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"He asked for a lot more. But we negotiated it down to one buck. I was teasing him when I called it piles of money."
Errol gives his cousin a hard stare. "What's going on here, Munro?"
His cousin shrugs. "Your lass can be very convincing."
Munro turns and walks away.
Errol slings an arm around my shoulders. "I will never understand Munro, but I donnae care. I want to spend the rest of my life learning everything there is to know about you,mo chridhe."
I want to ask what he means by that, but the way my heart skipped when he spoke those words distracted me. Now it's too late, because we're heading for the airport terminal to rent a car. We need to hurry, to make sure my dad hears the news from me before it hits the news media. This will become a big story worldwide, I'm sure.
Two hours later, we arrive at the Flagstaff airport and board the jet owned by Errol's cousin Evan. We didn't speak on the drive to Flagstaff. I think we're both still in shock over what happened today. Errol's former partner revealed his true nature as a lying, cheating, thieving scumbag. We fought bad guys. I nearly drowned—twice. We found the treasure, then gave it up. We'll both need considerable time to digest everything that we've experienced.
I'd told Errol from the start that I don't care about the fame and glory. My only goal is to show my dad that he was right and all those people who ridiculed him were wrong. I have the proof now. We're rushing to Ohio so I can show it to my father. Do I feel slightly disappointed that no one will ever know Errol and I discovered the world's greatest hoard? Maybe. But even if we wanted the credit, we could never accept it. Excavating on federal land is illegal. As amateurs who have no PhDs in archaeology, and no experience as avocational archaeologists, we would never have been granted a permit. The US government doesn't give rewards to people who discover ancient artifacts, either, not even when the discovery is legit.
We did the right thing. So what if only four people will ever know what we did? Munro, my dad, Errol, and I will always remember.
Since we want to surprise my dad, we don't call to let him know we're on our way. Our jet lands at the Cincinnati airport, but we need to rent a car to drive to the small town where my father lives—where we used to live together, until I turned eighteen and went away to college. No matter how far we traveled to go on expeditions together, we always came home to Ohio. Even after I got a job in Kentucky, I returned for every major holiday.
My father still has no idea I lost my job and sold my house to pay for a crazy expedition. Maybe I'll leave that part out when I tell him what Errol and I have done.
A rental car gets us to my dad's house. He still lives in the house where I'd grown up, on a quiet street in a quiet neighborhood in a small town. We park along the street and walk up to the front porch. But I hesitate there, with my hand raised to ring the bell. A strange sensation sweeps over me, like a mixture of excitement and fear tinged with a sense of unreality. Is this really happening? Am I about to show my dad the proof that he was always right?
"Want me to ring the bell?" Errol asks.
"No, I can do it." I grasp his hand. "Here goes."
I punch the button and hear the chime going off inside the house.
A moment later, the door opens. My father grins. "Ashley, you're home."
"Yes, Dad, I am. Sorry it's been so long."
He drags me into a hug, squeezing so hard that I have trouble breathing. But I don't care. My dad has never been so happy to see me before, and I still haven't told him the amazing news. Maybe he's hugging me this way because I've stayed away for so long, ashamed to tell him I'd failed in my self-appointed mission to vindicate him.
Well, it's time to share the news.
Dad finally lets go of me and notices Errol. "Who's your friend, Ashley?"
"This is Errol Murdoch," I say. "We've been working together on a special project that I want to tell you about. But can we come inside first?"
"Oh, yes, of course." Dad steps aside. "Sorry to be so rude. Come in, please."
I walk inside, but Errol pauses just past the threshold, where Dad stands. He offers his hand to my father. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Hartman."
"Call me Isaac. Are you Scottish?"
"Yes, I am."
Dad thumps Errol on the back. "Don't care where you're from as long as you treat my baby right."
"Your daughter is an amazing woman, and I would never do anything to hurt her."
My father glances at me with an amused glint in his eyes. "Glad my daughter finally found the right man."
"Dad, I barely know Errol."
"Really? But you brought him home to meet me. You've never done that before with any of the men you've dated."
