2 Dead & Buried by Leighann Dobbs

There’s a real mess in there. Should we just pick everything up and toss it, or do you want to save it?”
    Morgan’s brow furrowed and she turned to ask her sisters, only to find they had snuck out of the room. “I don’t know. Let me look.”
    They walked to the living room together, Morgan took care not to get too close to Luke—as if he had some disease she could catch.
    Her heart clenched when she looked at the mess. The oak china cabinet lay on its front, the rounded glass doors shattered. She knew getting replacement glass would be expensive, but that was nothing compared to the antique china and crystal—family heirlooms that now lay in pieces on the floor. Those were priceless.
    Battling the tears that stung the backs of her eyes, she squatted down and picked through the shards. There was nothing worth saving.
    “I guess we should throw it out. The china cabinet we’ll have repaired but everything else is broken.” She ran her fingers through the pile, jerking her hand back when she felt the sharp sting of a shard of glass.
    “Ouch!” She looked at her finger as it turned bright red.
    Luke was next to her in an instant, grabbing her hand before she could react. “You cut yourself. Let me see.”
    Their eyes met and the past ten years melted away. Morgan’s heart fluttered like a frightened bird. Then she remembered how hurt she’d been when Luke had chosen the military over her.  
    She wrenched her hand away.
    “It’s nothing,” she said standing up and going back to the kitchen, feeling annoyed when she noticed Luke was following her.
    She ran her finger under water then turned to face him. “Is there something else?”
    “I was hoping you would have changed your mind about trusting me.” Luke’s green eyes stared into hers.
    “And why would I do that?”
    “We’re both after the same thing. If we keep the lines of communication open it will be easier for both of us.”
    Morgan snorted. “Communication? I hope you’re better at it now than you have been for the past ten years.”
    Luke ran his hands through his short cropped hair while Morgan wrapped her finger in a paper towel.
    “Morgan, I’m sorry about all that. I couldn’t stay here and lead a cushy life while others were fighting for our country. I wanted to talk to you … to write, or call but I figured it was better for you if I didn’t.”
    Morgan ripped her gaze from the pleading look in his eyes. She never could resist that look and he knew it. He was probably using it on purpose now to get her to tell him about the treasure.
    “Well, I didn’t need you to decide what was best for me then, and I certainly don’t need you to do it now.” She started toward the stairs, turning to look at him over her shoulder as she left the room. “I trust you can show yourself out.”
    Then, before the tears that were threatening could fall, she ran up to her room.

Chapter Thirteen

    Morgan breathed a sigh of relief when they pulled into the driveway after work. The day had been torturous. She was overtired and couldn’t concentrate on anything. She’d had to toss out several herbal mixtures because she’d made them wrong. And the worst part was unwanted thoughts about Luke kept forming in her mind no matter how hard she tried to stop them.
    When Celeste called to announce that she and Cal had found something in the journal, it was just the excuse Morgan and Fiona needed to close up early for the day.
    As she walked up the porch steps into the house, Morgan felt a tingle in the back of her neck that was starting to become all too familiar. She whirled around, but no one was there. Was Luke watching her … or the bad guys?
    Inside, Jolene, Cal and Celeste were huddled over a piece of paper on the kitchen island.  
    “I hope you guys can help us decipher this poem—it’s a haiku,” Celeste said.
    Morgan and Fiona crossed over to the island and Celeste slid the paper around so they could read it.

    Those seeking the map
    Find