Page 371 of The Romance Adventure

“But the map?”

“I took a photo of the earrings for my little project and saw a strange reflection. The map paper is nearly the same color as the tiger wood, also known as Brazilian koa, but it shone in the glass.”

Perhaps I’m losing my edge. Maybe it’s time to retire.

CJ takes my hand and leads me upstairs to the closet. In the display case is a white box. I lift the lid, and inside are chocolates made to look like the earrings.

“Robyn, Isla’s sister, is big into chocolate. She had them made for me, er, you. If the diamonds are special to you, these make them all the sweeter. If they have to do with the whole lightning thing, maybe this will take the zing out of that memory.”

Liquid pierces the corners of my eyes. CJ is so thoughtful. But tears don’t come.

Instead, I tell him, “The earrings were my mother’s. My father gave them to her along with the promise of a certain kind of life. Then he vanished. She got very sick and couldn’t work. He left us with nothing other than an annual note to pay for my schooling. My mother sold off everything except these. Then she remarried. That was pretty much the last I saw of her until she got sick.” I point to the diamonds in the case.

That’s what drove me to become an officer for an international agency. To find him. To take him down. Little did I realize exactly who he was and what he’d done.

CJ gathers me into his arms and hugs me close. “I’m sorry, Jolie. I didn’t know.”

There isn’t pity in his tone. More like understanding because he’s driven by his own losses. In my husband’s embrace, I let silent tears fall, the first I’ve ever shed since I started this mission after high school.

However, the new information about the origins of the Coroa de Lágrimas changes things. Not only did my father lie about his family’s legacy with the crown, but he baited my mother with his story. She died believing him.

But my mission remains the same. Revenge.

CJ

CHAPTER 12

Despite a spotty night’s sleep, er, early morning, I’m up, my mind unable to rest.

Top of mind is the conversation with Jolie where she all but admitted she’s a covert officer of some sort. Because of that, I can’t handle this as I would a normal situation in my line of work: interrogation or giving an ultimatum. She’s a professional, so she’s not going to come clean easily. I would also be exposing my position, and being in such deep cover, I can’t compromise that. Not even for my wife.

In no world would our skit look like this:

Me: Tell me who you are and who you work for.

Jolie: I’m (real name) and I work for (real agency).

Pregnant pause.

Jolie: Wait a minute, if you knew that, then who are you? Who do you work for?

Me: That’s classified.

It just wouldn’t happen.

Instead, I have to resort to manipulation, massaging the situation carefully as I gather details, exploit my resources, and pray that my wife isn’t an enemy, playing me like a fiddle.

If that’s the case, I’d have to give her credit and the gold medal for being a world-class agency officer.

The trip to Martinique was emotional and somewhat fruitful. I’m thankful I could pray by my grandmother’s side and confirm Aunt Lorena is still alive. She wouldn’t give a straight answer about why everyone was led to believe Avó went missing. She did say that Chip would visit at least once a month, so it wasn’t a Glandman-type situation, which is a relief. My grandfather was involved in some shady business, but he wasn’t a bad man.

Seated at the kitchen table, I study the map, rough edges slid together. There are lines and bumps and tears.

My eyes blur as I list what I know. Like a nautical chart, it contains symbols showing rocks, reefs, and spoil areas. There are even abbreviations for foul ground and little fishbone illustrations that are frequently used to indicate a wreck. Could it be the barque?

But nothing about it tells me where this is. The ocean is huge. There are multiple on the globe. Could be anywhere. Is it part of a larger map and we’re only at the very beginning of finding the missing pieces? If so, how many are there?

Chip left me with a commission, and I’m not going to give up, but I am getting frustrated. Despite my family’s assumptions, I do have a job, and now I have a wife. Someday, I’d love a family. As thrilling as it is, I can’t spend the next fifty years looking for the treasure.