Page 173 of In the Pursuit of Haven
Scrooby and Zak didn’t look like they’d let their Relics go as easily. Scrooby’s brown eyes darkened. He clasped the Bible like he was ready to bash Hunter in the head with it, followed by his hard fist.
Up the hill, the helicopters made their descent. I saw the black and red metal through the gaps of the trees as they landed. Hunter hadn’t lied. They had big nasty guns. Someone was going to get hurt. I stepped between Hunter and my friends.
Jessie’s hand never left me. “Roxy,” he warned.
Hopefully Hunter’s backup crew hadn’t spotted us through the trees yet. “You’d better tell your people that you were the only survivor when they come down here,” I said. I didn’t want these hardened men trying to gun anyone down for being witnesses. We could hide in the forest until they left with their treasure. “No funny business.”
“No, no!” Hunter held up his hands, looking innocent. “I’d never turn on youafterthis. I just want what I came for.”
Once again, I realized how much these Relics were actually worth.
More men with guns were closing in on us. They slipped from the bushes and were close enough so that I could see their faces.I mean, I can really see their faces.I pulled up to attention. Jessie’s gaze snapped to them too, and he froze.
My stomach tightened as Zak released his piece of tin with a growl. Seeing the map on the other side of it, I realized that dirty pirate, Crabb, had intended amazing things for his Shepherds.
What would he say to this? I almost laughed.
“Only the pure of heart can find this treasure,” Jessie said. He didn’t release the wooden Norseman head to Hunter, “or else the fire of betrayal will consume them.”
Hunter hesitated, leaning heavily on the cane he’d stolen from my grandfather. “Wait, what?”
I crossed my arms. “It means you’re too much of a dirtbag to find these treasures.”
“And here I thought we were friends.” Hunter’s light laugh was edged with irritation.
“Well, I thought that was a friendly warning,” I said with a smile. “Now give the Relics back.”
“Cute.” Hunter held out his hand for that wooden Norseman head again. The men that I had seen scrambling directly behind him from those bushes were now gathered behind him, including a woman with bright-pink hair. Her annoyed glare should really be drilling holes into Hunter’s back by now.
Speaking of that smug jerk’s back, none of them had it. Hunter hadn’t even bothered glancing at his supposed backup. It made a strange kind of sense that the man who’d barely flinched when his minions died around him would only see them as a faceless mass.
Once glance up the hill told me that his guys in the helicopters hadn’t come for us yet. They were still making room in their storage containers.
“Now who’s being greedy?” Hunter told Jessie. “I would’ve given you all of this and never looked back, but”—he clicked his tongue—“you took too long. Now my guys can see for themselves how much treasure is here, and if word gets out to my uncle that I cut you a break, my name’s mud. But hey, I’m sure we can’t pack all of this treasure with us.” There was more mockery in his tone than reassurance. He winked. “The helicopters are only so big.”
“You probably won’t be taking any of it,” Jude said behind him. Ruth glared, her arms crossed over her like a shield.
Hunter froze.
For the record, can I just rub in how right I was about them being Shepherds of the Relics?
Jessie kept it cool like he was in on their secret all along, but my man knew that he’d never hear the end of this when we got home—and I couldn’t wait to get him alone.
Hunter rolled his eyes before he turned to face the ones who weredefinitelynot on his side.
Jude cackled out a laugh. He stood in front of his organized militia, his facemask hugging his jowls like a sling. “Always chasing this eel out of the shadows of some ugly rock. I thought you had enough of me from the lighthouse.” He flipped the safety off his rifle. “Don’t make a move. Randy’s circling this island with the coast guard.”
Hunter rolled his eyes.
“Don’t worry,” I told the miserable traitor. “Your helicopters are still waiting over the hillside. You never know, they could give you a lift out.”
Epilogue
Jessie caught me in his arms as I hauled in the moving box. He kissed me against the ear. The sound reverberated through my hearing and I giggled.
We almost had all of our belongings packed into the keeper’s station. The island officials were Haven’s good friends, so as soon as I expressed interest in taking over, the job was ours. No questions asked.
Abby shooed our cat out of the way and came up behind us. She was done moving her own things out of her father’s place, and so she’d volunteered to help us out.
