by Tifani Clark
CHAPTER 20
I didn’t dare move after the Goodwins vanished. Luckily, Peter still had has arms wrapped around me. Nick and Sophia both ran to the window and looked out.
Nick was the first to speak. “I can see their auras. They’re actually leaving.”
I breathed a deep sigh of relief. Camille started crying again and Sophia knelt beside her and wrapped her arms around the girl’s shaking shoulders.
“I’m so sorry, Cam. I should never have gotten so many people involved in this mess. You can go home without feeling bad. I’ll stay away from you from now on,” Sophia whispered to her.
Camille looked up. I was surprised to see fire in her eyes as she spoke slowly and deliberately. “I am not leaving now. We are going to get revenge on those jerks.”
“That’s the spirit.” Nick grinned.
Much to my dismay, Peter released me from his grip and I felt oddly alone. “You okay?” he asked gently.
“I’m fine—or at least I will be.” I tried to smile at him.
Nick still stood at the window and kept glancing out every few seconds. “They’re gone. I can’t see them anymore.”
“I honestly have no idea what map they’re talking about,” Sophia said. “I can’t believe they’ve been trying to track me down for all these years over something like that.”
I stepped to the middle of the room where Jeremiah had let the letter to the mysterious Catherine slip from his fingers and slide to the floor. I was thankful that he hadn’t crumpled it up in his rage. I began to read the letter aloud again.
Dearest Catherine,
I am afrayd that Things have taken a Turn for the worse. I now feare for my Life as many before Me did as well. As much as it hurts Me, I do not wish you to be invollved any more than you already have been in my Affayrs so I will no longer have any Contact with you. I have hidden It all and left Instrucshuns for you. Do with It what you will. Please know that I am sorry for any Harm you may come upon because of your Invollvement with Me.
Love, your dearest Friend, H
“What do you think she hid? She said she left instructions so I assume it was the map Jeremiah was talking about, but she doesn’t really say what was hidden. Do you think it was some sort of treasure?” I asked.
“Maybe. It could have been anything. I’m sure the Goodwins believed they were on the verge of some big find when they found that letter,” Peter said. “How do we know that ‘H’ is a she? Couldn’t it be a he?”
“That’s a good point. Does it make a difference, though? We still don’t know anything,” I pointed out.
Nick left the window where he’d been standing quietly, walked to the couch, and sat down. “Guys—I think I know where the map is.”
Four heads whirled to look at him. He leaned forward with his elbows resting on his knees and nodded his head as he spoke.
“The night before Sophia and I were supposed to run away together I decided I should have more insurance for us. I thought if I could find proof of Jeremiah’s illegal dealings I could use it as blackmail if he ever found us.”
Sophia’s mouth dropped open. “You did?”
He nodded. “I’d seen Jeremiah tuck the leather pouch that he always carried his important papers in behind that old writing desk just outside your kitchen. I thought there might be something useful in there. I grabbed it and headed to the barn. My plan was to quickly look through the stuff and then return everything exactly how it was when I found it. I heard Paul’s voice outside calling for Jeremiah and I was scared he’d come into the barn so I pried up one of the loose planks of the floor and stuffed the pouch under it. That was about the time they came into the barn and knocked me out. I still don’t know how they found out about our plan, Sophia. I hadn’t told anyone.”
“I swear I didn’t tell anyone, either,” Sophia insisted, taking Nick’s hand.
“Maybe it was just a good guess or insurance on their part. They knew you were in love and that Sophia didn’t want to marry Michael Mason,” I replied.
“So was there a map of some sort in that pouch?” Peter asked.
“I don’t know. I never got the chance to open it before I was attacked, but I took it only a couple of days before Sophia was married. Maybe Jeremiah didn’t notice it was gone until after that and assumed Sophia took it with her. By the time he realized it was gone she would have been dead.”
“And so were you,” Sophia added.
I was almost scared to ask the next question. “Is the barn still there?”
Nick and Sophia looked at each other and shrugged. “It’s been decades since either of us has been to the old house. I have no idea what remains.”
“I guess there’s only one way to find out. Who’s up for another vacation?” Peter said as he plopped down onto the couch next to Nick.
“You can’t be serious,” Camille gasped.
“Of course I’m serious. The last thing I want to do is spend my summer sitting around talking. I don’t know about you, but I’ve been having a blast so far.” Peter put his arms behind his head and leaned back against the cushions.
“I think someone needs to go check, but maybe Nick and I should go again so that you guys aren’t in any more danger,” Sophia responded.
“You know, humans don’t have auras accompanying them everywhere they go. If we send the living ones, it might not tip off the Goodwins as quickly,” Nick added.
“But if by some miracle the house and barn are still standing, ghosts can snoop around without alarming the current occupants far better than a living person could,” Sophia countered.
“I think we should all go.” I couldn’t believe the words had come out of my mouth. I must have gone crazy.
“I’m definitely going. How about you, Camille?” Peter prodded.
She was a little more hesitant. “I don’t know. I want to go, but what if Jeremiah and Elsa follow us?”
“If we find the map, and the Goodwins come back, then we give it to them. They’ll leave us alone,” Sophia stated.
“No way am I giving them the map. I thought we were here to get revenge,” Nick answered back.
Sophia sighed. “Nick, no matter how badly we want to move on, we can’t keep putting others in harm’s way.”
“We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it . . . if we come to it.”
“So, how do we get to Virginia?” Peter was definitely the most excited for the trip.
“First we have to get permission to go traipsing off by ourselves. I know that Nick and Sophia have been around for a long time and are much older and wiser than they appear, but my Dad’s still not going to agree to this unless we have a really good cover.”
“Tell him I invited you to my family’s estate in Virginia. It’s mostly true. You can do the same thing, Cam,” Sophia suggested.
“That sounds fine, but what happens when Dad insists on meeting and discussing it with your parents first?”
“I guess that’s when Jack and Rita become useful. They offered to help if they could. It wouldn’t be that big of a deal to them to pretend to be my Mommy and Daddy.” Sophia perked up. I think she realized there was a good chance our plan would work.
“What about Peter?”
“We just won’t tell your Dad that I’m going with you guys,” Peter said. “I’m sure he’ll automatically assume it’s a girls-only trip. My parents aren’t going to be home for another week or so. I’ll tell them I’m headed to Virginia with a friend. They won’t care at all.”
“There you go. Problem solved. Any more questions?” Nick asked.
“I have one.” I raised my hand. “Will you and Sophia please stay here with me tonight?”
Sophia laughed and came over to hug me. “Of course we’ll stay here. I’m not letting my soul saver out of my sight.”