by Kathi Daley
“Watch out.” I stepped over a large rock onto an area with loose shale that caused a mini avalanche. “Are you okay?” I turned around and looked at Kyle, who had been hiking behind me.
“I’m fine. Watch your step though.” Kyle looked at the steep climb beneath us. “It wouldn’t be fun at all to fall from this height.”
“I’ll be careful.” I found myself wishing I’d thought to wear a hat. There was very little shade on this side of the island at this time of day. “It shouldn’t be too much farther until the trail levels off. Maybe a half mile, if Meg’s map is correct. Once we get there we can find some shade and take a break.”
“Do you really think we’ll find a treasure?” Kyle asked.
“I don’t know. I hope we do. It would be fun and romantic to dig into the soil and find something that was buried by someone who lived over a century ago.”
“We only brought a folding camping shovel, so I hope whoever hid the treasure didn’t bury it too deep,” Kyle pointed out.
We had been somewhat limited in the size and number of tools Kyle and I could carry up the mountain on our backs, but I figured we could always come back if it seemed there was something to find if we went deeper.
“It looks like the shelf is just up ahead,” I called back, hoping it wasn’t a false top. Luckily, it wasn’t; the trail opened onto a beautiful flat meadow. It was somewhat protected by the mountain that surrounded it, which made it a perfect place, in my opinion, to set up a camp or to bury a treasure.
I sat down in the shade on a flat rock and took a long drink of the water we’d brought. Kyle did the same, and then we opened the map and looked at the markers. At first nothing really looked similar. Of course, it had been over a hundred years. A lot could have changed.
“Whoever drew this map did a very rudimentary job,” Kyle observed. “It sort of looks like this pattern of lines matches the rock formation on the mountain over there.”
I looked to where Kyle was pointing. The lines were drawn flat on the page rather than in three dimension, which would lift them off the ground onto the side of the mountain, but Kyle was right; it did look like the lines drawn on the map and those etched into the mountain were the same.
“So that would put us here.”
I pointed to a spot on the map.
Kyle and I both spent several minutes looking down at the map and then around at our surroundings. It appeared as if the spot designated with an X was slightly to the left of us, near what looked to be a waterfall. Problem was, there was no waterfall.
“Maybe it was just really wet that year, creating a waterfall that has since dried up,” I suggested.
“I guess we can walk in that direction to see if we can identify a small stream that might have at one point been a waterfall,” Kyle said.
We each took another sip of our water before continuing.
“You know, this meadow is a fair size and pretty unobstructed by trees. We could have just chartered a helicopter to bring us here,” I pointed out.
“What would be the fun in that?”
“Maybe you’re right, but if we find a treasure chest full of gold or jewels that’s exactly how we’re getting it out of here. There’s no way I’m carrying it down the mountain.”
“Agreed.”
We walked a while longer and did find a small stream that was really no more than a trickle. Still, Kyle pointed out that the rocks behind the spot where it meandered down the cliff face were worn, as if there had been a greater force of water at some point.
“Okay.” I stood still and looked back at the map. “If this is the waterfall the treasure should be there.” I pointed to a small crack in the rock’s surface.
The bushes that had grown up in the area were both tall and thorny, so we spent the next thirty minutes trying to clear a path to the cliff behind without scratching up our arms and legs.
“I’m starting to think a cold shower and an even colder beer might be more desirable at this point than anything we might find here,” I commented as sweat trickled down my back and between my breasts.
“A cold shower does sound good. I wonder if this little stream empties into a pool before it meets up with the sea.”
I turned and looked in the direction the water flowed. “Maybe. If it does, it must be on the other side of the meadow. After that the water would flow down the mountain toward the sea. We can look on our way back. If there is water, I’m taking a dip. I can’t remember the last time I was this dusty and sweaty.”
“I think I see something,” Kyle said as he continued to pull the shrubbery away from the cliff face.
“Well, I’ll be.” The small crack in the cliff became significantly wider at the base. It was large enough for a person to slip into. “Do you think they hid the treasure in a cave rather than underground?”
“Maybe. Do you want to look?”
Did I! “Hell yeah. I’m glad we brought flashlights.”
“I’ll go first. You stay close behind me. And watch where you step. We have no way of knowing if the floor drops off.”
The first thing I noticed after slipping into the interior of the cave was that the temperature had dropped significantly. That alone made the trek worth the effort. Kyle walked slowly in front of me, reminding me continually to watch my step as well as my head. I was having the best time.
“Hunter would hate this,” I told him, almost before I even had the thought.
Kyle laughed. “Yeah. He’s a good guy, but not one to get sweaty and dirty while tracking down a hidden treasure that may not even exist.”
“I’m glad we came. Whether we find the treasure or not. This has been an adventure of the very best kind.”
Kyle paused and looked at the path ahead. “I’ve always dreamed of searching for buried treasure, but I don’t want to get us lost. It looks like the path forks ahead.”
I stood completely still. “What’s that noise?”
Kyle hesitated. “It sounds like water. I think it’s coming from the right.”
“Let’s mark this fork and head toward the sound of the water. If we come to another fork before we find the water, we’ll just head back. I don’t want to get lost either. We can always come back with better supplies.”
Kyle left his hat at the fork so we’d know which one to take on the way back and then continued to the right. The sound of water got louder and louder as we walked along the narrow pathway. After a while Kyle stopped moving. “Why, I’ll be.”
I looked over Kyle’s shoulder at a pool of water being fed by an underground waterfall. “Wow.”
“Wow is right.”
At the top of the waterfall, where the water entered the chamber from the surface above, there was a large hole that actually let in enough light to see fairly well without the flashlights.
The room opened as we continued forward. I dipped a hand into the water, which was fresh and cool. “This is really something.”
“I could be wrong, but I’m beginning to think this map simply leads to someone’s favorite swimming hole,” Kyle said.
I sat down on the side of the pool and slipped off my dirty shoes and socks. I slid my feet into the water and let it pool around my knees. “After a long hike on a hot day this pool seems like a treasure to me.”
Kyle removed his own shoes and socks and slipped his legs into the water as well. “Too bad we didn’t bring swimsuits.”
“I’m game for underwear swimming if you are.”
“So am I.” Kyle grinned.
I stripped down to my bra and underwear and slipped into the cool water. Talk about heaven on earth. Kyle slid into the water just after me and we both dove like puppies as we washed away the dirt and grime of the hike up the mountain. I swam over to the waterfall and slipped around behind it. I’d always wanted to view a waterfall from the back. Kyle swam around the other
side of the waterfall and joined me. It was dark behind the water, which blocked the light from above. It felt like we were in our own little world.
Kyle turned and, without saying a word, pulled me into his arms. He leaned forward slightly and touched my lips ever so gently with his own. The kiss started off hesitantly, but in response, I imagine, to my enthusiasm, he deepened the kiss, and suddenly I was transported back to the dreams I’d been having all week.
There was something about being alone in the dark with someone I’d been dreaming about that brought clarity to my thoughts. Over the past few days I’d tried to make sense of the myriad of emotions I’d been experiencing since Kyle had begun kissing me in the fantasy world of my dreams. My logical mind refused to see it, but it seemed that every dream, no matter where it started, ended in this very real moment when I knew in my heart that I wanted this man as more than just a friend.
THE END
(Book #7)
FIREWORKS IN PARADISE
A Tj Jenson Mystery #8
Kathi Daley
Copyright
FIREWORKS IN PARADISE
A Tj Jensen Mystery
Part of the Henery Press Mystery Collection
First Edition | October 2017
Henery Press, LLC
www.henerypress.com
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever, including internet usage, without written permission from Henery Press, LLC, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.
Copyright © 2017 by Kathi Daley
This is a work of fiction. Any references to historical events, real people, or real locales are used fictitiously. Other names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination, and any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
Trade Paperback ISBN-13: 978-1-63511-255-9
Digital epub ISBN-13: 978-1-63511-256-6
Kindle ISBN-13: 978-1-63511-257-3
Hardcover ISBN-13: 978-1-63511-258-0
Printed in the United States of America
This book is dedicated to Echo,
my friend and furry soulmate, who crossed the rainbow bridge much too early in life. He is loved and missed, but will live on in my heart, as well as the fictional world of Paradise Lake.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
They say it takes a village, and I have a great one.
I want to thank all my friends who hang out over at my Kathi Daley Books Group page on Facebook. This exceptional group help me not only with promotion but with helpful suggestions and feedback as well.
I want to thank the bloggers who have pretty much adopted me and have helped me to build a fantastic social media presence. There are too many to list, but I want to specifically recognize Karen Owen from A Cup of Tea and a Cozy Mystery.
I want to thank my fellow authors who I run to all the time when I don’t know how to do something or how to deal with a situation. I have to say that the cozy mystery family is about as close knit a family as you are likely to find anywhere.
I want to thank my event coordinator, Jayme Maness, for the book clubs and Facebook events, Bruce Curran for generously helping me with all my techy questions, Jessica Fisher for help with my ads and graphics, and Peggy Hyndman for help sleuthing out those pesky typos.
I want to thank Randy Ladenheim-Gil for making what I write legible.
I want to thank Art Molinares for welcoming me so enthusiastically to the Henery Press family, and a special thank you to Erin George and the entire editing crew who have been so incredibly awesome and fun to work with.
And last, but certainly not least, I want to thank my super-husband Ken for allowing me time to write by taking care of everything else (and I mean everything).
Chapter 1
Thursday, June 29
“The captain has turned on the fasten seat belt sign in preparation for our descent into Reno. Please turn off and store all electronic devices, secure your tray tables, and return your seats to their upright positions. The flight staff will be by to collect any trash you may have. We hope you have enjoyed your flight and will travel with us again. We should be on the ground in twenty minutes.”
I glanced at the pretty blonde flight attendant announcing the pre-landing instructions. Normally I felt a sense of happy anticipation as the plane neared my home airport at the foot of the Paradise Mountains, but today I felt empty.
“Ms. Jensen?”
I looked up at the flight attendant standing next to my seat. “Yes, I’m Tj Jensen.”
“I have a message for you from the ground support staff.”
“Message?”
“Apparently you have a very persuasive boyfriend who has convinced the airline to let you leave the plane ahead of everyone else. There’ll be someone to escort you to a car that will take you to your destination. Your luggage will be attended to.”
“He’s not my boyfriend.”
The woman frowned at me.
“Kyle Donovan. The man who made the arrangements. We’re just friends.”
“Oh. I see.” The flight attendant continued to stare at me. I could tell she was curious about my mysterious “friend” who seemed to wield so much power. Kyle wasn’t an actor, singer, or politician. He wasn’t the sort of man to grace magazine covers or be easily recognized in a crowded restaurant. What he was, though, was handsome and brilliant, sweet and charming, and Richie Rich rich. The perfect combination of attributes for talking people into doing anything, whether it butted up against standard procedures or not.
“Is there anything I can help you with prior to landing?” the flight attendant added.
“No. Thank you. I’m fine.”
“Do you have items stored in the overhead compartment we can retrieve for you once we’re on the ground?”
“No. In fact, just so you know, I don’t have any luggage, so there’s no need to worry about retrieving it.”
The woman raised one eyebrow before continuing down the aisle to collect the last of the trash from the other passengers. I knew the flight staff had been whispering about me since I’d boarded the plane, and to be honest I didn’t blame them. Not only had Kyle somehow managed to procure me a first-class seat on a sold-out flight, but he’d convinced the airline to delay takeoff for five minutes so I could make the flight in the first place. Kyle was a simple guy who tended to live well below his means, but when it came to a friend in need, he’d demonstrated on more than one occasion a willingness to do whatever it took to make things happen.
“I’m sorry if this inconveniences you,” I said to the woman sitting next to me. We’d just shared a five-hour flight, and other than a cursory hello when I boarded, those were the first words I had spoken to her.
“I’m sure getting to wherever it is you’re going must be an important matter.”
“It’s my father. He’s been in an accident. At the time I boarded the plane the doctors were uncertain whether he’d make it or not.”
“Oh, dear. I’m so sorry. No wonder you look as frantic as a deer caught in the headlights. What’s your father’s name?”
“Mike Jensen.” I felt a tear travel down my cheek. “He’s supposed to be married in the fall. Now…”
The woman handed me a clean tissue from a package she pulled from her jacket pocket.
I thanked her and once again tried to rein in the emotions that had been threatening to suffocate me for the past twenty-seven hours. I glanced out the window at the miles upon miles of barren desert below as the plane circled to approach the city from the north.
“Best to sit back; it’s going to be a bumpy landing,” the flight attendant warned us all just before she took her jump seat and fastened her seat belt. She offered me a curious smile as we made our
final descent.
Everything happened quickly once the plane was on the ground. An employee from the airline met me at the gate and escorted me to a limo that was waiting to take me home to Paradise Lake. When I slid into the backseat, I was overjoyed to see my best friend, Jenna Elston. She opened her arms and I slipped into them, letting out the flood of tears I had been struggling to control since I’d found out that one friend was dead and my father was clinging to life.
“Have you heard anything?” I eventually asked.
“I spoke to Hunter just as your plane was landing. He said your dad’s condition is stable, although he still hasn’t regained consciousness.”
“Did Hunter think he would? Regain consciousness?”
“He’s doing everything in his power to make sure that happens.”
I let out a small sigh. Hunter Hanson was my good friend, my ex-boyfriend, and the town doctor. I trusted him with my life. More importantly, I trusted him with my father’s life.
“This whole thing seems like a dream.” I pulled away from Jenna and leaned back into the seat facing hers. “A very, very bad dream.”
“I know, sweetie. I feel like someone punched me in the gut and sucked out all the air around me. I can’t begin to imagine how you must feel.”
I glanced out the window as the desert gave way to forest. It wouldn’t be long before we arrived in Serenity. I found that I both wanted to hurry and delay. I’d been running on adrenaline ever since Kyle had thought to check the messages on his satellite phone while we were camping and searching for buried treasure. Hunter had called to inform him that my father had been in a terrible accident and I needed to return to Paradise Lake as soon as could be arranged. At that point Dad’s survival was very uncertain. Kyle and I had gathered the family and friends who were with us and headed back to Gull Island via the boat we’d rented as fast as it could take us. Somehow Kyle had managed to book me onto a flight that was scheduled to take off at just about the same time we estimated we’d arrive in Charleston. I remembered the hug of comfort Kyle had offered as I headed toward Security. He’d promised to handle everything, and deep in my heart I knew he would.
