“Whether or not you got to keep it, finding it would still be very good for book sales,” Monica pointed out, and Dr. Appleton nodded.
No kidding, I thought. Forget guerrilla marketing—Skipper John Dee was right. Finding the lost pirate treasure would definitely be a career maker. Dr. Appleton wouldn’t need Augustus Wilde–style tactics. All the publicity would send Saga of a Ship rocketing to the top of the best-seller lists. She’d be on the cover of every magazine and newspaper, and interviewed on every news show on TV, including Carson Dawson’s Hello, Boston!
Monica glanced toward the stairs. “It looks like the refreshments have arrived. Why don’t we take a five-minute break, and then I’m sure our speaker will be glad to answer any other questions you might have.”
Cha Cha’s hand shot up. “My only question is, are you serving fudge?”
Monica laughed. “Of course!” she replied, setting off a stampede for the refreshments table.
“Oh man,” I said a few minutes later, reaching for a second piece. “This is really good. You know, fudge would make a great signature treat at our bookshop. I’m going to talk to Aunt True about it.”
“Mmmph mmm,” replied Cha Cha, which I was pretty sure meant “great idea.”
Mackenzie looked over at me. “Are you going to ask about Nathaniel-Daniel-looks-like-a-spaniel?”
“Um,” I replied. “Maybe. I haven’t decided yet.” The discussion about the “finders keepers” laws had made me uneasy. I wasn’t so sure now that I wanted to share my hunch.
Mackenzie and my friends went back to their seats. I headed for the drinks at the end of the table and poured myself a lemonade. It was obvious that Dr. Appleton was as obsessed with pirate treasure as I was with birds. Telling her that I might have a clue about Dandy Dan’s identity and the treasure’s whereabouts would be like somebody telling me they knew where I could go to see a great grey owl—the world’s largest owl, and so notoriously hard to spot it was nicknamed “Phantom of the North.” If I ever heard of the whereabouts of one, wild horses couldn’t keep me away. I had a feeling it might be the same for Dr. Appleton if I told her about Dandy Dan. So the question was, did I really want a professional treasure hunter sniffing around our little town? What if I wanted to find out more about Dandy Dan first—and maybe hunt for his treasure myself? With the help of the Pumpkin Falls Private Eyes, of course.
In the end, I didn’t have a choice.
“Excuse me, Dr. Appleton?”
I looked over to see Mackenzie’s hand waving in the air. She was going to let the cat out of the bag! I scrambled back toward my seat, but it was too late.
“If you thought you might know who Dandy Dan was,” she asked, “how would you go about figuring out for sure?”
Dr. Appleton went completely still. Behind her glasses, her blue eyes focused intently on Mackenzie.
“It’s just that we think he might be my cousin’s ancestor,” Mackenzie continued. “The one who founded Pumpkin Falls.”
I slid into my seat and clamped my hand down hard onto her knee.
“Ouch!” She looked over at me and frowned, yanking her leg away. “What’s the matter with you?”
“Pumpkin Falls?” Amanda Appleton cocked her head, alert as a chickadee. No, not a chickadee, I thought, watching her. A hawk, maybe. Or a falcon. Definitely a predatory bird.
“No!” I whispered urgently, giving Mackenzie a look that Hatcher would have recognized instantly. It was the one that said, Warning! Danger! Red Alert! DEFCON Three!
Unfortunately, my cousin and I didn’t share the Lovejoy sibling shorthand.
Mackenzie nodded. “It’s a little town in New Hampshire.”
I did my best impression of a ventriloquist and forced two words out of the side of my mouth: “Shut. Up.”
“You might go the library and try to do some research yourself, I suppose,” said Dr. Appleton, trying but failing to sound casual. She couldn’t hide the rising excitement in her voice. “Or you might consult an expert like myself.” She ventured a reassuring smile. “I’d be happy to offer some advice.”
I’ll bet you would, I thought grimly. Forget predatory bird—how about pirate, plain and simple?
CHAPTER 20
Mackenzie and I weren’t speaking.
I was furious with her for spilling the beans about Nathaniel Daniel, and she was furious with me for being a “drama queen,” as she put it.
“You’re making a big deal out of nothing!” she’d protested as I grabbed her by the arm and hauled her outside after the book signing was over. I didn’t even wait to get my copy of Saga of a Ship autographed. It was too risky—Mackenzie might give something else away.
“I am not!” I retorted. “A ‘career maker,’ that pirate museum guy called it! If we give Dr. Appleton any more information, she’ll just use it to track down Dandy Dan and the treasure.”
“Wasn’t that the point?”
I glared at her. “Weren’t you listening? Finders keepers?”
Mackenzie hadn’t spilled the beans entirely, at least. Amanda Appleton didn’t know Dandy Dan’s real name yet. And my cousin hadn’t mentioned Cherry Island. But how long would it take for a trained researcher to find those things out?
Mackenzie stomped off to Whelk the minute we got back to Sirena’s. Cha Cha and Jasmine stood in the driveway looking uncomfortable. I could tell they didn’t know whether to stay with the group or console Mackenzie.
“You guys do what you want,” I told them, flapping my hand. “No way am I missing out on one of Delphine’s desserts.”
I made the right choice.
“It’s called Siren Song Cake,” Delphine told us as she cut into a multi-tiered mocha refrigerator cake layered with whipped cream and something called mascarpone cheese. “Because it sings to you from the fridge, luring you in.”
She passed me a slice, and I took a bite. “Oh man,” I said for the second time that evening. “This is amazing.”
“It’s my mom’s favorite,” said Delphine. Sirena,
