he’d go back to doing what he always did— searching for treasure and waiting for things to get complicated, as they inevitably did. “Well, if you’re ever in Key West...”
“I’ll be spending a few days at one of California’s oldest resort hotels,” she went on in a rush, as if he hadn’t spoken. “They’ve just completed extensive renovations and are anxious for some influencers to spread the word. And since my brother is still on an IV drip, I find myself in need of a plus one.” She scooted in close and rested her head on his shoulder. “Fancy meals, hot tub and sauna, couples massages, and every bit of it comped.”
“You know, I might could be persuaded.” He put his arm around her and gave her a squeeze.
“And did I mention,” she whispered, “it’s haunted?”
Maddock threw back his head and laughed.
“Count me in!”