California Girl by Sandra Edwards Read Free Book Online Page A

throat. “And then...I want you to talk them into going out and finding that treasure.”
    “You’re kidding, right?” She laughed at the ridiculousness of his scheme. Hadn’t he noticed her skin was whiter than white? And she was a redhead. Who was going to believe she had Native American blood running through her veins? “What about Audrey?” she reminded him. “She can put that notion to rest.”
    Turner shook his head. “Audrey’s not going to tell them anything.”
    “And you know this…because?” Rio asked.
    “She’s dead,” he said in a cavalier tone.
    “So let me get this straight. You want me to get them to go out and look for a treasure.” She brought her arms around in front of her and clamped her hands together in her lap. “With half a map?”
    Turner opened his desk drawer and pulled out a faded and worn document. “This is the other half of the map.” He pushed it across the desk.
    Rio studied it. Could this thing be real? She looked back at Turner. “So what do you need me for?” She laid the map back down on the desk. “Why don’t you go to them and say… Hey, I’ve got the other half of the map. Let’s go find the treasure ?”
    Turner’s expression turned dark. “Because I don’t want to share it.”
    It was like someone had turned on the lights and Rio realized it was Christmas morning. “You’re going steal it!” Now this was more like it.
    “With your help.”
    “And I’m helping how?” she said, playing up her dumb persona.
    “Okay, listen carefully this time.” His exasperation was beginning to shine through. “You’re going up to Carson City and find Audrey’s brother, William Tajan. You’re going to tell him you’re Audrey’s daughter. Then, you’re going to get those Indians to go out and dig up that treasure.”
    “Oh, sure...” She laughed. “I’m going to waltz right on up there with my redheaded, white ass…and they’re going to believe that my mother was an Indian.”
    “They do have white blood in them, you know.”
    “Oh, yeah.” Rio snorted. She hadn’t fallen of the turnip truck yesterday. “And that was what...like about a gazillion years ago?”
    Turner returned to his desk drawer. “Oh, they’re going to believe it all right.” He pulled out an old photograph and handed it across the desk.
    She took the picture, fully intending to glance at it and hand it back. But that was before she actually got a look at it. Something about the old image intrigued her. It was a snapshot of three women, and even though it was black and white, she could tell two of them had light colored hair and the other’s was dark.
    “That’s a photograph of Maggie Fuller and her sisters Mary and Molly. It was taken up in Virginia City in 1863.” He paused for effect. “That picture belonged to Audrey.” Turner waited for Rio to look at him, but she never did. “I take it you do see the resemblance between yourself and at least two of the women in the shot?” He pointed, singling out the girl in the middle. “Especially her. She’s Maggie Fuller.”
    Rio couldn’t argue that one. Not realistically. She had to admit she and this woman Maggie Fuller looked an awful lot alike. The whole thing was a bit eerie. She felt it as she studied the photograph, the weird sensations riveting through her, but she couldn’t put her finger on it.
    “I’ll give you Audrey’s personal things. Including that photo and my half of the map,” he said. “After you locate the position of the treasure, call me and I’ll handle the rest.”
    “Where’d you get the other half of the map?” she asked, her nosiness kicking in.
    Turner hesitated about a millisecond before saying, “My grandmother gave it to me.”
    “Your grandmother...?” Rio had a hard time believing it. Turner was too fond of telling stories and he’d let this one go way too easily.
    “One of Maggie’s sisters was my great-great grandmother.”
    “Really?” It was an intriguing idea, but