7. Cracking the Treasure Clue

A few hours after Abe had called, Jane carefully knocked on her older sister's door. "Cris? Can I come in?"

"If you're able, yes," Cris called back, sounding distracted.

Opening the door, the sixteen-year-old poked her head around it, spotting her eighteen-year-old sister seated at her computer, scowling at the screen. "What'd Honest Abe want?"

"He and the others found a pottery vase that might have a recording on it," Cris answered absently, plucking up a picture she'd printed out and offering it to her sister.

Jane examined the picture, tilting her head to one side, and then the other. "How can this have a recording on it?"

"You see these grooves around the neck of the vase?" Cris pointed to them with the pen that had been holding her hair back in a knot at the nape of her neck, ignoring the auburn tresses that fell down her back.

Jane pushed her own strawberry blonde hair back behind one ear. "Yeah, what about them?"

"According to Grandma Em, that's not typical of vases from that time period." Cris turned back to the computer. "She said it's more like the old vinyl records they used before CD's were invented."

The younger girl nodded, returning the picture to Cris' desk in a slightly different spot. "And Abe was wondering if you could come up with something that could play it?"

"Pretty much." Cris frowned and moved the picture back where it'd been. "If I can come up with a workable design, Mary can build it."

"If you can distract her from her current project enough," Jane commented with a smirk, tweaking a couple other piles of notes and pictures.

Cris rolled her green eyes and moved the piles back. "If I tell her it's for Grandpa Pat, she will."

"Good point." Jane nodded and headed for the door, 'accidentally' knocking into Cris' bedside table and jostling everything on top. "Let me know if I can help."

Behind her, Cris replied, "Yeah, we'll probably need a computer program once Mary builds it."

"I just need specs, and then I'll get to work on it." Smiling to herself, Jane picked up a CD on her sister's table and left the room, wandering down the hall to her own to do some work on her own computer.

***

"What's this I hear about a phone call from Abe?" Riley asked at dinner that night. "And him wanting to talk to Cris for once?"

Jane explained about the vase and the grooves on it, blue eyes bright and animated as she did. "So, Crissie's going to design something to 'read' the grooves that Mary will build and I'll program!"

"Don't call me Crissie," the oldest of the three girls all but growled.

Mary, who hadn't heard anything about the vase until then blinked and stared at her younger older sister and asked, "I will? Why?"

"Because it's for Grandpa Pat," Jane explained simply, ignoring Cris' growl, as per usual. "Will, Charlie, and Abe want to find the treasure for him and they need our help to do so."

Unaware of the proud, fond smiles on their parents' faces, Mary nodded slowly. "Well, if it's for Grandpa Pat, count me in."

"I told you, Crissie." Jane smirked at her sister and placidly went back to eating.

Cris sighed. "No wonder you and Abe get along so well."

It did not escape either parent's notice that Jane's cheeks turned a little pink at the comment. Rather than draw attention to it, Jacqui simply said, "I'm proud of you girls for wanting to help, but please don't forget your studies in the process."

"We won't, Mom," Mary assured her mother with a smile that was very reminiscent of her father. "We remember what happened when you went off with Dad and the others."

Cris nodded, her once-more restrained hair almost falling down her back again. "I'd rather not take any longer to get my degree than necessary."

"And I want to walk with Abe at graduation in two years," Jane added, her cheeks still a fetching shade of pink.

Grinning, Mary reached over and poked her sister. "Do I see a one-room log cabin in Illinois in the not-so-distant future?"

"Shut up!" Jane snapped, her cheeks bright red.

Jacqui decided to intervene before it could deteriorate further. "No fighting at the table, girls."

"Besides, Abe's counting on you," Riley added, glancing at his youngest over the tops of his glasses. "You won't be able to help him if you're fighting amongst yourselves."

Mary gestured to her sister, grinning broadly. "Oh, come on! We've hardly teased her and she's as red as a fire engine."

"If you don't stop, I'll lock you out of your computer so fast the motherboard will melt." Jane was glaring at her sister now, her usual cheeky smile nowhere in sight.

The youngest of the Poole girls gave a theatrical shudder. "Oooh, I'm so scared! Let's see how your computer will stand up to a blowtorch."

"GIRLS!" Jacqui's voice stopped Jane before she could make a retort. "Not another word or you won't be able to help find the treasure." She looked from one to the other sternly. "Do I make myself clear?"

Exchanging dismayed glances, the two girls looked at their mother and chorused, "Yes, Mom."

"Thank you." Jacqui smiled and dinner resumed quietly. Until Cris started whistling 'Here Comes the Bride.' Her mother gave her a stern glance after only a couple bars. "Keep that up and you won't be allowed to help, either."

Cris tossed her head rebelliously. "I'm eighteen now. You can't stop me."

"So long as you live here, I can," Jacqui reminded her daughter. "Now stop teasing your sister and eat."

"Yes, Mom."

***

The Gates family returned from New Orleans a week later, tired and a little discouraged. They hadn't found anything else besides the vase. The youngsters were all for taking it directly to the Pooles, but their parents and grandmother insisted that they all unpack and take naps first. Charlotte in particular had been reluctant to do as their parents suggested, but the moment she'd curled up with her old worn teddy bear, she fell asleep. She was the last to get up later that afternoon. After changing and splashing water on her face, she went downstairs to find her brothers in the living room. "Hey, guys. So what's the plan?"

"We're going over to the Pooles for dinner," Will told his twin, noting with amusement that she was carrying the teddy bear. "The girls have the machine built and everything."

Abe added with a fond smile, "Jane said there shouldn't be any trouble if the grooves are a recording of some kind."

"Considering all three of them have been working on it, that's not really a surprise," Charlotte commented, exchanging a mischievous glance with her twin. "Just don't sneak off with her while we figure the clue out."

His cheeks reddening, Abe tried to glare at his sister. "She'd probably be too eager to figure the clue out to want to sneak off somewhere."

"Why do you try to tease him, Char?" Will asked with a laugh. "He never rises to the bait."

Charlotte glared at her twin. "Don't call me that, Willy."

"Yeah, yeah." William sighed, wincing a little at the hated nickname.

Emily appeared at that moment, looking refreshed and energized. "Are you three ready to go?"

"Yes, Grandma." Abe hopped to his feet and hurried forward to offer his arm with a gallant bow. "Will you do me the honor of allowing me to escort you?"

An amused smile twitching at the corners of her mouth, Emily slipped her arm through Abe's. "You can be very silly at times."

"It's why he likes Jane," Charlotte stage-whispered to William. "She's just as silly as him."

Abe's cheeks reddened, but he determinedly escorted Emily from the room. He had his own ways of getting back at her.

***

After dinner, both families trooped out to Mary's workshop to test the pottery for an actual recording. Since Mary built the machine, she helped Abe position the vase correctly. She then nodded to Jane, who set the machine in motion. At first, they only heard crackling, and then, thin and clear, the sound of mandolin music. Expressions sharpened around the room and Abe turned to his friend. "Jane? Can you record that?"

"Uh, duh!" She smiled, patting Abe's hand quickly to take the sting out of her words. Turning back to the computer, she tapped in a few commands and the music played again. "There!"

Everyone listened intently to the music. The tune was unfamiliar to them, sounding more like folk music than classical. "Charlotte turned to her father, who stood quietly with his wife and best friend. "Dad? Do you think it's a clue?"

"What do you think, Honey?" Ben asked gently, glancing briefly at his mother. Emily sat quietly nearby, her eyes almost closed as she listened to the music.

Charlotte glanced at the vase and nodded. "I think it is, but I have no idea what to do now."

"Who is the best musician we know?" Jane asked dryly from her place by Abe. "Who could probably identify this for us?"

The twins exchanged a defeated look. "Emily Anne."

"I'm not calling her," Abe informed his older siblings almost gleefully.

Turning to each other, Will and Charlotte played a quick round of Rock, Paper, Scissors that Charlotte lost. Muttering under her breath, she left the room to make the phone call. Emily gave the others a stern glance, protective of her namesake. "She's not that bad."

"Grandma, you didn't go to school with her," Abe explained patiently, walking over to hug her gently. "We love Em, but she makes us feel so stupid sometimes."

Emily returned the hug, a little mollified. She hadn't exactly been a genius the way Emily Anne was, but she'd certainly been smart enough that more than one fellow student had hated her simply for being smart. "That intelligence comes with a price, Abe. Try to remember that."

"I will, Grandma." He hugged her again.

Charlotte returned at that moment. "Em's on her way." She addressed her twin. "Come on, Will, let's try deciphering that code again."

Smiling, Will pulled out the papers they'd been using and bent over them with her. Cris wandered over to help them. She was the only Poole sibling who could keep up with the twins, whether they were talking or working on a puzzle together. Mary and Jane joined Emily and Abe, talking quietly with them while they waited.

Ben, Abigail, Riley, and Jacqui stood back and watched. "Are you sure this is the right idea, Ben?" Riley asked quietly. "Letting them take over the hunt like this?"

"They'd all kick up a fuss if we tried to stop them," Ben explained, watching with amusement as Jane blushed at something Abe told her. "This way, we know what they're up to and can help out if they need it."

Abigail leaned in from her place on Ben's other side. "Only if they ask for help."

"Let them try to do it themselves," Jacqui added.

The two men nodded, though Ben's was more reluctant. He'd been looking forward to this treasure hunt.

End Chapter