One thing is certain: someone other than me has to find the jewels. And it has to be soon.

The perfect opportunity presents itself the very next night—Troy and Tabby’s birthday party.

Thank god for parties on Tuesdays.

Since it’s going to be on the beach, it should be a snap to lead someone to the jewels. The hard part is going to be hiding them to begin with, somewhere they won’t be found until I want them to be.

The party will be held near the pier, in a secluded spot that also has some picnic tables and barbeques.

When Jared calls me the afternoon of the party, I immediately volunteer to help set up chairs and hike the food and drinks down to the beach.

And Paige will be there to help me run a distraction.

I close up the shop at four, and Jared meets us at Ruby’s, his Jeep already packed with tents, sleeping bags, coolers and lanterns.

Paige is ecstatic. We’ve never camped anywhere before, let alone on the beach.

“This is going to be awesome,” she says as we’re stuffing our small bags and towels in the back of Jared’s Jeep. “Will you show me how to light a fire, like the real way without matches and stuff?”

“Sure,” Jared replies.

She continues to pepper him with questions while we get into the car and drive down to the beach.

I have the bag of jewels tightly wrapped to avoid jangling and shoved into the deep pocket of the cargo shorts I picked out this morning.

I’ll have to plant them quickly, as soon as we get there, to avoid detection. The second Jared gets too close, he’s going to feel the lump.

He parks in a small lot next to the pier and we carry items down to the beach. Jared and I take the larger items, and we have Paige carry the presents. We got funny T-shirts made for them. Troy’s says World’s Okayest Police Officer and the one for Tabby reads This is What Winners Look Like.

We set everything up in a small area with picnic tables and grass and barbeques next to a large expanse of sand leading down to the beach.

There aren’t many people around, probably because it’s a Tuesday. Just a few stragglers who are packing up for the day. Eleanor will be showing up in about an hour, after her shift at the library ends, and Ben should be here any minute to help finish getting everything ready before the birthday twins arrive.

We leave the coolers by one of the picnic tables in the shade and Jared cleans off the barbeque while he has Paige find the best, flattest spot for the tents.

I wait until he’s busy showing her how to set the tent up. “I’m going to find the bathroom,” I call out. There were a few Sani-Huts up at the parking lot, so once Jared waves to acknowledge he heard me, I head out in that direction. Once I’m out of sight, I veer toward the pier.

It should be pretty easy to lure Jared away from the party later with the excuse of making out under the stars. I need to find a spot I can easily locate later, but where no one else will find the jewels before we get there.

It’s quiet and dark under the pier. The only sound is the splash of the waves against the wooden beams and the faraway squawk of seagulls.

I scan the area, looking for a good place to lure Jared. It can’t be too damp, and it should be close, somewhere it will be natural to make out.

I pick the closest beam and pull the bag out, unwrapping it to make it as big and jangly as possible. Then I put the jewels down in the sand, right up against the wood, and cover the bag with a thin layer of sand.

That will have to do.

 

 

 

~*~

 

 

 

A few hours later, the sun is setting while the guys try to show Paige how to light a fire without matches and lighter fluid.

Key word being “try.”

Since Tabby insists no one over fifty is allowed, the party consists of Paige, Jared, Ben, Tabby, Troy, Eleanor . . . and me. And that’s it.

“There’s really no one else under fifty in town?” I ask Tabby.

“It doesn’t matter, Mrs. Olsen always crashes anyway.”

Eleanor and I laugh.

Eventually, the fire gets started with matches instead of the manly skills that weren’t working, and Tabby brings out an old boom box. Some kind of old-school disco music fills the space around the fire, along with some impromptu dancing and laughing. Ben teaches Paige how to do the hustle while Jared and Troy argue over who’s the best Boy Scout and Tabby and Eleanor make drinks.

Once darkness falls, voices approach.

“Oh, what’s going on here?” The voice is full of calculated surprise.

“Mrs. Olsen,” Tabby groans. “I told you, this is a kids-only party.”

“You are hardly a child.”

“I’m more of a child than you are.”

“Well, that’s certainly true. I just happened to be in the area.”

“Of course,” Tabby mutters.

“Why, Mrs. Olsen, fancy running into you here.” It’s Mr. Godfrey. “I was just taking a moonlit walk on the beach,” he booms.

He’s not alone.

Apparently, everyone in Castle Cove just happened to be walking out on the beach tonight, because within minutes, our little party has turned into a much bigger affair.

Tabby groans and protests and pretends to be put out, but secretly I think she loves the tradition.

It works to my advantage as well because as soon as everyone is distracted, I make it over to Jared’s side and whisper in his ear.

“I’ve always wanted to have sex on the beach.”

He goes completely still, and then his hand grips mine and we’re dashing away from the fire.

“This way,” I tug him toward the pier.

This could be so romantic. I would be more turned on if the whole thing weren’t a deception.

Giggling to mask my anxiety and guilt, I lead him over to the pier, near the beam where I hid the jewels.

Except the tide is rising.

The waves haven’t covered the spot with the jewels yet, but they’re getting close. Too close. Too close for me to use the spot as a place to get frisky. I have to think of another way.

And fast, because if I wait too much longer, they’ll be washed out to sea.

I can’t let that happen to Pearl.

And then Jared’s mouth covers mine in the darkness, his warm hands framing my face, and for a minute the jewels and everything else completely disappear.

We sink into the cool sand together, and I try to gather my wits about me, but Jared’s hands are strong and familiar. His scent envelops my senses, making the world feel suddenly like home and comfort.

He pulls back for a second, his eyes trying to see me in the darkness under the pier, where even the moon barely shines through the slats.

“I love you.” He breathes the words into me, and before I can respond, his mouth covers mine and I completely forget about the jewels and where we are and the sand getting into my clothes and everything else.

It’s not until the surge has ended and we’re both getting dressed that I have time to think about what he said. He loves me? The real me, or the fake me? Do I even know the real me? He didn’t give me a chance to say the words back. Would I have? Should I have? Is it wrong to say it, even if it’s true, if it’s said in a moment of deception? They’re all moments of deception.

Dammit, the jewels!

I walk over to the wooden post where I know the jewels are. The waves are touching the tip of the bag. I can barely make out the inky black material against the lighter-colored wet sand.

So close.

I bend over and pretend to use the water to rinse off my hands and wait. Hoping. Knowing as I know my own heartbeat that Jared will follow me here, hating myself for using him, hating that he used this moment to whisper words I’ve never heard from any man in my life.

His footsteps ruffle the sand behind me.

I turn and lean into him, kissing him while pressing him back in the direction I need him to go.

He steps back and then falters.

Gotcha.

“What . . .” He leans down and picks up the bag.

“What is that?” I ask, pulling back from him.

“I’m not sure.” He shakes it and brushes it with his hands to get the dirt off and then opens it, feeling inside. “It feels like jewelry.” His voice is bewildered.

“Jewelry? I wonder how it got out here.” I flavor my voice with astonishment.

“It’s . . . really very strange. Come on.” His voice suddenly brisk, he takes my hand and we leave the haven of the dark pier for the circle of light around the bonfire, where the party has doubled in size since we left.

Jared takes me over to one of the picnic tables, where Tabby and Eleanor are arm wrestling. He drops a quick kiss on my lips before leaving in search of Troy, presumably, the jewel bag still clasped in his hand.

A few minutes later, they’re both heading away from the beach, toward Jared’s Jeep. He’ll probably have to call it in to Anderson, who’s on duty tonight.

I try to focus at least part of my attention on Tabby and Eleanor, who are now thumb wrestling for some reason, but I can’t help but feel guilty and also a bit paranoid.

Is it all too obvious? Does Jared know, or suspect, the truth? Or some version of it?