Cupid's Treasure - Mystery of the Golden Arrow (13 page)

“If you don’t open this door right now,” Patricia said, “you will regret it.”

Jacques raised an eyebrow looking at him. “How much dirt can she have on you?” he asked.

“Ah—” Jonathan nodded slightly with a shrug. “We do go way back.”

“I’ll tell the real story of our trip to Peru,” Patricia called out.

“How bad could it be?” Jacques asked.

“I know that Jacques is a supernatural being from outer space.”

“Maybe we should open the door,” Jacques said.

Amber looked at him in surprise.

“Not that I am.” He laughed. “That would be. . . I mean from outer space? Where did she get that?”

Jonathan sighed. “May I have the keys please?”

Amber handed them to him and watched as he opened the door.

“It’s about time,” Patricia said as she walked in.

“I told you before that Jacques was on my team and had been watching the suspects.”

“Jonathan,” Patricia said. “I know what I saw.”

“What you saw was induced by some Peruvian hallucinogens.” Jonathan gave her the same old excuse. “We’ve been over this.”

“But I only drank bottled water,” she said, placing the food on the counter.

“But you ate the food,” Jacques said, sniffing at the bags appreciatively. “Do I look like an alien?”

Patricia ignored him, looking at Amber instead. “So you’re the one.”

Amber didn’t know what to say to that. “I’m the new librarian.”

“Why would Cupid attack you?” Patricia asked. “Maybe,” Patricia eyed her up and down with a gleam that said she was on to something, “he really thinks he is Cupid and that you needed his help. . . . Of course!” She laughed, turning away, dismissing Amber as if she were inconsequential.

“Don’t pay any attention to her,” Jacques whispered as he snooped through the bags on the counter.

“Or maybe it’s because he is a nutcase and needs help,” Jonathan said.

“Oh, Jonny, don’t be like that.” She stepped closer, placing her hand on his chest. “Remember the times. . . .”

“We had our fun,” Jonathan said, capturing her hand and taking it off of his chest.

Patricia’s eyes narrowed on him. “Is that all I was to you . . . fun?” She stepped away from him.

Both Amber and Jacques looked from one to the other as unwilling spectators in the exchange.

“I’m not the one who left to go to Burma to further my career,” Jonathan reminded her.

“It was an assignment.” Patricia pouted.

Jonathan had had access to satellite that proved that wrong.

“Besides, he’s a married man,” Patricia added as if this made his allegations beyond reason.

Married
. Jonathan remembered looking at engagement rings for her the day before she left. The image made him cold inside. “You should know I have photos of your trip, Patricia.”

“What?” she asked. “How could you?”

“I worked in witness protection if you’ll recall,” Jonathan said.

“You were spying on me?” She was outraged.

Amber glanced over at Jonathan. The information at least explained his reasons for asking her if she was in the program and why he thought he could help her.

“Let’s just say that you’re not the only one who knows how to collect information,” Jonathan said. “I hope you don’t feel the need to write anything more about our trip.”

“Are you threatening me?” Patricia snarled. Both Jacques and Amber turned to watch her.

“I think it is more a blackmail,
oui?
” Jacques asked.

“Oh, shut up.” Patricia glared at him and then ripped the sandwich bag away from him. She picked up the other bags off the counter on her way out.

Jonathan stood watching her stride away, wondering why he had ever found her attractive. She and her assets bounced down the stairs, and he made a face, rubbing his jaw.
Yeah, now I remember
.

He turned back to see both Jacques and Amber looking at titles of books as if that was suddenly really important to sort them. “I say we go get some burgers.”

Jacques immediately perked up. “
Oui,
I am starving.”

“Agnes?” Jonathan asked. “Do you want something or . . . to come along?” He looked around the room. “No?”

Jacques suddenly sighed and shook his head.

“What?” Jonathan asked.

“She says she would like that very much.”

“Great!” Jonathan headed towards the door. “Let’s go.”

“I know of a great old hamburger place that has been there forever,” Jonathan said as they headed towards his truck.

“What about the juicy burgers from Ben’s?” Jacques asked in disappointment.

“This is even better! It has nostalgia,” Jonathan said with delight. “You’re going to love it!” He opened the doors and climbed in. “They bring the food out to the car on those little trays, and they have those big frozen mugs of root beer.”

Amber couldn’t help but be swayed by his enthusiasm. His delight was infectious. She even found herself looking forward to it as she climbed into the truck, and she hadn’t thought of food with much of any type of excitement in years.

“How are we all going to fit?” Jacques asked as he hopped up next to Amber.

“What do you mean?” Jonathan asked.

“I mean where is Agnes going to sit?” he asked. The last part sounded like he was being squished. “Never mind.”

“I thought ghosts were light,” Jonathan said.

“Maybe she should sit on you then,” Jacques said and received a lap full of maps that had been tucked into the visor above him.

Jonathan chuckled as he pulled away from the curb.

“Could you give me a little more room?” Jacques asked. “Someone should go lighter on the
bon-bons
if you know what I mean,” he whispered, covering his mouth to the side.

A map fluttered up and smacked him across the face.

Jonathan scooted closer to the door, making more room for Amber on his side. He even moved his arm to rest over the back of the seat so that she had more room.

Awkwardly, Amber moved even closer to him while Jacques scooted toward the other door making room in the middle.

“Oh, that’s better,” Jacques sighed.

Jonathan looked at his grandpa suspiciously, wondering if this hadn’t been his ploy all along as they drove down the road.

Patricia sat in her car, watching them drive away. She couldn’t believe it when he put his arm around the homely little troll. “How could he prefer that dull lifeless woman over me?” she asked. “You think you can play with me? We’ll just see about that.” She looked down at the diary that she’d picked up with the food on the way out of the library. “I don’t need you to find a story.”

Her cell phone rang as she opened the first page. She groaned, looking at the number. She didn’t want to talk to the man, but he had given her the tip on where the little librarian was staying. “Hello,” she answered.

“Ms. Parker?” the man said.

“Yes,” Patricia said, wondering if his accent was from the Bronx or the West Bank of New Orleans.

“Did you find her?”

“As a matter-of-fact, I did,” Patricia said. “Tell me, why are you so interested?”

“Perhaps we can be of mutual benefit to one another.”

“I’m listening.” Patricia tapped her long red nail on a page of the book and lifted her brow as she read the word
treasure
. A smile curved her lips.

“Let’s order,” Jonathan said after they had parked under the overhang and pushed the button on the speaker. “Do you want fries?”

“I do,” Jacques said.

“How about if I order double cheeseburger meals for everyone?” Jonathan looked at Amber and added, “If you don’t finish it all, I’ll help you out.”

Having been pressed up next to him with his arm over her for most of the ride and the rest with his hand on the gear shift had made her forget how hungry she actually was. “I don’t know,” she said. “I’m pretty hungry.”

“Excellent!” Jonathan said. Because of the static coming through the speaker, he had to repeat the order several times before the person on the other end had it. “It’s good to see that some things never change.” He grinned.

“It is meals on wheels,” Jacques said as a car hop skated by. “This is something I must try.”

“You’ve never skated before?” Amber asked.

“
Non,”
Jacques said. “It is on my bucket list,
oui?
”

“What is on your bucket list?” Jonathan asked.

“I’ve never really considered it,” Amber said.

“What do you do for fun?” Jonathan asked her.

“I suppose I read,” Amber said. She’d been on the run for so many years, going out for fun had never really happened.

“Do you know how to skate?” Jonathan asked.

“Actually, no,” Amber said. “I slipped on ice once, does that count?”

“Does that count?” Jonathan said. “That does it.” He got out of the car as he spoke. “We are fixing this. Get out of the truck.”

“What are you doing?” Jacques asked.

“I know the owner. He always has extra pairs of skates.”

Both Jacques and Amber watched him disappear inside the building.

“I think he is serious.” Jacques looked back at her with a look of concern that matched that of hers.

“That concrete looks hard.” Amber watched as the car hop skated by, doing a little spin around as she opened the door. “It does look fun though.”

“I think fun may be overrated in this instance,” Jacques said when Jonathan came back carrying two pairs of skates.

“C’mon.” He waved them out of the car.

“I think he’s serious,” Amber said.

“C’mon, Pops, we’re not leaving until you try this,” Jonathan said stubbornly.

“Yep, he’s serious.” Amber began to laugh at the absurdity of it.

Jonathan was busily unlacing his boots and putting on some enormous skates. “The owner’s son and I have the same size foot,” he offered up.

Amber sat next to him on the outside picnic table and began to remove her sensible Doc Martins for not so sensible skates. “What if I fall and break something?”

“You won’t,” he said as he finished putting on his skates.

When she finished putting her skates on, she looked up and saw him holding his hand out to her.

“Ready?” he asked.

It was almost like a dream, where she could see him in another life time smiling down at her inviting her to live again. Amber placed her hand on his, and he helped her to stand on wobbly legs.

“Steady there.” He smiled at her encouragingly. “You’re doing great.”

She took a step and fell forward. He caught her, steadied her, and then started pulling her forward as he skated backward. Her eyes became larger and larger as they went.

“You’re okay. I’ve got you.”

Her heart skipped several beats as he slowly took her down the sidewalk. She wasn’t sure if it was due entirely to the wheels under her feet. She looked up into his smiling face with his twinkling blue eyes and felt like she had sprouted wings and could fly.

“You’re doing great!” Jonathan grinned at her. He turned around with her and made it back to the bench in time for lunch to be served. He had the waitress on rollers set the tray on the table, and he spread out the feast. Jacques was about to bite into a burger when Jonathan said, “Not so fast, Grandpa. You don’t eat until you take a turn. Amber has earned her meal.”

“That is bribery.”

“Yep.” Jonathan laughed. He held out his hand to help him up.

Amber watched as Jonathan took Jacques on the same route that she’d just been on. Only this time it was with much different results. Jacques feet were all over the place. If he went forward, his butt came back, then forward, then back again.

“Just stand still,” Jonathan finally said to him.

“I am trying,” Jacques gritted out in concentration.

“Just relax,” Jonathan said, pulling him along. By the time they reached the table, Jacques had gained a little confidence on the skates. He was at least able to stand straight up rather than remain bent over.

Jacques grinned at her. “Look, look I’m skating.” He laughed. The movement threw his balance off, and his feet came out from under him, swiping Jonathan right off his in the process.

Jonathan and Jacques landed in a heap.

Amber found herself laughing so hard root beer was threatening to come out of her nose. “Oh, I’m sorry!” She clamped her hand over her mouth. She could hear Agnes chuckle beside her.

“That was funny,” Amber said.

“You have no idea,” Agnes said. “I’ve been waiting a long time to see Jacques end up on his caboose.”

“I thought he just arrived,” Amber said, remembering Patricia’s description of his unworldly arrival.