Curse of the Granville Fortune (13 page)

“Maybe all the honey is blurring his vision,” Trent said. The look on Morgan’s face said it wasn’t the time for jokes.

Edward and Garret didn’t have any luck reading the map either, so they let my dad take a turn. No one could find any difference between the paths in the forest and the ones drawn on the map.

“I want my fortune!” Morgan yelled. His face turned purple with rage.

“J.B. is good at figuring out things like that,” Holly said.

“What?” Why had Holly said that? Now I was going to have to figure out where the fortune was buried, and Morgan was going to kill me if I failed.

“I bet he could help you, if you promise to let us go,” Holly said.

It wasn’t her best idea, but I couldn’t think of any other way to save us. I stared Morgan in the eyes. “Yeah, I’ll help, as long as you let Holly, Noelle, and me go once you’ve found the fortune. You’ll be able to leave the forest, so you won’t have to worry about us telling anyone you’re here,” I said.

“You don’t get it, do you?
I’m
in charge here!
I
make the demands, not you!” Morgan growled. “Now, we’ll see how good you are at solving puzzles, but the only reward you’ll get is being able to live long enough for me to get my hands on the fortune!”

“Why should we help you if you’re going to kill us anyway?” I asked.

“Because if you don’t, I’ll kill you sooner.” Morgan paused and pointed his knife at Holly. “I think I’ll start with her.”

“No! I’ll help you. Just leave her alone!” I said, putting my arm up in front of Holly. I looked at Dad standing there, not doing a thing.

“Here!” Morgan shoved the final map into my hand.

Everyone stared at me, and it made me even more nervous. I compared the drawing to the forest. There
was
a difference. “I see something.” I had to be right about this. Otherwise, we were done for.

“Where?” Noelle asked, looking over my shoulder.

“Here.” I pointed to the base of the tree in the drawing. “The map shows
three
big roots from the tree going into the ground. But the tree in front of us only has
two
roots. The fortune must be buried where the third root is in the drawing.”

Edward smiled at me. “This is the final map, so the clue is where the fortune is buried, not which path to take.”

“J.B., you’re a genius!” Noelle said.

“Give me that map. I want to see what you’re talking about.” Morgan yanked the map from my hands and examined it. A smile spread across his face. “Dig!” he ordered. “Right there, in the middle of those two roots.”

“We don’t have any shovels,” Garret said. How hadn’t I noticed it before? The thieves must not have had any faith in finding the fortune. Otherwise, they would’ve brought shovels.

“Use your knives to dig up the dirt. I don’t care how you do it. Just get me my fortune!”

I wanted to get the fortune and end the curse, but there was no way the Grimaults would let me do that. I grabbed Holly’s arm and took a step back. This was our best opportunity to escape. The thieves were on their hands and knees digging up the dirt beneath the tree. Holly read my mind and nodded. I tapped Noelle on the arm and motioned for her to come with us. She shook her head. I didn’t want to leave her, but I couldn’t waste time either. I had to get Holly out of this place. Besides, I was sure Edward would do his best to protect Noelle.

Holly and I tiptoed backward, trying not to make a sound. Once we were about twenty feet away, I took off at a sprint. I didn’t think anyone was paying attention to us, but I was wrong. As we came to a bend in the path, someone grabbed us from behind. Without looking, I knew it was Dad.

“What are you doing?” Holly cried. “Why won’t you help us, D—”

Dad covered Holly’s mouth with his hand, and she sobbed in our father’s arms. “It’s all right, Morgan. I’ve got them. Keep digging.”

I couldn’t believe my ears. I’d been defending Dad to Holly since we’d first seen him with the thieves. Now, I wondered if Holly had been right all along.

I was feeling totally helpless for about the hundredth time since I’d come into the forest. There was nothing to do but watch as the Grimault thieves unearthed the Granville fortune. It was a slow process. Since they didn’t have any shovels, they had to soften the dirt with their knives and scoop it aside with their hands. By the time they reached the fortune, they were sweaty and covered with dirt. Except Morgan. He’d made his family do all the work while
he
stood back and watched.

“It’s heavy,” Garret said as he and the others placed the chest in front of Morgan.

Noelle stepped closer, staring in amazement.

Morgan pushed everyone aside and used his bandana to wipe the dirt off the top of the chest. He knelt down next to it and placed a hand on each side of the lid. “Before we open it, let’s have a moment of silence.” Morgan bowed his head, and the others dropped to their knees behind him and bowed their heads as well.

Dad was participating, too. I shook my head and said, “I guess you were right, Holl. He isn’t who I thought he was.”

Holly nodded and a tear rolled down her cheek.

Morgan raised his head and slowly lifted the lid of the chest. The hinges were rusted with age, and they squeaked as the lid opened. From where I stood, I had a clear view of the fortune, and I couldn’t help but smile. There were large silver coins and priceless antiques. All along, I hadn’t been convinced we’d ever find the fortune, and now here it was an arm’s length away. I wanted to reach out and touch the coins, but I was afraid Morgan would cut off my hand.

Morgan threw himself on top of the chest. “At last, it’s mine!”

“That’s what you think!” Noelle said. She grabbed the knife out of Edward’s hand and stormed up to Morgan. “This fortune doesn’t belong to you. It was stolen from the Granville family, and I’m going to see it’s returned.”

Morgan’s face turned crimson, and the big vein in his forehead stuck out so far it looked like a giant worm. He stood up and glared at Noelle. “How would you know where this fortune came from?” He turned accusingly to Edward. “What have you told her?”

Edward took a step back and Noelle jumped to his defense. “He didn’t tell me anything. I know all about the Granville fortune and the people who stole it.”

And then I remembered. Noelle had told Holly and me the coins Dad had given to Garret were pieces of the Granville fortune, imprinted with the family crest. How had she known that? I hadn’t asked her because I was so surprised to see her again. I’d completely forgotten about it.

Everyone stared at Noelle. She shook the knife at Morgan. He could’ve easily ripped the knife from her fingers, but he smiled instead.

“You’re a smart one. Although, I’m not convinced Edward didn’t tell you more than he should have.” Morgan gave Edward a disapproving look, and Edward lowered his head. Morgan turned back to Noelle and snatched the knife away from her. “Still, I’d love to hear what you know about the fortune and where you heard it.”

Noelle stumbled backward into Sam. The vulture squawked and raised its wings, but Sam tossed it a piece of bread to keep it from attacking Noelle. She turned to face Sam and started to cry.

“I want answers!” Morgan yelled, stabbing the knife into the tree behind him. “First, these two find our camp.” He pointed a shaky hand at Holly and me. “Then, they tell me they have the final piece of my family’s treasure map. Bruce shows up with silver coins and information for me. Don’t even get me started on Sam. Now you—” he turned back to Noelle, “you somehow know all about the Granville fortune. How is it that so many people know about
my
fortune? This was supposed to be a secret. A secret only I’d benefit from.”

“What do you mean only you?” Trent asked. “You said we’d each get a share of the fortune. We’ve done more than you have to find it. All you did was sleep in your tent while the rest of us searched and went out for food and supplies. You didn’t even help dig up the chest!”

I expected Garret to come to his father’s defense, but he looked at his dad and waited for an answer. He must’ve been questioning him, too. I could almost sympathize with him.

Morgan met his sons’ stares. “Is this how you
all
feel?” Garret and Edward looked away, losing their nerve to go against their father.

My dad stepped up and put his face right in Morgan’s. “It’s not how we
all
feel. A few of us believe this fortune should be returned to the Granville family. Isn’t that right, Noelle?” Noelle looked like she was in shock, and I couldn’t blame her. I was, too.

Morgan inhaled deeply, making his nostrils flare. “I was right. You aren’t a friend at all.”

Dad straightened up, and somehow he seemed taller than usual. “No, I’m not, and I’m going to see that this chest is returned to its rightful owner. No matter what it takes.”

Morgan didn’t respond. He seemed to be calculating his next move. Just when I thought things couldn’t get any more bizarre, Sam walked over and shook Dad’s hand. “Good to see you again, Bruce.”

“You’ve got that right. I thought you were dead,” Dad said. “Got yourself some pets I see.”

“They’re the best protection I could ask for,” Sam replied, tossing another piece of bread to the vulture.

“What’s going on?” Edward asked. That’s what I wanted to know.

“You should really do background checks on your recruits, Morgan,” Sam said. “All I had to do was let Trent beat me in a few games of pool, and he told me everything I needed to know about you and the fortune. You took me aboard just as easily, without any questions.”

“Why you little!” Trent reached for Sam, but Noelle stuck her foot out and tripped him.

“Keep your hands off him!” Noelle said.

Trent scowled at her. “Edward you better control your little sweetie over here before I—”

Without warning, Noelle landed a right hook on Trent’s jaw. “Don’t call me sweetie!”

Trent got to his feet, rubbing his jaw. He took a step toward Noelle, but Edward blocked him.

“Noelle, what’s gotten into you?” Edward asked.

“I’m tired of pretending. I’m tired of keeping secrets. I wanted to tell you and J.B. who I really am, but I couldn’t. I was worried about my dad. When he showed up, I was afraid you’d hurt him if I told you.” She turned to face Sam. “I thought you were dead. Trent told me what they did to you, and I had a dream you were lost in these woods. I came looking for you. When I saw you, I thought you were something I created from my own fears. This forest does that somehow. I didn’t think you were real.”

Sam was Noelle’s father! Of course! He’d said the squirrels chewed through his watch—the watch Noelle had found. It also explained Noelle’s reaction when we’d first seen Sam. But why had Sam helped Morgan? And how had my dad gotten involved? My head felt like it might explode.

Everyone stared wide-eyed as Sam removed his jacket, covered in squirrels, and gently placed it on the ground. He walked over to Noelle and hugged her. “I’m sorry, sweetheart. I never meant to put you through all this.” Noelle sobbed in her dad’s arms.

“What’s going on?” Morgan yelled. “Who are all you people?”

Sam draped one arm across Noelle’s shoulders. “We’re Granvilles, and that’s
our
fortune you’ve found.”

Noelle turned to me. “My ancestor, Sebastien, stole this from his family a long time ago, dooming his descendants to be cursed until it was returned.”

I knew the story. I’d read about it in Dad’s journal, and I’d had visions about the curse. Now, here we all were. Together. The three cursed families that started this. The three cursed families that had to end this.

“And who are
you
?” Morgan growled at my father.

“Bruce Beaumonte.”

“Beaumonte? I should have known.” Morgan let out a primal yell.

Noelle smiled at me. “I figured out who you were when we were spying on the camp. Holly mentioned your ancestor and you guys being cursed.”

I remembered the look on Noelle’s face when Holly had told her. Now I understood why she’d gotten so upset.

My dad put a hand on Noelle’s shoulder. “I recognized you immediately. Your father carries your picture with him, and he looks at it every chance he gets.”

“You two were working together to find the fortune,” Morgan said through gritted teeth.

Dad nodded. “We knew you’d keep it for yourself instead of returning it and breaking the curse. We’ve been working as private investigators for years, with
you
being our top case. Of course, you didn’t make things easy for us, seeing as you captured our kids.”

Dad looked at Holly and me, and I could barely fight back the tears. It had been lie after lie. He wasn’t a lawyer. He was a private investigator. He’d been leaving me to spy on the Grimaults. I figured it was better than being a thief, but Dad was as much a stranger to me right now as he was to Morgan.

Morgan lunged at Dad. I grabbed the loaf of bread sticking out of Dad’s pocket, hoping it was stale. Stepping forward, I swung it at Morgan’s knife. The bread shattered, leaving crumbs in my hands. I blew the crumbs in his face, aiming right for his eyes. I’d hoped to temporarily blind him, but the crumbs scattered and stuck to the sweat on his cheeks and brow instead. Sam’s squirrels chittered and leaped onto Morgan, nibbling at the breadcrumbs.

“Get them off me!” Morgan screamed. He fell to the ground, dropping his knife, and swatted at the squirrels.

“I wouldn’t move around so much,” Sam said. “They have sharp teeth!”

“Garret! Edward!” Morgan yelled. Garret and Edward didn’t move. The corners of Trent’s mouth twitched as he fought back a smile. He must’ve been enjoying this after all Morgan had put him through.

Realizing he was on his own, Morgan buried his face in the dirt, scaring most of the squirrels away. He grabbed for his knife on the ground in front of him. Dad went for it, too, but Morgan was closer. I picked up what was left of the bread and flung it on Morgan’s back. This time the vulture swooped down for it, pinning Morgan to the ground.

Dad pulled me away from Morgan. “Thanks, J.B., but I’ve got it from here,” he said. I wanted to hug him, but I couldn’t move.