California Girl by Sandra Edwards Read Free Book Online Page B

Rio was skeptical. “Which one?” She tossed the photograph back across the desk.
    He scooped up the picture and studied it with a quick scan before pointing to the other light-haired sister. “That one. She was my grandmother’s grandmother.”
    “Which one was she? Mary or Molly?” Now it had become a game for Rio. She wanted to see how far he could take it since she figured he was making it up as he went along. Oh, she could guess there was some truth to the story, at least about the three sisters. But Rio doubted that any of them was Turner’s great-great grandmother.
    Turner mumbled and groaned before he identified her as Molly. He was getting antsy. And the last thing she wanted to do was rock the boat.
    “So let’s get to the part about all the money I’m supposed to get,” she said, tremendously poised as she changed the subject.
    He tapped a pencil on the desk. “I’m going to pay you…one hundred thousand dollars.”
    Rio threw her head back and laughed. “You’re kidding.” She settled her eyes on him again. “Right?”
    She’d discarded his offer quicker than a blink of the eye. Not only that, she’d mocked him. He wasn’t sure if that pissed him off more than it impressed him.
    Finally, she’d gone and done something that induced him to believe that maybe, maybe, he’d underestimated her. He hoped so. He’d invested too much time, effort, and money to give up now.
    Turner had been carrying this dream around for twenty years. Damn near ever since he’d run across Audrey Tajan. Now theirs had been a different kind of relationship. He’d actually liked her. Well, about as much as he could ever like any woman. Turner had never been interested in marriage or family. Apparently neither was Audrey. He’d known exactly where he stood with her. And she’d made it quite clear what was expected of him.
    As long as he kept her entertained and bought her a pretty trinket every now and then, she was happy. Audrey didn’t get jealous over other women. In fact she’d told him, more than once, she liked it that he wasn’t under foot all the time.
    Then a couple of years ago Audrey’s health started to fail. When the doctors said she had ovarian cancer, Turner was a true and dedicated friend who willingly paid her medical bills.
    But then again, maybe it had a little something to do with the fact that she’d told him her brother had half a map that led to a treasure. She’d gotten drunk one night, many years before her sickness, and told Turner about her family’s history.
    Her revelation started with the story of Maggie and Tajan and ended with her own expulsion from the family. She left home at the age of sixteen and she hadn’t been back since.
    And she had these family heirlooms; items that had belonged to her ancestors, Maggie and Tajan. Turner wanted those pieces when she died. And he’d played the devoted friend and benefactor, all because her time was limited.
    And now, if luck was on his side—and Turner believed it was—Rio was going to help him find the treasure at the end of the map.
    “You expect me to go up there and con those people?” Rio didn’t sound committed. “So you can steal the treasure right out from under them…and I’m only supposed to get a hundred grand out of it?”
    “Okay.” Turner grinned, secretly impressed. “What’s it going to take?”
    “Well…” The word lingered on the air. “I need at least half a mill,” she said. “Hundred grand up front. And I’ll be needing some expense money, too.”
    “All right.” Turner’s nod was self-effacing. “One hundred thousand now. The rest when I recover the treasure.” He studied her closely. “And five thousand for expenses.”
    “Up front?” she asked.
    “Up front.”
    “Agreed.” She stood and offered her hand across the desk.
    They shook on the deal. “If you pull this off…I won’t ever forget it.”
    “Oh, I can pretty much guarantee,” she said, “when this is over...you will