Page 2 of Obsession Under the Southern Stars

“Joel!” Hallie exclaims. “That’s amazing! Why haven’t you announced the find?”

“We don’t want the publicity yet. It’s nice and quiet out there, and we don’t want multiple boats churning up the silt and damaging the visibility, because it’s relatively clear at the moment. I thought Zoe might like to join me for the week, and we can try to find the Mair Necklace for her.”

“You can dive?” Fraser asks me.

I nod. “I did a scuba diving course a few years back.”

“Scuba,” Fraser says distractedly. He’s always doing this—going off on a tangent. “It’s such a weird word. I wonder what the etymology is?”

“Fraser!” I roll my eyes. “Please tell me you’re joking. Your brother is a maritime archaeologist, for God’s sake.” He continues to look puzzled, though. Joel meets my eyes and givesme a look that says, ‘I give up’. Hallie tries not to laugh. “It stands for Self-Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus,” I tell him.

“Oh. Well. You learn something new every day.”

“So… can I go? I’ll take it as annual leave.”

“No need,” he says. “We’ll call it professional development. The Mair Necklace would be a terrific find. Would you sell it to the museum?” he asks Joel.

“I’ll even offer you a discount,” Joel replies. “Mate’s rates.”

Fraser gives a short laugh and walks to the door, and Hallie winks at me, then follows him.

“I’ve got a charter flight booked for ten a.m. tomorrow,” Joel says. “You want me to meet you at the airport or your flat?”

I hesitate. “I’m going to my parents’ place first thing. Mum asked me to call in on my way to work in the morning, and I said I’d be there at eight.”

“Okay. I can meet you there if you like, and we’ll Uber in together.”

“Sure. I’ll text you the address.”

His gaze scans my face. “Everything okay with them?”

I frown. “I’m not sure. I know they’ve been arguing a lot lately.” I bite my bottom lip. He always does this to me. Spots an undercurrent, a riptide beneath the surface when I’m trying to swim above it. “Mind your own business,” I add.

He chuckles and gets to his feet, turning to head for the door.

“Joel…”

He turns back.

“If I go with you… You know it doesn’t mean anything, right? This is purely about work.”

His eyes meet mine. They’re dark blue, the color of the sky on a stormy evening. They flash now the way lightning lights up the sky, betraying the fact that he’s hoping for more.

But he just says, “Of course. Purely professional.”

I give him a wry look. His lips curve up.

Then he pauses, and his gaze skims down me and back up, sending tingles through me, before he says, “Oh, you might like to bring something special to wear.”

“Are you talking lingerie?”

He laughs. “No. You know that Linc said he’s picking up the ANZAS cruise from Christchurch next week?”

I nod; the Australian and New Zealand Archaeological Society is holding its yearly conference on a cruise around the two countries this year, and Linc has been invited to speak. He’s joining the cruise halfway through, boarding the ship in the South Island.

“Well,” Joel continues, “tomorrow the ship arrives in Paihia, and they’re holding the ANZAS Annual Dinner there.” MOANA—which is the Maori word for the sea—stands for the Maritime Organization of Aotearoa Nautical Archaeology, the company that Joel works for. “I thought you could come with me,” he adds.

“I’m not going as your date,” I point out.

---