Treasure Sleuth by Amy Shaw Read Free Book Online

the desk, Abby put both hands on the paperwork and asked, "So what is it my Grandpa would do down here?"
    Still looking at the package, Mark replied, "In a nutshell - he would look for treasure. Clues. Legends. Wealthy people who had died in battle. Dr. Budzynski at the British Museum would get in touch if there was a client who needed help locating an artifact, and your Grandpa would work his magic and attempt to track it down."
    "How?"
    "Just like he did when he was a private investigator. Research. Lots and lots of research. Old books, old photographs. He would even sometimes get his hands on people's private diaries," Mark explained as he opened his package.
    "And then he'd tell you where to start looking and you'd go treasure hunting?"
    "That's right."
    "Wow, sounds like fun. Is it dangerous?"
    "It is fun. And sometimes dangerous. And sometimes not always law abiding."
    "You break the law?"
    "Sometimes. It depends on the circumstances," Mark said as he pulled his book out of the padded envelope.
    "A book on coins?"
    "Yeah... looks like it," Mark said unsure.
    "Do you have a key too?"
    "No I don't think so,"he said flicking though the pages.
    Suddenly he stopped. Something was placed in a cut out hole in his book too.
    "It's not a key," Mark said looking up at Abby. "I think it could be the answer to your prayers."
     

8

The Gold Double Leopard
     
     
    Abby looked up to see what Mark was holding. A gold coin glinted between his fingertips.
    "How would you like to keep hold of the lighthouse?" Mark asked.
    "Keep hold, how? With one coin?"
    "It's a special coin. So yes. With one coin."
    "I don't know what to say Mark, this is all somewhat strange. I mean, I come over to the UK to scatter my Grandpa in the sea from above his favorite place thinking that's what he wanted. My Mom arranges for an auction house to sell the property because Grandpa didn't leave any of his money for her, so I arrange to clear it out expecting never to see it again." Abby took a hard swallow and continued. "And then you have a book left to me by my Grandpa with a key in it to a secret room, where he leaves you a gold coin supposedly worth enough to buy this place? I mean c'mon. I know my Grandpa loved secrets and mysteries but isn't this whacky? Even by my Grandpa's standards."
    Mark leaned against the book shelves. He had to admit, it was whacky. He had gotten used to Gene's oddities but now it dawned upon him how odd this all was. Now here he was trying to piece together Gene's trail of clues and convince her to keep the lighthouse. But maybe it was time to let it all go and move on. As if that was a possibility. Once the treasure bug bites and gets into your blood you can't shake it. Like a curse that doesn't let you sleep.
    "Yes," Mark said, "It is a little whacky."
    Abby looked at him with relief that she wasn't losing her mind. "So why not write me a letter? Why all these books and hidden compartments cut out into them?"
    "Just in case it wasn't you who came over I guess. And because he thought you'd enjoy piecing it all together and seeing what he got up to all these years. Rather than just tell you, he wanted you to become part of it. And feel it."
    "So it's all my decision?"
    "Yes."
    "But why not discuss this with my Mom, he was her Dad after all?"
    "You mean like a real adult chat?! Gene wouldn't want any of all that stuffy nonsense!" Mark said folding his arms. Slowly the smile faded from his face as he tried desperately to organize the thoughts that were coming at him from all corners of his brain. He lent forward and picked up the writing book from the table as though he was going to read a passage from it. But instead it became a symbol of Gene's legacy. More than just a book, it's meaning was far deeper than the instruction on writing it contained. It was a symbol. And by placing the key to his secret room, he wanted to show his granddaughter the difference in following your dreams rather than plodding along, hoping. Mark held the