(Amaryllis's POV)

I was nervous.

Very nervous.

"You sure no one will be there?"

"I'm sure." Vick said.

"If we get caught...."

"We won't get caught. If we do then.....Harvey and I will make something up. Don't worry. Do you have the key?"

"Of course I have the key."

My jaw almost hit the ground when we pulled up in front of the house.

"Lincoln grew up here?" I asked as we got out of the car.

"Yeah, but don't let the shiny and pretty exterior fool you. It mostly all a facade." Vick said.

An older gentleman opened the door when Vick knocked.

"Amaryllis?" He asked.

"That's me. You're Harvey?"

"Yes, ma'am. Nice to meet you."

"You too."

"Shall we get this treasure hunt started?" Vick asked, rubbing his hands together.

"The rest of the staff has the next two days off so it should be just us. It'll be faster if we split up." Harvey said. "Lincoln sent me a picture of the key from all angles, so we won't have to keep passing it around. If we find something that looks like it'll fit then we'll call for you, Amaryllis. Sound good?"

"Sounds good. Tell me where to start." I smiled as he gave Vick a copy of the pictures.

He handed me a hand drawn map.

"These are all the places that Lincoln and I believe whatever we're looking for may be. These are places his father spent the most time at in the house. If it's not in any of these places then we'll expand."

I started in what used to be his dad's office. Now it's his stepfathers office.

I looked in every inch of that room. I looked underneath things, behinds things, and on top of things. I even went so far as to knock on the walls to look for hollow spots. I came up empty handed. Vick and Harvey also came up empty handed.

I was on my way out of the last room I was checking when I accidentally knocked over a vase. It shattered on impact and Vick came running.

"You alright?"

"I'm fine, but I broke a vase."

He shrugged. "Stercus accidit."
(Shit happens.)

"Latin?"

He chuckled. "Lincoln gets these quotes of the day and reads them to me sometimes. That's the only one I remember."

Harvey came over seconds later with a broom and dustpan.

"Sorry." I apologized.

"It's alright. To be honest I've never liked this ugly thing and it's been broken before. I knocked it over once and glued it back together. They never noticed."

"Are you going to glue it again?"

"No, I'll just buy a different one tomorrow. They'll never notice the difference. Find anything?"

"No, nothing."

"Why don't we have some lunch and think of new places to look?"

Vick and I nodded.

We sat at the kitchen island while Harvey whipped up some sandwiches.

"Lachlan gave no clues as to where it may be?" Vick asked.

"All Lincoln got was that one text."

"And it meant 'in secret' or something?"

"Yeah." I nodded.

We ate lunch and racked our brains for over an hour, but still came up with nothing. It was decided that our next best course of action was to search every room in the house even if his dad had never been seen going inside.

Hours later, we still came up empty handed and it was way past dark outside.

"Give up for now?"

"It's all we can do. Will have to wait until Lincoln gets back and then we can ask him if he knows of anyplace else to look."

"Thanks for the help." I told Harvey as we headed for the door.

"It's no problem." He smiled.

We were halfway to my place when I spoke.

"You think he's having fun?"

He rolled his eyes. "Lincoln? He is on an island that has no cell service or internet with his family. Do you think he's having fun?"

"No."

"I imagine he is either thinking about drowning everyone except his sister or drowning himself."

~~~~~~~~~~~~
(Lincoln's POV)

"Drowning?"

"Nah. The body would probably float and be discovered by someone. Unless you pop some holes in the lungs or something."

"Fire?"

"Big enough to burn several bodies? That'd be pushing it."

"Stingray or shark? That can be ruled as an accident."

"True."

"What are you two talking about?" Mother asked, sitting down in the chair beside Julie.

"Life." I answered.

"Why don't you go get in the water with Priscilla and the others?"

"I'm fine right here."

"The sun is going down now so you can't get a tan. Might as well play in the water. Unless you're sitting her to admire how beautiful she looks in that bathing suit."

I wanted to vomit. Like really vomit.

"I think I'm actually going to go in and take a shower." I said, standing up.

"Lock your door." Julie whispered as I walked by.

"Don't have to tell me twice." I sighed.

I stood in the shower thinking about Amaryllis, Vick, and Harvey. I wondered if their search went well or if it was a bust. In case of it being a bust, I was thinking of any other place my dad might've hid something. I was dying to know what he hid and why.

What was so important that he gave the key to Amaryllis? Why send that text with just two words? Why hide something but tell me or her the exact location?

"Lincoln?! Are you in there?!?" I heard Priscilla scream from outside.

I groaned.

I finished my shower and got dressed before opening the door. She was sitting on the steps just outside the door.

"There you are. Everyone is gathering for dinner. We're going to have a fire and roast some stuff. It'll be so fun."

"Great." I mumbled, walking past her.

She followed me like a lost puppy and it was really starting to piss me off. I only had one nerve left and if she got on it then I was bound to snap.

I spotted the bottles of alcohol that were in a cooler on ice and desperately wanted to drink one or two. Anything to make dealing with them a little easier.

I didn't though because that was the last thing I needed. I didn't need to be drunk at the hands of Priscilla or my matchmaking mother. I could only imagine the kind of shit they'd try or come up with.

"Have a drink." Mother said, grabbing a beer and holding it out to me with a grin.

"He won't, but I will." Julie said, reaching out for the bottle.

She moved it away from Julie's reach. "This is Lincoln's. Go get your own."

"He doesn't want it, so I'll take it."

She ignored her and sat the beer down beside me. "It's there when you want it. Don't let it get too warm."

"Bets on it it's drugged?" Julie whispered.

"I'd almost guarantee it." I muttered as I 'accidentally' knocked the beer over and it began spilling in the sand.

Just thinking of what could've occurred if I drank it was enough to send shivers down my spine.

~~~~~
A/N:

Got my new glasses today and it feels good to be able to see again!!!

Anyway.....

Any guesses on what is hidden and where it is hidden? It's not in the house so where is it?

Let me know your guesses!!

Till next time,

-B.😘