I catch Lana’s eye, silently communicating my wariness, but she nods and hands her phone over once we’re back at Ella’s house.
“Thank you so much,” Julia says, taking the phone with obvious relief. She steps into the kitchen for privacy while Lana and I remove our snow-covered outer layers.
“What do you think?” Lana whispers, hanging up her coat.
“I’m starting to believe her story,” I admit, keeping my voice low. “Everything checks out so far.”
We can hear Julia’s voice from the kitchen, her tone apologetic and explanatory. After a few minutes, she returns, still holding Lana’s phone.
“My mom wants to come get me,” she says, looking between us. “They’re worried sick. But...” She hesitates, biting her lip. “Could I actually ask you guys something crazy?”
I straighten up, instantly alert. “What is it?”
“It’s about the mill and treasure,” she says, her eyes bright with excitement. “And honestly, it sounds way more interesting than sitting through another lecture from my parents about winter driving.” She takes a deep breath. “Would it be totally weird if I asked to tag along? To the mill meeting?”
Lana looks as surprised as I feel. “You want to come with us?”
“I know it’s none of my business,” Julia continues quickly. “But I’m actually really into local history. And let’s face it, if I go home now, I’ll have to listen to a hundred questions from my parents about my poor life choices.” She holds up Lana’s phone. “My mom’s still waiting for an answer.”
I study her face, searching for any sign of deception. There’s nothing but genuine enthusiasm and perhaps a touch of embarrassment at being so bold.
“It could be dangerous,” I warn her. “We don’t know who left that note.”
“I know,” she says, nodding seriously. “But I’m already involved, aren’t I? I mean, I saw the note. And my car is right by the mill anyway, so I need to get back there eventually.”
Lana and I exchange a look. Having Julia come along is risky, but keeping her within sight might be the safer option if she’s not who she claims to be.
“Okay,” I decide. “But you follow our lead, and if things get dicey, you do exactly what we say, no questions asked.”
Julia’s face lights up. “Absolutely! I promise.” She puts the phone back to her ear. “Mom? Actually, I think I’m going to stay with Caleb and Lana for a bit. Their neighbor needs help with some animals, and since I’m already here...” She pauses, listening. “Yes, I’ll be careful. I’ll call you tonight. Love you too.” She holds the phone out to Lana. “She wants to talk to you.”
I watch as Lana takes it, her expression shifting into something warm and reassuring. “Julia’s mom? Hi there, this is Lana.” She nods several times, keeping that practiced smile that people use when they want the person on the other end of the line to hear their friendliness. “No trouble at all, honestly. We’re happy to have her until the roads clear completely.” Another pause, her eyes briefly meeting mine. “Of course. I promise we’ll make sure she gets home safely.”
When she hangs up, I notice Scout has moved closer to Julia, his tail wagging slightly. Even he seems to be warming up to her.
“So,” Julia says, “What’s this treasure all about anyway?”
I sigh, realizing we need to bring her up to speed. “It’s a long story, but we have a few hours before noon. Let’s sit down, and we’ll explain what we know.”
As we move toward the living room, I catch Lana watching me with a mixture of concern and something else, trust, maybe. Despite the complications, I’m glad she’s here. Having someone I can count on makes all the difference, especially when walking into an unknown situation.
“Start from the beginning,” Julia says eagerly as we settle in. “I want to hear everything.”
Chapter 11
Lana
I watch as Julia leans forward, eagerness written across her face. There’s something almost childlike about her excitement, making it hard for me to maintain my suspicions. But years of experience have taught me that the most dangerous people often appear the most innocent.
“Well,” I begin carefully, “it started with a note addressed to Caleb that someone left on the porch.”
Caleb nods and picks up where I left off. “The note mentioned something valuable hidden on Jake’s property—something people would go to great lengths to obtain.”
As we take turns explaining our discovery of the ammunition box, Thomas Wolf’s journal, and the coordinates, I closely study Julia’s reactions. Her eyes widen at all the right moments, she gasps when appropriate, and asks intelligent questions throughout. Either she’s genuinely hearing this for the first time, or she’s an Oscar-worthy actress.
“So you think there’s actual gold bars hidden somewhere on the property?” she asks, tucking her legs underneath her on the couch.
“That’s our working theory,” Caleb replies, shifting to ease the pressure on his leg. “Based on Wolf’s journal entries, heextracted and processed a significant amount of gold before the mining company dispute turned violent.”
