Page 67 of The Cottage on Pelican Bay

She recognized the script. It was her mother’s and, like Saint had said, the letter was addressed to her.

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With nervous fingers Zara opened the envelope. She took a deep breath and began reading the letter inside...

To my very own Princess Zara,

I am no longer with you but hope you are truly happy. My hope is that you have found someone to love and who truly loves you in return. Never give up on love. If you find it, then fight for it like your life depends on it.

One day while painting my beautiful pelicans outside, I stumbled across a whiskey bottle that had been unearthed by a recent storm. Inside was a map. I wasn’t sure if it was authentic or not, and I decided not to share details of it with anyone. Especially not your father. I could see him destroying Pelican Bay in search of buried treasure that probably didn’t really exist.

Instead of destroying the map I’ve left it for you to decide what you want to do with it, since the cottage on Pelican Bay now belongs to you. I figured sooner or later you would find my letter. If I’m still alive, then we can decide together. Otherwise, the decision is yours.

Love always,

Mom

PS As for the whiskey bottle the map was found in, I hid it behind the bookcase.

Zara exhaled and unfolded the map that was attached to study it. All her life she’d honestly thought pirates’ treasure maps were a myth. Obviously not. But then this could very well be a fake.

“Zara. You okay?”

She looked over at Saint, who was watching her with a worried expression. “Yes, I’m fine. The letter is from my mother, and it contains a pirate’s treasure map.”

“A treasure map?”

“Yes.” She handed the letter and map to him. “If it’s authentic I can only assume it’s from LaFitte.”

It didn’t take Saint long to read the letter and study the map. He then looked at her. “Do you think it’s authentic, Saint?” she asked.

He shrugged those broad shoulders she liked clutching whenever they made love. “Not sure, Zara. I guess the X mark denotes where the treasure is supposedly buried. But...”

“But you don’t believe it?”

“I’ll admit it’s pretty far-fetched. But the paper it’s drawn on looks old. Like it could have come from that time period,” he said.

“But if the map is real, then the exact location can be established, right?” she asked.

“Yes. With modern technology, scientists have the ability to pinpoint the exact locale and position of just about anything without digging the first hole.” He studied the map and then added, “The way it was drawn I’d think this X here is a location on Pelican Bay. However, there are two other markings in other locations. Not sure if that means anything.”

Zara studied the paper with him, not sure about anything either. She had a good mind to find the whiskey bottle the map came in, put it back inside and rebury it somewhere or throw it into the ocean. But what if it was authentic?

“I know the final decision of what you want to do is yours, but I suggest you talk it over with Vaughn.”

She had a feeling Saint would suggest that. Of course she didn’t have a problem telling Vaughn about the map, but she felt the decision of what to do about the map was a journey that she and Saint should take together. She wasn’t sure why she felt that way, but she did.

“Fine. We’ll talk it over with Vaughn, but only after we determine if the map is authentic.”

He lifted a brow. “We?”

“Yes. You and I are in this map thing together, Saint. If you hadn’t pulled out that book and opened it, I might not ever have seen that letter.”

“Eventually, you would have.”

“Maybe, but when? I’ve been in this section of the room a lot of times but never thought of reading that book. In fact, I’ve avoided doing so because it was my mother’s favorite. She would often read it to me while I was growing up, and the memories were too much to bear.”

He shook his head. “I don’t know, Zara. I consider that map as yours.”

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