“Clues?” Noah sputtered. “Like a treasure hunt?”
“I’m afraid so.”
Noah pulled a single card from the envelope, his brow furrowed. “This says Clue #1, Part 1.” He squinted into the envelope’s depths. “Where’s the rest?”
August hesitated, then rolled his shoulders back as if bracing for a blow. “Well…” He reached over and handed Elisa a second envelope.
Even before she opened the flap, she knew. So did Noah, judging by his horrified stare.
Sure enough, she reached inside and pulled out a card. Clue #1, Part 2.
“You’ve got to be kidding me.”
She didn’t speak the words out loud, but she matched Noah tone for tone in her head. None of this made sense. Everyone knew Elisa liked puzzles. She enjoyed her monthly meetings with the Puzzlers Club and heading up the annual Magnolia Bay Scavenger Hunt every year. This treasure hunt could be fun to solve, but not like this. This felt more like the type of puzzle where all the piecesseemedto fit at first, but the picture didn’t line up on the seams and you realized it was all wrong.
This was all wrong.
“This has to be a joke, right?” she pleaded with August.
“No joke.” The older man shook his head and busied himself straightening the fake succulent on his desk, taking care to line it up with his beige pencil holder—and avoid their eyes. “You’re supposed to work together to solve the clues.”
Together.
Elisa’s eyes locked with Noah’s. Her heart stuttered, panic swelling her pulse into her ears. No way. Today only proved they had zero business doing anything together, ever again. “Here.” She thrust her envelope toward Noah. “I can just give you mine.”
“I’m afraid that’s very generous but prohibited.” August gentlytsk’da finger at them. “It will forfeit you both from the inheritance if you cheat.” He peered at them over the rim of his glasses. “And I will be watching, as I was instructed.”
Good gravy.
Her thoughts bounced like a ping pong ball inside her tired brain. Gilbert Hebert had left inheritance forher? She wanted to ask how much money, but that seemed irrelevant. Right now, any amount could help Delia…could possibly save the Magnolia Blossom Café.
But like this? She didn’t even know Mr. Hebert. It felt wrong.
Helping Delia felt right, though.
Elisa stared at her envelope, unsure what to do next. And judging by the seconds ticking loudly off the grandfather clock behind August, everyone else in the room felt the same.
Finally, Noah exhaled and broke the silence. “Listen. My grandfather could be eccentric, but he was never without purpose.” He tapped his envelope against his knee as he squinted at August. “What else do you know?”
“Nothing I’m at liberty to discuss, I’m afraid.” August spread his hands wide in a helpless shrug.
The envelope tapped a faster rhythm. “So you’re saying we don’t have a choice?”
“Not if you want the remaining inheritance.”
Noah’s Adam’s apple bobbed. “And she gets part of the treasure?”
Elisa frowned at the offended tone of that “she.” Like she was gum on the bottom of his boot. Though honestly, she couldn’t fully blame him right now. She had no idea how she’d feel if her family member had suddenly passed and included Noah in their inheritance.
August nodded. “That’s what’s listed in the will. As executor of his estate and as his lifelong legal counsel, it’s my job to see the will is upheld according to the specifics of what my client”—he paused, softening his rapid legal verbiage, and met Noah’s gaze—“what yourgrandfatherwanted.”
Elisa shot Noah a look, feeling strangely affected by the way he seemed so unaffected. His back, ramrod straight, didn’t even move with his breath. He kept his eyes trained on August, profile still, eyes slightly narrowed as if he were absorbing a beating. Like he’d win a prize if he showed as little emotion as possible.
She knew what that was like.
“Listen.” August crinkled his nose at them both. “I know this is not typical. But that was Gilbert. And that’s part of his charm and why we all loved him so dearly. Right?”
Noah’s voice stayed tight but controlled. “Right. Sure.”
