Trouble & Treasure by Dave Moyer (learn to read activity book txt) 📖

their time.

Sebastian looked unmoved by my incredulity. “I suggest you get all your laughing done, Amanda, because this is a serious situation. You think Maratova is a friendly guy? You think he'll keep it all above board to get those globes? Let alone all of the other teams that are out there after you. You need to take this seriously, very seriously. While these pancakes have been delicious,” he pushed the plate away, offering Elizabeth another charming nod, “It's probably time we get you somewhere safe, and you get me those globes.”

I stood there and tried to think. It was hard. Excuse me if I’d never been thrust into a situation like this before; I led a quiet life. I always had my trust fund to fall back on, I never got in any trouble, and I despised drama. I had zero experience with whatever the hell this was.

Was I meant to trust this guy? While he’d apparently saved me from the men in my drawing room, and he’d given me his gun, I could tell he was only telling me what he wanted. Plus, he knew that Maratova chap, the brute who’d chased me through the forest last night.

There was too much to think about, and I simply didn’t know enough to decide whether to trust this guy. Plus, despite the fact he was world-class attractive, he was a world-class irritating schoolboy too.

Sebastian Shaw

I couldn't believe it. How could I get this lucky? After failing last night and being pistol whipped for my troubles, I’d found Amanda anyway. Or, better than that, I’d shown up for work, found her in Elizabeth's kitchen, and been fed excellent pancakes as a bonus.

Getting her to trust me was going to take some effort.

The longer she stood there, back pressed against the locked kitchen door, eyes occasionally slicing towards the corridor behind me, the more I lost my advantage. As far as I knew nobody else, apart from Elizabeth, had any clue where Amanda Stanton was. But it wouldn't be long before Maratova popped up; the man had more resources at his fingertips than God.

“Look, Amanda, we can't stay here any longer. You're going to have to trust me, let me know where those globes are, and we'll take it from there. Or you can be just as stupid as you look, and stand in your pajamas and do nothing.”

“Sebastian,” Elizabeth crossed her arms, “Have you forgotten what I told you? Stop berating the girl, and jolly well start helping her. If it is as dire as you're suggesting, stop being a brute, and start being nice.”

Nice? If Elizabeth weren't one of my favorite clients, I'd laugh at that. If Elizabeth or Amanda were under any impression that whatever the hell would follow would be nice, they were in for a big surprise.

It would be stupendously violent. I was sure that pajama-wearing Amanda wasn't going to be up to the task.

“Elizabeth.” For the first time Amanda took a step away from the door.

I fought the urge to rise, sure that she was about to make a run for the corridor. The last thing I needed was for her to run onto a public road and right into the arms of Maratova.

“Can I trust him?” Amanda finished. She didn’t look at me once.

Elizabeth nodded. “He is a damn fine lawyer.”

Amanda gave a laugh, and damn it if it was cute as it rumpled her small bump of a nose. “I think this is going to take more than a lawyer—”

“For once, you’re right.” I looked up at her, toning down my anger. I knew full well I was misdirecting my ill will; while Amanda wasn’t taking this as easily as I wanted, what was pissing me off was how much I’d stuffed up last night and how damn hard I’d have to try to stay out of Maratova's way. Amanda wasn't the problem; I was.

“Okay,” Amanda let out an enormous breath that puffed out her appreciable chest, and she covered her face with her hands. “Okay. I can't believe I'm doing this, but okay, I'll trust you.” She dropped her hands. “For now,” she clarified.

I rose from my stool. I reached out a hand to her.

She looked at it, confused.

“You shake it,” I chuckled.

“Okay.” With an uncomfortable look on her face she reached out her hand and tentatively took my own.

I did all the shaking, but hopefully the point was clear that she’d agreed to a deal. As a lawyer, and more so as a treasure hunter, I had no intention of letting her break this one.

“Am I going to go to prison?” she asked quietly.

I wanted to laugh at her, not just because the question was stupid, but because of the frightened, doe-eyed look she shot me.

“No one’s heading to prison yet.” I nodded low.

“I suppose you’re going to need your gun back.” Elizabeth rose from her stool and pulled up her sleeves.

“And my bloody keys; I had to walk into town and get a taxi last night,” I pointed out as I gritted my teeth softly and glared at Amanda.

She stared back, lips parted and pouty. “Are you serious? I had to run through the forest in the dark with no shoes on to get away from some Special Forces team, while my house was being trashed by bad guys.”

I shrugged; she had me on that one.

Elizabeth led us from the kitchen. I was sure to stand behind Amanda, lest she take the opportunity to peel off into one of the side rooms, crank open a window, dive out, and run away from me for the millionth time. Despite the fact I found her pathetic, I had to admit she was resourceful when it came to running away.

Elizabeth led us into a large laundry next to the kitchen. There were old tiles on the floor and they must have been cold, as the second Amanda walked onto them she began curling her toes and dancing around. That drew my attention to her feet. They had patchy blue and purple bruises over them and deep cuts scattered from her toes to her ankles.

I clenched my jaw. Fucking Maratova; this was all his fault.

Elizabeth led us over to her old washing machine. On top stacked in a neat pile were Amanda's torn and muddy pajamas, with my gun and keys placed on top. I hoped like hell Elizabeth hadn't washed them.

I grabbed them, pocketing the keys and holding the gun, as I didn’t have a holster on under my suit. I nodded at Elizabeth. “Thanks.”

She crossed her arms and stared at the both of us for a while. “Well, I suppose the two of you are about to go off and have some fun then.”

Amanda snorted.

I nodded and shrugged. “It's vitally important that you don't tell anybody what happened here. Don't let anyone know that Amanda came here, and sure as hell do not mention anything about those globes.” I looked as serious as I could. I didn’t want the old dame to be drawn into this. Despite her eccentricities, I doubted she had what it took to deal with some of the world's worst criminals.

She shrugged and inclined a hand at me. “Oh, don't worry about me. I believe you are going to have your hands full dealing with Amanda.”

Amanda went pink at the suggestion, and I couldn't help but give a half smile in reply. “Something like that,” I muttered.

While I wanted to know where those other four globes were, we'd already discussed enough in front of Elizabeth.

“We need to get going.” I swung my keys around my fingers as I motioned with my head towards the front door. “You let me know where those globes are in the car, then we’ll get them,” I flexed my shoulders again, “and we’ll see what happens next.”

“Um, I need to change out of my pajamas first,” Amanda pointed out as she gestured at her overly large and overly floral PJs.

“Oh, I thought that’s what you always wore.” I smiled as she snarled at me.

“Don't you worry, dear,” Elizabeth walked over to one of the tall cupboards on the other side of the room, “I have clothes that will fit you.” She rummaged around for a while, several odd garments falling on the floor by her feet. They were all colorful and all equally as hideous. Elizabeth was the kind of woman who liked her clothes to match her personality, right down to the rhinestones and electric blue thunderbolts.

Today, however, she pulled out an ordinary cream skirt and a white linen blouse. With more digging she added a pair of gray stockings to the pile and a dark cream jacket. It looked like the female equivalent of a safari suit. All Amanda would need now was a neat bun, a dainty hat, and a small pair of spectacles at the end of her nose. She’d be the perfect picture of a ye-olde female adventurer. Were it not for the fact she had jelly for legs and a tested ability to run away from the adventure, not towards it.

Elizabeth picked the clothes up off the floor and handed them to Amanda. “These are good clothes, dear, and they will keep you in good stead.” Elizabeth got a faraway look in her eyes. “I can just imagine the adventures you're going to get up to.”

I tried not to snort. Seriously, lady, I wanted to point out, we weren't going to have adventures. All we were going to do was run for our lives as we tried, or at least I tried, to find some of the greatest treasure out there. Sure as hell Amanda wouldn’t be coming along for that bit. I would keep her safe, because I’d shaken hands on that. But as soon as I deposited her in a place I knew Maratova couldn't find, I would begin the real adventure, alone.

I stood there, wondering how long this was all going to take and how much gold waited for me at the end of it all.

Elizabeth cleared her throat. “Sebastian, this is the point when you walk out of the room and allow the lady to change.”

“Lady?” I questioned.

“Shut up and get out of the room.” Amanda brushed past me, grabbed the clothes in Elizabeth's arms, and pointed at the door.

I got the picture, and I didn't need to be pushed from the room; Amanda Stanton was a galaxy away from my type. I liked my women like I liked my cars: fast and with a hell of a lot more grunt. Chapter Seven

Amanda Stanton

Elizabeth followed Sebastian out of the room, allowing me to change in peace.

I looked at the clothes as I bit my lip. This was all so surreal.

I dressed in a hurry, flinging my pajamas in a pile by the washing machine. Sebastian might have been a lot of things, but I doubted he was lying about how much trouble I was in. Just as I doubted he was lying about how dangerous this was for Elizabeth.

Once I pulled on the tights and shrugged into the jacket, I sashayed over to the mirror at the other side of the room and had a good look at my reflection. Despite the fact my hair was an amazing mess, I