Swept Away (The Swept Away Saga, Book One)

Chapter Five

The group, which I learned was officially called The Oak Isle Treasure Trove Company, decided to hold off on any real work at the island for a week or two more. They'd been waiting out the cold season, when the ground was harder to dig through. The early spring had definitely been operating in their favor, but it seemed they weren't quite ready to tackle the pit again.

In the meantime, Dad was able to cash in one of his stocks earlier than he thought and we were saved the trouble of having to pull back money. True to his word, the long table was taken out of the office and replaced with an old dresser and daybed we got from a secondhand shop. I used my own money to help and buy some more clothes, already missing the warmth of Arizona. Everything had worked out perfectly for my stay, as if the universe had been planning it all along.

As the weeks passed, I found myself more eager to see what was really on Oak Isle. Dad tried explaining his theory to me in more detail, but it just seemed too farfetched. He had good points, obviously, and certain things fit perfectly into the puzzle, but I wasn't sold.

Finally, the day they'd agreed to survey the island arrived. It was time to craft a solid plan of action. I couldn't help the excitement humming through my veins as we drove across the manmade dirt road that connected the island to the mainland, my mind trying to conjure all the wonderful things that could possibly be hidden here under the earth.

"Here we are," Dad said, pulling up alongside an older building, which appeared to be housing some machinery. "Are you ready?"

"Sure." I grinned, knowing he could feel the emotions rolling off me. Unbuckling, I opened the door and breathed in the sea air. There was a bite to it, but nothing like when I'd first arrived. Unlike Arizona, Maine definitely had four distinct seasons. It warmed up fast—and cooled down just as quickly.

This part of the island had been cleared of all foliage, with two other, smaller buildings resting at the edge of the plant line. The dirt road we'd come in on ended here, in a circle drive. Grass covered the ground, the trees adding to the greenery with their leaves. And off to the side of the road, marked by scaffolding around it, and a sign, was The Treasure Pit.

"That's it?" I asked breathlessly, stepping forward hesitantly.

"Yes," Dad answered, the same tone of awe and elation in his voice. "Go ahead and look. Be careful. They just uncovered the opening after the winter and it could be unstable. We have to check all the rigging before we can get to work."

Nodding, I moved to investigate the mysterious pit, suddenly feeling whatever it was that drew men in and gave them the need to find out what was at the bottom. A quick check of the wooden platform told me it was steady enough to stand on. It was built around the edges of the hole and had been left uncovered through the off-season. In the middle of the square floor was the opening, which was about ten feet across. Handrails had been constructed around it, as well as a gate that blocked the ladder down into the cavity. Carefully, I approached the gap, peering over the rails to the watery depths below.

"She's something, isn't she?" Mark moved beside me and glanced inside, eyebrows furrowed as he looked. "We're going to get that water drained this year. I can feel it in my bones. Something is going to happen and we're going to get it."

"Hey you two!" Dad waved us over. Scott and the twins were already with him. The two younger men appeared to be the ones who came out early and uncovered everything.

Joining the group, a general feeling of adventure was almost palpable between us. "What's the plan?" I asked with more enthusiasm than even I expected.

"Well, we've got two options," Dad started. "When we stopped last season we'd been doing a lot of work in the swamp."

"Swamp?" I interrupted.