The Treasure

Synopsis

Shanna Reid is immediately thrust into a mystery when she visits her dying grandmother, whose last words to her are to find her treasure.  But a mysterious stranger Shanna meets on the flight to her grandmother, is also looking for the treasure.  Just who is the stranger and why does he want it?

Chapter 1

Shanna woke up the next morning…the alarm on her phone singing to the tune of “Good Morning.”  As she got up to get some coffee perking in her old-fashioned percolator that her grandmother gave her…she just couldn’t part with it—it was part of her grandmother—she went into her bedroom to pick out her clothing before getting into a hot shower.

Feeling refreshed from her morning shower, Shanna poured some coffee and her favorite salted caramel creamer and sugar into a cup and sat down to check her emails.  One email caught her attention.  It was an email from her grandmother.  Strange as it was to get an email—grandmother always sent a letter because she just couldn’t get a grasp on the email thing—she read the email.

My Dearest Shanna,

You know you are my favorite granddaughter.  You need to come to Boston!  A.S.A.P.!!!! 

Love,

Your grandmother,

Henrietta

P.S.  A treasure awaits!

Shanna’s mind was picqued.  What could be so important that she must leave now.  And what was the treasure that was waiting for her?

Shanna knew she couldn’t leave now.  She had just accepted a new position as Chief Editor at the magazine she worked for.  Things were a mess with the last editor having nearly run it into the ground.  She hated to take time off with the magazine in such dire straits, but grandmother’s email also seemed urgent…and grandmother would’ve never sent such a urgent message if it wasn’t important.

After calling the magazine to give her regrets, she boarded her flight.  She was lucky to get a last minute flight on stand-by.  She was on her way to Boston.

It was a long, 2-hour flight and Shanna used the 2 hours to catch up on manuscripts to review.  As she opened up her laptop, she preceded to get some reading done, but a mysterious stranger sat in the next seat next to her.

Shanna never got any reading done on that 2-hour flight as she got to chatting with the stranger who called himself Rod.  Before Shanna knew it, her flight was descending into the Logan Air Terminal and she was on her way to her grandmother’s home.

When the taxi pulled up into her grandmother’s driveway, Shanna got out with her luggage and walked up the path to the front door.  Gerald the butler answered the door and escorted Shanna to her grandmother’s bedroom to find her grandmother lying in bed, frail and near death.

It shocked Shanna to her core to see her grandmother lying there.  Grandmother was always so full of life.  Gerald gave Shanna the run-down on her grandmother’s sudden illness.  She couldn’t believe her grandmother was dying.

Shanna sat next to her grandmother and held her hand.  As soon as Shanna touched her grandmother’s hand, the life went out of her and her grandmother’s last words to Shanna were:  “Find the treasure,” before taking her last breath.

Chapter 2

Shanna couldn’t believe her grandmother was gone.  And what did she mean by “Find the treasure?” as her grandmother’s words rang through her head.  She decided she would go to her grandmother’s bedroom to find some clues.

Once inside her grandmother’s bedroom, the smell of violets, her grandmother’s favorite scent, brought her grandmother to life.  Shanna looked through the nightstand to see if she could find anything.  But there was nothing.

Without much success finding any clues to the treasure in her grandmother’s room, Shanna decided to look in living room, but was interrupted by the ringing of the doorbell.  As she opened the door to see who was there, a tall, swank, man in shades, stood on the doorstep.

“Is Irena Caldwell in?” the man asked.

“I’m afraid you’re too late.” Shanna told the man.  “My grandmother has passed away.”

“Oh dear, this does not bode well.”

“What do you mean?”

“I was sent here to interview Ms. Caldwell on her 100^th birthday for my magazine.”

“Well, I’m sorry for your inconvenience.” Shanna told him.

“Well, it’s not a total loss.  I could interview you instead.”

“Me?  Why would you want to do that?”

“Well, you were her closest relative.  She loved you dearly.”

“And how would you know about my relationship with my grandmother?” Shanna asked with suspicion.

“It’s in the news.  Your grandmother was a special lady.” The man said.

“Well, okay.” Shanna said reluctantly.  “Let’s go into the living room.

As Shanna led the man to the living room, the man scoped for an opportunity to search Irena Caldwell’s home for the treasure his lead led him to.