Searching For Treasure - By L.C. Davenport Page 0,56

no lock for that key. I think the reason Austin never figured out the clues in the letter was because they were phony. I think the reason Davis never told anyone where to find his treasure was because there was no treasure to find. I think this is just a one-hundred and fifty year old practical joke."

But even as Dana said this, she frowned, thinking of the lights that led her to the safe. Would those lights, whatever they were, have tried so hard to communicate with her just to perpetuate a joke?

Henry whistled. "Kind of a he-who-laughs-last-laughs-best type of thing? Hint there was a treasure, leave phony clues and then laugh all through the afterlife while fools like Austin look for it?"

"Something like that," Dana said. Put that way, maybe perpetuating a joke was as good a reason as any.

The Inspector went over their stories, rehashing them, picking out points for clarification for about another hour. Once he was satisfied he left with Austin and his partner in tow. Henry slumped back in his chair. "Well! This beats all I've ever seen. Mark, boy, I'm too old for this kind of excitement."

"I'm sorry, Grandpa. But I really didn't do so much. I though I was protecting Miss Dana, but ends up she protected me,”he said dejectedly.

"Hey, you." Dana took his hand and kissed it. Mark blushed to his hair roots. "Austin had a knife on me. If it weren’t for you knocking the knife out of the way, I wouldn't have had the opportunity to do anything. That makes you my hero." They didn't think Mark could blush any harder but he did.

Henry checked the bruise Austin left on Mark's face for about the twentieth time. "This is going to be the mother of all shiners, boy. We'll have to slap a steak on it when we get home."

"I had him down, Grandpa. I had my whole weight on him."

"There's a lot more to fightin' than weight. It's knowing how to use that weight. There's also experience and sneakiness and meanness. On those Austin just had you outclassed."

"I wish you all could have seen Miss Dana. She was awesome. I told her to run, but she wouldn't."

"I've spent the last several years of my life taking care of a teenage boy, Mark. I guess I never got out of the habit." Dana looked around the table brightly. "I wonder when lunch will be."

Jack's eyes popped in disbelief. "Lunch? Jeepers creepers, lunch?"

Dana sighed. She had hoped she could wait to do her groveling when Jack was less in the mood to let her. "Shush up, you,”she commanded, grabbing his hand and leading him towards the kitchen. "Excuse us folks, Jack and I need to have a conversation."

Silently she led him through the kitchen and out onto the back porch. Jack eyed her skeptically, wary of her meekness and seeming willingness to let him rant. He opened his mouth to do just that when she totally floored him with, "I'm sorry, Jack." Throwing herself into his arms, she kissed him urgently, raining kisses on his face, mouth, throat, repeating, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry."

Jack tightened his arms around her, burying his hands into her hair. Dana, tired of standing on tiptoe, pulled herself up and wrapped her legs around his waist. She encircled his neck with her arms and buried her face in his throat. Jack stroked her back with comforting hands.

"Hey, D, you really know how to kill a good mad." Dana looked at him with such a tragic expression he almost dropped her in surprise. "Hey, what's this? Delayed reaction?"

"All I kept thinking about was that I didn't want to die and have our last words to be angry ones. I'm sorry for what I said, I'm sorry we didn't leave when you wanted to, and I'm sorry I put you through this." She buried her face in his shirt.

"Oh, Dana, it's Okay. Shh-shh. D, look at me." He lifted her face to meet his gaze. He caressed her face tenderly. "We're going to fight sometime, D. That's what couples do. That doesn't mean I don't love you in the most sickeningly sappy way possible."

Dana couldn't help a grin. "Couple?"

"That's what we are now, D, a couple."

"I like the sound of that." Dana looked at him seriously. "Will you still be my best friend?" she asked in a small voice.

"You bet."

Her smile was pure sunshine and it took his breath away. "I love you, too, Jack. In the most sickeningly sappy way possible."

"Good, let's go see if we can rummage up some lunch."

Mrs. Babineaux had lunch waiting for them when they returned to the dining room, consisting of grilled peanut butter and jam sandwiches and tall glasses of milk. Grace had her address book out and was recording Oscar and Henry's email address. "Oh, Dana, I have to have yours, too. I just hope we can stay friends and not lose touch once the weekend is over." She sniffed loudly.

"Oh, give it a rest, Grace. Noah has already informed me that along with Oscar the rest of us have been adopted into the Parker family. Something tells me that's a lifelong commitment."

Henry took Rose by the arm and, repeating Dana's example from earlier, led her towards the kitchen. "Which reminds me, Rose, I've got my own commitment I'd like to discuss."

Rose grinned over her shoulder at Dana and winked as she went through the door. "Do tell."

"Miss Dana," Mark began shyly, "I hope if you're ever in Oklahoma you'll come see me play football sometimes."

"Well, having been on the receiving end of one of your tackles, I look forward to seeing one from the stands. And Oklahoma is not that far. I just might surprise you. And Oscar," she added turning to the older man. "Consider yourself invited to Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner."

He twinkled at her. "I just might surprise you."

Grace was idly fingering her address book, looking rather forlorn. Dana sat down next to her and took her hand. "Grace, what's wrong?"

Sighing, she looked wistfully towards the kitchen door. "I think I may have lost my traveling partner."

"I doubt it. Knowing Henry, I imagine the two-some has become a threesome."

Jack grinned at her wickedly. "Hey, Grace, are you into ménage a trios?"

Grace's mouth rounded into a shocked silent. Finally she laughed. "Oh, you."

Soon everyone was packing up and preparing to leave, sorry to go but ready to resume their lives. Rose was hugging everyone, much to his or her surprise. Her eyes were sparkling, but she was staying silent about her discussion with Henry. Phone numbers were exchanged along with promises to keep in touch. Finally, Jack had managed to drag Dana out to the car. She looked around. "Aren't we forgetting someone?" Dana asked.

"I saw Noah and Josie heading for the gazebo. They're saying their goodbyes, promising to write or email or IM or call or whatever."

Dana wiped the sweat from her face. "Well I doubt they will be at it for long. It's too hot out here for too much romance."

"Oh I don't know." Jack circled her waist, pulled her closer and nuzzled her ear. "I doubt there could ever be too much romance."

Dana turned in his arms and leaned against him comfortably. Jack rested his chin on the top of her head. They gazed at the crumbling castle together– each of them thinking about how much had changed in such a short time.

"So,”Jack mumbled above her. "What do you want to do next weekend?"

"Oh I don't know. I thought maybe we could go to Baton Rouge and see the USS Kidd." Jack smiled at her lovingly, recognizing the gesture for what it was.

Jack nuzzled her ear again and kissed her temple. "Are you sorry you didn't find treasure, D?"

Dana looked up at him, her eyes shining bright. "Why should I be?" She hugged Jack tightly. "I already have mine."