Tressa's Treasures (The King's Jewel Book 1) (9 page)

"He sure is, ask him yourself," Matt said, his voice teasing as he turned to indicate Alexander behind him.

This time, it was Holly's turn to blush.

"Geez, are you trying to embarrass me in front of your boss?" she chided him.

"Who, me?" He grinned widely.

"Well, the least you could do is introduce me."

She stretched out her hand toward Alexander as Matt began the introductions, but then dropped it before he could take it.

"Do I know you? You look familiar."

"Alexander was here a while back with his daughter," I told her, wishing she hadn't recognized him. I could see the change in her the moment she realized who he was. The frown was back in place and her neck flamed with embarrassment.

"So what brings you gentlemen in this evening?" I asked brightly.

"My treasure hunt," Alexander said in his low throaty voice—deeper than I remembered.

"Indeed?" I said, intrigued. "Come. Sit and tell me about it."

I led him to the stools by my workstation, leaving Matt and Holly engaged in their own conversation.

Alexander pulled a small cloth bag out of his pocket before sitting. He opened the drawstrings and dumped the contents onto the counter.

Three ragged-edged nuggets clicked onto the countertop. I pulled the arm of my magnifier over and held one of the stones beneath the glass.

The silver specks were striking in contrast to the navy when magnified. Unlike the stone in his ring, this one was unpolished and rough-edged, but it was definitely River Rock. I stared at it in disbelief.

I felt the warmth of his gaze on my skin as he scrutinized my face. Finally, when I could no longer take the heat, I looked over at him.

"You found some," I said, surprised. Only then did I realize that I hadn't thought that he would.

Happiness glowed from his dark chocolate eyes. "Well, if I'm being honest, Matt found it."

"Where? How?" I stumbled on my words. How had these pebbles from the Otherworld come to be on a mountain in Pennsylvania?

"He found them in a stream created by the spring runoff coming down the mountain." He shook his head as if he didn't believe it himself. "I come here after over fifteen years of searching, and in a couple of weeks: success. It's incredible."

Yes, I said to myself, it certainly is. Somebody must have placed them there, but who? Mamó couldn't have, at least not recently. Shamus? She could have asked him to do it for her. My grandfather might have done so many years ago, but that seemed improbable.

I didn't understand what my grandmother was trying to do by bringing Alexander to Pine Ridge. Would she have gone to such lengths just to get her friend's grandson close? That didn't seem like her, though.

"Does this mean you're done? That your treasure hunt is over now that you found the stones?"

"Hell no. There's still a lot to do. These stones were lying on the surface. I need to find the source, and finding the source is just the beginning. Then the real science begins."

I smiled genuinely at his enthusiasm, though his words filled me with dread.

"So now what?"

"Well, first I need to go back and read more of your grandfather's journals."

A frightened gasp from the other side of the store interrupted our conversation. Something outside the window had startled Holly, who stumbled backwards. Matt grabbed her elbow to steady her.

Alexander and I couldn't see what was outside from our vantage point. Alexander rushed out the door while I went to the window to get a look. I made a cursory glance and saw nothing.

"Holly, what's wrong?" I asked.

"Nothing. I'm fine. I'm just being silly. I thought something was out there," she said sheepishly. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to startle everyone."

"Was that the ex?" Matt asked angrily. "Has he been harassing you?"

Alexander came back in as Matt asked his question. He nodded his head, answering him when Holly hesitated.

"He’s just checking up on me," Holly said, falling back into old habits. "He wants to be sure I'm okay. I was just startled to see a face in the window, that's all. Let's drop it, can we?"

Alexander gathered up his bits of stone. I encouraged him to let me know if he found any more, and the two men said their goodbyes.

When they left, I turned on Holly.

"Tell me what's going on with Fred," I demanded.

"It's nothing. Really."

I didn't respond; arms crossed, I stood and waited for more. Eventually she sighed and continued.

"He's called a couple of times to tell me I should come home. Uses every reason in the book. He says I owe it to the baby, that I should try again for the baby's sake."

"Does Eileen know about this?"

"He calls me on my cell, but she knows."

I relaxed a bit, knowing Eileen would keep things under control. She wouldn't let Fred manipulate Holly.

Holly's voice interrupted my thoughts.

"I keep seeing him checking me out through the window. It spooks me every time. He told me he wants to be sure I'm okay. I don’t know why he doesn't act like an adult and just come in and ask..."

I bit my tongue to keep from answering. Fred would never come into the store again.

ALEXANDER

I fought the urge to push Shamus aside and rush past him as I followed him through the foyer to the porch at the back of the house.

Shamus stopped when we reached the porch. He turned and faced me, blocking the doorway and giving me a measured look.

"I'm not leaving until I speak to her, so you might as well let me in."

"Not if I think you mean her harm," Shamus said, squaring his shoulders and standing as tall as his five-foot frame allowed.

I had to give him credit for standing up to a man so much bigger than he was. It made me realize how angry I was, and how that came across to him: as a threat. I relaxed my free hand, which was in a fist, and took a deep breath.

"Listen, Shamus. I'm not going to hurt anyone. I just want to talk to Mrs. Danann."

Shamus stood his ground for a few more seconds weighing the truth of my words. Then, with a stout nod, the little man opened the door and stepped out onto the porch.

"Madam, Mr. Mannus to see you."

I stomped into the room without waiting for her reply. Mrs. Danann stood by an arrangement of plants, pruning the dead ends with her fingers. She smiled when she saw me.

"What a pleasant surprise."

I went to the table close to her and slammed down the book I was carrying. It was one of Brion's journals, the last one in fact.

"Mrs. Danann—"

"Órlaith, please."

I bit my lip to keep from cursing.

"Órlaith. Please explain to me what my mother was doing at Pine Ridge the day after she disappeared?" my voice came out strangled as I worked to control my temper. "I want to know exactly what's going on. What kind of game are you playing?"

Undisturbed, Órlaith made her way from the plants she was pruning to a seat at the table where I had dropped the book.

"Why don't you have a seat, Alexander?"

"I don't want to sit. I want you to tell me what's going on."

"As I told you, your grandmother and I were close. In fact, she was my best friend. Unfortunately, she died too young. I looked after your mother after she was orphaned, doing my best to ensure that she was okay, which wasn't easy. She had a terrible stubborn streak."

"Okay, but that all happened years before. I'm talking about when I was a kid. She came here to you. Why? Was she in some kind of trouble?" I walked away from her, hoping that putting distance between us would diffuse my anger.

"Were you aware that your mother had the gift of Second Sight?"

"Excuse me?" My voice went up a few notches, and I chuckled in disdain. Could this conversation get any weirder? "Second Sight? Are you trying to say she was a mind reader or something?" I barely kept the scorn from my voice.

"No, I'm saying she had visions of the future. She was extremely talented; I never met her match when it came to the accuracy of her visions."

"You really expect me to believe this?"

"Young man, there is much more to this world than you realize. Now, if you want to hear any more, come here and sit down. You're wearing me out just watching you."

I grudgingly pulled out a chair and dropped myself into it. "So she had a vision that made her leave?" I asked.

Órlaith shrugged. "She came here speaking of a vision."

"The journal says something about this area fitting the descriptions in folklore, and that whatever Brion was looking for was close to the estate. But it doesn't say what he was looking for."

"He was looking for the same thing you are looking for. That is why I brought you here."

"Brion was looking for some rocks? Sorry, but that doesn't ring true. His writings make it sound like he was looking for something—I don't know—bigger than that."

"You are looking for something bigger than that."

I shook my head, frustrated. Did this woman ever give a straight answer?

"So she comes here, tells Brion what he's looking for is close by, and then vanishes? There has to be more to it than that. What aren't you telling me?"

"She told me to bring you here. She said I would know when the time was right. I did as she asked. Let it be enough to know you are here by her request. The vision will reveal itself in time."

"That's not good enough. All due respect, but I don't like being played a fool by anyone."

I picked up the journal and stood to go. She grabbed my arm before I could leave.

"Stay the course, Alexander. Your mission here is more important than I dare tell you. Continue your search and you will get all of your answers."

I gave her a sharp nod. I wasn't happy, but I wouldn't give up my search now.

As I walked away, again I felt that deep conviction that I would get the answers I wanted if I continued looking for more of the strange gemstone.

"You don't need me to convince you. It's not about trusting me," Órlaith called as I left. "You need to admit to yourself that you already know what I'm saying is true."

I turned back to her, meeting her eyes. "I'll stay for now. If I change my mind, I'll give you two weeks notice. If nothing else, I accepted a position with you and I'll see it through."

"One last thing." The urgency in her voice kept me rooted in place. "Whatever you find in the place where the stones take you—no one is to learn of it but me."

"I have Matt working with me. He may find something before I do, or he may be with me when I find it."

"He won't," she said evenly. "I need you to swear that you will tell me—or Tressa—and no one else exactly what you find on my mountain. Do you so swear?"

"Yes." Suddenly the conversation had the odd sense of an oath-taking, and I answered her with solemn conviction.

I nodded to her again and then turned to go.

"You will know when the time is right to reveal your find to others..."

TRESSA

Someone pounded on the front door as if it was their enemy, which they certainly didn't need to do to get my attention. I heard them approaching before their foot hit my front porch.

I left the tomato I had been slicing, ran water over my fingers to clean off the juice, and dried my hands quickly on a dishtowel.

I peeked out the window to see who was responsible for abusing my door. Alexander stood with his hands on his hips. A vein along the side of his neck pulsed madly. I released the latch and pulled the door open.

We stood looking at each other in silence. I waited for him to open the conversation; anyone pounding on a door so aggressively must have something pressing to say. Why he remained silent, I did not know, but as he stood looking at me, his stance and his heart rate relaxed. Eventually, he spoke.

"Did you know that trying to get information from your grandmother is impossibly frustrating? She just makes cryptic comments and refuses to tell you what you want to know."

I laughed.

"Aye, I know. And I can tell you from experience, it does no good to push. She will tell just so much and no more."

I stood to the side to allow him to enter.

"I'm making a salad for dinner. Would you like one?"

"A salad? For dinner? Thanks, but a salad isn't dinner. It's a side dish."

I smiled to show I appreciated his humor.

"Sure and a salad is my dinner when I'm not dining at the Manor House."

"Excuse me for interrupting your meal, but I wanted to talk to you for a minute if you don't mind."

I ushered him into my small living room.

I sat in the corner of my overstuffed settee and motioned for him to take a seat as I pulled my feet up under me and settled in. He ignored the invitation. Instead, he walked over to the fireplace and leaned on the old timber mantle with both hands, arms outstretched, hanging his head down between them. He seemed to gaze at the vase of hydrangeas I had nestled into the hearth. When he spoke, his back was to me.