There was just the smallest whiff of intrigue, but it was enough for me. Plus, who wouldn’t want to be the guy to find an old town treasure? That sounded awesome.

Although if I was being totally honest, mostly it was just an excuse to do something fun with Skylar.

I picked her up and drove us over to the Haven House. It had a stupid name, but I had an idea.

She looked out the window at the old house. It was a big Victorian home with a pitched roof, a front porch, and a round tower on one side.

“If it was painted black, it would make the perfect haunted house,” she said.

“That’s what I’ve always thought. I feel like it’s a missed opportunity.”

“I don’t think it’s open today.”

“No, it’s not.”

Her eyes moved to me. “Uh-oh.”

“What? It’s not our fault they’re only open two days a week.”

“You’re about to tell me we’re going to break in, aren’t you?”

“Nope,” I said with a grin. “We don’t have to break in.”

“Because you arranged for a private showing?”

I pulled the key out of my pocket. “Because I have this.”

“Where did you get that?”

“The fire department has keys to certain buildings around town in case of emergency.”

“Don’t even tell me whether or not you asked my dad before you took it.”

I gave her my best wide-eyed innocent look. “I left a note.”

She put her hand on her forehead. “Oh my god.”

“We’re not going to steal anything. I just want to poke around without someone from the historical society looking over my shoulder. Plus, I’m about ninety percent sure there’s a secret basement in there.”

“Why?”

“A lot of these old buildings have plans on file with the fire department. It’s a safety thing. We have to inspect them once in a while and it helps us in emergency planning. After Ginny mentioned her theories about the Montgomery treasure, I got curious. I checked out the plans for the Haven House—which, for the record, is still a stupid name—and there’s a section that doesn’t make sense. Unless there’s a secret basement. I just want to see if I’m right.”

“And you need me for this because?”

“You’re my favorite partner in crime.”

She laughed, her smile lighting up her eyes. “I don’t know how you talk me into these things.”

“It’s not your fault, I’m really convincing.”

“You are very convincing.”

“Ready for more adventures of Gav and Sky?”

“I’m as ready as I’ll ever be.”

We got out and I walked right up to the front door. I didn’t look around or make a big deal out of it. Just used the key, acting like I had every right to be here.

Skylar slipped her hand in mine and I led her inside, closing the door behind us.

The air had a musty tinge to it, like a lot of old houses did. The interior had been restored over the years, made to look like it had in the early 1900s. It was a cool house, with thick trim around the windows and doors, and dark beams on the ceilings. Fancy wallpaper decorated the walls and the furniture was ornate. The rooms were roped off so visitors could look but not touch. But I wasn’t interested in what the historical society had on display, anyway.

“This is like a Scooby-Doo house,” Skylar said, glancing around.

“Who would I be as a Scooby-Doo character?”

She grinned at me. “Shaggy.”

“Hey.” I reached over and grabbed her ass. “Does that make you my sexy Velma?”

She laughed. “What are we looking for exactly?”

“I’m not sure. Bookcases that open, secret passages, hidden trap doors, that kind of thing.”

“Definitely Scooby-Doo.” She took slow steps forward. “I guess we should just look around then.”

Right off the entryway, there was a living room with upholstered furniture and a piano. Across from it was a big dining room with a large chandelier over the table. It was set with plates, silverware, cloth napkins, and wine glasses, like there was going to be a dinner party.

We walked deeper into the house. There was a study or library with lots of bookshelves, leather furniture, and thick carpets on the floor. We ducked beneath the rope and poked around.

Skylar bent over to look at something on a low shelf. I couldn’t help myself, I grabbed her hips and pressed my groin against her.

“Hey.” She laughed and stood up.

“What?” I asked, feigning innocence. “You can’t just go bending over in front of me with that cute ass of yours.”

She playfully smacked my arm, so I grabbed her ass again when she walked by.

“If there really is a secret basement in here, don’t you think someone would have found it already?” Skylar asked as we ducked under the rope again and made our way to the kitchen. “Especially if people have been looking for the Montgomery treasure for so long.”

“Maybe. Although the stories all say the treasure is buried out in the mountains somewhere. No one’s been looking in town. Of course, if none of the stories say it’s here, maybe there’s a reason.”

“Maybe. Most old stories start with at least a kernel of truth. Maybe the kernel in this story is that Ernest Montgomery hid something. Over time it turned into a story of buried treasure.”

“Yeah, that’s kind of what I was thinking.”

“Who runs the historical society?”

I opened a door, but it was just an empty pantry. “I don’t know, a few volunteers I guess.”

“It isn’t the Montgomery family, is it?”

“I don’t think so. That would be conveniently suspicious, wouldn’t it?”

“Yeah, I was just wondering. Although doesn’t it seem like the Montgomerys would want to find the treasure if it exists? If it belongs in their family anyway, why would they hide things that could point to it?”

“That’s a good question. I just keep thinking it has something to do with the feud. I don’t know what, but that’s what my gut tells me.”

Skylar went to the pantry door I’d already tried. It was just big enough for a person, although if it had been in use, with shelves and things stacked on them, there wouldn’t have been room for someone to go inside.

“What are you doing?” I asked.

She ran her hands along the back. “It’s weird that there’s nothing in here, not even shelves.”

“No one’s lived here in decades.”

“I know, but it just makes me wonder. If I wrote this house into a book, I’d put a secret door in here.” Her fingertips traced the sides as she looked around. She glanced down at her feet, then turned a little. “Oh my god, I think there’s a seam in the floor.”

A little hit of excitement made my heart speed up. “Seriously?”

She moved out of the way so we could see. I pulled out my phone and shined the light on the pantry floor.

Sure enough, there was a square seam.

“Do you think it opens?” she asked.

“Only one way to find out.”