Read Online Caching In by Kristin Butcher - Free Book Online

incentive.”
    â€œYou mean the fifty dollars?” I say. I may not understand lawyer talk, but I do know money.
    He nods. “Initially, yes. Mr. Carlisle created all the caches and hid the second and third ones himself, before he became too sick. It was his wish that the search commence on Jane’s wedding day, hence the ceremony at the cemetery. I posted the coordinates on the geocache website beforehand and took them down again later that day. Mr. Carlisle wanted this to be a closed search—only Jane and one other searcher. Once it was underway, I hid the last cache on the lamppost.”
    Chris looks at Jane and frowns. “I don’t get it. The first cache was in your bouquet. How could you be searching for it if you’re the one who hid it?”
    â€œAs Martin said, my father and I were very competitive. Since this was the last cache he was ever going to hide for me, he made it as difficult as he could. He knew I’d figure out the clues, so he handicapped me. I had instructions to leave the cache, and I wasn’t allowed to look at it for six hours. Though I hid it, I had no idea what was in it until after you fellas were on your way to the second cache. So not only was I chasing the caches—I had to chase you too.”
    â€œThat was you I saw at the cemetery, in sweats,” I say.
    She nods. “I saw you, too, which was good, because then I knew who to look for on the Galloping Goose Trail.”
    â€œYou were there too?” Chris says. “How did you know where to go?”
    Jane laughs. “Same as you. I figured out the clues. Thank goodness you left them in the caches. I actually should have beaten you to the Potholes. I knew exactly where to go. You got lucky on that one. Really lucky, when you consider you could have drowned.”
    Chris’s mouth drops open, and he points at Jane. “It was you! When I was dangling over the cliff, it was you who helped.”
    â€œThat’s what I was trying to tell you in the hall,” I say. “When I realized she was the lady from the Potholes, I knew she had to be after the prize. Why else would she show up in both places? It was too much of a coincidence.”
    â€œI was afraid you might recognize me,” Jane says, “but I had to risk it. Keeping you from delivering that business card to Martin was my last hope of winning.”
    â€œWas that you in the red convertible outside our school too?” I ask.
    â€œYes.”
    â€œHow did you know what school we went to?”
    â€œYou left a ticket to your school dance in the cemetery cache.”
    I slap my forehead. “Right. And you followed the bus into town?”
    She nods.
    â€œI told you she wasn’t anybody’s mom,” Chris says.
    â€œPardon?” asks Jane.
    I wave Chris away. “It’s not important. You followed us to Bastion Square?”
    â€œI did. And when you left within minutes of arriving, I knew you must have spotted the cache. After you took off, I walked around that courtyard for hours and never found it. How did you?”
    I grin at her and pull out the little lantern. “This was part of the clue we found at the Potholes.”
    â€œI didn’t even think to look on the lampposts,” Jane says. “But I knew you’d come back once Bastion Square emptied out, so I stuck around.”
    â€œWe saw your car in a parking lot,” Chris says. “Sweet ride.”
    â€œThanks. I like it, though I probably should have chosen something more subtle to tail you with.” Then she smiles. “Something more like my Bastion Square disguise.”
    Chris and I exchange glances. “What disguise?” we say at the same time.
    â€œI was the bag lady sleeping on the bench.”
    Even Martin Jamieson laughs.
    â€œThat was you?” Chris says, and suddenly I remember the cart in the parking lot where the red convertible had been.
    Then Jane sighs. “I did my best,