LAST ASSAULT ON OAK ISLAND 31

Chapter 31

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A sense of restless urgency pervaded Rudy's small cottage the next day and it trespassed onto the Second Wind as Lauren accompanied Maruso's fishing party.

Earlier that morning she hadn't noticed the exigency because they were occupied with getting the lease application, memorizing which Neeley owned which shore lots, and phoning and faxing Cooper at the museum. At least the diary's promises were now turning into reality.

The Second Wind drifted languidly along the coast of Peggy's Cove, northwest of Oak Island, outside the bay. It was most notably part of the Lighthouse Route, which started on the southern coast of Nova Scotia and ran northwest of Halifax.

The entire Route, Maruso had explained to the fishing party's queries, was a six-hour drive engaging over two dozen lighthouse. Not all were functioning beacons, Lauren sadly learned, and those that were operational were unmanned. The one at Peggy's Cove had been relegated to a post office, but at least it was still standing.

"Want a pole?" Maruso asked her.

"No, thanks."

She watched the youngest of the party, a six-year-old boy, squeal with delight as he and Maruso's temporary first mate hauled a fish into the boat. A second older boy and father looked on, debating the weight and length of the catch.

"Go up front and get some sun," Maruso suggested. He nodded covertly to his teenage first mate and added: "I don't recommend you take that off back here. Ed's libido isn't entirely in check."

She snagged a nearby beach towel. "Thanks, Captain."

The jade one-piece swimsuit was not her first choice, but it was one of the least expensive. In its plainness, however, it did bring out the green of her eyes. She heard Maruso's low tone say something in reprimand to Ed, but she did not turn around.

She pulled off her loose, overly large tank top and made herself comfortable in a recliner on the bow's small deck. The Second Wind was a good-sized boat, she determined. About twice the length of the dories she had seen scooting across the water outside Lunenburg, it was small enough to troll the bay and still able to make the weight requirements for Maruso to get fares going to Sable Island.

Although she had not seen the last attraction, what she had heard about it from Maruso and Rudy fascinated her. It was notorious for its dangerous shoals and merciless storms, but there were other interests in the arc-shaped plot of land.

It was nearly a mile wide and well over twenty miles long, void of trees and off-limits to the public sector. It was inhabited mainly by wild horses and frequented by gray and harbor seals.

It moved, too. Its shifting shore sands actually relocated the plot several feet either way every year.

Lauren secretly hoped for a chance to see the island herself, but sincerely doubted the opportunity would arise. Once they located Brielle's puzzling depository, the search would reach a frenzied pace. Carlos agreed with her when she told him what Maruso and she had debated the previous night. Time was essential, but so was remaining inconspicuous.

She knew it really irritated Carlos that he could not help with the actual search. Neither of them had expected Brielle to bury his treasure in a place now likely submerged. At worst, she had expected a lot of digging, but not swimming to the spot.

Through the radio, they had learned that Lucy was wasting no time. Her operation was in high gear, swiftly uncovering a layer of earth above the core sampling area thirty feet in diameter. It would only be a matter of days now.