by Caleb Wygal
They each went through the stacks and selected one for themselves, gave him a hug and promised to stay in touch. They departed Edisto in Lynn’s Corolla and returned to her apartment on Hilton Head.
Darwin and Lucas found themselves on the Charleston news for the second time in three days. By morning, their story had gone national. Media and museums all over the southeast were calling for interviews. It wasn’t Lucas’s style to seek attention or have it on him. Thankfully, Darwin elected to speak for the group. Lucas agreed to do one interview with a local station in West Virginia near where he grew up. Darwin already agreed to be on NBC’s Today Show followed by an appearance the same day on the Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon to discuss their quest.
They crashed at Lynn’s place the following night. The next morning, they took Darwin to a barber to get a fresh cut and shave. They then took him to some of the upscale Big and Tall clothing shops on the island to pick out a few new outfits. He wanted to look his best going forward. No more ratty clothes and unkempt appearance.
They celebrated again by going to one of the more expensive restaurants on the island for lunch. Lynn took them to a rental car business at the airport where Lucas rented a sedan to take him and Darwin home. Cost wasn’t so much an issue now.
Darwin thanked her for everything, but knew she and Lucas wanted a moment alone. The big guy folded himself into the subcompact rental car and shut the door.
Lynn’s red hair shifted back and forth across her face as she looked up at Lucas. He reached out a hand and tucked a few strands behind her ear. She closed her eyes and breathed the cologne on his wrist as he did so.
“I want to thank you for everything you did for us,” Lucas said reaching out and grabbing her small hand.
She squeezed his in return, knowing that he was a hero who had stepped out of one of her books. “You’re welcome. I wouldn’t have missed it for the world. It was amazing.”
They shared a long embrace followed by a quick kiss. They promised to see each other again. Soon.
• • •
A few nights later, finally back home sitting in his office, Lucas heaved a sigh of relief. The past few days had been some of the most difficult of his life. He had gone on an adventure of the sort that few people ever would and he lived to tell about it. The bullet wound on his shoulder still hurt, although he had his full range of motion back.
It would leave behind an interesting scar to talk about.
He came home to find the final divorce papers in his mailbox. He took the thick envelope to the post office, had the divorce decree notarized and dropped it in the mail.
That was it for Kristen. He wished her well, although he hoped it would be a long, long time before he saw her again.
The insurance company offered him full value on his Jeep. Despite having almost unlimited funds, he decided he was going to buy a Jeep exactly like the one he had before, just brand new.
He didn’t know what he would do with the rest of his newfound wealth. He hadn’t had time to consider it. Somehow owning a bookstore no longer excited him. The thrill and sense of adventure he received from all of this was something he felt he wanted to do again sometime in the future. Perhaps he and Darwin would find a similar mystery from the past to solve at some point.
He didn’t know what tomorrow would bring. He thought back to his drive along the North Carolina coast on the way down to Hilton Head. He had imagined floating on a raft with a beverage in his hands, riding on the calm waters of some tropical locale, letting the soft breeze propel him across the crystal clear water.
Perhaps he’d look into some flights south. Perhaps he’d see if Lynn wanted to come along. The thought brought him peace and happiness.
He logged off his computer, stood up, went to the corner of his office, and tugged the cord to shut off the antique wooden lamp, casting his office into darkness. Lucas smiled and closed the door behind him as he exited the room. He would sleep well tonight.
The now empty office was quiet and dark. A faint beam of light punctured the darkness of the room. It came through the blinds from a streetlamp on the other side of the neighborhood street. The light fell on the middle of the three full bookshelves against the wall opposite of the desk.
The ray of light spotlighted the display of state quarters left to Lucas by his grandfather. Now, all of the display’s slots were full. The South Carolina slot now had an occupant, however it wasn’t exactly the quarter meant to fill it.
You see, Riddick didn’t make it to the hospital with the three gold coins in his pocket found on Pine Island. Darwin had one. Lynn possessed another.
The third gold doubloon fittingly occupied the once blank slot on the display set aside for South Carolina—where the coin had rested for three-hundred years—now gleaming eternally in the streetlight.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Caleb Wygal is the author of three novels, and is at work on the next Lucas Caine adventure, The Fountain of Youth. When not creating adventures on the written page, Caleb is a social media marketer and website developer in Concord, NC.
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www.CalebWygal.com
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