air,” Gaia muttered. Then she grasped Amber’s hand. “Here we go.”
Suddenly Amber was in the back of a cockpit, and the plane was losing altitude. She heard one engine sputter and go silent.
“Lean over the pilot’s shoulder and tell him what to do.”
Amber’s throat almost closed in panic. Tell the pilot what to do? All she could think of to say was, “Tighten your seat belt, and the sick bag is in the pocket in front of you.”
But suddenly she just knew—and she directed him toward a long, straight, deserted field in Polynesia. The pilot managed to lower the landing gear and steer. At last, he landed the plane safely.
She heard a cheer rise up behind her. Gaia tapped her on the shoulder and gave her a thumbs-up.
Then she was back in her bedroom—alone. She collapsed on the folding chair and mumbled, “Holy fuck.”
All the furniture disappeared and she landed on her butt on the floor. “Oww!”
A moment later, Rory knocked and opened her door. “Are you all right, lass?”
“I will be when the movers get here.” She rose and rubbed her backside.
“I have a fine futon.”
“How nice for you.”
* * *
Finn leaned on the bar and wondered if Shannon could be trapped in that cave that seemed to be part of the castle built into the cliff on her property. If so, how would he get down there to save her? Just then, a man with an English accent swiveled his stool toward his partner and leaned in to speak in a low voice.
“So, how did the town of Ballyhoo get its name? Do you know?”
“Nobody remembers how the town got its name, or if the term ballyhoo —meaning ‘uproar, commotion, or hullabaloo’—came after the township. The place is ancient, with relics and weaponry carbon-dated to 300 BC. The bogs were lousy with them before they all got carted off to the national museum. The ancient Irish kings must have had quite a ballyhoo here.”
His partner chuckled. “I remember hearing that. They may have hidden some of their treasure in the bogs, knowing a war was coming.”
“All of it is now in the Dublin Archeological Museum and National Museum of Ireland, but if a newly discovered ancient castle exists in Ballyhoo…” The first man gazed over his shoulder at a dejected Finn.
“I’m way ahead of you, mate.”
Finn turned toward the gentlemen. “Are you archeologists?”
They looked startled at first. Then sly smiles stole across their faces. “Why, yes. We didn’t know you were listening. Are you interested in the castle and caves?”
Finn straightened. “Very.”
* * *
Minutes later, Finn was rappelling down the cliff. They had already searched the ruins of the castle that were visible above the section that seemed to be built into the cliff below. Any treasure that might be found had to be hidden in the caves. There didn’t appear to be any steps connecting the upper and lower parts. How did the ancient kings get into the caves? They must have had wings…
The portly English guys might be archeologists, but neither one was Indiana Jones. At least they rented the equipment and showed him how to use it. If he weren’t so worried about what or who he might find in the caves, he’d admit this was a lot of fun.
At last he came close enough to one of the caves to peek inside. Nothing seemed to bar the entrance, but beyond that, it was just a hole of darkness. He grasped the flashlight they’d loaned him and shone the light inside the cave.
One of the gentlemen leaned over the cliff and called down, “What do you see?”
“Nothin’ yet,” Finn called up.
The guy above him snorted. “Well, perhaps you should go inside.”
Go inside? “And how do you propose I do that when I’m hangin’ from a string?”
The other bloke laughed. Then he leaned over far enough to see Finn. “It’s a very strong cable. You should be able to push off from the cliff and swing inside the cave. Then it’s just a matter of planting your feet and unhooking yourself.”
“Oh,
Suddenly Amber was in the back of a cockpit, and the plane was losing altitude. She heard one engine sputter and go silent.
“Lean over the pilot’s shoulder and tell him what to do.”
Amber’s throat almost closed in panic. Tell the pilot what to do? All she could think of to say was, “Tighten your seat belt, and the sick bag is in the pocket in front of you.”
But suddenly she just knew—and she directed him toward a long, straight, deserted field in Polynesia. The pilot managed to lower the landing gear and steer. At last, he landed the plane safely.
She heard a cheer rise up behind her. Gaia tapped her on the shoulder and gave her a thumbs-up.
Then she was back in her bedroom—alone. She collapsed on the folding chair and mumbled, “Holy fuck.”
All the furniture disappeared and she landed on her butt on the floor. “Oww!”
A moment later, Rory knocked and opened her door. “Are you all right, lass?”
“I will be when the movers get here.” She rose and rubbed her backside.
“I have a fine futon.”
“How nice for you.”
* * *
Finn leaned on the bar and wondered if Shannon could be trapped in that cave that seemed to be part of the castle built into the cliff on her property. If so, how would he get down there to save her? Just then, a man with an English accent swiveled his stool toward his partner and leaned in to speak in a low voice.
“So, how did the town of Ballyhoo get its name? Do you know?”
“Nobody remembers how the town got its name, or if the term ballyhoo —meaning ‘uproar, commotion, or hullabaloo’—came after the township. The place is ancient, with relics and weaponry carbon-dated to 300 BC. The bogs were lousy with them before they all got carted off to the national museum. The ancient Irish kings must have had quite a ballyhoo here.”
His partner chuckled. “I remember hearing that. They may have hidden some of their treasure in the bogs, knowing a war was coming.”
“All of it is now in the Dublin Archeological Museum and National Museum of Ireland, but if a newly discovered ancient castle exists in Ballyhoo…” The first man gazed over his shoulder at a dejected Finn.
“I’m way ahead of you, mate.”
Finn turned toward the gentlemen. “Are you archeologists?”
They looked startled at first. Then sly smiles stole across their faces. “Why, yes. We didn’t know you were listening. Are you interested in the castle and caves?”
Finn straightened. “Very.”
* * *
Minutes later, Finn was rappelling down the cliff. They had already searched the ruins of the castle that were visible above the section that seemed to be built into the cliff below. Any treasure that might be found had to be hidden in the caves. There didn’t appear to be any steps connecting the upper and lower parts. How did the ancient kings get into the caves? They must have had wings…
The portly English guys might be archeologists, but neither one was Indiana Jones. At least they rented the equipment and showed him how to use it. If he weren’t so worried about what or who he might find in the caves, he’d admit this was a lot of fun.
At last he came close enough to one of the caves to peek inside. Nothing seemed to bar the entrance, but beyond that, it was just a hole of darkness. He grasped the flashlight they’d loaned him and shone the light inside the cave.
One of the gentlemen leaned over the cliff and called down, “What do you see?”
“Nothin’ yet,” Finn called up.
The guy above him snorted. “Well, perhaps you should go inside.”
Go inside? “And how do you propose I do that when I’m hangin’ from a string?”
The other bloke laughed. Then he leaned over far enough to see Finn. “It’s a very strong cable. You should be able to push off from the cliff and swing inside the cave. Then it’s just a matter of planting your feet and unhooking yourself.”
“Oh,
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