True Treasure: Real - Life History Mystery

by Lisa Grace

  Up at the work site, Bennett observed the carpenters sticking wedges between the basalt rock that would be used to cover the treasure. The rock itself would weigh tons. The carpenters had cut trees to roll the slab into place. The hole was now a good three fathoms deep, angled into and under the rock wall. Once concealed, it would appear to be part of the cliff wall. A crudely made ladder led into the pit. The men lowered empty buckets which were filled with dirt then pulled back up. The length was two fathoms by two.

  “Good. The treasure is ready to be lowered in.”

  Graham gave instructions to the pit crew, “Once the treasure is in, shovel a fathom of earth in, followed by the rock. Prop the false rock front with boulders rolled into place. Layer on the rest and plant some thickets.”

  Pleased with the speed of the operation, he returned to the ship.

  When he boarded, Randall stopped him. “Sir? We have had an incident. Mariner Faraday was caught with coin from the treasure in his pockets by Lieutenant Kerry.”

  Bennett took a deep breath. “Assemble the crew first thing in the morning to witness the flogging. Give him forty lashes. Let the men know that this evening all will be searched. Stealing from the King is beneath a sailor’s duty. We will search the hold for any treasure that may have ‘fallen' out of the bags or trunks.”

  Randall cleared his throat a slight smile upon his face.

  “Yes? Is there something more?” Bennett asked.

  Randall was smiling. Bennett feared the smile had nothing to do with the flogging of the sailor, but more about his wedding night. Before Randall could say anything Bennett interjected, “That will do.”

  “Yes sir!” Randall walked off whistling a rather bawdy melody that Graham knew was aimed at him.

  ***

  Bennett went to escort Mary for their picnic. He knocked and opened the door.

  Mary was sitting at her easel. She motioned for Bennett to come over. “Do you like it?”

  She had sketched out a rudimentary profile of her face with her wedding day bouquet. A slight smile on her face. “Do you like it? It’s not done of course. I had Charles hold the bouquet, so I could get the angle and the lighting right. I’ll add the details in later.”

  “Thank you.” Bennett took hold of it, “I will treasure it.”

  Mary smiled. “I want you to have something to remember me by. I will make a small one too, one you can carry with you. Perhaps in your timepiece.”

  He took the portrait in his hands, and examined it. "You do have a gift.”

  He placed it back on the easel then took her hand. “Would you join me on land for a picnic?”

  “That would be lovely!”

  “A scarf and hat might be needed as the wind is picking up.”

  "I love days like today. Do you ride?”

  “Yes. When the opportunity presents,” Bennett said as he handed the picture back to Mary.

  “I will miss my horses.”

  “We do have horses in London. I am sure we can find a stable nearby,” Bennett answered as he lightly began to massage Mary’s shoulders.

  “There is so much I do not know about you, Bennett.”

  “And I, you.”

  Mary took in her breath as Bennett’s kneading hands found a tight spot. “We have a lifetime to discover.” Mary rolled her head back in pleasure as Bennett’s massage loosened her tightened neck muscles.

  Bennett continued, “Yes. With weather and pirates on the high seas, and the possibility of war, a lifetime can be rather short for a navy man.”

  “We will have to trust God to be kind.”

  ***

  The weather on the shore held, sheltered by the cove. Mary’s scarf kept her hair back. She took off her hat then left it in the bottom of the shore boat weighted down by a rope.

  "Do you think we will ever come back to Costa after we go to England?”

  “I do not know,” Bennett sighed, “I would like to promise we would; however, I must go where I am ordered. I will do what I can to make you happy.”

  Mary smiled, “I am sorry, I know you will. When I think of not seeing my home or parents...”

  “You can write and send your drawings. And didn’t you say your mother was planning a trip to London within a year or two? And do you not have an aunt, uncle, and cousins in Essex? You will have family.”

  “Yes. I am so happy, but everything is so new. I feel I am someone else now and I am not sure where the ‘me’ I used to be went.”

  Bennett brushed lightly at Mary’s cheek. “You have become a beautiful swan, and now you can fly.”

  ***

  In the evening the winds picked up as did the waves. The masts were secured and the anchors let down. The men moved below deck except for the watch on the deck. The storm built and with it came intermittent bands of rains.

  “It is a hurricane?” Mary asked as she pulled the sheets up in the bed.

  “Yes.”

  “What do we do?”

  “Nothing, we wait it out.”

  “The ship is strong. We have some shelter from the cove. The water is low enough to set the anchors and ride it out. If the waves get too high, we let loose the anchors and ride it out.”

  The waves washed onto the deck and spilled down the stairway when the doors were opened for the change of watch. The cannons were pulled and the doors shut. The ship rocked and groaned buffeted by the winds pulling against its anchors which prevented the ship from blowing onto the shore. The rain bands would halt and pick back up following a rhythm spread out over the hours from the evening and into the morning. Morning was still as dark as night. No sun could peak through the constant cloud cover. Mary tried to see through the windows, but the coursing of the rain sideways, and the bobbing of the ship, just presented a wall of grey blue water and sky. Bennett spent his time in the ready room with his officers. Every quarter hour a cabin boy would report on the state of the ship. Mary would travel between their private room that held the bed and his desk, and the dining/ready room where the officers sat.

  The men told stories and drank wine, passing the time in the best humor they could. Strong personalities and close quarters called for good humor and restraint.

  “Please sit,” Bennett would say, and so she would. But then the men would quiet, which she could not stand, so she would make an excuse to go back to their private room.

  The rocking of the ship prevented her from having a steady hand to draw or paint. She wasn’t used to sitting with nothing to do. After a while of sitting alone in their room, Mary made her way back to the ready room. The joking and the tales told by her husband and the men as they waited out the storm were infinitely better than listening to the groaning protests of the ship she heard in the quiet of their cabin. Suddenly the ship pitched wildly to the starboard. Mary called out, startled by the sudden pitch.

  A cabin boy burst in the outer door, “Sir, an anchor has torn loose!” Bennett rushed out the door after the other officers. Mary put on her coat and scarf and went to the bottom of the stairwell. Huge swells crashed over the rails. Mary held both arms out bracing herself against the walls in the narrow corridor to keep on her feet. The ship pitched wildly, no longer weighted down by the extra ballast of the treasure or the pull of the counter balance of the second anchor line. She saw the shore dangerously near. If the ship washed upon the shore, it could tip and break some of the masts, or worse.

  The next swell came over the rail and before she could close the door, water ran down the slope of the deck and washed down the stairs like a waterfall. Her boots and the bottom of her dress were now soaked. She saw Bennett and the other officers relaying orders as a group of men strung and hung a new anchor on a chain over the giant pulley. The chain was huge. Rings as big around as her waist. How they could even manage it, she did not know. Another swell came over the railing sweeping the feet of some of the men out from under them. Mary bit her knuckle as the sailors were swept away crashing into the other side of the bridge, only stopped by the
railing from washing over into the ocean beyond. The men got to their feet and walked quickly back to what they were doing before the wave had taken them. Another swell surged over, and this time all the men managed to hang on and hold their places. The water streamed back over the other rail and not toward her and the stairs. The men shouted some orders as others hung the heavy chain in place on the pulley rolling it up. Another wave broke over the rail, not as high as the ones before, and the men worked through it. This time a much smaller puddle of water came through the doorway, and down the steps. Another swell hit the ship. The anchor went down. The men labored hard at dragging it into place to brace the ship. Finally, the shore did not appear to be getting any closer. Mary went back to her room to change. Bennett knocked and opened the door a few minutes later.

  “The crisis is resolved.” He took off his wet coat and hung it by the stove. He stripped off his jacket and shirt, and stood bare-chested in front of her.

  Mary took a towel, “Here.” She ran the towel across his cool damp skin.

  “I sent the men to their rooms with orders not to assemble in the dining room until the late bell. We have the rest of the afternoon to ourselves,” Bennett said as he smiled at Mary as she toweled his hair.

  “What ever shall we do?” Mary said with a smile as she handed him the towel which he promptly threw to the floor as he pulled her in for a kiss.

  *

  ***

  *****

  ***

  *

  CHAPTER 5

  Keiko and Julian Present Day

  Julian uploaded the photos from the aerial views of the islands onto the computer, sized them so the clear plastic Mylars would line up correctly, then printed the pictures out. He overlaid the Mylars over each of the three islands. He examined the historical map once again. “Okay, topography won’t have changed as much as say, trees or coastline. So looking at the height of the landmarks and going from there to position the historic map over the current island shapes should lead us to a more accurate measurement of where the treasure would be.”

  “I thought about using a metal detector, but all the volcanic rock these mountains are made of will just give false positives, which is why it probably hasn't been found yet,” Keiko said in response as she leaned over to watch Julian work.

  Julian ruffled Keiko’s hair, “Look this guy was a professional map maker. Let’s give him some credit. If we line this up and Caño is still looking like the best suspect then we just have to figure out how this map lines up to the island as it is now. He gave us accurate measurements so all we need is this map.”

  “And a way to get out there, with a trustworthy captain who won’t turn us in to some nefarious types for a reward.”

  “Do you want to pick the captain and the ship or should I?” Julian asked.

  “You can. I think you read people better than I can.”

  “I’ll pick one I know I can beat in a fight.” Julian joked.

  “You could beat them all so where's the challenge?” Keiko said while hugging Julian.

  Julian answered. “Yeah, I’ll just ask the concierge who's the best captain to take out a couple of honeymooners to a lone island by themselves. Someone who is known for his privacy. With any luck he’ll think we want privacy for one thing.”

  “So bait and switch. Make him think we’re here for some serious canoodling, while we’re just interested in magnetism of the metallic kind.”

  Julian hugged Keiko back and brushed away a stray hair while looking intently into her eyes, “Hey, I am here for one reason only. To make you happy. Don't sell your attracting abilities short.”

  “Oh,” Keiko said as Julian leaned in and brushed his lips lightly against hers. Julian kissed Keiko.

  ***

  Keiko threw on shorts and shirt over her suit as Julian pulled on his shorts. Keiko, with a happy lightness in her voice said, "I wouldn’t mind doing some canoodling while we are out there.”

  “Me either.”

  “How do we pack and what do we pack?”

  "I think we should bring a metal detector. Makes us look like uninformed honeymooners who have no idea the rocks will set it off, so it’s useless.”

  “Great point. Seem dumb.”

  “And no threat with no inside knowledge.” Julian added.

  “There is a joke in there somewhere.”

  “Okay.” Julian picked up a list and read as he looked in his ruck bag, “Shovels, picks, lighter, GPS, satellite phone, batteries, compass rope, camera, and map. Check.”

  Keiko picked up her bag, “Water, energy bars, sunscreen, hats, mosquito repellent, first aid pack. Blanket! Must not forget a blanket if we’re newlyweds!” Keiko said as she checked her bag.

  “We are newlyweds.” Julian added wryly.

  Keiko went on, “Hairbrush, toothpaste, deodorant, TP, flint, steel, matches.”

  Julian opened another case and assembled his gun, then another for Keiko. He took out a knife, and a machete.

  Julian handed Keiko her gun. “Here, pack yours at the bottom of your case, but somewhere easy to reach.” Julian tucked his weapon into the waist band of his shorts. He wore a blousy Hawaiian style shirt that hung over his khaki shorts.

  “Should we bring some survival stuff just in case? Won’t he question the use of a shovel?”

  “For digging latrines and looking for treasure. I was thinking of asking him to take us out there for a three day, two night trip. For my new photography hobby.”

  “We’re all set to go on the Mar Estrella.”

  “Did you tell him we want to go to Cocos or Caño?”

  Cocos first. We’ll have him show us the best places to hunt for treasure. Act like we’re sick of it by the end of the day. Then go to Caño next, because it’s more deserted, a better place for newlyweds who want some privacy. The captain, Jorge Vey, said he typically leaves us overnight with a full set up. Camp stove, tent, food and water, and even an emergency beacon, then comes back to retrieve us on the third day.”

  “Sounds perfect. I really think your dad was making way too much of a fuss.”

  “He sees a conspiracy behind every situation. He’s right though. There are pirates and drug smugglers up and down the coast so in this case he’s only being cautious.”

  ***

  Paolo sat at the bar under the tiki hut of the Mar Bar watching over the tourist area of the docks, looking for the couple. Luckily, their photo had been easy to find as it was still fresh from the news reports on the missing star. If they had found a lead on any of the treasure buried on the islands, Paolo would find out. He always did. He was good at his work. The treasure belonged to those who’d been looking for it their whole lives. For gringos to come in and think they could steal what was theirs, from right below their noses was not going to happen. You didn’t cross his boss. The treasure, if they found it, would be his boss’s minus a small cut Paolo planned on taking that his boss would never miss.

  The weather was nice. A light dry breeze blew in off the water. Most of his duty was spent organizing the ships to pick up the drugs coming in from the Columbian port and directing them to the drop offs in the national parks. This job, keeping on an eye on an American couple, would be a piece of cake compared to some of the loco gang members he watched who took the jobs of delivering the drug shipments. The bartender raised his eyebrows at Paolo and tilted his head towards the cooler.

  Paolo ordered, “Bavaria Negra.”

  “Fifteen-hundred colones.”

  Paolo put two bills on the bar.

  “Gracias,” said the bartender while pocketing the money before Paolo changed his mind.

  Paolo was getting ready to order his second beer when the couple showed up. A local taxi pulled up. The driver opened the door for a slim tiny woman to get out. The other door popped open and out stepped a tall man, muscled, wearing dark shades. His hair pulled back in a ponytail. The driver opened the trunk and took out several pieces of luggage.

  Paolo swore under his bre
ath. All the luggage meant no day trip. They were going for a few days. Now keeping an eye on them meant he’d have to talk to the captain.

  The captain of a boat in the fifth slip came down to greet the couple and shook the man’s hand. The lady nodded and smiled, laughing and showing her teeth.

  Paolo took the last swig of his beer and got up. He casually strolled past the docks while he noted the name of the vessel. Mar Estrella. Sea Star. On these trips it was not unusual for the captains to drop their party to give them privacy, then return to the dock. He would have three or four hours before the captain returned. He’d report back to his boss what he’d found out so far, and get prepared for the next step. Again he thought what a beautiful day for a voyage. He hoped the gringos enjoyed it. If they found what they were looking for, it might be the last beautiful time in their lives.

  ***

  Della and Ray

  Ray picked up his buzzing phone and read the text.

  “Okay. The kids have booked a boat trip. I got a guy watching the people who are watching the docks. He said there is a known compadre for one of the local gangs hanging in the bar, and he made a phone call and took off just after the kids showed up. They took off on a boat called the Mar Estrella.”

  “What islands are they heading to?” Della asked casually.

  “Cocos then Caño.”

  Julian should be texting me when they arrive. There are kidnappings that happen by the drug cartels of Americans, so it’s just prudent to have someone know where you are.”

  “I’ve got Phil, Dent, Irv, and Roger in a sailboat between the islands. They’ll be keeping an eye out for the kids too. Are you ready?”

  “For what?”

  “A boat trip. Let’s take a cruise ourselves. The weather’s nice.”

  “Okay. Good thing I packed my Dramamine.”

  “You get sea sick?”