Freedom's Treasure (12 page)

Anna couldn’t help herself, she laughed.

“I hate to admit that I fell victim to the same dare as a precocious youth. At least mine was a triple dog dare.”

“Does that make a difference?” Anna asked innocently.

“Oh, Anna,” he shook his head, “don’t you know the hierarchy of the dares? Triple dog dare is the closest thing you can get to straight up calling someone a sissy. You can’t let your manhood be questioned, especially when you’re 10 or 11.”

“I think I heard that in a movie once. It was something about a tongue on a frozen pole?” Anna put the rest of the trash in a plastic bag and put it with the backpacks. “It would serve those boys right if I put this in one of their backpacks for their mom to find.”

“Let’s not add to their misery,” Hunter chided. “You can’t tell me girls don’t have their versions of dares like this.”

“Well, sort of. Ours usually consist more of kissing and the like.” Anna grabbed her new metal detector from the truck and started turning knobs. She was pointedly not making eye contact which encouraged Hunter’s curiosity all the more.

“Care to share an example?” The tent and sleeping bags were finally stowed and Hunter brushed the dark dirt from the knees of his jeans. He’d have to stop at home for a shower, shave and change before heading into the office. Elisa had an eagle eye for when he didn’t change his clothes and she surely would have heard about the night’s events. He didn’t need to add fuel to that particular fire.

Anna blushed. “I think we can save that for another time. What are you doing today?”

Hunter decided to let that subject slide for now though he’d always wanted to know what happened at girls’ slumber parties. He watched her swing the detector from side to side near the spot where the fire had been. It sounded and she excitedly dug up… a nail. He watched her carefully place it into yet another bag she pulled from her pocket. He was starting to wonder if she had a factory of those things in her pants.

“I have a few projects around my house to work on and there are some renters coming in for a canoe trip down the Pere Marquette. They come every year and do a family reunion thing. It takes three houses to hold them all. You?”

“I have no interest in canoeing.”

Hunter snorted. “Maybe not now but I’ll get you on the river eventually. You haven’t enjoyed Baldwin until you’ve taken a dip in a cold river.”

“Keep dreaming, big boy,” the machine beeped again and she scooped up a quarter. “Look at that, a profit already.”

“Don’t forget, we’re partners. Half that quarter is mine,” his long legs carried him to her and he gave her a thorough kiss. “Consider us even.”

“You must think I’m cheap,” she laughed. “I’m going to the beach today.”

“Are you going to Ludington or Traverse City?” he nuzzled her throat as she kept swinging the awkward machine though the swipes were growing smaller as she grew more distracted.

“I thought I’d stay local. I wanted to go by the cabin we owned when I was a kid. I remember a private beach there. Maybe I’ll bring this.”

Hunter thought about that. “It should be mostly locals. If anyone gives you a hard time, just tell them you’re renting one of my places.”

“It wouldn’t be a lie, now would it?”

“Just half of one,” he stepped back. “Would you like a ride back to your home, milady?”

“No, you go ahead. I think I’ll walk back through the woods and keep practicing with the metal detector.”

“That sounds like fun. I’ll give you a call later, maybe we can get together for dinner.” He swung into the truck and carefully turned around on the narrow dirt road. He waved a casual farewell and Anna’s heart fluttered. Uh oh, she thought.

Anna carefully spread her beach towel so it was half in the shade, half out. The sun was blazing and she could feel the sweat starting to trickle down her back. It was just after lunchtime and she noted she wasn’t the only one who thought the beach was a good idea. There were a few families playing in and near the water and she couldn’t help but laugh at the toddler who kept trying to eat the sand.

Several preteens were racing to the raft near the center of the lake and Anna worried until she remembered the lake was a shallow one and boats with motors weren’t allowed. They were as safe here as they would be in a swimming pool.

Women sat in clusters and talked and men were standing around built in grills and debating the merits of gas versus charcoal. Anna believed firmly in gas and wondered idly where Hunter fell in that debate.

She set her cooler down and
, after feeling the intense heat from the cloudless day, was glad she’d brought bottled water along with the couple of light beers, bottles of juice, suntan lotion, blow up raft, sandals, jeans, sweatshirt, metal detector with headphones, notebook (can’t have the laptop near sand, oh no) and every other thing she could think of that might be needed for a day at the beach. Not to mention the basic supplies she kept in her truck.

She believed firmly in being prepared and in Michigan that was always a good idea. The weather could change in a heartbeat. There were days she’d had to turn on her air conditioner and heater within an hour of each other.

Anna’s eyes swept across the sand and she noted she wasn’t the only person hanging out alone today. There was a man on the other side of the small beach, with his own cooler and supplies and, she noted with glee, she wasn’t the only person who might be considered to have over-packed.

She set up her mini-lawn chair and stretched her legs into the sun. Though she wasn’t prone to sunburns she spread sun block on her shoulders and face and made sure she gave her legs another coat.

Anna started to turn on the radio that was part of her cooler when she realized someone already had one tuned to a classic rock station. The sound drifted gently and she left hers off while leaning her head back onto a pillow.

Could anything feel more heavenly than this exact moment in time? Her mind flipped to Hunter and she stopped herself. Maybe his being here would enhance the moment but she could be content on her own.

Her gaze fell upon the other lone person. The man was tall, similar in build to Hunter with long legs and broad chest, a swimmer’s build. Where Hunter was dark, he was light with hair that nearly reached his shoulders and glistened with droplets from a recent dip. He had a two day stubble glinting across his chin and she wondered if that was a planned look or a man on vacation who had better things to do than worry about shaving.

She took a mental picture and turned her gaze away. She didn’t want him to think she was staring at him and thus force him to come introduce himself. Idle conversation was not something Anna was looking for today though she wouldn’t purposefully avoid it.

As a mental exercise she considered how she’d write him. With her eyes closed she fantasized a short story about a sun-bleached god, cast from the heavens and forced to endure life among the little people. What kind of job would he have? Would he marry and procreate? It brought a smile to her face thinking of a modern day Hercules.

A short while later Anna stirred awake. She didn’t think she’d been asleep as she’d been aware of families packing up and heading back to their cottages but she felt rested. The sun had drifted across the sky and the shade that had been partially covering her had moved off to the side. She stood and stretched and decided a swim was in order.

The water was warm and thankfully no seaweed tickled her feet as she dog paddled deeper. After floating for a time she meandered her way back to shore and threw herself back onto the blanket, deciding to drip dry. A day at the beach had been the best idea she’d had in ages.

A shadow loomed over her, startling Anna. She tilted her sunglasses down and was only mildly surprised to see the blond man standing over her. She’d felt him watching while she’d been swimming and wondered what his opening line would be and how she could rebuff his advances gently.

“Mind if I join you?” his voice was smooth, with a touch of an accent she couldn’t quite place.

Anna leaned up on her elbows. “Sure, pull up a chair,” she patted the sand next to her. She thought she caught a quick look of distaste before he spread the towel she hadn’t noticed and settled back. Ah, she thought, one of those.

He reached across to shake her hand. “I’m Dock. It’s nice to meet you.”

She took his hand, felt him hold it a beat too long. “I’m Anna. The pleasure is mine.” She paused, waiting for his line. When none was forthcoming she forged ahead. “Your name’s Doc? Meaning you’re a doctor or vet?”

He gave a chuckle. “No, it’s more like a boat dock. My full name’s Sam Dockett.”

Anna’s head tilted. “I thought I saw some signs in town. Dockett’s Docks?”

He nodded. “Yep, that’s me. I run the marina south of town and I put in most of the docks around here during the spring, take them out again in the fall. It’s been the family business for years. What do you do, Anna?”

“Oh, a little of this, some of that.” Evasive, thy name is Anna, she nearly laughed at herself. At his cocked brow she continued. “I’m on a sort of leave of absence from the real world. I was a reporter and now I’m trying to write the Great American Novel.”

“Ah. The lady writer from Grand Rapids,” he grinned broadly, showing lots of pearly white teeth. Anna immediately heard the music from
Jaws
in her head. She just bet he was a lady killer with a smile like that.

She nodded sagely. “That’d be me. I see you’ve heard?”

“It’s a small town,” he gave a one shoulder shrug. “Rumor has it that you’re looking for Samuel’s gold.”

“I’m not looking for the gold, per se. I like the legend and the romance of the story behind it.” Anna resisted the urge to put her shorts and tank top back on. He wasn’t looking her over lasciviously, just being friendly but his interest felt too intense. Almost too much eye contact, she noted, like he wanted to leer and was forcing himself not to. She broke the contact and looked back over the lake. 

“Yeah, that’s a story that’s caught a lot of interest over the years. Have you learned much?” Dock’s tone was casual as he, too, looked over the lake. He watched old man Peterson cast a line out in hopes of catching a bass or two.

“No more than what’s in the library and what a few people have considered over the years. It’s all rumor and innuendo but that’s what I’m looking for.”

“You know the cabin you’re staying in belonged to Samuel?”

Okay, that’s creepy, she thought. “That’s what stirred my interest. I’ve always liked the Civil War period. One of bloodiest times in American History yet one of romance and adventure,” she nearly sighed with the thought of it. “Brother pitted against brother, father against son at times. The women, at home, carrying on the family farms and doing their part for country, home and hearth and learning in the process that they, too, have a sense for business.”

“I bet you’re a
Gone With the Wind
fan.”

“Yes, the book, not the movie. What’s not to love? Scarlett O’Hara is a much maligned character. She’s one of the strongest female characters in American Literature and the only line people remember is how Rhett doesn’t give a damn. It’s just wrong.” Anna stopped the tangent she knew was coming. “Sorry, that’s one I feel passionate about.”

“I see that. You make me wonder if I should give the book another chance.”

“You’ve read it?”

“I started it once,” he conceded.

“Let me guess, for a girl?”

“Oh, yeah. Her name was Cindy. Cutest little bookworm I ever knew.”

“And how did that work out for you?”

“You know that book is like 8 inches thick, right?” Dock eyes were wide.

“So you didn’t get far,” Anna commented.