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"Oh, man," Tyler breathed, his eyes wide. "Ronan, these are documents for another safe-deposit box. Do you know what this means?"
I nodded, and a broad smile spread across my face as the realization sank in. "It means we're one step closer to whatever Great-Uncle Ian wanted us to find. Going back to the bank will feel like the search coming full circle."
We both burst out in bone-rattling laughter. I fell into Tyler's arms, cradling the box between us. He gazed into my eyes. "And to think the treasure might have been there in the bank the entire time, probably in a box right next to the one you already opened."
As we pulled apart and caught our breath, Tyler knew the next step to take. "I should call Maggie and see if she's working this afternoon. It would be great to have her help us with this."
He pulled out his phone and found Maggie Brooks in his contacts. As he initiated the call, I reached out and rested a hand on the back of his neck. I couldn't stop myself from planting a small kiss on his cheek.
Tyler leaned into the kiss and closed his eyes briefly until Maggie answered.
"Hey, it's Tyler. I know it might seem strange to get a call from me out of the blue, but are you working at the bank this afternoon? Ronan and I have something we think you can help us with."
I couldn't hear her response, but the easy smile on Tyler's face told me all I needed to know.
"Great, that would be perfect. We'll see you there. And Maggie? A huge thank you for all of your help."
As he ended the call, Tyler turned to me. "Can you believe it? We're so close. I can feel it."
With the box tucked safely under my arm, we made our way back to the car, hand-in-hand and heart-to-heart. As I pondered what might be in the new safe-deposit box, I realized the monetary value of it didn't matter. What I wanted to know was how it related to Great-Uncle Ian's heart.
Chapter sixteen
Tyler
As I slipped into a parking spot behind the bank, sandwiched between a pickup and a mini-van, my heart raced. It pounded against my ribs like a drummer in a rock band. Beside me, Ronan had his own rhythm. He tapped his fingers on his knee. We were silent, but nervous energy crackled between us like a massive buildup of static electricity. We could barely wait to see what Great-Uncle Ian had waiting for us.
"So, here goes nothing," Ronan announced. He laughed nervously as he climbed out of my car.
"Well, let's hope it's a little more than that. Surely, Ian had a point to his little search."
The weather had turned warm and sticky. The sun beat down and cast long shadows on the parking lot. Scents of blooming flowers mingling with the hum of traffic created a strange blended atmosphere that was tranquil and urgent at the same time.
I pulled the bank's glass door open for Ronan. He stepped inside carrying the box we'd pulled out of the beach. As we slipped inside, the cool air conditioning wrapped around us, a comfortable contrast with the heat outside. Halfway across the lobby, I spotted a familiar face.
"Maggie," I called out, waving.
As she turned, a radiant smile lit up her face. "Tyler and Ronan! I'm so happy you're here. If you don't mind, there are a few additional gentlemen here who wanted to witness this special occasion. I promise to keep them calm and respectful."
A set of familiar faces gathered near Maggie. Andy, my shortstop, and Maggie's nephew, stood with a handful of other players from the Blue Harbor Beacons wearing casual summer clothes. As I glanced from one to the next, they all looked back at me with excited expressions.
"Coach T!" Andy called, waving. "I heard you were going on a treasure hunt, and I got some of the guys together to check out the action."
I chuckled and shook my head. "You'd think all of you might have something better to do than hang around the bank on a hot summer day. No lifeguarding or gaming?"
"Are you kidding?" Ace, one of our pitchers, spoke up. "This is at least twice as exciting as any old video game or the screaming kids at the beach."
"Yeah," added Coop. "We figured if anyone could find buried treasure in Blue Harbor, it had to be you, Coach. You know all that history stuff. Did any pirates stop by and leave something behind?"
Ronan raised an eyebrow, a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. "Buried treasure, huh? Don't get too excited. It's just as likely to be some old letters and photos."
"Same thing," Andy said, shrugging. "I had Coach for American History, and he taught us that anything about the past was valuable because it was information to help us do better in the future."
I smiled at their impressive enthusiasm. "I guess I have said things like that. So, you'll all be happy if we just find a few rusty coins?"
"Those are treasures, too," Ace agreed. "They're like historical artifacts or something. We can think about what the people who had them in their pockets were like."
Andy stepped forward. "I guess I need to be fair and explain how this happened. Aunt Maggie called me. She was so excited, and she thought I would want to know since I still mow the lawn up there at old Ian's house. I figured if we all stopped in, you would have some smart history lesson for us, Coach. You always do. This was our chance to see Blue Harbor history happening in person."
