by Terry Spear
“He may be right. My great-aunt knew what she was doing when she collected some of this stuff.”
Josh pulled Brooke into his arms. “You didn’t tell Adam about the mating, so I didn’t mention it to my brother.”
“I figured we’d tell them when they got here.”
“I was afraid you might want to wait. I’m ready to shout it out to the rest of the wolves.”
She laughed, rubbing his arms and then kissing him. “Don’t worry. We’ll let all the bachelor males know right away. There’s no reason to wait.” She went back over the treasure list her great-aunt had made. “The first on her list says ‘Travel to Imperial China for double the treasure.’ The two Chinese vases were in the steamer with Chinese ship-destination stickers. So that must have been the clue to them. I never would have guessed that they had been an emperor’s treasure and valued at so much.”
“I agree with you. It sounds like we have a party game for this afternoon.” Josh looked at the next item on the list. “‘You’ll have to go to the Miracle on 34th Street and then you’ll believe.’”
“The Santa suit we found in the trunk! Don’t you think?” she asked.
“Yeah. It’s all about believing in Santa, right?” Josh said.
“And it’s about the commercialization of Christmas, even back in 1947.” Brooke snapped her fingers. “A sticker for New York City was on the steamer trunk. Thirty-Fourth Street in New York City.”
“This is great.”
“I agree.” She looked up information about one of her favorite Christmas movies. “Did you know that Edmund Gwenn, the actor who played Santa, actually was in the Macy’s parade in 1946 and that’s where they shot the film? It was bitterly cold too.”
“No, I hadn’t known that.”
“Gwenn’s cousin Cecil Kellaway rejected the role, and Gwenn grabbed it. To think his cousin missed out on the opportunity of a lifetime to play in a movie that has become a Christmas classic. It says here that Valentine Davies was inspired to write the story while standing in a long line waiting to buy his gifts at a department store,” she said.
“I hadn’t known that, but it’s sure relevant today too. Though online shopping has helped considerably. But why would the Santa suit be valuable?” Josh asked.
“I’m not sure. What about the next clue: ‘To believe, you have to dress the part. Especially in New York City.’”
“Both are about believing. Wait, both are about the movie?” Josh asked.
“Ohmigod, what if the little girl’s coat and hat and Santa’s costume actually were from Miracle on 34th Street?” Brooke went to find her colorized version of the movie and brought it out to show Josh. “That’s it. The outfit that Natalie Wood wore as an eight-year-old in the movie. The Santa suit looks just like Santa’s costume.”
“How much would it be worth?”
“I have no idea, but maybe we can take them to the Christmas party for show-and-tell.”
“That sounds great.”
A knock sounded on the back door, and Josh went to get it. “It’s Adam.” Josh let him in.
“What are we celebrating exactly?” Adam had brought a pecan pie.
“Oh, thanks for the pecan pie. I love them,” Brooke said.
“We’re celebrating the sale of two Chinese vases owned by the emperor himself,” Josh said.
“Really. So how much are they selling for these days?” Adam asked, setting the pie on the table.
“Forty million United States dollars each,” Josh said before she could. “Hell, when the first potential buyer offered ten million for each of the vases, I would have sold them to him right then and there. Good thing I’m not helping with that part of the business.”
Adam laughed. “Hell, I can’t believe it. Did I see them?”
“Probably not. Once I thought they might be the real deal, Josh put them in the safe in the house. When Maverick arrives, Josh can open the safe and show them to you. No touching though.”
The guys laughed.
“She’s got a great game to play. Her great-aunt made up a list of valuable items and where they were located,” Josh said. Then a knock sounded on the front door, and Josh went to get it. “Maverick’s here. He brought a holiday cheese ball covered in fresh green chives and crackers. Hey, you’re in time to help us figure out the clues.”
Adam opened the bottle of champagne while Brooke fetched the champagne glasses.
Maverick set the food on the table. “So what are we celebrating?”
This time, Brooke shared about the sale of the vases, and then with champagne glasses in hand, they went in to show off the vintage artwork, because the vases would soon be collected from Brooke and out of here for good.
“Wow,” Maverick said. “Who would have ever believed a couple of vases would be that valuable.”
“And even better—you’re looking at two mated wolves,” Brooke said.
Adam and Maverick looked shocked at first, glancing at a grinning Josh as if to see if it was for real.
“Ah, hell,” Adam said.
Maverick laughed. “My sentiment too. Welcome to the family.” He gave Brooke a hug.
“Just consider me part of the family. Both Josh and Maverick do.” Adam gave her a hug. “Congratulations to both of you.”
They hugged Josh too.
“So where’s the list of clues?” Maverick asked.
Brooke brought out plates so everyone could grab some munchies, and then they sat in the living room while Josh made a fire. She returned with the list of clues and explained what they thought the first three items were.
“Sounds reasonable to me,” Adam said. “We might not be able to help with these though. You’ve been unloading the trunks and boxes and have seen some of the merchandise.”
“That’s true.” Maverick placed a couple of crackers on his plate and sliced off some of the cheese ball.
Brooke began fixing lunch, putting on the steaks, then boiling potatoes and frying up some asparagus.
“The next clue is: ‘You need to vet the barn to make sure it isn’t worthless.’ What would that be?” Adam asked. “Wait, the next clue says ‘You have to pickup the barn to use it to its fullest.’ ‘Pickup’ is written as one word.”
“So a pickup truck? What would be the value in that?” Brooke asked.
“If it’s vintage, it could be worth something,” Maverick said.
“Another clue: ‘Luxuriate in Italy whether you’re a sports fan or not, but you have to get out of the barn to do it.’”
“A luxury Italian car?” Maverick said. “Man, I’m in the market.”
“I’m sure Brooke will give it to you for a Christmas gift,” Josh said, smiling. “What if the clues are all referring to vehicles? A luxury Italian car could be a Ferrari, Alfa Romeo, Fiat. Maybe a Maserati or Lamborghini. They’re all Italian luxury cars that could be classics.”
“Which would you love to have?” Brooke asked.
“Man, oh man. If I could, I’d keep them all,” Josh said.
She chuckled. “You’re like my great-uncle, if these are vintage cars in the barn. He’s been gone thirty years, so they’d have to be vintage. I can’t imagine my great-aunt buying cars and hiding them in a barn.”
“I wouldn’t have them sitting in a barn collecting dust,” Josh said.
“You’d be showing them off,” Brooke said.
“Yeah. That’s what they’re for.” Josh smiled. He couldn’t imagine having something that grand to drive.
“If they’re what we think they could be, maybe the ‘vet’ is a Corvette,” Adam said.
“But there are no barns here on the property.” Josh set out the plates and silverware.
“The other items she mentioned as far as travel had to do with the steamer trunk. But I think you’re right. She has a parcel of a thousand ac
res of land that I inherited. Maybe something’s hidden in an old barn on the acreage,” Brooke said.
“Do you have the deed?” Adam asked.
“I’ll get it.” She went to her office and pulled it out of her file cabinet and returned to the living room. She looked it over while Maverick and Josh peered over her shoulders.
“This land borders ours,” Maverick said. “I vaguely remember our grandparents mentioning that William, your great-uncle, purchased the land next to ours and built a home, and then they ended up later moving into town to buy two Victorian homes joined by a courtyard and turned one into the gift shop.”
“That’s great news. So we’ve been neighbors all along.” Brooke returned to the kitchen and served the meal. “Time to eat.”
Adam brought glasses of water to the table for everyone. “Who’s going to look for a barn on the property after lunch?”
“Who’s going to protect the house and shop?” Brooke asked.
The guys all joined her at the table to eat lunch, but they also looked eager to find rare vehicles in the barn—and forget about the house and the shop!
Chapter 22
“Someone can stay and safeguard your house and shop,” Josh said to Brooke, his brother, and Adam. Josh wouldn’t leave her behind though. He’d be worried about her safety if she was all alone. “We need to have someone stay here with Brooke while the others look for the barn.”
“I’m going with one of you. We only need one person to stay at the house if I’m not here,” Brooke said.
“Who’s staying?”
Adam held up his hand. “I will, since I’m a police detective and can handle a crisis if someone tries to break in to either the house or the shop.”
“I guess we’ll take separate cars so that I can be home after we look for the barn,” Maverick said.
“Good idea,” Josh said.
They finished lunch and helped Brooke clean up afterward.
“Let’s go,” Josh said, eager to go. “We’ll keep you informed about what we find, Adam.” Josh got the car door for Brooke when they were outside, and she climbed in. “If we have this figured right, I don’t understand why your great-aunt would have all these cars hidden in an old barn.”
“If we’re right, they were probably my great-uncle’s and she didn’t want to sell them off because they reminded her of him. She knew he wouldn’t have wanted to part with them.”
“Thirty years in an old barn that might or might not be where he’d put them that many years ago.” Josh shook his head.
“Would they be that valuable?” Brooke asked. “I mean, if they’re old and rusty and all.”
“Oh yeah. They could still be valuable. I’m going to give Leidolf a call and tell him we’re mated, if that’s all right with you.”
“It sure is.”
Josh reached over and squeezed her hand. “I couldn’t be happier, you know.”
“Me either.”
Josh called Leidolf and gave him the good news. Cassie got on the phone, too, and congratulated the two of them.
Cassie said, “You know we only just found out you had moved here to take over your great-aunt’s shop and home. The bachelor males said Josh didn’t play fair. Not that I blame him at all.”
Leidolf added, “We can’t wait to meet you.”
“I guess you know I want to be part of the pack,” Brooke told them.
“Yes, and we’re happy to have you,” Cassie said. “Will we see you at the Christmas party?”
“Yes. I look forward to meeting everyone.”
“See you then. And congratulations to both of you,” Cassie said.
Then they ended the call, and Brooke let out her breath. “My great-aunt might not have made the time to do pack events, but now that you can help me manage things, I sure want to.”
“We’ll certainly do that. I haven’t been able to make a lot of the events either because of the work I do, but it’ll be different now. Well, once I retire.”
“This will be good for both of us then.”
They followed Maverick as he drove past a sign for the reindeer ranch. He finally pulled off the main road onto a rutted, paved road that weeds and grass had partly taken over. Trees encroaching on the one-lane road made it even narrower.
Maverick finally parked his truck at a gate and got out of his vehicle. He checked out the gate while they waited.
“It’s probably locked,” Josh said.
“Does Maverick have lockpicks?”
“Sure, but if it’s a combination type, we’ll have to cut off the lock. He’s got a bolt cutter in his truck for emergencies.”
“I might have a key for it, if it’s a key lock. I found tons of keys in Ivy’s desk but had no clue what they were for.”
Maverick turned and smiled at them, jiggling his lockpicks in one hand, the key lock in the other.
“Yes!” Brooke said.
Maverick tried to open the gate. Josh saw him struggling and left the car to help him. Brooke soon joined them to help too.
“We’ll have to cut back some of this brush later,” Josh said. They finally managed to pull the gate open, and they piled into Maverick’s truck because it could navigate the road better.
“Wow, I’ve never been here before,” Brooke said as they continued to bump along the road. “It’s beautiful with the creek and forest.”
The creek that ran through Josh and Maverick’s property also ran through hers. “We never had a fence between our properties because we’re all wolves, though we never trespass beyond our own borders.” Now that this was all theirs, they could start using the land too.
“This is wonderful. Maybe with some of the money from the vases, we could build a retreat. Cabins, hiking trails, fishing in the creek. Maybe a timber play-fort for the kids. We could have hot tubs, a swimming pool even. It could be rented out to wolves from all over. We could hire someone from the pack to manage the place,” Brooke said. “And I want to donate some money to the wolf reserve south of here.”
“I like the idea,” Josh said, Maverick agreeing.
“Look over there at the paved road that’s in mint condition, not like the beginning of this one from the gate,” she said.
“Somebody’s repaved it but didn’t maintain the beginning of the drive, as if wanting it to look uninhabited,” Josh said.
“There’s the house,” she said excitedly.
The two-story brick home didn’t look to be in too bad shape. It needed some fresh paint on the trim work, but the brickwork looked good. It could probably use a new roof too. The road would have to be repaved and widened.
“Depending on the condition of the house, we could renovate it and have it as lodging too. Or the wolf who runs the cabins could live there,” Josh said.
“Now that’s an excellent idea. So he and his family, if he has one, would live there free and keep up the place. I want to see inside the house, if you can use your lockpicks to get inside. But over there”—she motioned to a big red barn—“we’ve got to check out the barn first.”
Maverick parked the truck at the house, and they all got out to make their way through the tangle of shrubs that had grown all over the yard and finally reached the barn. It was in great shape, better than the house even.
“It looks like someone’s been coming out here and maintaining the barn,” Maverick said.
“Maybe my great-aunt hired someone to care for the vintage cars and the barn in memory of my great-uncle. It would make sense that if she had them, she wouldn’t just leave them to rust in an abandoned barn.”
“That would be good news.” Josh reached the barn first, his lockpicks out, eager to see if the vehicles were inside.
When he opened the door, there they were. Beautifully polished, looking ready to take a spin. “That one’s a ’57 red-and-white Corvette.”
“Yes!” Maverick said, sounding as thrilled as Josh felt.
“And it’s in great condition,” Josh said, opening the driver’s door.
“Wow, I just can’t believe it. I can’t believe my great-aunt never told me about it. I never knew my great-uncle.”
“Now that’s a Ferrari,” Maverick said, opening the door and climbing into the car. “A 1966 Ferrari 275 GTB/2 with sports alloy wheels and blue vinyl interior with only 13,000 miles on the speedometer.”
“That’s great. I can’t believe it!” Brooke was looking up something else on her phone. “Wow, for a 1966 Ferrari being auctioned off in Monterey, California, the price tag is $2,900,000 to $3,500,000.”
“You have a mint here,” Josh said.
Deeper in the barn, they saw a pickup truck. “That’s a 1940 blue Chevy pickup truck,” Maverick said.
“Worth”—Brooke was on her phone searching for a price—“between $35,000 and $40,000.”
“They’re all in mint condition. The barn is well sealed. Not like normal barns,” Josh said.
“So what do you want for Christmas?” she asked as Josh and Maverick switched cars and took turns sitting in the driver’s seats.
Josh smiled.
“One of the cars? It’s yours.”
He chuckled. “I got what I wanted for Christmas already. You.”
“You’re so sweet. Thanks.”
“What would you like?” Josh asked her.
