Emma shrugged. “Yeah, I guess. Anyway, I can’t make out the handwriting, but he mentions something about an eclipse project in one of his letters.”
Marley withdrew her hand as if she’d been zapped. “Letters? Do you have letters he wrote during his time in the war? Emma, those belong in a museum. Not in a library.”
“I’m not the one who had them locked up.” Emma pulled a chair out with a screech and sank into it. “I really need your help figuring this out because if I’m right, and this is what I think it is…”
Marley looked up at her, and she let out a low whistle. “Then the Sullivan family treasure might be real.”
Emma nodded. “Exactly.”
“If we’re going to handle these, we need gloves.”
Her friend said something else under her breath and disappeared. She returned with a box of gloves and made Emma snap on a pair before they laid out the letters on the desk.
Marley’s dark eyes brimmed with excitement as she skimmed through the papers, occasionally muttering to herself. “You’re right. He does mention something about an eclipse and your family. I took this online cryptography course. I wasn’t very good, but I think that’s what he’s saying.”
Emma frowned. “Why write it in code though? Was he afraid someone was going to find out?”
Marley nodded and tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. “Probably. Any kind of treasure he found would’ve been worth something. Now, it’ll probably be worth a lot more.”
Emma was itching with excitement.
Half of her was tempted to get her entire family down there, but the other half of her knew she couldn’t bring the truth to light just yet.
Not until she knew what she was dealing with.
The last thing she wanted was to have more issues to deal with, and she was fairly certain breaking into her father’s locked drawer wasn’t going to go over well.
Especially with nothing to show for it.
Marley pulled another chair over, and her fingers moved quickly over the keyboard. “Okay, let me see if I can find any references online. Something like this wouldn’t have gone unnoticed. Also, an old friend of mine works at a university. He might be able to point us in the right direction.”
Emma blew out a breath and leaned back in her chair. “Okay, but can you make sure he keeps it to himself? I don’t want word of this to spread just yet.”
Not when she hadn’t had a chance to bring her family into the fold.
Hours later, they were still no closer to finding any answers, and Emma’s legs were growing stiff. She stood up to stretch, caught a glimpse of the clock on the wall, and paled. “I’ve got to go. Jules is going to kill me if I’m late.”
“I’ll call you if I find anything,” Marley said to her retreating back.
As carefully as possible, Emma picked up the folder, with papers sticking out on all ends, and ran to the door. In the car, she shoved the folder into the glove compartment and pulled the seat belt over her chest. She pressed down on the gas and breathed a sigh of relief when she pulled up to her parents’ house a short while later.
Her mother and father were already dressed in matching red-and-green sweaters and sitting in front of the fireplace. Jules handed Emma an outfit and gave her a pointed look when she walked in.
“I went out for some air,” Emma mumbled under her breath. “Didn’t want to disturb anyone.”
Jules waved her comment away. “Don’t worry about it, Mom. I’m glad you’re feeling better.”
Emma came out of the guest bathroom a short while later and stood on the other side of the fireplace while Jules tinkered with the camera.
“Okay, everybody. Big smiles.”
Emma’s parents sat side by side in front of the tree while Emma and Jules stood on either side, flanking them.
The camera flashed, momentarily blinding Emma.
“Would you stop looking at your watch?” Marie hissed, pausing to give her husband a withering look. “They rarely come to visit, and you’re going to ruin it.”
“It’s not my fault they sprung this on us last minute. I have other things to do.”
