Page 368 of The Romance Adventure

“Because the crown was stolen? Lost?”

“No, because his father wasn’t the person he should’ve been. Building the Platinum Shore empire pushed Glandman to his so-called success, but he left one important thing in his wake. His family, his kid.”

“Lorena is the one who left,” Magnus says plainly.

“But only because Glandman wasn’t the man or father he had the potential to be.”

When CJ looks at me, there’s something behind his eyes. I can’t help but fear that I’ve been made. There’s no way. I’ve been at this gig for a long time and know how to cover my tracks.

“That’s a good assessment. We should handle Johnny with care. He could get desperate.” CJ squeezes my hand affectionately.

Just doing my job. However, I almost feel like those are words of warning to me, but the lines have blurred between my secret life and the one I want to build with CJ and his family.

“The good thing is we have a huge jump on Captain J. We have the stones and three pieces of the map. He had one of them and didn’t even realize it.”

“Or did he?” I ask.

Everyone goes quiet as if that hadn’t occurred to them.

Daintily wiping my mouth and then setting my napkin back in my lap, I say, “Maybe he’s letting you do the work, collecting all the information, the stones, and such. He’s biding his time to swoop in and steal the crown right out of your hands.”

For a fraction of a moment, everyone looks at me like I’m a diabolical mastermind. I wouldn’t deny it. But most of the time, I play for the good guys. But like with Johnny, the crown is personal.

CJ’s eyes crinkle with a smile and he breaks the tension by saying, “Captain J does seem like he’d swoop in, doesn’t he?”

The others laugh and I join in, but it’s not the swooping you have to watch out for. It’s the sneaking.

When we return to Coco Key, CJ calls a meeting to tell everyone what transpired with their avó, Aunt Lorena, and Johnny. I have a feeling the conversation will center on them being relieved they’re all still alive.

It’s not until I get back to Palm Cove Villa that it occurs to me that neither CJ nor Magnus mentioned why their grandmother left. Based on what I’ve gathered, her supposed abduction destroyed Chip.

However, maybe there is more to the story, and he, too was playing a role. But why? I suppose it doesn’t matter to my success—obtaining the crown in the exact manner I suggested, Captain J intends to use the McGregors.

Do I feel good about this? No.

Will I have some major explanations to offer and apologies to make? Yes.

Am I on a mission? In more ways than one.

The crown belongs in a museum. The man I’m investigating deserves to rot in jail. I’ll make sure both happen even if there’s some collateral damage because in the end, the man who wronged my mother, and thereby me, will pay the price.

But I have to be the one to do it.

For someone like the Art Wolf, a simple slap on the face and telling him he’s lousy, but in French, won’t cut it. The attempt was already made long, long ago.

Exhausted, I duck out and return home, but not before Magnus mentions a Bible verse. The McGregors are big on praying, especially before meals, so maybe there’s some tradition I don’t yet know about.

Alone, I spend some time reviewing intel on the case, because although the crew has found the three missing stones for the crown and three-quarters of the map, they have no idea that it isn’t only them and Johnny on this quest.

There are two other players, rivals if you will.

And I just have to make sure he doesn’t get to the crown first.

After a long day, I yawn and doze off. My dream takes me to a different bedside with someone breathing their last. I wake with tears in my eyes. The house is silent and still, but I know where I am. Only my husband isn’t on his side of the bed.

Tying on a robe, I pad downstairs. A low light glows in the kitchen, but he’s not there. Nor is he in the living room. I try the garage and a thin strip of light from around the corner shines on the cement floor.

I drop against the wall, waiting, and wishing I had a weapon in case it’s an intruder. The metal rake on the wall will have to do if necessary.