Page 399 of The Romance Adventure

Lally adds, “Mrs. Lipman told us Chip wasn’t the only one after the treasure and that it ruined more than one good friendship and business relationship.”

“Glandman and Jerkovic,” Royal says. “Kurt Jerkovic betrayed them.”

The two women take turns counting on their fingers.

“Mr. Higbee, Mr. Williams, Mrs. Cross, and Mrs. Lipman, plus their spouses. That’s eight.”

“Add Chip and Fernanda for ten.”

“Lorena and Glandman make twelve.”

“Jerkovic, for thirteen.”

“Could the number thirteen have something to do with the code?” Isla asks.

CJ holds the Salty Skeleton in his hand and wears an irrepressible grin. I know the look. He just realized something important. “When you don’t know what the next right thing is, ask God.”

Everyone looks at him like he’s gone nutty. Coconutty.

CJ

CHAPTER 18

The breakthrough comes to me like the sun through the clouds. Jolie casts a warm smile my way as if appreciating me for more than my bum.

I wink at her.

I cannot fathom anyone I’d rather be sharing this adventure with—my wife and family. I think she finally sees that she’s part of that.

“God, what’s the password to the Salty Skeleton?” Ryan asks, staring at the ceiling.

Harley elbows him.

“Chip left it to me along with anything that floats. We found the key in the coconut. To Ryan, he left the diary and the pen. Those have helped immensely. Magnus got the knife and the pillow.”

“Still not sure about that one,” he mutters.

“And I got the matches and the Bible.” Royal’s eyes widen and he gets it from the shelf.

Parting the pages, he opens to the Book of Matthew. “Not sure if it’ll help, but this passage here was the only thing that was underlined.”

I run my fingers along the page, reading the story of the merchant and the pearls. “Matthew13:45-46.”

“A six-digit code,” Ryan says.

Taking the Salty Skeleton in one hand, I say a prayer and then turn the dials, lining up those six numbers.

If anyone in the room expects a click or a ta-da, like a rabbit jumping out of a hat, they don’t get it. Instead, I return to the laser-focused mode I was in while originally trying to figure out the code and assessing the diary.

It’s as if everyone in the room collectively holds their breath as I use the cipher from the Salty Skeleton to make sense of the note our mother left. First, I have to orient myself to the letters, numbers, symbols, and scratches that form a ring around each of the dials. Then I have to solve whether I’m using a lateral or reverse cipher. There are multiple elements at play, but by using the process of elimination, I recognize patterns and see the logic in what to most people would look like nonsense.

“You were an analyst first,” Jolie whispers as if detecting my background.

I give a subtle nod.

Royal grunts. “An analyst? The only thing CJ analyzes is whether the waves are any good.”

“He’s also an accomplished deep-sea diver,” Jolie says.