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While we broke toward the concession stand, I thought about Ronan again and glanced around to find him. When I didn't have any luck, I asked a question.
"Hey, Theo, do you remember anything much about the Gallaghers? Specifically, Ian Gallagher?"
He raised an eyebrow, and the right side of his mouth curled into a smirk. "Old Man Gallagher? That guy was a legend around here. When we were kids, I heard all sorts of crazy stories about his adventures."
I laughed, the memories flooding back. "So, you remember him, too. He had to be one of our wildest characters. He had us convinced the lost city of Atlantis was under Lake Michigan or something like that."
"And that time I heard he had a map to buried treasure tattooed on his back…" Theo added, shaking his head in amusement.
"I always wondered if there was any truth to those tales, but I figured we'd never know after he died. Now, his great-nephew, Ronan, is here in Blue Harbor. He was at the game today."
Theo leaned in, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. "I heard a rumor that when Old Man Gallagher returned from one of his trips, he had a suitcase full of rare gems. Diamonds, emeralds, rubies—the works."
"No way," Rafe said, his eyes widening. "You think he actually found something in the lake?"
I shrugged, my mind racing with possibilities. "Who knows? But with Ronan in town, maybe we'll finally get some answers."
The stories always sounded almost too ridiculous to be true, but a slight shiver raced up my spine. About one-tenth of me always wanted some of what he said to be based on facts. "He's gone now, but I wonder what secrets he took to his grave and what Ronan has to do with it."
Before any of us could say more about it, Ace called out. "Coach, come on! Only five brownies left!"
I laughed and jogged to join the team while Rafe and Theo strolled slowly, hand in hand. Several players high-fived me and held out a bundle of three of the legendary chocolate morsels.
About a half hour later, as my team dispersed and drifted toward the parking lot, I spotted Ronan standing by the bleachers, about a hundred yards away. My heart caught in my throat, and I wondered whether he'd waited all that time for me. My suddenly sweaty palms startled me. Why did he make me nervous?
I tried to look nonchalant as I approached, but I bit my lip when he spoke in his low, resonant, baritone voice. What is it about him? He had me uncharacteristically flustered.
"Coach Kincaid." Ronan made sure I didn't pass by. "That was quite the game. Your men gave it their all."
I swallowed hard. Usually, I was eager to speak with fans, and the words rolled out easily. For some reason, Ronan had me tongue-tied. "Yeah, worked hard," I managed to utter, though I'd wanted to say something much more interesting than that.
A moment of awkward silence passed between us. I shifted my weight from one foot to the other and realized we were standing strikingly close together.
My following words were nearly as dull as the first line. "I, uh, I saw you in the bleachers." It was a Captain Obvious comment. Finally, I saved myself by asking a question. "Are you a baseball fan?"
Ronan reached up and raked his fingers through his hair. "I'm not sure how you'd define that. I do know Honus Wagner baseball cards are worth a mint, and I do know Ted Williams was the last to hit over .400. 1941, I believe… the year we entered the war."
He suddenly sounded like almost as much of a history nut as me. I tilted my head to the right and smiled. More silence passed between us, but it came with an invisible electric charge this time. I studied his face and focused on the perfectly trimmed beard. Why do I want to touch it?
I blamed it on being tired from the baseball game. Unable to resist any longer, I reached out, moving my fingers close to Ronan's jaw. Just before I touched his face, I caught myself, pulled my hand back, and cleared my throat.
"So, um, I wonder… could we get together again sometime soon? Will you be in Blue Harbor for long? It would be fantastic to talk more about your great uncle. The history of the town is kind of my jam. How about getting a drink or having dinner?"
Ronan smiled warmly. "I'd like that. Is tomorrow evening good? I'm at the Grand Harbor Hotel, room 205. If you stop by around 7, we can go from there."
Did you just ask a man out on a date? I shook my head and focused on Ronan. "Perfect." My heart skipped a beat, thinking about spending an entire evening with him.
I walked him to his car, a sleek, black electric vehicle. As he opened the door, I saw a folded piece of paper tucked under the windshield wiper blade. Grabbing it, I unfolded the sheet, expecting to see a flyer for garage sales or coupons for ice cream. Instead, the words scrawled inside gave me goosebumps.
"The key to the past lies in the heart of the shore. Seek the truth beneath the waves, where you shall set the lost free."
I showed Ronan the note, and he appeared as puzzled as me. Furrowing his brow, he asked, "What does it mean?"
A hundred or more odd possibilities raced through my mind. "I don't know, but I'd think it has something to do with your great-uncle's treasure. He was fascinated by the lake, wasn't he? Up there on that bluff?"
Ronan nodded, and I caught a sparkle in his eyes when he looked at me. "He told me stories of shipwrecks and whole towns collapsed into the water by wicked storms. Maybe this is a clue to finding what he left behind."
Chapter three
