Page 170 of In the Pursuit of Haven
I laughed. “Honestly, I was thinking we’d go kick it at Haven’s lighthouse.”
Judging by his huge smile, I knew I’d hit the mark. Jessie was all in. “Yeah?”
“What do you say we get the job as the future lightkeepers?”
“I say, yes and yes… and we fill that island with loud and obnoxious children.”
I leaned into him, imagining their shouts of laughter as he showed them how to sail around the beaches.
Abby turned to Bette Ann, digging through her bag. “What do you want, beautiful lady?”
“I want to make sure all of you see the light of day again,” Bette Ann said sharply. “Put an egg in those shoes and beat it.” She looked behind her at the others that were still on the ship. “That goes for all of you. Let’s go!”
Jessie’s sister laughed and draped a glorious necklace over Bette Ann’s neck. “Wear that when going out on the town.” This was what this free spirit had imagined the treasure would be all along—riches to share and bless the lives of everyone she loved.
My annoyance with her for being so gullible began to dwindle as she followed us out. Abby’s eyes caught Robert’s and her smile faded. She’d heard her father’s rages against him since she was in diapers, no doubt, and now we all knew the truth.
If anyone had lost more than Haven had, it was Robert.
Abby reached into her bag and pulled out a glittering oversized diamond ring. Swallowing, she approached him. She held herself like she had a few days ago while soothing her father’s drunken rants. “I know that this doesn’t…” she hesitated, her eyes darting back to his before she pressed the ring into his rough palm. “I don’t know, but maybe you can… give this to your girl, Robert.”
I strangled over my shocked breath at her nerve, but instead of looking angry, Robert seemed touched. “Which girl?” he said. “My baby? Or my baby’s baby?”
Yes, I am his baby’s baby.I reached past Jessie to squeeze my grandfather’s arm. It wasn’t so bad to be related to a Corwin. My mom would be thrilled to reconnect with her father. “You’ve done so much already…” I told him. “We don’t need a fancy ring. Believe me, Mom and I are never letting you go. And you’re going to love her like I do.”
I watched his blue eyes brighten with tears. “I’ve made so many mistakes.” Swallowing what could only be bitter regret, he wrestled with his next words. “From now on, my record’s going to be squeaky clean… not even a speeding ticket. You got that? I want to see you grow old, my girl.” He clutched tightly to the ring, and for a moment, I was grateful for Abby’s eccentric way of welcoming him into our happily dysfunctional and disjointed family tree.
I hoped my sister-in-law didn’t have to move too far across this vast country of ours to find her freedom.
To the side of us, Scrooby, Brecker, and Zak carried their newfound wealth out. Hunter easily took over the supervising role. The bulk of the treasure still glittered behind us in the ship, forgotten. Just like Phips had been forced to do with this sunken treasure the first time he’d stumbled over it, we were forced to leave most of it behind.
The men leaped off the railing to join us as we moved towards the flicking light ahead. Even laden down with wealth, our friends took the lead as Jessie helped me stumble down the corridor. They took a bend that moved out of sight.
Their shout signaled that something was wrong.
Rounding the corner, I saw the entrance and stumbled. No, no, no! I’d thought that beckoning brightness had been sunlight, but no. The way out was ablaze in a wall of fire.
Scorched above it was a bone-chilling message: “Only one may leave.”
“Are you kidding me?” Hunter’s sudden cheerfulness dropped like a hammer. “One more riddle?”
Yes, yes… itwasa riddle, right? This couldn’t really mean only one was allowed to live. After going to such lengths to bring his polarized friends together, Crabb wasn’t about to make them turn on each other like wild animals. He wasn’t Luther.
He was just a dirty pirate…
Jessie and I stared at the message. I felt the heat of its meaning burn against my eye sockets. Explosions sounded behind us as pieces of the ship began to burn. We were surrounded on all sides by a deadly blaze.
Crabb? You’re not just a dirty pirate, are you?Why are you playing with our lives like this? What do you want us to do?
My friends began muttering to the side of me. “I’m staying behind,” Bette Ann said. “No one be afraid. We’ll figure this out.”
Desperately, I scanned the walls near the fiery exit to see if there was anything there to let us through. The blinding light almost hid a massive cavity next to the raging fire. Coming closer, I saw that it was a keyhole… kinda; it was a huge, round gaping hole the size of my fist. And just as I feared? “There’s only one keyhole,” I whispered through tight lips.
What if this wasn’t a riddle?
Hunter pushed off his backpack and dumped out the treasure he’d gathered. He picked through the meaningless stuff to find the nine Relics. “Which one of these keys fit?” he asked.
None of them. The hole was cartoonishly huge.
