Sarah Varland - Treasure Point Secrets

Adam nodded. “Got it. Sounds fun. Let’s go.”

“It could be dangerous. As a civilian, I feel like you should know that. I would hate to put you in danger.”

She sounded passionate about that last line, as if she spoke from experience. Another aspect of this new Shiloh that mystified him.

“I’m sure we’ll be fine.” He spoke with confidence, but as she finally started off toward the edge of the woods, and he followed her, he felt eyes on him again.

And had the distinct impression that, despite her best efforts, they were in danger already.

“Hey, Shiloh?” He lowered his voice and continued to follow her, not breaking the rhythm of his stride. “Do you feel at all like we’re being watched?”

Shiloh didn’t look back. But Adam saw her nod. Chills crawled up his spine, and he found himself hoping they were only being viewed through something innocuous like binoculars. And not through the scope of a high-powered rifle.

Shiloh reached the edge of the woods and began to inspect the perimeter, seeking footprints or other signs of recent activity. She walked slowly along the tree line, scanning around her as she went. Adam kept an eye out, too, but when it came down to it, although he wanted to be protecting her, she was the one with the training and the gun. If any real danger arose, she would be the one keeping him safe. He’d always liked the idea of men being the protectors—an old-fashioned idea Shiloh and Annie had always teased him about. It wasn’t that he thought women were incapable—not at all—he just liked the idea of men filling that role.

He remembered Shiloh and his father debating the same thing after her cousin’s death. He wouldn’t say that his opinions were as extreme as his father’s, but Adam hadn’t contradicted his dad or said anything to support Shiloh’s position. He was sure he hadn’t imagined the flash of fire in Shiloh’s eyes as she’d said good-night after that long-ago discussion.

He’d told Shiloh to forget the past, so why was he having such a hard time keeping it from crowding in on him? Adam pushed the memories from his mind in time to avoid running into Shiloh, who had stopped cold in front of the oddest pine tree he’d ever seen. Its trunk grew straight for the first ten feet or so, made a dramatic almost-ninety-degree turn to the left for a stretch and then continued growing upward.

“Weird tree, huh?”

“Shhh.” She pressed a finger to her lips and motioned to the ground.

At first glance he didn’t understand what had caught her eye. He saw only grass, pine needles and palmettos. A second look told him that everything was pressed to the ground as if this had been used as a pathway.

A third look revealed something at the base of a palmetto plant. He leaned closer.

The color was duller than it would have been in a movie, likely because of its probable age, but there in the dirt he saw the unmistakable gleam of a gold Spanish doubloon.

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