Fifteen
Stone
Having her near, watching her work, and knowing she forgave me, or at least wasn’t done with me were all big loads off my mind. I went from being on the run and on the outs to almost having the woman I needed. Almost, because I knew there was a conversation we still needed to have.
I did kill Stabler. She thought I was innocent. If a woman was going to be with me, she had to know I may not be guilty, but I was far from innocent. But that would be later. Now I was here to see if we could find her gold. The guys were working their asses off, not complaining, and getting the job done. When Slim came in and the Great Wolves realized Slim was in need and so was a woman I loved. They moved fast.
The woman I loved. That was it. I loved Kara. I hadn’t said those words to her because before I did I needed her to know that truth. After the last few days, I knew secrets between us would kill us. So she needed to know I was a killer.
I worked the Bobcat, and she directed the guys and me. She had me moving a boulder and then digging down. After I was down, she told me to stop.
“Okay, this is it. I need to climb in that hole and get my hands dirty.”
“Your hands are bleeding. I will climb in. Just hand me the shovel and tell me what I’m looking for.”
“Stone. I think this is the big find. If Caroline buried the bulk of the treasure, it was by this double palm. And next to this boulder. The only distinct marking on the island is here. I think she helped map this whole area and then made sure someone would find this mother lode. That I would find it. I need to see it to the end.”
“Okay babe, I’ll be here to take the shovel if you get tired.”
“Thanks.” And she lowered herself into the hole we’d dug and used the shovel to go further. Behind me I could hear hoots and hollers, another to the side of me, I turned around and saw Jason Ross high-fiving one of the guys. In another area, Frank and Slim were inspecting something with a big smile on their faces. They were finding treasure, I didn’t know how much, but something.
“Stone!” And my head jerked back to Kara and the little crater she was in.
“You okay?”
“I have something. Oh my God, I have something.” She swept sand away and there it was, if that wasn’t the top of an antique chest, I don’t know what was. It was dark and stained, but there was something there.
“I can’t get it, dammit, we’re going to need to lift it with the Bobcat.”
“Can you get it open?”
“No, it needs to come out of here.”
“I’m going to throw a strap down to you, you put it on one of those metal hooks, and I’ll drag it out.”
We secured the chest, and between the two of us, we slowly maneuvered the Bobcat backward and the chest out of the hole.
“It’s moving, it’s moving!” I watched the chest emerge from the sand and Kara, who was covered in sand from head to toe crawl out after it. I noticed too her hands were caked. She was one tough woman and determined. I respected that she wasn’t going to let anyone else haul this piece of her family’s history from the past into the present.
“Okay, it’s out.” She said. And I stopped. I climbed down.
“This is it. This is it.”
I wondered for a moment how she was going to get the chest open. It had a rusted padlock in the center. Kara didn’t hesitate. She went for her pile of tools and emerged with a bolt cutter. I made a mental note not to mess with a woman who so easily wielded the bolt cutter and crowbar that was in her other hand.
She pried at it first, and it was quickly obvious she wouldn’t have to cut a thing. The hinges separated from the chest almost like the chest was made from paper.
The lid was free. Kara stopped for a moment. Kneeled down next to the chest and slid the top off.
Her eyes sparkled and her mouth curled into a big smile.
She looked up to the sky and said, “You were right Daddy, it’s all here. I found it.” And I saw tears streaming down her face. She put her hand in the chest and out it came with a handful of gold. Mother fucking gold.
It wasn’t reflecting in the sunshine gold, it was tarnished, old, dented, but it was gold as sure as I was a Great Wolf and Kara had found it. She looked at me and smiled. She jumped up and down. She’d found it. In a long line of Ross pirates, she was the one who found the gold.
“I always knew. I mean I thought I might not find it. But I believed Daddy when no one else did. They all thought we were crazy together.”
“Crazy smart.”
Kara stood up and put her hands around my neck and kissed me.
“Oh my GOD!!!” She was beside herself. Her joy was beautiful.
“Jason! Get over here!” He looked up from whatever he’d found.
“I can’t I’m too busy counting coins!” Kara laughed.
“So, are you a billionaire now?”
“No, no, there are millions of hurdles before anyone can actually claim this. This is enough. Knowing we have it, got it out. Oh shit getting it out, how are we going to safely transport this?”
“What do you mean?”
“Well, Butchie and Kevin, what if they try to take it before I even get a chance to claim it.”
“Let me and the Wolves handle it.” I had a plan that could cause enough confusion to get Kara’s gold secured.
She nodded and turned back to the chest she’d found. It was really overwhelming.
Kara had found an inheritance over 200 years denied. I didn’t know what the rules were, but it was her island. I sure hoped that meant it was her gold. But she was right. The idea that we would march down Main Street with this much loot suddenly made me very nervous. It was time to get covert.
Kara
“You did it. I’m so proud of you. And light headed, but you did it!” Stone organized the men and starting to transport it back to the boats while I had a moment with Frank, Estelle, and Jason.
“Estelle, you need to drink more water,” Frank said.
“Oh, it’s not the heat it’s the men, oh and the gold!” Estelle smiled at me, and it really was true. What had happened today was enough to make anyone light headed.
“We owe you an apology. I thought you were losing it like Dad. Or you would.”
“Well, he may have been crazy and an alcoholic but he was on to it. He just didn’t have the tools to finish it. The logic or in the end, a friggin army of bikers.” I ran my hands through my hair. My ponytail is long was gone. My eyes were stinging with tears, sand, and the wind. It was such a potent mix of dreams turning into crazy real life. That I had to force myself to focus.
“So what are the rules? Do you own this gold? You own the island still right?” Estelle asked me.
“Yes, technically if you find it, and there’s no other prior legitimate claim it’s yours. But not right away.”
“What has to happen?” Jason chimed in.
“The government of course. But I’m not worried about that yet Jason, I’m worried about Butchie and Kevin.”
“Right. Who knows what they’re up to.” Estelle said.
Stone walked back to our little circle.
“Okay, we’re all set. The Wolves and I have worked out a plan to get the gold from the boats into the safe.”
I’d been optimistic and stupidly hoped I would find gold. I hadn’t worked out where I would store gold until I could safely get all the million details ironed out. Luckily Frank was on top of it.
We were headed to the walk-in freezer of Pontiac’s. He had two. And they both could be chained shut. The gold would be there until I had it sorted out.
We boarded the boats and head back just before sunset. I looked back on the island. There were still mysteries to be found there. There was history. There was a pirate colony, and I wanted to explore it.
I very much knew that I had found something amazing. But I couldn’t write a check on it. My island was still in jeopardy from Kevin Potter. And so was the gold. If there was something Kevin wanted he’d get it. He didn’t care about the law and in our town, he was the law. As we boated from Ross Island to the Pontiac Pier, my apprehension grew.
We had the treasure chest, which still sounded weird to me, and three storage bins of other trinkets and metals. I had no idea what it all meant, but we’d have time to count it later. First, we needed it secure.
“Wow, Pontiac’s is hopping tonight,” Jason said, and I saw Stone and Frank exchange a look. There were partying bikers everywhere. It was like bike month invasion was centralized on Pontiac’s tonight. The revelers obscured my view of the other guys getting off the boats. I tried to keep track and asked Stone.
“They know where we’re headed with the find right?” Before Stone could answer there was a familiar voice.
“What the fuck were you all doing out there? Kara Ross. This is my island now. There’s no payment. What the hell are you up to having a fucking party with your loser friends on my island.”
“Um, title switches tomorrow Kevin.”
“What’s he got, wait, what’s he got.” And Kevin watched as the various bikers got off the boats and moved toward Pontiacs.
“Who?” Stone asked.
“That biker.” Kevin pointed to one boat, and there were a few Great Wolves whooping it up with a few Rolling Sunset Old timers.
“Uh, they’ve got a cooler of beer?” Stone raised an eyebrow at Kevin.
“Fuck you. Something is going on. Did you find something out there?” Kevin stepped closer to me and was now yelling in my face.
“Step back Potter.” Stone put himself between Kevin Potter and me.
“You touch her again you’ll lose an arm?” Kevin fumed, and his eyes darted around.
“Wait, there it is there it is.” And he ran to another cluster of bikers, leather clad, road worn, and holding an antique chest. He knocked to the deck and flipped it open.
“Hey dude, chill man. You need one?” And the bikers, who I’d never seen before, and were of the decidedly weekend vacation biker types, offered Kevin one of their frozen Daiquiris in a bag.
“God damn it. You’re fucking up to something. I’m taking possession of that island tomorrow morning show up there, and I’ll shoot you off.” Kevin looked around in confusion.
It was clear he couldn’t tell a Great Wolf from a vacationer. And it was Stone who set it in place. It driving in Kevin nuts as he darted around and got pinned into a crowd.
We walked in silence up to the kitchen and inside we found Ryder and Walker guarding the cooler. I stepped in.
There was the treasure in beer coolers. Transported under Kevin’s nose thanks to the partying part-time vacation bikers and my hardcore Great Wolves. To Kevin, they were all the same.
And in a way he was right. They were all loyal, fierce, and beautiful no matter how often they wore the leather and rode the bike.
“My guys are going to take shifts,” Stone said.
“How did you arrange this little bait and switch?”
“I got my bikers in on the plan, and Frank got his.” I went on my tip-toes and kissed Stone.
“I’m going to shower up and meet you on the Cobalt?”
“Sounds good. And don’t worry. Only six of the guys know where this is stored. They’ll be the ones on guard.”
“I trust you.” And I did. And for some reason, I trusted Walker and Ryder. And even that southern biker, Nash. They were honorable. I could feel it in my soul.
I was too excited to be still but also bone tired. I washed off all the sand and put on a sundress none the less. I wanted to be with Stone. Thank him. Feel his arms around me.
I went down to the Pier. Things had settled down quite a bit.
The bikers were partying it up, and my treasure was safe, for now, it was still hard to believe.
I made my way down to the Cobalt.
“Permission to come aboard.” I was hoping for a sexy reply, but Stone was looking pretty dangerous.
“Permission granted. Come in here we need to talk.”
It sounded serious, and it scared the hell out of me.
We sat on the bow of the boat, and I knew it was time for me to apologize.
“I should have trusted you. I’m so sorry can you ever forgive me. I love you and need you, and it was a big mistake to send you away.” I felt myself freaking out as Stone stayed silent. I was rambling.
“No, shh. I need to tell you something.”
“What?”
“You need to know this before you say you love me. I’m not wanted for murder. I’m not on the run anymore. That is true. The authorities determined that Berry Stabler, the dead guy? Well, they officially ruled it was a suicide.”
“Right. That’s why I’m a terrible person.”
“Kara, I killed him. I snapped his neck in cold blood. And I’m not sorry.”
I didn’t know what to say, why was he telling me this? Then a calm washed over me. I knew. I one-hundred percent knew why he killed a man.
“You had a good reason. That much I know.”
“How can you tell that? I just told you I’m a murderer with no remorse you should be screaming and running away.”
“I know because I know you. I know you’re a good man with a huge heart who loves his brothers and who stands up for the little guy. I’ve seen it. I don’t need to know any more than that.”
“I need to tell you.”
“I’ll always listen.”
“I killed him because he was a child raping monster. The reason the investigation stopped was because his cousin realized that’s what would come out if I was prosecuted in any way. I did it, and I’d do it again.”
Stone’s face was hard, his jaw set, his deep blue eyes hooded by the dark lashes. There was no shame in the statement, but there was fear. It was a fear of my reaction. Of my acceptance.
I leaned forward and took his beautiful face in my hands. I kissed his lips softly he resisted me. I didn’t quit. I kissed him again and slowly felt his lips move against mine. His arms slid around me. I felt his strength and heat pulling me closer.
He leaned back.
“I love you, Kara. I love every part of you. Don’t send me away again.”
“I never will. Ever.” He exhaled. It was a ragged sound. A relieved sound.
“Let’s go down to the cabin. I need you naked.”
“Yes, Captain.”
The dress I’d worn because he’d said he’d liked it one day was in a heap on the cabin floor. Stone leaned me back on the cushions and ran his rough hands over mine. I put my palm to this stubble, and it stung. I’d forgotten for a moment about my raw skin. It was broken from so many days of shoveling.
“Here, baby.” He gently kissed my palm, and I squirmed, he took my finger in his mouth, and I started to move against him. I was impatient. He slid rough cheek to my breast, and I felt every nerve ending stand up. I was strung tight and had missed his hands on me. I pushed my hips into him. I felt his hardness up against my softness, and a moan escaped my throat.
“Stone, I can’t wait too long.”
“Oh, you won’t wait too long. Just as long as I say, remember our deal. You’re still on my boat, whenever, wherever and however I want.”
“Wait, how long am I bound to that deal?”
“It’s a lifetime thing.”
Stone covered my mouth with his. His tongue swirled around mine. The Cobalt gently rocked in the water, and Stone rocked me, but gentle would not be the word for that.
Stone
Kevin showed up inside of Pontiac’s the next morning as we were eating Frank’s signature bacon and eggs. Walker, Nash, Ryder, Jason and the Pontiac’s were all a little sunburnt but still living in a post treasure hunt happy place. One Kevin Potter was happy to shit on.
“Here, just like I said. You’re done. That’s my island now. Sundown was a courtesy.” He shoved a piece of paper in Kara’s face as she tried to calmly drink her coffee.
“Well isn’t that interesting. It does appear to be in order.” She didn’t seem worried about Kevin taking her island. I didn’t think the treasure was her only interest, but maybe it was. Kara was pretty sure that it would take months before the treasure would be hers free and clear. That would probably be too late to stop Kevin, but she wasn’t freaking out about it.
“Yeah. And anything you found there while it was in foreclosure will be forfeit to me.”
“Well, that’s where you’re wrong. Here’s a paper for you. I got official confirmation on last night.”
Kevin read the sheet Kara had handed him.
“The Broad-Winged Red Beaked Hawk? What the fuck is that?”
“Well Kevin, I spotted what I thought were a nesting pair of Broad-Winged Hawks on my island while working for Florida Fish and Wildlife. I did my job and documented them and of course reported all my findings to the department.”
“So the fuck what?”
Kara took a sip of her coffee and let Kevin huff and puff for a second. I had no idea where she was going with this.
“Turns out I had it wrong. It wasn’t a pair of Broad-Winged Hawks it was, as the letter states, a pair of The Broad-Winged Red Beaked Hawk. That red beak makes all the difference doesn’t it?”
“This is bullshit. They can’t do this. You can’t do this,” Kevin was livid. This was quite fun to watch even though I had no idea what was going on.
“Yeah, that red beak means it’s a species that was thought to be extinct. Turns out it isn’t. Turns out Ross Island may be the only place outside of Cuba that this particular bird can be found.”
“What, what does?” Kevin ripped the paper intro several pieces.
“Get as mad as you want, take the island, I certainly understand if you want to. I mean a bird sanctuary is for sure a great use for it.”
“I don’t want a goddamned bird sanctuary. There’s no money in a goddamned bird sanctuary.” Kevin’s eyes looked like they might pop out of his head.
“True. Very true.”
“This is not the last of this Kara.” Jason was laughing at this point.
“Fuck you, Jason,” Kevin said and walked out of the restaurant.
“I’m shutting you all down so laugh it up.” He yelled as he left.
I looked at Kara. And she kept sipping her coffee like the cat who ate the canary. Or more like the cat who discovered the endangered The Broad-Winged Red Beaked Hawk.
“I have a strong feeling Kevin Potter is out of the Ross Island business,” Frank said.
“Cheers to that!” Estelle said.
“No cheers to the Broad-Winged whose it?” Ryder said.
“The Broad-Winged Red Beaked Hawk whose it.” Kara corrected. And I had a strong vision of a sanctuary on the island, but it wasn’t one run by Kevin Potter.