“Press the same sequence on this side,” Dylan suggested.
This time, when they completed the sequence, the entire north face of the pedestal swung open on hidden hinges, revealing not just one compartment but three, each with its own small lock.
“Of course it couldn’t be simple,” Aidan muttered. “Three locks, no keys.”
Dylan examined the locks closely. “Not key locks. These are puzzle locks. Look—each has different symbols.”
The first showed phases of the moon, the second had seasons represented by tiny leaves, snowflakes, flowers, and fruit. The third displayed numbers in what looked like dates.
“The moon garden,” Dylan said. “Full moon for the first—that’s when the white flowers bloomed best.”
The second lock clicked open when Aidan turned it to summer—when they were married.
“The third has to be their wedding date,” he said, spinning the numbers to 06-21-62.
All three compartments opened simultaneously, but only the middle one contained anything—another oilcloth bundle with the next clue.
“Your grandfather really didn’t want this found by accident,” Dylan said.
“He wanted it found by someone willing to work for it,” Aidan corrected. “By people working together. I couldn’t have solved this alone.”
Dylan felt the weight of that statement—the way it applied to more than just puzzle locks and hidden compartments. She watched as Aidan carefully lifted the oilcloth bundle from the middle compartment, his hands reverent as if he was handling not just his grandfather’s clue but the old man’s faith in what two people could accomplish together.
Inside, another clue waited.
The ring grows closer with each step, / But first you must decide, / Is love worth more than safety? / Is trust worth more than pride? / Seek the place where miners prayed / Before they went below, / Where faith was all they carried / Into darkness down below.
“The mine entrance shrine,” Dylan said, her mind already mapping the route. “North boundary, right?”
“About three miles. We could drive, but…” He gestured at the ATVs.
“Race you,” she said, already moving.
The ride to the mine was pure adrenaline, weaving through trees, jumping creeks, pushing the machines to their limits while the mountains watched like indulgent grandparents. Dylan won by half a length, pulling up to the sealed mine entrance breathless and triumphant.
The shrine stood beside the sealed mine—a small stone structure where miners had once prayed for safe return from the earth’s dark belly. Years of Montana winters had shifted the ground around it, leaving the approach treacherous with loose scree and erosion channels that weren’t visible until you were almost on them.
“Careful,” Aidan warned, but Dylan was already moving toward the shrine, eager to find the next clue.
The rocks shifted under her boot—a grinding sound like bones breaking. The entire slope seemed to tilt, and suddenly she was sliding toward the mine’s sealed entrance where rusted bars covered a darkness that seemed to breathe cold air.
Aidan’s hand caught her arm, hauling her back with enough force that they both stumbled away from the unstable edge. They landed hard on solid ground, Dylan’s heart hammering against her ribs.
“The whole hillside’s been undermined,” he said, his voice tight. “Grandda must have come from the other direction.”
They circled around, finding a deer path that led to the shrine from above. The structure itself was solid—stone and mortar that had weathered a century of storms—but the ground around the old mine was honeycombed with collapsed tunnels, waiting to swallow the unwary.
“This is why they sealed it,” Aidan said. “Kids used to dare each other to go inside before the county put those bars up. Duncan almost fell through a false floor when he was twelve.”
Inside the shrine, they found another compartment, another piece of Patrick’s elaborate puzzle.
Five stones you’ve turned, five truths you’ve learned, / The journey nears its end, / But one more challenge waits for those / Who dare to comprehend. / The highest point, where eagles soar, / Where earth and heaven meet, / There lies the treasure that you seek, / But first, make love complete.
“Eagle’s Point,” Dylan breathed. “The highest point on O’Hara land.”
“Three-hour climb. We’d never make it back before dark.”
“Next Saturday then. The final clue.”
