Read The Last Treasure for Free Online Page A

die?”
    â€œFive years ago.”
    â€œGod, I’m sorry,” she says again, not sure what else to say. She’d never felt close to Robert Felder—he’d made sure she didn’t—but Sam had been devoted. The loss must have been impossible for him. “So you’re a dive captain again?”
    He smiles. “Life doesn’t always turn out the way we plan.”
    A flutter of nerves dances down her spine. The frankness of his comment dangles between them. She looks toward the window.
    â€œWhat about you?” he asks. “Still writing?”
    â€œSome. Mostly papers for journals. Lectures when I can. Whit keeps me pretty busy.”
    â€œI’ll bet.” The edge of insinuation is unmistakable.
    Liv gestures to the island, covered with food. “It’s gross, isn’t it? You’d think he meant to invite all of Topsail.”
    â€œKnowing Whit, he probably did.” Sam takes a slow sip of coffee. “I heard he bought back the
Phoenix
.”
    â€œHe did. He changed the name. She’s
Theo’s Wish
now.”
    â€œI was always told it was bad luck to change the name of a boat.”
    She smiles. “That’s Whit for you. Tempting fate every chance he gets.”
    Sam’s eyes flicker, as if she’s sparked a long-forgotten memory. “So you and Whit have kept up the hunt, then.”
    â€œWe try.” She shrugs. “Life keeps getting in the way, though.”
    â€œYou’ve done well for yourselves. The
Bella Donna
was quite a find. I heard two million in coins?”
    â€œTwo point five, actually. And almost thirty feet of gold chain. It was incredible.”
    â€œGood for you. From what I hear, it’s getting harder and harder to secure a license to bring up a barrel of bottles, let alone gold.”
    â€œIt’s been a challenge getting a recovery mission under way. Which is why we were so terrified of losing this one. Did Whit tell you he found the bell? At least, we’re fairly certain it’s the bell.”
    â€œI heard that,” Sam says.
    Liv can’t help wondering if Sam has heard other things too: the string of missions Whit has lost or sabotaged in the years since their success with the
Bella Donna
, the crew members he’s pissed off trying to circumvent red tape and cut corners.
    What does it matter? Sam’s here, isn’t he?
    â€œWhit’s sure there’s even more money on the
Siren
,” she says.
    â€œSo he tells me.” Sam’s eyes narrow slightly, signaling doubt.
    â€œYou don’t believe it,” she says.
    â€œBlockade runners rarely carried gold. It would be unusual.”
    â€œAnd yet you came.” She considers him. “So you must think there’s at least a good chance of finding
something
.”
    Sam smiles. “I think there’s a very good chance.”
    His eyes meet hers and hold, gently probing. Liv has the feeling he wants to tell her something else. Maybe something that has nothing to do with treasure or diving, that he has someone special in his life, that he’s fallen in love, that he’s married. She knows she isn’t entitled to this information, and maybe that’s best. She’s not sure she wants to know.
    â€œHallelujah!” Whit blows into the room, startling them both. One glance at his crooked grin and Liv knows that he’samply drunk. “In case you’re wondering,” he says, flinging open the fridge hard enough to rattle the beer bottles lined along the door, “it takes four crew members and one thickheaded project leader to figure out how to turn on a five-thousand-dollar grill.” He reaches in and begins tossing packages of meat onto the counter. “Hope you’re as hungry as that fire.”
    â€œNone for me, thanks,” says Sam. “I ate on the road.”
    â€œReally?” Liv can hear the disappointment in her voice.
    â€œDamn,” Whit says.