The Treasure Read Online Free Page B

purse. Where the heck was he? Don Newton didn’t seem the type to be late for a meeting. Especially one that he was so eager to join. After Brody dropped her off yesterday, she waited until he drove away to call Mr. Newton and arrange another meeting. He’d been more than happy to meet her in the hotel lobby. She figured if they met in public, Brody would show up and try to stop her again. Little did he know she had waited her whole life for an opportunity like this and she wasn’t backing out.
    Darn. Maybe Brody had gotten to Mr. Newton after all. That would explain why he wasn’t here.
    She uncrossed her legs, then crossed them again. Why was Brody Kern so determined to see her fail? He made it clear he wanted no part of her adventure. And the damnable man did nothing but scowl at her and try to boss her around.
    She never thought she was one of those women who liked men like that, but his scowl made him sexy. He did have striking amber eyes and she liked the way his short-cropped hair was tousled on top, as if he had just climbed out of bed. Not to mention the aviators and leather flight jacket.
    Why Pandora sent her to him was a mystery; one she wasn’t going to ponder. She had more important things to think about. Like, where was Mr. Newton? They needed to get started before the day was gone.
    Glancing around the small, dingy room, she caught the eye of a couple men sitting in the corner. They’d been staring at her for the past hour. She looked away and shifted uneasily in her seat. She was the only American in here. Maybe she should order something so the bartender didn’t kick her out. Opening her purse, she dug around for her wallet.
    A hand landed on her shoulder, startling a gasp out of her. She looked up to see Don Newton standing beside her. His gaze darted around the room.
    “Sorry I’m late,” he said. “Come on, we can take care of business in my car.”
    Amelia frowned. He seemed awfully nervous. “I have a couple things I’d like to discuss before we leave.”
    “The more time we waste here means less time finding our destination. Everything is set, if you’ll just come with me.”
    He seemed anxious to get going so Amelia gathered her things and rose to her feet. “Okay. Lead the way.”
    Walking with him out of the bar Amelia noticed the two men in the corner got up also. Frowning when they followed them out, she leaned in and asked, “Do you know those men?”
    Don glanced over his shoulder and quickly turned back around. “Just a couple locals. Don’t worry about them. Here’s my truck.”
    Amelia looked at the older model SUV and hesitated. What did she really know about this man? It didn’t matter; without him, there was no
Paraíso
so she climbed in when he opened the door. He all but ran around the front to the driver’s side. Seconds later, they shot into the street.
    “You have the map, right?” Don asked, taking a corner too fast.
    “Yes.” She gripped the dashboard for balance.
    As they headed out of town, her unease rose. Her guide was driving much too fast and seemed extremely nervous.
    Looking out the window, Amelia pushed down her apprehension, reminded herself this was what she wanted.
    An hour later, she again questioned her wisdom in hiring Mr. Newton, who was crouched in the mud changing a flat tire. Heaving a sigh, Amelia brushed a wet strand of hair off her cheek and looked up and down the narrow, deserted road. Giant towering trees lined the sides, connecting at the tops and forming a tunnel. But not enough to protect them from the rain that had started falling minutes after they left Tahua.
    “Okay, give me those bolts.” Her guide held out his hand.
    She opened her palm to reveal the rusted lug nuts she’d been holding for the past half-hour as warm rain poured down on her and turned the road to mud, ruining her new hiking boots. While Mr. Newton tried to change the flat tire. While he
cursed
at it. Like that was going to help.
    As he secured the bolts,