The minute they returned to the house, Kat rushed out to meet her, as if she’d been watching at the window, and even Amanda was downstairs, ready to fuss over her. Zach was glad to see it, and especially pleased that Caer and Kat seemed to have grown close.
And as to Amanda…well, Caer had made the news and was a guest in her house. Maybe it was a novelty—and would wear off.
But at the moment Caer was a heroine. The paper had even carried her picture.
Zach suggested she rest, since she must still feel weak and tired, but she refused to be put to bed, and though he wanted answers, he wasn’t leaving her.
Not that day.
He had checked in with Morrissey that morning, and the detective had assured him that the department was working overtime to find the killer, so Zach decided to let them do their work without him looking over their shoulders for a day.
Aidan and Jeremy had gone out earlier to cut down a Christmas tree, which was now being set up in the parlor. Caer insisted that she was going to help decorate it.
Everyone ended up getting involved. Cal and Marni came over, since they and Sean had decided to keep the business closed for a few more days, and Clara and Ted were in the parlor with everyone else. Amanda wasn’t even making them work as if they were indentured servants. While the younger men struggled with strings of lights—and Aidan said he’d done all the work, actually chopping down the tree, while Jeremy claimed he had done more than his share by paying for it—
Sean came into the room bearing a tray of steaming cups.
“Bridey’s Christmas concoction,” he announced. “Tea, sugar, whiskey and a touch of cream. Enjoy.”
He lifted his cup. “To Bridey!”
Around the room, the others scrambled for their own cups, then toasted.
“In her honor, we’ll be happy,” Sean said. “She’s watching over us, I know, so we’ll decorate just as we always have, as if she were sitting in that corner with her knitting, telling us when something’s uneven.”
“Hear, hear!” Kat managed, with only a glint of tears in her eyes.
The doorbell rang while they were still at work on the tree. Zach told Clara to keep hanging tinsel and went to answer the door himself.
It was the postman. He was carrying packages, along with the usual mail, and Zach carried everything into the parlor. Then, as he started to set them down, he froze.
“What is it?” Sean asked.
Zach held up a box that was no more than six inches square and bore Sean’s name. Written above the address, in Eddie’s big, identifiable style, were the words Sean, you old buzzard, do not open ’til Christmas.
Marni let out a gasp.
“What?” Amanda demanded.
“It’s from Eddie,” Cal said.
“Then he’s alive!” Marni said, a smile splitting her face.
“No,” Zach corrected her. “I’m sorry, but he sent it before he went missing.”
Sean stared at Zach, hope in his eyes.
“Sean,” Zach said. “We found the mail receipt. But under the circumstances, I think you should open it now.”
Sean sat down on the overstuffed chair nearest the tree. His hands were trembling as he worked at the outer wrapping.
Zach stepped forward with a pocketknife.
Under the brown wrapper, the box was covered in cartoon Christmas paper. Happy little dogs leaped about wearing Santa hats. Once again, there was a note. Sean, lost your eyesight? Do not open ’til Christmas.
“Oh, Eddie,” Clara said softly.
Sean tore into the wrapping with determination. Underneath there was a leather box that advertised Boston Beginnings. Sean lifted the lid.
He gasped, then drew out the ornament from within.
It was a coin, set into a frame of delicately worked gold. Sean held it up, staring.
“English issue silver piece,” he said. “My God, look at the date. Seventeen-seventy-nine.”
“He…he…found that treasure you two were always talking about,” Amanda said in awe.
“He did. He really found it,” Sean breathed.
“I believe he found it,” Zach said. “And then I think he moved it.”
They all turned to stare at him. Zach wasn’t sure why he had spoken, except that Eddie’s gift had convinced him that something had to break, and throwing out information that would be bound to reach the killer’s ears could be just the way to do it.
“He moved it? Where?” Sean demanded. “And where did he find it?”
“He found it on Cow Cay,” Zach said. “I thought it was still there, but it’s not. When he took out his passenger that day, I think he let it slip that he had found the treasure there, which was what his killer wanted to know…. And I think the killer thought, as I did, that it was still on Cow Cay, so he killed Eddie and any chance of finding out where it really is. And because I didn’t know it had been moved, either, I had Gary Swipes guarding Cow Cay, and he ended up getting murdered for nothing.”
The room was silent. They were all staring at him open-mouthed.
Except Caer.
And his brothers.
“I’ll call the company, this Boston Beginnings,” Aidan said. He took the box from Sean and headed out of the room.