“Why would I have taken your phone?” she said, the words coming out more defensive than she’d meant.

“Well, phones don’t get up and walk away on their own,” he said.

“No,” she agreed. “They don’t.”

CHAPTER 8

Olive

JUNE 8, 2015

“Wow! Sure is a pricey piece of equipment,” Aunt Riley, eyes wide, said when she saw the metal detector on the shelf. Riley had taken Olive up to the big hobby shop in Burlington after school. They were in the aisle with metal detectors and gold-panning supplies. The next aisle had the radio-controlled aircraft and drones, and that was where all the action was. She could hear a kid whining to his dad that he absolutely needed the drone with the Wi-Fi camera and anything else would totally suck.

“You got enough money for this, kiddo?” Riley asked, pushing her blue bangs back away from her eyes. “I can lend you some if you need it.” Riley looked tired to Olive. Thinner, too, maybe.

“Thanks, but I’ve got enough,” Olive said. Just barely, but she had it. Riley giving her weird but awesome gifts was one thing, but asking Riley for money was not something Olive ever wanted to have to do.

“Where’d you get all that money?” Riley asked. “Lift a little cash from your dad’s wallet? Engage in any illicit activities?” Riley said this jokingly, but there was a serious questioning look in her eyes.

Olive could hide just about anything from her dad—in fact, she believed he was a willing participant in her deceptions—but Riley was another story.

“No way! I’ve been saving forever,” Olive explained. “Then I sold my old metal detector to my friend Mike. He bought a couple of the old musket balls I’ve found, too. He thinks they’re cool.”

“So, what are you going to do with this new fancy metal detector you’re spending your life’s savings on?” Aunt Riley asked.

“Oh, you know. The usual. Look for coins and lost rings on the beach at the lake. See if I can find any old home sites back in the woods. Maybe find more musket balls to sell to Mike.”

Riley smiled at her. “I thought maybe you were searching for Hattie’s treasure.”