The Treasure Seeker Read online

  Her mom clearly didn’t want to leave, but she could take a hint. “Would you like a cup, Victor?” she asked as graciously as possible.

  He smiled. “No, ma’am, I’m already three cups over my daily caffeine allowance.” He waited until they had left the room before he turned back to Ry. “Do you remember seeing anyone around the place, maybe earlier that morning or the day before?”

  Ry wondered what he would say if she mentioned seeing her Granny Jeter. She decided it was probably something she should keep to herself. “No. I didn’t see or hear anyone.”

  “I didn’t want to mention this in front of your mom, but we found the tree where the shooter waited.”

  “What do you mean waited?” she asked as her stomach began to churn. Immediately, the machine started beeping.

  He looked at it with concern. “Are you okay?”

  “Yes, it’s just that blasted monitor. It’s worse than a lie detector. Just ignore it. What did you mean he waited?”

  “There were marks on the tree bark where he ground out at least three cigarettes. The grass was worn down like he stood there for quite a while.”

  “Was there anything to tell you who he was?” she asked as she tried to keep herself calm enough not to upset the machine.

  “Not really. We managed to get one decent cast of a shoe print and we made a casting of tire prints we found about a half-mile down the road.” Victor cleared his throat. “We found a cigarette butt over by where the car had been parked. It was the same brand as the one we found beneath the window at your shop.” He hesitated.

  She could see he wasn’t finished. “What else?”

  “Ry, you were shot with a thirty-thirty. We found the casing in the grass by the tree.”

  She closed her eyes and fought to control her anxiety. “The second shooter at the house last week used a thirty-thirty.”

  “Yes, he did.”

  She tried to convince herself it wasn’t the same guy. Nobody was following her, trying to kill her. She had been shot by accident by a poacher. “That doesn’t prove it was him,” she said. “It’s not as though a thirty-thirty is a rare weapon. Plenty of people own one. A Winchester is a common hunting weapon.” She stopped and moved the conversation back to something less scary. “Did you find out anything on the identity of the two dead men?”

  “No. We haven’t gotten any of the results from the tests we requested.”

  “It’s been a week.”

  He shrugged. “It’s not like on television. We won’t know anything for a few more days.”

  She didn’t want to believe it was the same man, but something deep inside her told her it was. She took a deep breath. “Victor, what the hell is going on? Why is he after me?”

  “Are you sure there’s not something you forgot to mention that you bought out there, or maybe you saw something that didn’t seem like much at the time?”

  “No.” She stopped. “Well, this doesn’t amount to anything, but when Kate and I went out there last Sunday, we had two boxes of books and magazines. The one I’d accidently taken with my purchases. Then, a second one that contained some old magazines from the shop and some books I didn’t think I could sell. I intended to drop the second box off at the nursing home. When we arrived at the house, I took the metal file box that had the pistol in it. Kate came in later with the box of books and magazines that was destroyed during the shooting.”

  He was nodding slowly, patiently waiting for her to get to the point.

  “Anyway, it turned out that she took in the wrong box. The other box is now at my parents’ house.”

  He straightened sharply. “What’s in it?”

  “Nothing worth shooting anyone over. Just some old magazines and a few hardback books. It’s not as if they’re really valuable or anything.”

  “I’d like to take a look at the stuff,” he said.

  “The box is in my room at Mom and Dad’s house.”

  He frowned. “It doesn’t make sense.” He stopped and stared down at her for a moment. “I’m only telling you this because you don’t strike me as being the faint-of-heart type, but I think this guy is stalking you. He knew where you were and he waited for you. And, it’s only you. He hasn’t made any move toward Kate.” He shook his head. “Ry, when you get out of the hospital I think it might be a good idea for you to take a vacation somewhere away from here. You know, get out of town for a while.”

  “I appreciate that, Victor, but if he’s truly stalking me, he wouldn’t have any trouble following me. I think I’d rather stick around where there are people like you that I know I can depend on.”

  His face turned red. “It’s nice of you to say so,” he mumbled, “but I’m worried about you.”

  “Thank you, but I can’t start running. But I promise you that from now until you catch this guy, I’ll be a lot more careful.”

  He nodded. “I’ll let you rest then. If you think of anything let me know,” he said and gave a small wave. He stopped at the door. “If you don’t mind, I think I’ll ask your folks for that box of things and go through them. Maybe I’ll see something you missed.”

  “I don’t mind. But it’s a waste of time. There’s nothing there.”

  “I’ll get it back to you as soon as I finish going through it.”

  “It’s not mine,” she said.

  He waved again with his hat. “You rest now. We’ll settle all that later.”

  Ry closed her eyes. She felt as though she could sleep for a week. She had hardly begun to doze before the door opened. It was James and Michelle, the first wave of her three siblings.

  When each of her brothers and their respective wives entered, Ry smiled and greeted them as cheerfully as she could. She was happy to see them, but she was so tired she could barely focus on what they were saying. She repeated answers to the same health questions with each of them and listened to stories about and messages from each of her nieces and nephews. Rest didn’t come until after visiting hours had ended.

  Chapter Thirteen

  A nurse woke Ry at five the following morning. It was the beginning of another long day. Instead of an endless stream of visitors, today consisted of an endless array of tests. It was almost six before she was finished and back in her room. The only good thing to come of the long day was that they removed the catheter and she was finally free of the irritating cardiac monitor.

  She was sitting up in bed that evening when her parents came in. They stood at either side of her bed. She was happy to see they looked more rested. They both looked freshly showered and dressed in jeans and crisp shirts.

  “How are you feeling?” her father asked as he patted her arm.

  “Like I’m ready to go home,” Ry grumbled. She kicked the sheet off her feet. She was tired of lying around all day.

  “That will be a wonderful day,” her mom said. She leaned down and kissed Ry’s cheek. “We saw Dr. Price in the hallway about an hour ago. He said your test results were extremely positive. He’s amazed at your recovery. He said he’d never seen anything like it in all his years of practice.”

  “So I can go home soon?”

  “He still won’t commit to a release date,” her mom said.

  Ry tried to shake off the blanket of grumpiness that had begun to envelop her. She was sick to death of this place. Her parents were probably much more tired of being there than she was. The past few days must have been a nightmare for them. She clasped their hands. “I can’t thank you both enough. I don’t know how I would have gotten through this without you.” She saw the emotional wave she had created wash over them.

  “We just want you home,” her mom replied. She dabbed a tissue to her eyes.

  Her father cleared his throat loudly before he spoke, “We’re fixing up Granny’s old room. The doctor said you’d still have to take it easy for a few weeks after you’re released. He didn’t want you going up and down the stairs.”

  “Thanks, I really appreciate that.” She was again reminded of the dream in w
hich she had seen Granny Jeter so clearly.

  “What’s wrong dear?” her mom asked. “You look worried.”

  “No. I’m not worried.” If she told them about her dream, would they think the bullet had knocked one of her mental gears off-kilter? She glanced at them and decided not to worry them. “Has the insurance guy ever gotten out there to check the shop?” she asked. She hoped the sudden change in topic would derail her mother’s scrutiny.

  “Rylene, you can’t be lying here worrying about that store,” her mother scolded. “Your father and Kate are taking care of all that.”

  “Kate?”

  “Her name is also on the deed,” her father reminded her.

  “Yes, I know. I’m just surprised that she would bother.”

  Her mom fussed with the sheet and tucked it back down over Ry’s feet. “I don’t want to hear anything else about that store.”

  Ry fought the urge to kick the sheet off again. She knew she was being difficult, and her parents had already been through enough. They didn’t need her tantrums.

  Her father patted her arm. She glanced up to find him smiling at her.

  He winked at her. “Doreen,” he said. “I’m a little tired. Why don’t you and I go on back to the hotel and let Ry rest?” He leaned over and kissed her cheek. He stared at her for a moment. “This probably isn’t the best time for this, but the doctor says you’re much stronger and some things can’t keep being put off. Kate’s outside waiting,” he said. “She’s been here every day since you were hurt. Now, I don’t know what’s happened between you two. Frankly, I don’t want to know, but she sure seems to be carrying a heavy load of guilt. You know I love you Ry, but you’re no saint, so I’m betting some of that guilt lies at your doorstep. You two need to make peace, one way or the other. It’s not good for either one of you to stretch these things out.”

  “You’re right, Dad. Would you ask her to come in?”

  He smiled and nodded. “Remember the good times and let the rest go,” he said and stepped away from the bed.

  “We’ll see you tomorrow,” her mom promised after she kissed Ry’s cheek.

  Ry watched her parents leave and couldn’t stop the twinge of festering fear that never seemed to be very far away. Now everything and everyone around her seemed extremely vulnerable. She had grown up in the country where the cycle of life could be observed almost anywhere you looked. Until all this had happened, tragedy and death on a more personal level had only touched her briefly when Granny Jeter died. Even that had been softened by the fact that her life had been a long and happy one. While it was true that Granny Jeter’s life had been touched by several moments of tragedy there had been many people who loved her and were loved by her. Ry couldn’t imagine how she could possibly bear losing either of her parents.

  Kate walked into the room and brought a halt to Ry’s morose thoughts.

  “Thanks for seeing me,” Kate said as she approached the bed.

  “Why wouldn’t I see you? I saw you the other night.” She stopped and shrugged. “At least I think I did.” She was surprised to see Kate dressed in sweats. She wore them around the house occasionally, but she never wore them when she went out.

  Kate gave a strained smile. “How are you feeling?”

  “You probably know more about that than I do. I can only imagine how badly my mom is pestering the doctors and nurses.”

  As Kate stepped closer, Ry could see the dark shadows beneath her eyes. She looked exhausted.

  Kate sat in the large chair beside the bed. “Doreen has actually been very brave about the entire thing. You should be proud of both your parents. In fact, since you’ve been here the entire Shelton clan has pretty much taken over the waiting room.”

  “You never were much of a fan of the Shelton clan, were you?”

  Kate looked surprised. “I love your family. They’re just so…so…alive!” She shook her head. “Ry, you have to remember I grew up an only child. Sometimes, when I think back to when I was younger, I wonder if I was ever a child. You’ve met my parents. They’re both so stiff-necked and concerned about public opinion that nothing else matters. Your parents are everything mine aren’t.” She stopped.

  An uncomfortable silence fell over the room. Ry finally broke it. “You look tired.”

  Kate dropped her head and began to fiddle with the hem of her shirt.

  Ry saw a tear glisten in the light as it fell. “Kate, please don’t cry.”

  The plea simply made Kate cry harder. Ry, I’m so sorry. I swear I never meant to do anything that would hurt you.” She wiped the tears from her cheeks. “When I first saw you in the emergency room, I thought you were dead and there were so many things…” Her voice broke. “I’m sorry.”

  Ry wanted to hold Kate, but she was out of reach. “Don’t cry. It’s all right. I know things hadn’t been right between us for a long time. Most of it was my fault. I got too wrapped up in work.”

  “I should have been there to help you and support you,” Kate said. “I know sales had dropped a little.”

  Ry suppressed a snort. “Actually, sales had all but stopped. If things had continued as they were, I would have been forced to close the store in two months. I might not have even made it that long.”

  Kate gasped loudly. “You never told me things were that serious. Why didn’t you say something?”

  “I don’t know. Just too stubborn, I guess. I didn’t want you to think I had failed again.”

  “What do you mean again? What did you ever fail at?”

  “Come on, Kate. Don’t patronize me. My God, I’ve blown five relationships. I can’t hold a job. I’ve failed as a business owner. I could never shoot a deer but I killed a man without hesitation. How much more should I list?” She was glad the cardiac monitor was no longer attached, because she could feel her heart racing.

  “At least you had the gumption to do something. Don’t you realize that had it been left up to me, we would both be dead? I just hunkered there under that couch like a scared rabbit.” She took a deep breath and looked up at Ry. “I was so angry with myself about that and I took it out on you. I’m sorry.”

  “The night before I was shot I had a dream,” Ry began. “I dreamed that Granny Jeter was back at her cabin. It was so real, Kate. I sat on the side of my bed and talked to her. She told me there was a storm coming. She told me I had to be strong and fight.”

  Kate leaned forward in the chair. Ry looked at the woman with whom she had thought she would spend the rest of her life. “She also told me to be kind and forgive. At first, I thought she was talking about you, but I realized she wasn’t, because there’s nothing to forgive. We’re both equally responsible.” She swallowed the lump building in her throat. “This time I mean it when I say I hope you have a good life. And, I hope you and I can always be friends.”

  Kate stood. “Can I still give you a hug?”

  “I certainly hope so.”

  They held each other and cried for a moment before Ry pulled away. “So, who is this nameless woman who stole your heart?”

  Kate laughed through her tears and returned to the chair. “Are you sure you want to know?”

  “No. Not really, but if I don’t know her real name, I’m guessing you’ll soon grow tired of the names I choose for her.” She smiled to take some of the sting from the words. She prayed she’d be able to maintain some manner of civility when she finally met the woman.

  “Her name is Destiny.”

  Ry looked at her in disbelief. “Kate, tell me she’s old enough to buy beer.”

  Kate made a face at her. “She’s only three years younger than me.”

  They talked for several more minutes, until the door opened. At first all Ry saw was a large bouquet of flowers. She couldn’t stop from smiling when saw who was delivering them.

  “I thought these might brighten your room.” Nicole stopped when she saw Kate. “Sorry, I didn’t realize you had company. I seem to have an awful sense of timing. Anyway, I just wanted to
drop these off and check to see how you were doing.” Nicole sat the flowers on a table beside the bed.

  “They’re beautiful. Thank you,” Ry said.

  Kate hopped up. “Don’t go. I was about to leave. I need to drive back to Jackson City tonight and should get started.”

  Ry didn’t like the idea of Kate being on the road alone. The crazy guy hadn’t shown any interest in harming her so far, but who knew, he might change his mind and think she knew something. “Are you sure you want to drive back tonight?”

  Kate nodded. “It’s okay.” She hesitated a moment. “I won’t be alone, so don’t worry.” She gave Ry a quick hug. “Besides, it’s you he seems to be interested in, so I’ll be fine.”

  Her flippant remark worried Ry. “Kate, I’m serious. This guy is crazy.”

  Kate seemed surprised by Ry’s sudden concern. “I’m sorry if I seemed glib. Trust me, I’ve been watching. I promise I’ll lock my doors as soon as I get into the car. You know what a chicken I am. I never stop for strangers.” She turned her attention to Nicole. “You’re the game warden who brought Ry in, aren’t you?”

  “Yes. Nicole Matthews. You were in the emergency room, weren’t you?” Nicole placed her hat on the foot of Ry’s bed.

  Ry watched as Kate introduced herself and the two women chatted. It seemed slightly surreal to watch them. Her ex-lover and the woman she hoped to… She stopped herself sharply. What in the heck was she thinking? She had just ended a relationship. The last thing she needed was to start another one. She found her eyes traveling the long line of Nicole’s back. As she did she was struck by a wave of desire so strong she felt sweat pop out on her brow. She glanced away and flushed when she found Kate watching her with a slightly amused looked on her face.

  “Nicole, it was nice to actually meet you. I wanted to thank you for everything you did for Ry,” Kate said as she started toward the door. “Ry, I’ll give you a call tomorrow to check on you.” She turned back. “Oh, Ry, you should be careful about doing anything too stimulating that would raise your blood pressure.” She pointed to her own forehead and smiled. “It might give you a headache.”