LITMIR.BIZ

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been friends with Wyatt Gage since their days serving together in Vietnam.

      “He said to tell you he’ll come as soon as he’s fit to travel.”

      Ava groaned. She did not want her father on a plane so soon after a surgery to relieve pressure on his lower back. She’d just returned from visiting him. “I’ll call him. Tell him I’m okay.”

      Luca nodded. “The doctors filled him in. He asked me to look into the situation, to find out what happened to your uncle and what he was after because he thinks it might endanger you.”

      She felt like screaming. “He can’t stand Uncle Paul. He just wants him out of my life.”

      Luca appeared unsure how to respond.

      “My uncle was looking for something, some sort of treasure. All I know is he was planning to buy an unclaimed storage unit. He told me a while back that he thought it might have belonged to a rich family, I think the name was Danson, but I don’t know anything else, okay?”

      “Okay. That’s a place to start.”

      She drew herself up as high as she could against the pillows. “I don’t want help. I can take care of myself.”

      He grinned. “That much I already know. I remember how you could make it down the mountain no matter how rough the snow or how bad the weather. You beat me every time we raced, and that bugged me like nobody’s business.”

      She felt a small thrill that he remembered their time together as vividly as she did. “Proves my point,” she said.

      He bent slightly so he could look her full in the face and her stomach fluttered just like it had in high school when she drew near the popular, easygoing Luca Gage.

      “Your father and my father go way back,” Luca was saying. “He’s asked me to look into this matter. I’m going to find a treasure if there is one and figure out what happened to your uncle Paul, because that’s what I do.”

      “So it doesn’t matter what I want?” she demanded, sitting up higher against the pillows.

      “No,” he said, turning to the door and giving her a cheerful smile. “It doesn’t.”

      * * *

      Luca found his sister waiting in the lobby, drumming manicured fingers against the dark denim of her jeans.

      He shrugged. “She’s okay. No permanent damage.”

      Stephanie’s lips curved. “And I’m guessing from the look on your face, she wants you to leave her alone?”

      He didn’t answer.

      “And I’m also guessing you’re not going to cooperate?”

      He paced to the window. “This isn’t about Ava. I gave my word to her father. We’re going to find out if there really is a treasure. It’s the only way to find the person who abducted Paul and sent us to the bottom of the lake.”

      She watched him pace the beige tiled floor. “Typically, that’s the police’s job, crime solving and all that.”

      “This time they’re going to have help. What do you know about John Danson? Paul might have bought his unclaimed storage unit.”

      She raised an eyebrow. “Danson? I remember we came across that name in one of our cases way back. He was a bit of an eccentric, the sole survivor of a wealthy family, but mentally unstable. I read in the paper he died six months ago, leaving no heirs and not much of an inheritance because he donated the family fortune to charity over the years.”

      “Not all of it. I remember reading that there was one item in the Danson treasure trove, a particularly valuable one, that never turned up.”

      She stretched her slender arms over her head and yawned. “And you happen to think Paul found that particular item?”

      “Ava said her uncle was after Danson’s storage unit.”

      She stood and smoothed her leather jacket. “Luca, even though you’re a big dope sometimes, I love you anyway, so I have to say, this is dangerous.”

      He grunted. “What’s dangerous? It couldn’t be worse than getting caught in a burning building.”

      She shivered, no doubt reliving the perils of their last treasure hunt for a stolen violin that almost cost both Stephanie and Tate their lives. He was sorry for his joke. Another stupid remark from big-mouth brother. “Hey, I’m sorry. Poor taste.”

      She waved a hand. “Not that kind of dangerous. The kind of danger that comes from getting involved in complicated family business. Bruce doesn’t like Paul. Ava loves him. Is the truth going to make things better or worse?”

      He turned away, gazing out the window into the piles of dirty snow churned up along the newly plowed road. “I don’t know.”

      She came close and put a hand on his arm, voice soft, her head barely reaching his shoulder. “And I remember how you used to show off for Ava. I always thought you had a thing for her.”

      “I showed off for all the girls, not just Ava.” He gave her a squeeze. “This is professional. Treasure hunting only. That’s all I’m here for.”

      Stephanie chewed her lip. “Did you tell her Dad is interested in buying Whisper?”

      “No, that seemed like a little much for the moment. I’ll tell her at a better time.”

      Something flickered in her eyes, but mercifully, she did not comment. “Because I know better than to argue when you have your jaw set like that, I’ll work on the details. The first thing is to find a temporary space for Treasure Seekers. Gold Summit is booked solid for the next two weeks. I’m still looking for a place.”

      He nodded, relieved to be hammering out a plan. “Doesn’t have to be fancy. An internet hookup, a couple of mattresses on the floor, and I’m fine.”

      “Speak for yourself. I require better accommodations than that, and it’s gotta take dogs.”

      “Dogs?”

      She nodded. “Until Ava is sprung and takes possession of Mack Dog, he’s your new hairy little brother.”

      He laughed. “I always wanted another brother. Victor is no good at fetch.”

      “Swell, then you can share your mattress with him. Tate filled up his pockets with dog biscuits and took him for a walk.”

      Pockets.

      The word sizzled through him and he jerked. “I can’t believe it.”

      “What?”

      “Some investigator.” He groaned. “I’m an idiot.”

      “Not all the time,” Stephanie replied. “But what did you do this time?”

      “It’s not what I did, it’s what I didn’t do. I know how to find out who abducted Paul. The answer has been in my pocket the whole time.” He jogged for the door.

      “What?” Stephanie said. “What are you talking about?”

      He didn’t reply as he sprinted into the late-afternoon sunlight.

      * * *

      It was nearly noon the next day when Ava eased out of her car, her ribs and legs sore and complaining, tired from the effort of convincing the doctors to discharge her. Even though she’d wanted to head immediately to the spot where the police were concentrating their rescue efforts, she’d been clearly ordered in polite tones by Sergeant Towers to keep out of the way. He further informed her that the contents of Uncle Paul’s truck had been seized and would be returned when the police were good and ready.

      Didn’t matter. Ava knew where Uncle Paul had been staying to spearhead his ridiculous treasure hunt. It was a start anyway.

      The Peak Season Trailer Park was as tidy as it had

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