The Emerald Quest

by Renee Pawlish

Noah grimaced as he loaded the gun. “It’s harder to load while I’m swimming,” he gasped, spitting salty water out of his mouth.

  “You’ll get better at it.”

  Riley was right. After an hour, Noah could load the gun without much effort. But he was also tired from treading water so much.

  “You want to take a break?” Riley asked.

  “Uh-huh.” Noah swam slowly back to shore, where he waited while Riley snorkeled for a little while longer. He lay down on his towel and daydreamed.

  “Did you have a good time?” Riley asked as she strolled toward him a while later.

  “Yeah, but I wish I’d caught a fish.”

  “Let’s go home,” Riley said as she toweled herself dry. “I’m sure you’ll have better luck next time.”

  They took their gear and walked back to their car, a Honda Accord. After loading up, Noah slid into the passenger seat. “It was still fun.”

  Riley started the car and turned onto the Overseas Highway. Noah stared out at the turquoise water as she drove.

  “Now what’s he doing?” Riley broke the silence a few minutes later.

  Noah glanced in the passenger door mirror. A large black SUV was pulling up close behind their car. The SUV was so close now that Noah noticed that the man in the passenger seat had spiked blond hair that almost looked white. His mom sped up but so did the SUV. Then Noah felt a terrifying jolt as the SUV rammed their car.

  “What the…” Riley shouted as the car careened to the right. She jerked the wheel just before they hit the cement barrier on the side of the road.

  The SUV backed off and then shot forward again. Metal crunched as the SUV crashed into the Honda. Noah slammed forward, his body jerking against the seatbelt. Riley screamed as she struggled to keep the car under control. A car horn honked as she swerved into the oncoming traffic lane.

  “Mom, watch out!”

  Riley cranked the wheel and the Honda veered back into the southbound lane. The SUV sped forward again, trying to ram their car. But the highway widened into four lanes and Riley slammed the gas pedal. The Honda zipped around a beat-up truck in front of them. Riley gripped the steering wheel so hard her knuckles turned white. Noah swiveled around and looked out the back of the car. The SUV tried to follow, but the truck blocked the way. The SUV lurched onto the oncoming traffic lane. Tires screeches as the SUV braked to a stop, cars careening around it. Riley sailed past two more cars, and they soon entered Key West.

  Riley turned onto a side road and parked. Then she reached across and grabbed Noah’s shoulder. “Are you okay?” she asked breathlessly.

  Noah trembled but he couldn’t find his voice.

  “Hey.” Riley put her arm around him. “It’s okay.”

  Noah finally felt his body relax. “That was scary.”

  “I know.” Riley took in a deep breath and let it out slowly. “Let’s go.” She drove down the street.

  “Where are you going?” Noah asked, hearing the warble in his voice.

  “To the harbor.” Riley glanced in the rearview mirror. “Your father should be there by now.”

  In a few minutes, they pulled into the Sunset Marina parking lot.

  “I see the Explorer,” Noah yelled, waving at the boat. “Dad’s back!”

  “Let’s go.” Riley hurried out of the car.

  Noah got out and ran with Riley down the dock. They jumped onto the Explorer.

  “What’s the matter?” Frank asked. He saw the fear on their faces.

  “Noah, go sit inside,” Riley instructed. Noah went into the bridge and peered out the window, watching his parents.

  Riley gestured wildly as she relayed what had happened. Frank kept glancing out at the parking lot as he listened. When Riley was finished, he wrapped her in a big hug. Noah crept to the door.

  “…must know that we found the spyglass,” Frank said.

  “But we don’t have the end-pieces,” Riley said. “The spyglass is useless without those. They must know that.”

  “We need to talk to Juan Carlo. And we should tell Ben what happened,” Frank said. “He should be at the station now.”

  They were going to talk to the chief of police! Noah thought.

  Riley scanned the dock and parking lot. “It doesn’t look like those men are coming here, at least not now, but what if they go to the house?”

  Frank took in a deep breath and let it out slowly. “Let’s see if Anthony can take Noah out to dinner and the arcade. We should be finished at the police station by then.”

  “I don’t like this at all,” Riley’s voice shook.

  “It’ll be all right, I promise. How badly was the car damaged?” Frank asked.

  “We came right here so I didn’t even look.”

  “Let’s check it out.” Frank turned to the cabin and saw Noah listening. “Caught you eavesdropping. Well, come on out.”

  Noah emerged sheepishly from the cabin. “Who rammed us?”

  “I’m not sure,” Frank answered. He wrapped Noah in a hug. “I’m glad you’re okay.”

  Noah nodded, then followed his mom.

  “You know that a lot of the things we look for are extremely valuable, right?” his mom asked Noah as they walked to the car.

  “Uh-huh.”

  “And there are a lot of artifact collectors who don’t care if they break the law in order to get the item they want. There’s a huge underground market for these valuables. Many unscrupulous collectors will pay huge sums of money for artifacts, and they’re willing to break the law in order to get what they want.”

  “That’s wrong.”

  “It may be wrong, but that’s what sometimes happens,” Anthony said as he joined them. “I like working for your parents because they don’t associate with those types of people.”

  “Thank you, Anthony,” Frank said. They had reached the Honda and stopped to examine it. The rear bumper was crushed in and the right taillight was broken. The right rear side was also smashed.

  Anthony’s eyes widened when he saw the damage. “Wow, what happened?” Riley explained about the SUV. “That’s not too bad, considering,” Anthony said. “I’m glad they didn’t hurt you.”

  “You can say that again,” Frank said. He put his arm around Noah.

  “Would you mind taking Noah to dinner, and maybe the arcade, while we go talk to Ben Burton?” Riley asked Anthony.

  “Sure,” Anthony grinned. “I’ll beat Noah at a game or two.”

  “In your dreams,” Noah laughed.

  “Take my car,” Frank said, handing Anthony the keys to an SUV similar to the one that hit the Honda. “I’ll ride with Riley.”

  “Come on,” Anthony tugged Noah’s arm. “We’ll go to Big John’s Pizza.”

  Big John’s was Noah’s favorite place to eat. “All right!” he said.

  “We’ll call when we’re finished at the station,” Frank yelled after them.

  Noah didn’t notice the worried look on his mother’s face as he and Anthony got in the SUV and drove off.

  ***

  A few hours later, Noah and Anthony had just completed an intense game of video boxing when Anthony pulled his cell phone from his pocket.

  “That’s strange,” he said. “Your dad hasn’t called yet.”

  “Maybe they’re still talking to Chief Burton,” Noah said, feeding another quarter into the game.

  Anthony dialed the phone. After a few moments, he hung up, his eyebrows scrunched up. “No answer.” He started to walk away.

  “Hey, wait.” Noah gestured at the video game. “One more game?”

  Anthony came back. “Okay.” But Noah could tell that Anthony was distracted. Noah beat him easily, which was usually not the case.

  “We should go now,” Anthony said.

  Noah followed Anthony out of Big John’s. They drove home in silence. When Anthony turned onto their street, he slowed before arriving at the house.

  “Are those men in the SUV back?” Noah asked.

  Anthony scanned th
e street, then the front of the house. The sun was low on the horizon and the house was bathed in deep shadows. No lights were on in the house.

  “I guess they’re not home yet,” Anthony said.

  Noah nodded. His heart fluttered. Anthony’s anxiety was rubbing off on him.

  Anthony parked in the driveway. They got out and slowly approached the front porch. Indy leaped out of the bushes. Noah and Anthony jumped.

  “It’s just the cat,” Anthony said, the tension broken. “Your parents must have gone for a bite to eat.” He took out his key and unlocked the door.

  “Indy,” Noah picked up the cat. “What are you doing out here?”

  Anthony opened the door and turned on the living room light.

  “Whoa…” Noah said, his voice trailing off. They both stared inside.

  The house had been ransacked.

  CHAPTER FOUR

  SPIKE MAN

  Noah gaped at books and papers, scattered everywhere. The cushions on the couch were ripped open, and stuffing was strewn about. All the contents of the bookshelves had been swept onto the floor. Noah set Indy down. The cat growled, then skittered upstairs, his tail puffed out.

  “Let’s see if Chief Burton’s home.” Anthony backed out of the house, dragging Noah with him.

  “Mom and Dad must be with Chief Burton.” Noah’s voice shook. “They must have come home, seen this and went to report it.”

  “Your parents are fine,” Anthony reassured Noah as they cut across Chief Burton’s lawn to his front door. Anthony rapped on the door. A moment later, Chief Burton appeared.

  “Hey Anthony, Noah,” Chief Burton smiled. He was an ex-football linebacker who had played for Florida State. Ben was tall and bulky, with big hands and a thick neck, but thin hair. “What can I do for you?”

  “Well, sir,” Anthony began.

  “Have you seen my parents?” Noah blurted out. “We haven’t seen them and someone broke into the house!”

  “What?” Chief Burton gazed at them for a second. “Hold on.” He dashed into his home office. Noah heard a closet door open and shut, then Chief Burton appeared with a gun in his hand.

  “Stay here,” Chief Burton ordered them.

  Noah and Anthony waited in Chief Burton’s entryway while he sprinted across the lawn and into the Winter house.

  “But what about Mom and Dad?” Noah asked. His stomach knotted up with worry.

  “They’re fine,” Anthony reassured him again.

  They waited agonizing minutes while Chief Burton was gone. Then he materialized out of the darkness. He was talking on his cell phone.

  “The house is empty,” he said as he brushed past them and into his office. He hung up the phone. “Come in here and sit down.”

  Noah and Anthony sat down on a leather couch across from him.

  “Frank and Riley left the station a couple of hours ago,” Chief Burton said as he sat down behind the desk and picked up a notepad. He focused on Noah. “I want you to tell me everything you can about that SUV that rammed your car earlier today.”

  Noah’s mouth went dry. This was serious. “It happened so fast,” he began, then related everything he could remember.

  “Did your mom say anything about recognizing them?” Chief Burton asked when he’d finished. Noah shook his head. “Did you see the men?”

  Noah screwed up his lip, thinking. “The passenger had spiked blond hair, but I couldn’t see the driver.” Outside the window, Noah spied blue and red lights flashing. The police had arrived at his house.

  “That helps,” Chief Burton said, jotting down everything Noah said. He turned to Anthony. “Do you remember Riley or Frank talking about anyone threatening them?”

  “Frank said he wondered if Juan Carlo knew of anyone who was trying to beat him to the treasure,” Anthony said.

  “Juan Carlo?” Chief Burton asked.

  “Juan Carlo De La Rosa is the one who hired the Winters to find the De La Rosa emerald.”

  Chief Burton nodded. His cell phone rang. “Yeah?” he answered. “Okay, be right over.”

  He set down the phone and eyed Noah. He tapped on the desk, gathering his thoughts. “Noah, I don’t know where your parents are.”

  Noah’s lower lip trembled but he told himself to be strong. He’d heard his parents talk about the dangers of their work. But it was still hard to hear it.

  “We’re putting out an APB, an all-points-bulletin, for them,” Chief Burton said. “The police all over the state will be looking for them. Hopefully your parents are out searching for the emerald and they don’t know about the house being torn up.”

  “But they would’ve called,” Noah said.

  Chief Burton frowned. “I know, son. But I’ve got my men dusting for fingerprints and looking for clues to help us find who ransacked the house. When they’re done, you two can go home.”

  “But what if whoever did this comes back?” Noah asked.

  “I know you’re scared,” Chief Burton said. “But we’ll keep you safe. We’ve checked the entire house and property to make sure no one’s around. The police will be watching the house all night, and I’ll be watching, too, so you won’t be in any danger.”

  “Sir, may I have a word with you?” Anthony asked Chief Burton.

  “Sure.” Chief Burton and Anthony went into the kitchen. Noah could hear their voices, low murmurs, as they talked. But he was thinking about his parents. Were they okay? Were they in an accident? Did they go look for the emerald and forget to call Anthony and tell him? That didn’t seem like them, but when his parents got excited, Noah knew they could forget about other things. His palms grew sweaty. “They’re fine,” he told himself. He wiped his palms on his shorts and tried to keep his fear at bay.

  “You can stay here until we’re done at your house,” Chief Burton said as he and Anthony came back into the office.

  “Thanks,” Noah said automatically.

  Chief Burton left the house. Anthony sat down beside Noah.

  “It’s going to be okay,” he said.

  Noah stared at the floor. “What do you think happened?”

  “I don’t know,” Anthony replied. “But when we get back in the house, we’re going to do everything we can to find your parents.”

  ***

  It was well past midnight by the time Noah and Anthony returned home. The house was still in disarray, only now, spots of powder marked the door handles and window frames where the police had dusted for fingerprints. Noah glanced around at the mess.

  “What do we do?” he asked.

  Anthony ran a hand through his curly hair. “We need to call Juan Carlo. He might know who else is after that emerald.”

  “They might hurt my parents to get information about the emerald.” Noah shuddered to think what that might mean.

  “Yes. But don’t worry, your parents are smart. They won’t get hurt.”

  They went into Frank’s office. Pictures of Riley, Frank, and Noah diving were on the floor, the glass broken. Books were strewn about. The computer was on, showing the log-on screen.

  “I kept telling Frank not to give me his password,” Anthony said as he sat down and logged into the computer. “But now I’m glad he did.”

  Anthony found Juan Carlo’s phone number. “I’ll put it on speaker,” he said as he dialed the number.

  The sound of a phone ringing filled the room.

  “Hello?” a sleepy voice said.

  “Juan Carlo? It’s Anthony Napolitano.”

  “Hola, my friend.” Juan Carlo spoke in a deep, accented voice. “How are you and the Winters? It is very late. Is something wrong?”

  Anthony glanced at Noah. “Something happened to Riley and Frank.” Anthony explained all that had transpired. Juan Carlo didn’t say a word until Anthony finished.

  “This is very bad,” Juan Carlo said. “Noah, I am sure your parents are fine. They are strong people.”

  “Yes, sir,” Noah replied, trying to sound confident.

  “I wil
l fly down there immediately,” Juan Carlo said. “We must find Riley and Frank as soon as possible.”

  “The police put out an APB,” Anthony said.

  “Ah, that is good,” Juan Carlo said. “But not enough. I will make arrangements as soon as I hang up. I will be there early in the morning. Then we will resolve this.”

  “Thanks,” Anthony said, and hung up.

  Noah started straightening the office.

  “Why don’t you go to bed,” Anthony suggested. “We can deal with this in the morning.”

  “I’m not tired,” Noah said.

  Anthony shrugged. Then he bolted out of his chair. “The Explorer! Did those men try to get to the boat?”

  “That’s where the brass pieces of spyglass are?”

  Anthony nodded. “Frank took the spyglass tubes with him this morning. He locked them in the safe on the Explorer while we dove the wreck.”

  “Unless Mom and Dad went back to the boat while we went to dinner, the spyglass should still be there,” Noah said.

  They ran out of the house and to the truck.

  “We need to get those spyglass pieces,” Anthony said as he started the engine.

  On a small island like Key West, it only took a couple of minutes to drive to the harbor.

  “You better stay here,” Anthony said as he parked the SUV. “Phil’s not a nice guy and he’ll wonder why a kid is out after midnight.” Phil Harris, the night watchman, was a cranky old man who adhered to the rules no matter what.

  Noah nodded, secretly wishing he could go with Anthony. He scrunched low in his seat so Phil couldn’t see him, but left the window down and watched as Anthony ran up to the harbor office. Noah saw Phil come to the door.

  “Anthony, what are you doing here?” Noah heard Phil’s booming voice.

  “Sorry to bother you, but I need to get into the Explorer.”

  Phil eyed Anthony. “Harbor’s not open.”

  “It’s an emergency,” Anthony pleaded.

  Phil shook his head. “Nope. I’ve had other riffraff coming around here, and now you. I’ve had to do extra patrols on the wharf because of that. Now go on.”

  As he came back to the truck, Anthony’s mouth was twisted into an angry scowl. “Sounds like those men already tried to get past Phil. We’ve got to check the boat.”