ENDING OF PREVIOUS POST:

Within minutes, the four ladies were making chocolate chip cookies.

Jane smiled. "Emily, I thought your daddy's favorite cookie was snickerdoodles. Are you sure it's chocolate chip?"

With twinkling eyes and a smile, Emily said, "I'm sure Daddy will say they're his favorite, because they're mine. Mommy says we're exactly alike."

TODAY'S POST:

Chapter 12 part 3

After cookies were baked and sampled with a glass of cold milk, they worked together and cleaned the kitchen. They ate lunch and Emily took a short rest while Shana read her three picture books.

Just as the third story ended, Jane came into Emily's room and asked, "Are you ready to search for lost treasure?"

Emily's eyes widened. "Are we going to be pirates?"

"Hmmm." Jane took an eye-patch from her pocket, put it over Emily's head, and adjusted it so it covered her right eye. She handed her a sword made from cardboard and aluminum foil. "Now, you look like a real pirate."

She ran to the dresser mirror. "I do." She laughed as she watched herself in different pirate poses. "Can Miss Shana have a patch and sword too?"

"Sorry, I only had one of each. I doubt the wild animals will attack her. They usually will only attack humans under this height." She held her hand at chest level.

Shana stood beside Jane and measured herself. "I'm taller than that, so I should be okay, and I'll still have fun without them. Where's our map?"

Jane held up the map. "There are waters, caves, and mountains. You might run across a wild animal or two." She laughed and glanced at the dogs. "Probably three. Think you're up for it?"

Emily jumped up and down as she clapped her hands, "Yes!" ran from the room, and then stopped. "Where we going?"

"Take my hand, and I'll lead you to Pirates' Cove." Jane held Emily's hand and guided her. She stopped and cupped a hand to her ear. "Do you hear that?"

Emily paused, listened, and shook her head. "I don't hear anything."

"Hmmm, that's bad. If you don't hear them, they're sneaking up on you."

"Oh no!" Shana covered her mouth and scanned the area. "I don't see anything, do you?"

"This way." Jane stood outside the patio door and read the banner, "'Welcome to Pirates' Cove. Enter at your own Risk'. Oh No! Should we enter?"

Emily laughed as she entered. "I'm not afraid. Come on."

Jane studied the map. "I think you need to start over there." She pointed to an overturned chair. "Maybe there's a clue."

"A clue?" asked Emily with a scrunched up nose.

"Let's look together." Shana walked toward the chair. "I know we can figure it out."

Emily ran to it and picked up a pink, folded paper. "Is this a clue?"

"Open it," encouraged Shana.

"It has another map and some words." Emily turned it toward Shana. "I can't read."

"You can't read, yet. You'll be reading before long, but right now I'll help you." Shana studied the map. "I see." She lowered it for Emily to see and then pointed. "Do you think this is that cave over there?" She winked at Jane.

"Aunt Jane, is that table covered with the blanket a cave?"

With a nod, Jane smiled. "I think so, and I'm guessing you're going to have to go inside the cave to discover the next clue."

*****

When Shana heard a man's laughter, she peeked from under a chair. "What are you laughing at?"

"Think a better question is what are you doing?" Anderson moved closer and read the banner. "Welcome to Pirate's Cove. Enter at your own Risk."



*Please remember this is only part of a much longer chapter. I divide my chapters into three or four parts for ease of reviewing.*


Characters so far:

Shana Kohlberg -- a 25 year old high school English literature teacher -- she's trying to get her family's painting back

Anderson Sharp -- often called Drew -- 31 years old -- works part-time on Wall Street -- a billionaire from Texas oil wells

Dmitry Bezrukov -- one of three Russian men in black suits

Jeff Burk -- takes care of Anderson's cars and important security details.

Helen -- Anderson's cook

Jane -- Anderson's housekeeper

Philip -- Anderson's butler -- close friend and confident


Kyle -- Anderson's dog walker

Axel -- Anderson's lead German shepherd

Thor -- Anderson's second German shepherd

Romeo -- Anderson's third German shepherd

Aaron Kohlberg -- Shana's older brother

Ivan Kuznetsov -- formally Ivan Morozov, I accidently chose a real person, so I have changed it present day owner of the painting.

Patricia -- Anderson's ex-wife

Emily -- Anderson's five year old daughter

Isaiah Glassberg -- Anderson divorce/custody attorney.

Jeremy -- Jane's second-cousin twice removed, NYC undercover cop.

Hannah -- Shana's cousin, the same age. Married within the past year and just had a baby

Joshua Colton -- Art Museum's curator

Benjamin Kohlberg -- Shana's father