Chapter 10
Caleb
“This looks incredible,” I say as Julia sets a plate of fluffy scrambled eggs in front of me. The aroma of melted cheese and fresh herbs fills the kitchen, momentarily distracting me from my suspicions. “Where did you learn to cook like this?”
“My mom,” Julia replies, bringing her own plate to the table. “She owns a restaurant in Colchester and always said food tastes better when you’re cooking for others.”
I take a bite and have to admit it’s delicious. Lana seems to agree, though she’s still watching Julia with barely concealed wariness. Scout sits attentively at her feet, his eyes occasionally darting to Julia.
“So,” I begin casually, “we need to head over to feed the animals at Jake’s place after breakfast.”
“Jake?” Julia asks, looking up from her plate.
“Our neighbor,” Lana explains. “We’re looking after his farm animals while he’s out of province with his girlfriend.”
I nod, maintaining our cover story. “Nothing complicated—just feeding and watering. Making sure everyone’s comfortable.”
“Oh!” Julia’s face brightens. “Would you mind if I came along? I’d love to help. Being around animals is kind of my thing, you know?”
I glance at Lana, seeing the same calculation in her eyes that I’m making. Bringing Julia along means we can keep an eye on her, but it also means she’ll see the barn where Lana found the first box.
“Sure,” Lana says before I can respond. “There are some kittens there you might enjoy meeting.”
“Kittens?” Julia’s excitement seems genuine. “Oh, I’d love that! I’ve helped deliver so many litters at the clinic.”
I finish my coffee, watching her reaction carefully. Nothing about her enthusiasm seems forced or fake. Either she’s genuinely an animal lover, or she’s a great actress.
“We should head over soon,” I say, checking the time. “The animals will be hungry.”
After we clean up the breakfast dishes and set food down for Scout, who turns his nose up at it, we all bundle up in our winter gear. The storm has died down somewhat, but the snow is still deep and the wind biting. I grab the UTV keys while Lana helps Julia find an extra pair of gloves.
Outside, the world has transformed overnight. Everything is buried under at least two feet of pristine snow, the landscape unrecognizable beneath its winter blanket. The UTV sits where we left it, now covered in a thick layer of snow.
“I’ll clear it off,” Lana offers, reaching for the small shovel we keep by the door.
“I’ll help,” Julia says, grabbing a broom.
Together, they make quick work of the snow while I stand by, feeling useless.
The pain in my leg is worse today, a deep throbbing that makes me grit my teeth when I think no one is looking.
I probably shouldn’t be going out at all, but there’s no way I’m letting Lana go to the barn alone with Julia.
Once the UTV is cleared, we climb in—me driving, Lana in the passenger seat, and Julia squeezed in behind us.
Scout jumps in last, settling at Lana’s feet.
The engine roars to life, and I engage the four-wheel drive and the snowblower before heading toward Jake’s property.
The journey is slow going through the deep snow, but the snowblower handles it well.
Churning out a spray of snow that covers us from head to toe.
Julia shouts enthusiastically over the roar of the engine about various animals she’s treated, and I find myself relaxing slightly despite catching only half of what she says.
What I do hear seems legit—she talks about procedures and medications with the easy familiarity of someone who works with them daily.
When we reach the barn, I park as close to the door as possible. The lock is still secure, just as we left it. I fumble with the keys, my fingers stiff from the cold.
“You lock the barn doors?” Julia asks as I work the key into the padlock. “What happens if there’s a fire? The animals would be trapped inside.”
I pause, the question catching me off guard. It’s a good point—one a vet tech would naturally think of.
“Jake’s always done it this way,” Lana answers, but I can see she’s thinking the same thing I am.
“It’s just that fires can break out in the middle of the night,” Julia continues as I push the heavy door open. “Usually, it’s passersby who spot it first and call emergency services. They often have to break in to get the animals out.”
“That makes sense,” I say, watching her carefully. “Has that happened where you worked?”
Julia nods, following us into the warmth of the barn. “In Colchester, just last year. It was all over the local news. The vet I worked for got called out, and I went with him. We had to treat several animals for smoke inhalation.”
The animals greet us with a chorus of hungry sounds. The mama cat immediately weaves between Julia’s legs, and she bends down to stroke her, cooing softly.
“The kittens are in the tack room,” Lana says, pulling out her phone. “I’m going to check something quickly.”
While Julia heads for the tack room, Lana pulls me aside, her phone screen illuminated.
“I’m looking up that fire she mentioned,” she whispers. “Let’s see if her story checks out.”
I nod, then head to the feed storage to begin measuring out portions for the animals. Julia joins me a few minutes later, a tiny kitten cradled in her hands.
“They’re adorable,” she says, gently stroking the kitten’s head with one finger. “This little one is the runt. She needs some extra attention.”
There’s a softness in her expression that’s hard to fake—a genuine tenderness as she handles the small animal. I find myself wanting to believe her, despite my training to trust no one.
“Found it,” Lana announces, walking over with her phone.
“Barn fire in Colchester, last February. And look—” She turns the screen toward us, showing a news article with a photo of emergency responders treating animals outside a smoldering barn.
In the corner of the image, Julia administers oxygen to a tiny lamb.
“That’s me,” Julia confirms, looking at the photo. “It was a terrible night. We lost two horses, but we saved most of the animals.”
I feel some of my suspicion ebbing away. At least this part of her story checks out. She really is a vet tech from Colchester who helped during a barn fire.
“We should finish up here,” I say, handing Julia a scoop of the cat food. “The animals are waiting.”
We work together efficiently, each taking different tasks.
Julia clearly knows what she’s doing around farm animals, handling a stubborn stallion without a care in the world.
By the time we’re done, I’m almost convinced that she really is exactly who she claims to be—a stranded motorist who happened upon our doorstep at an odd time.
Almost.
As we exit the barn, Scout suddenly perks up, trotting toward the back door of Jake’s house. He stops, sniffing intently at something swaying in the wind attached to the door.
“What is it, boy?” Lana calls, following him. She makes her way over to the door and pulls it free, unfolding it carefully as she walks back to us. Her eyes widen as she reads, then she passes it to me.
“Meeting still on at the mill. Noon today. Crucial information about Wolf’s treasure. Bring what you’ve found. Watch your backs.”
Julia appears beside us, peering curiously at the note. “What’s that?”
I exchange a glance with Lana. We hadn’t planned on involving Julia in this, but now she’s seen the note. We could lie, but if she’s working with someone—with Margret, perhaps—she might already know about the treasure.
“Someone wants to meet us,” I say carefully, folding the note and tucking it into my pocket. “About some local history stuff.”
“At the old mill?” Julia asks, surprising me. “I saw it yesterday. Not too far from where my car went off the road. Walked right up to it, thinking it was a house. It’s a beautiful old ruin.”
Lana and I exchange another look. If Julia’s car really were near it, that would confirm her story.
“We were planning to go there,” Lana says slowly. “But with the storm...”
“The roads should be passable by noon,” Julia offers. “The plows were already out early this morning. I saw them from the window.”
I consider our options. If we leave Julia alone at the house, she could search for the ammunition box or contact whoever might be working with her. If we take her with us, we keep her in sight.
“We should probably get back to the house,” I say, making my decision. “We can figure out what to do about the meeting once we’re inside.”
The ride back to Ella’s house was quicker thanks to the fact that we’d already cleared a path. As we pile out of the UTV, I notice Lana checking her phone. Her eyebrows raise slightly.
“You know what just dawned on me? I’ve got service,” she announces, holding up her phone. “Signal’s back.”
Julia perks up immediately. “Really? Oh my gosh, would you mind if I borrowed it? My parents must be freaking out by now.”
I catch Lana’s eye, silently communicating my wariness, but she nods and hands her phone over once we’re back at Ella’s house.
“Thank you so much,” Julia says, taking the phone with obvious relief. She steps into the kitchen for privacy while Lana and I remove our snow-covered outer layers.
“What do you think?” Lana whispers, hanging up her coat.
“I’m starting to believe her story,” I admit, keeping my voice low. “Everything checks out so far.”
We can hear Julia’s voice from the kitchen, her tone apologetic and explanatory. After a few minutes, she returns, still holding Lana’s phone.
“My mom wants to come get me,” she says, looking between us. “They’re worried sick. But...” She hesitates, biting her lip. “Could I actually ask you guys something crazy?”
I straighten up, instantly alert. “What is it?”
“It’s about the mill and treasure,” she says, her eyes bright with excitement. “And honestly, it sounds way more interesting than sitting through another lecture from my parents about winter driving.” She takes a deep breath. “Would it be totally weird if I asked to tag along? To the mill meeting?”
Lana looks as surprised as I feel. “You want to come with us?”
“I know it’s none of my business,” Julia continues quickly. “But I’m actually really into local history. And let’s face it, if I go home now, I’ll have to listen to a hundred questions from my parents about my poor life choices.” She holds up Lana’s phone. “My mom’s still waiting for an answer.”
I study her face, searching for any sign of deception. There’s nothing but genuine enthusiasm and perhaps a touch of embarrassment at being so bold.
“It could be dangerous,” I warn her. “We don’t know who left that note.”
“I know,” she says, nodding seriously. “But I’m already involved, aren’t I? I mean, I saw the note. And my car is right by the mill anyway, so I need to get back there eventually.”
Lana and I exchange a look. Having Julia come along is risky, but keeping her within sight might be the safer option if she’s not who she claims to be.
“Okay,” I decide. “But you follow our lead, and if things get dicey, you do exactly what we say, no questions asked.”
Julia’s face lights up. “Absolutely! I promise.” She puts the phone back to her ear.
“Mom? Actually, I think I’m going to stay with Caleb and Lana for a bit.
Their neighbor needs help with some animals, and since I’m already here.
..” She pauses, listening. “Yes, I’ll be careful.
I’ll call you tonight. Love you too.” She holds the phone out to Lana. “She wants to talk to you.”
I watch as Lana takes it, her expression shifting into something warm and reassuring.
“Julia’s mom? Hi there, this is Lana.” She nods several times, keeping that practiced smile that people use when they want the person on the other end of the line to hear their friendliness.
“No trouble at all, honestly. We’re happy to have her until the roads clear completely.
” Another pause, her eyes briefly meeting mine.
“Of course. I promise we’ll make sure she gets home safely. ”
When she hangs up, I notice Scout has moved closer to Julia, his tail wagging slightly. Even he seems to be warming up to her.
“So,” Julia says, “What’s this treasure all about anyway?”
I sigh, realizing we need to bring her up to speed. “It’s a long story, but we have a few hours before noon. Let’s sit down, and we’ll explain what we know.”
As we move toward the living room, I catch Lana watching me with a mixture of concern and something else, trust, maybe. Despite the complications, I’m glad she’s here. Having someone I can count on makes all the difference, especially when walking into an unknown situation.
“Start from the beginning,” Julia says eagerly as we settle in. “I want to hear everything.”