The Emerald Quest by Renee Pawlish Read Free Book Online Page B

and slowly walked along the shelves, periodically pulling a book out. She would quickly scan it and then put it back. Noah fidgeted impatiently.
    “I’m just not finding anything,” Mrs. Turner said. “You’ve looked at the maps?”
    “Yes,” Noah said. “None of them show an ‘Island of the Barracudas’.”
    Mrs. Turner thought some more but shook her head. “I don’t know then. I wish I could be of more help.”
    “Thanks, anyway.” Noah walked away, his shoulders drooping.
    “Wait,” Mrs. Turner said.
    Noah whirled around.
    “I have an idea,” she continued. “There’s an old man who lives on Stock Island. James River is his name. He’s somewhat of a history buff about the Keys. He comes around here once in a while, although I haven’t seen him in a month or so. If anyone would know of a place around here called Island of the Barracudas, it would be him.”
    Noah brightened. “Do you have his number?”
    “He doesn’t have a phone,” Mrs. Turner said. “He doesn’t like them. You’ll have to drop by his house.” She wrote down his address.
    “Thanks so much.” Noah hurried back to Anthony and Juan Carlo.
    “I heard,” Anthony murmured to Noah. He was already getting the SUV keys out. “Good idea asking her. Let’s go.”
    Stock Island was immediately east of Key West. They drove the Overseas Highway, jammed with cars headed to Key West for the weekend, and crossed to Stock Island.
    James River lived in a small house on 11 th Avenue. The front yard was enclosed in a pink cinderblock fence. The tiny lawn seemed no bigger than a sandbox. Noah, Anthony, and Juan Carlo let themselves in the metal gate and went to the front door. Noah rang the bell.
    After a few minutes, Noah sighed. “Shoot, he’s not home. Maybe a neighbor is around.” He started for the gate, then halted when he heard singing coming from the back yard.
    “Come on.” Anthony and Juan Carlo followed Noah around the side of the house. He heard the song more clearly. It was “Amazing Grace”. He’d heard it in church many times.
    A tall, slender dark-skinned woman was picking mandarin oranges off a tree in the center of the yard. Her shoulder-length, straight hair swirled slightly when she turned toward Noah, and her large hazel eyes sparkled. She kept singing. She looked like she was in her early twenties, and Noah thought she was beautiful.
    “Excuse me?” Noah cleared his throat nervously.
    “Yes?”
    “I, uh, we,” Noah gestured at Anthony and Juan Carlo, “Uh, we’re looking for James River.”
    The woman blinked a couple of times, sadness flooding her eyes. “Oh, honey, I’m sorry to say that he passed on a few weeks ago.”
    Noah’s heart leaped into his throat. “I’m sorry to hear that.” He really was sorry the old man had died. But he also wondered if his chance of finding ‘Island of the Barracudas’ was gone, too.
    “I’m his granddaughter, Deidra.” She set the oranges in her basket, reached out and shook Noah’s hand. “Is there something I can help you with?”
    “Mrs. Turner, at the library in Key West, told us that Mr. River was a historian of the Keys. We were hoping he could tell us about an island around here that was called ‘Island of the Barracudas’.”
    “Hm. I’ve never heard of that one.” Deidra picked up the basket. “Let’s go in the house. I’m a graduate student myself, studying Florida history, so I’ve read through a lot of Poppy’s books and notes.”
    “You like history, like your grandfather?” Noah asked.
    “It’s in the blood.” Deidra opened the back door and let them in the house. A ceiling fan lightly stirred the hot, humid air. She set the basket down and wiped her hands on a dish towel. “Poppy had a few old books about the Keys. Let’s look in them.”
    Noah looked hopefully at Anthony and Juan Carlo.
    They followed Deidra into the living room. One entire wall was filled with bookcases. Deidra stooped down, where worn volumes of books