Page 21 of Spring Break with a Treasure Hunter
Drawing on the cigar, he looked out over the water and ship lights sparkled on the horizon. What would they find beneath the waves?
Cork’s chest tightened, and he threw back the rest of the whiskey, then dropped the unfinished cigar into the glass. He had some thinking to do, and he needed to do it quick. It was all going to come to a head tomorrow.
I organizedthe research from Beck as best I could. Going over the multitude of notes repeatedly and separating them into some semblance of order. Cork was on the balcony, and I was looking forward to later. The beach lovemaking had been wonderful, but sand got in places it shouldn’t be and I planned to entice him into the shower.
Right now, I enjoyed a cup of tea and refocused on the papers. I pushed them around on the table looking for links. A pile of sticky notes, smudged with water droplets and almost illegible scribbles needed deciphering. The sheet protected notes were easier to read even if the paper seemed much, much older.
An old map crackled when I opened it, and more sticky notes fell out. I squinted, trying to read them and sighed with frustration. I picked one up and held it close, then my blood ran cold. Cork’s name was on it. The water stain made it difficult tosee the rest of the words other than what looked like treasure and collector.
A little alarm bell went off. I knew he was a collector, but what did thismean? Suddenly, the suspicion I had when we’d first met came roaring back. Was he being honest with me about keeping the discovery for the public, or was he planning to wrest it away for himself?
My heart sank. How could I have been so gullible to believe he was on my side? Wanting to preserve the antiquities and not hide them away in a private collection. His private collection. I sat back in the chair and my mind whirled. What now? Would this affect the grant from Beck? Was he in on it as well and attempting to buy me into helping him find treasure?
These thoughts devastated me, which of course ran to catastrophizing. I couldn’t help myself having once been betrayed by a former dive partner and of course the way my father had driven into me to trust no one.
I didn’t know what to do and gathered up the research. Seeing his name on that piece of paper set off all my bells, and I couldn’t help it. I went to the bedroom to throw my stuff in my bag. I needed to go home. To think. To figure this out.
What did this mean for the dive tomorrow? I’d just do it alone. That’s what. Tears filled my eyes, and I rushed back into the bedroom, made sure I had everything, and closed my bag.
“What are you doing?” I spun around.
Cork stood in the doorway, a concerned expression on his face. Standing tall, not about to be intimidated, I carefully arranged my features not to show any emotion.
“Leaving.”
12
Cork glanced at her bag on the bed, then at her. He’d never seen her angry before. Her expression was dark and ominous. Those lips that had given him so much pleasure drew into a thin line.
“I don’t understand. What’s happened?” A cold pit of fear settled in his belly.
She closed her eyes and shook her head, then opened them, raising her hand in the air with her fingers spread. “I need to be alone and think. I feel I’m getting distracted from my work.”
There was something she wasn’t telling him. He had no clue what it was. They’d come back from Love Beach on a high, eager to begin the next phase of their search for theSirena. And earlier, at sunset on the beach, she hadn’t been upset. So whatever it was, it was recent.
“I don’t get it. What changed in the last few hours?” He walked closer to her.
She pulled the straps of her bags over her shoulder, getting ready to leave.
He wasn’t gonna let her go without telling him what was going on. And he stepped in front of her.
“Really? You’re blocking my way.” She stared at him, their eyes locked.
“No, I just want you to stay. Don’t leave like this without telling me why. Let’s talk about whatever has upset you. I’m sure we can work it out.” He stepped aside and followed her into the living room.
“I’m not sure I want to stay anymore.” She glanced out the open patio door, and the breeze blew strands of her hair across her face.
Cork walked towards her and was glad she didn’t move. He reached up and tucked the wayward strands of hair behind her ear. “Come on, let’s talk about this. Tell me what’s got you so upset. Because I have no idea.”
She was quiet, and he waited, but she didn’t say anything.
“Please, Daisy, we’ve just begun with the venture of findingSirena. Beck’s new involvement, diving in the morning. Us.” He didn’t want to plead with her, nor did he want her to do something she didn’t want anymore. The thought of her leaving like this broke him.
He was on the other end of goodbyes this time, and he didn’t like the feeling at all. Now he understood the emotions his actions had caused others, but he still wouldn’t beg her to stay. He wanted her to want to stay.
Her silence lingered, but her expression softened somewhat. “Daisy, I’m not gonna force you to do anything or make you feel bad about your decision. I want you to do what’s best for you. But I want you to know that I want you to stay.”
Fire jumped into her eyes. “Why? So you can steal everything we find?”
