Easy Fortune: A Boudreaux Series Novella

“Okay. Love you.”


“Love you more.” I hang up and walk out of Aunt Claudia’s room and downstairs to the kitchen. Everything in this old house needs to be updated. I don’t think it’s been done once in the forty years she lived here.

And, of course, there are no groceries here. It’s too late to have something delivered.

Fuck it.

I go out on the front porch and sit on the swing, listening to the night birds. I always loved New Orleans. I should visit more often.

Lena’s here.

I frown and watch lightning bugs fly about among the heavy branches of the old oak trees. I still think of Lena often, and wonder how she is. I visited Aunt Claudia plenty of times over the years, but never looked her up.

I knew I wouldn’t be welcome, not after the way I ended it.

I wonder if she’ll show up on Friday. I hope so. I don’t need Aunt Claudia’s money or her estate, but I do want it all to be resolved properly. And it seems Lena is the key to that.

***

“Thanks for coming, Dr. Coulter,” Alan Tucker, my aunt’s attorney, says as he meets me in the lobby of his firm. He shakes my hand and leads me to his office, and I’m stunned to see that Lena’s already sitting there. “You know Ms. Turner.”

“Of course.” I sit next to her and lean over to whisper, “Thank you.”

She smiles and shrugs one shoulder before Alan begins to talk.

“Thank you both for coming in today,” he says. “You aunt was very specific about how she wanted this to go, and I’m honoring her wishes.”

“As it should be,” I reply with a nod.

“Okay, let’s get started then.” He shuffles some papers aside and pulls a stapled document out of a file folder. “It’s actually quite straightforward. I’ll read it aloud, and when I’ve finished, ask any questions you might have.”

“Understood.”

“I, Claudia Coulter, declare this as my last will and testament. I revoke all prior wills, and on this 17th Day of June in 2016 declare that I have no spouse and no children. I will all of my real estate, life insurance, monies, jewelry, investment accounts, and any other real property to my nephew, Dr. Mason Coulter.”

Alan looks up at me with a small smile, and I shift in my chair uncomfortably. I’m sure some people in this position would be excited about becoming an instant millionaire several times over, but I already have wealth.

He clears his throat and keeps reading.

“There is one condition to this inheritance. Mason and Ms. Lena Turner must immediately embark on a journey, following clues that I’ve left in places of archeological interest in North America. They must travel together, and must complete the journey together. If they fail to do this, my estate in its entirety will be donated to the City of New Orleans.”

Lena’s head whips over to stare at me, her jaw dropped in surprise.

“Why me?” she asks.

“Ms. Coulter said that would all be revealed during the journey. She also asked me to give you this letter, but you’re not to read it until later, when you’re alone.”

He passes Lena a sealed envelope and crosses his hands over the document on his desk.

“So, we have to go on a scavenger hunt?” Lena demands.

“A treasure hunt,” I say quietly, not exactly surprised by this turn of events. “She wants me to hunt for her treasure.”

Alan smiles softly. “She does.”

“Why do I have to go with him?” Lena asks. Her fingers are shaking. She’s upset. I take her hand in mine and give it a squeeze.

“I believe that letter will explain it,” Alan replies. “You’re due to leave in the morning. The whole trip is already paid for; all you have to do is show up and follow the clues.”

“I have to travel with Indiana Jones here, all over North America, hunting for his late aunt’s fortune?” She’s laughing now, her hand over her face. “This doesn’t happen in real life.”

“It seems it does,” I reply and smile at her when she looks up at me again. Her blue eyes are full of tears from laughter. “But you can choose not to go.”

She takes a deep breath and lets it out slowly. “How long will this take?”

“About a week,” Alan replies. “You may be able to do it faster, but I suggest you have fun with it. Take your time. Not many people get to go on an adventure like this one.”

“Do you already know the details?” I ask him, and he nods happily.

“Your aunt was special, Dr. Coulter.”

“I know.” My stomach is in knots, my chest tight. I’m so fucking excited to go on this adventure I can hardly stay in my chair. I want to leap up and go right now.

But Lena hasn’t agreed to go with me, and she’s the key.

“School’s finished,” she murmurs. “Do you need to know right now?”

“I’m afraid so,” Alan replies. “Once you agree and leave my office, I set everything into motion. I’ll call you both at six in the morning to tell you where to go.”

“Six in the morning?” Lena demands. “Why would anyone be awake that early?”

I laugh and sit back, watching all of the emotions roll over her face. God, she’s fucking gorgeous. Spending the next week, on the ultimate treasure hunt, is going to be spectacular.

She worries her lip between her teeth, thinking it over.

“Can I send a quick text?”

“Of course,” Alan says, and we both sit quietly as she types furiously on her phone. A reply comes almost immediately. “Okay. I’ll do it.”

“Who did you text?” I ask, curious.

“Mallory. She’s going to check my mail.” She smiles widely. “I might regret this, but I’m in. I might just learn something.”

“Are you sure?” I ask and take her hand in mine again. “I know it’s asking a lot, and if you’re uncomfortable with it, I understand.”

“I’m okay,” she says with a nod. “I mean, we’ll have separate sleeping arrangements, and—”

“Actually,” Alan interrupts, “You’ll be sleeping in the same hotel room. Claudia was specific about that as well. She didn’t want Mason sneaking out to go find anything on his own. She wanted you to do this together. One hundred percent.”

“I’m not sleeping with him,” she says, and I tilt my head to the side. Is that a challenge? Because right now all I can think about is getting her on a plane and joining the mile high club.

“I don’t believe she was insisting on the trip to be consummated,” Alan says with a wink. “Just that you sleep in the same room.”

Lena frowns and sits back in her seat. “Do I have to go to the bathroom and shower with him too?”

Yes to the shower.

“No, ma’am.”

She nods. “Okay. Let’s do it.” She looks over at me and a slow smile spreads over her face. “With Indiana Jones leading the way, we can’t lose.”





Chapter Four



Lena