“Even when it’s cold, I love it out here.” She went to stand at the edge of her deck. “I practically live in my backyard when the weather’s nice.”

He came to a stop next to her, but not too near.

“Misty River runs right through my property,” she said. “You’ll have to come back in daylight so that you can see how pretty it is.” Wind lifted the edges of her hair. “Listen.”

He heard water rushing over rocks.

“Beautiful, eh?”

He made an affirmative noise.

One minute expanded into the next. “Would you like to see the first treasure hunt clue?” she asked.

“Yes.”

She pulled a piece of paper and a photo from the pocket of the robe and handed them over. He had just enough light to read the note and study the picture.

“The photo was taken,” she said, “at the house where I was raised.”

“Which is where?”

“Near Hartwell. It takes me a little over an hour to drive there.”

“Who owns the house now?”

“I do. Dad kept it while he was in prison. Then I inherited it.”

“‘For the next clue,’” he read aloud, “‘return to your roots and to the place shown in the photo.’”

“Yep.”

“He doesn’t say where to look once you return there.”

“I’m guessing that the setting of the photo is a clue. Knowing him, he’s hidden the next envelope in the bookcase you see there. Or maybe it’s taped to the underside of the coffee table. Or the rug.”

“When can we go?”

“I’ll have to juggle my schedule a bit, but I might be able to leave work a few hours early on Thursday afternoon.”

He’d have preferred they drive there now, tonight. But she’d made it clear that she didn’t want him to rush her. “Okay. Do you have a safe here at the house?”

“No.”

“I’ll buy one for you. Then you can keep this and everything else that has to do with the treasure hunt inside.”

“You think that’s necessary?”

“I’m not sure. I only know that I probably won’t regret it if we’re too careful. But I might regret it if we’re not careful enough.”

She blinked at him.

“Which reminds me,” he said, “before I go tonight, I’d like to take a look at your security.”

“No problem.”

“Do you have an alarm system?”