The sunlight shone across the terrace, sparkling off the crashing waves of the ocean and lightening up the beauty of the blooming garden. It felt amazing to be in this paradise, away from everything and everyone that made her feel less than what she was. Sage sighed, watching the spinning circle on her laptop screen; the information was still loading. But there was so much she had here; the office on her floor of the house was equipped with state-of-the-art equipment. Something that had surprised her. She could have run a company from this place ... she froze as a thought came to mind: had Rosemary run the company from here? It would have been possible if she had.
"Pity that state-of-the-art space doesn't have a range extender," Sage muttered as the page loaded on the screen, "finally ... now ... let's find out what the past week's digging has unearthed." Checking her calendar on her, Sage smiled, "It's already been three weeks that I've been here ... time is flying."
It felt incredible that Sage was feeling this relaxed about where she was and why she was here, enjoying the beauty of the village, the people and food, and the house. Still, she felt a frantic urgency to hurry with her investigation. If someone was watching her, they might have seen someone taking their time with the assignment, enjoying the luxury of afternoon naps on the hammock near the beach nearly every afternoon. However, when no one was around, she sat most nights in the office, digging up information, leads, and ultimately, the pure truth, not something someone told her but the actual evidence of what happened. This is what her job entailed; it's something people didn't understand or grasp; what she was doing here was what she did as a career; this amount of freedom for her to use her skillset was allowed at her company. After many interviews, she found a place that would permit her to find the truth ... no matter what. Every article she wrote was about righting a wrong. This ... all of this ... staying here, digging, working as she usually did ... everything ... it was to put a wrong right ... chuckling, Sage shook her head, "It's what I do to make money. Rosemary, you sneaky woman."
No one would have thought it any different if she was digging for an assignment because that's what she did. If anyone was looking for or wanted to stop her, there would be no red flags because she did this anyway. They would have to know the truth about what she was looking at for it to stand out, and by stopping her or trying to stop her, they would expose themselves and their treachery.
She felt that her time was running out and the future of the cove and house and lives of everyone here was hanging in the balance. The sudden appearance of a screenshot of an ancient document caught her attention.
"What is this?" she whispered, starting to read. She stopped suddenly, looking around. The sudden sensation that her actions and reactions were being watched felt so strong she pushed to her feet, quickly packed up and headed to the office to settle at her desk, "Oh boy, oh boy ... oh boy," she mumbled as she paced behind her desk, "what was that about? Oh, they must have someone here and want to find out what I know." A sudden realisation had her in action. "Need to print you quickly ... actually, print everything ... then let's keep digging," she muttered, her heart racing against her chest. Inhaling deeply, she closed her eyes and exhaled before typing quickly and bringing up several searches.
Names, places, dates, times, signatures ... she needed it all. Reading through some of the documents, Sage felt her blood run cold at the names and places in society these people held. It felt like she was working on the most extensive cover-up of all times, and it all lay around Charlotte ... the daughter of a highly prominent, well-decorated and respected person of that day.
The printer whirred as Sage printed everything she found. Processing the information would have to happen later when a bottle of wine and snacks would be needed to keep her going through the night. Right now, she didn't want to think of what she was looking at; she needed to be as unemotional as possible and follow wherever this went, uncovering whatever sordid details had been buried. Quickly working through the searches, opening, scanning, printing, and placing them in files. Sage went through the process, the usual motions and finally paused as she found the one thing that would undo everything this treachery had put in place.
"Her birth certificate and the legal document regarding her birthright," Sage whispered; horror filled her as she realised the massive number of hours, decades and centuries were spent because of the hatred of one man against another.
Working as fast and accurately as she could, Sage hid all the information she had found; she had never had anything this big and detrimental to so many people come across her desk. Sage had to admit that she had never felt so vulnerable and exposed through all the assignments she had dug to find the truth. Sitting cross-legged on the floor, Sage tried to focus on her breathing. Someone had once said it was meditation, but Sage didn't do things like that. It wasn't anything spiritual for her. It simply was a tool she used to keep her mind from going off on a tangent and losing the ability to listen to her heart, instincts, and head while off on that tangent.
The soft padding of footfall came to Sage's hearing in the sudden silence of the office; she heard Maddy's voice calling her name and answering without moving or opening her eyes.
"Hey, I thought we were going to …" Maddy's voice trailed off as she stopped at the office door, "… am I … interrupting?"
Sage continued to breathe, remaining silent as she waved Maddy in and returned her hand, palm down to her knee. Finally, she opened her eyes when she felt her body relax into an inner peace that would help her think clearly.
"I didn't know you were into … whatever that is … meditation? Yoga?" Maddy said as Sage rolled to her feet.
"I'm not," Sage said, shaking her head, "I just use it to clear my head and keep myself … together."
"Does it work?" Maddy asked.
"Usually," Sage said smiling, "tea … would you mind if we had it here."
"Sure," Maddy said, standing quickly, "I'll go get the tray …" she said, coming to a stop in the doorway, "is there anything wrong?"
"Nothing that a few hours indoors won't cure," Sage said, "I think I got a little too much sun."
Frowning slightly, Maddy disappeared; she was gone for some time before appearing with the tea tray and plate of biscuits.
"I thought it was already done," Sage said, looking up from her laptop where she was making notes.
"It was, and I left it on the terrace, but it appears that the cakes and tea were being enjoyed by someone else," Maddy said, her voice cautious and tense.
"What happened?" Sage asked.
"I found …" Maddy sighed, "… I found Jeffry eating the cakes I'd made for tea and enjoying the tea made as well."
"On the terrace," Sage said, everything in her becoming alert, "the exact place I was working?"
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Maddy nodded, "I don't know why he was there, but I left him with the tray, made a fresh pot, and put out some biscuits."
"Good call," Sage said, moving to the window and looking down at the slight view she had of the veranda, "he's still there … as if he's… waiting."
"Waiting for what?" Maddy asked.
"If I had to guess …" Sage said, sighing, "… me."
"Why would he want to …" Maddy paused while she poured out tea, "… you found something."
Sage nodded, "Don't ask me what. I haven't put the pieces together yet, but his being here has just told me everything I need to know …" Sage moved away from the window as Jeffry moved more into view, holding a phone to his ear, "… oh … putting up my shields."
Quickly moving to her laptop, Sage typed quickly, sighing when she was advised of protection being in place, "Okay, I need tea."
"Are you sure?" Maddy asked, "You look like you need something stronger."
"No, tea… please," Sage said, sinking into one of the comfortable chairs on each side of the table, "I have found much information, but right now, I don't know what any of it means. I'm digging as quickly as possible so that they won't be able to stop me if I'm tracked."
"Who is "they"?" Maddy asked.
"Good questions," Sage moved to her laptop as it pinged, "jackpot …" she quickly pulled up the final search and printed the documents.
"Are you saving them anywhere?" Maddy asked.
"No, digital copies can be erased, altered or replaced," Sage said, "whoever is behind this time crunch didn't know where to look for the truth, or they believed the lie that was put in place. Either way, it's hard copies this time."
"What are you talking about?" Maddy asked, watching Sage file pages from the printer.
"Maddy, do you trust me?" Sage asked suddenly.
"Of course I do," Maddy said, "why?"
"Do you trust Stuart?" Sage asked.
"With my life," Maddy said without hesitation, "his father gave his life to protect my family, the people in this cove and this piece of land."
"What about the waters surrounding the cove?" Sage asked.
"You'd have to ask Stuart," Maddy said, staring at Sage, "why are you asking all these weird questions?"
"I …" Sage hesitated, closing her laptop and sitting opposite Maddy again, "I think I know why Jeffery comes and goes as he does."
"Why?" Maddy asked.
"Have you ever heard of the Magi's Coronet?" Sage asked.
"The what?" Maddy asked, her eyes widening and confusion etching into her face, "What is that? It sounds like something mystical."
"When I first read about it this week, I thought it was a fancy name for an ice cream," Sage said, chuckling and gaining a small smile from Maddy; her instinct went on high alert, "the more I read, the more often it came up until I discovered a letter about the change of ownership. Apparently, it was meant for a Duke to acknowledge amazing acts of bravery in battle; at the last minute, it was uncovered that the bravery was displayed by a lesser noble who was too humble to blow his own horn. The item in question was awarded to the lesser noble and his family up to the fortieth generation."
"That's a long line of people," Maddy said, "what does that have to do with the cove?"
"I'm not certain, but the last place the coronet was headed as part of a person's possessions was on the ship that sank off this cove," Sage said, "I have a lot of information to work through to understand what that has to do with any of this, but I was wondering is Stuart knew anything about it?"
Maddy shook her head, sipped her tea and cocked her head, "If he does, nothing has been said about it," she sighed, "you'll have to ask him."
Sage watched Maddy for a few minutes while sipping her tea before asking, "What do you know about it?"
Maddy's eyes flew to Sage's face; she paled, swallowed and shook her head, "I … don't know …" she cleared her throat, "… I don't know anything about the coronet."
Sage stared at her, "That is the worst display I've seen of anyone lying."
Maddy froze, staring at her teacup, "I cannot supply any information you may require."
"Okay, stop," Sage said, "you don't have to go into interrogation mode … if you know anything about or know how to look after it and keep it out of the hands of whoever Jeffery has been employed by …" Sage sighed, "… now is the time to do whatever it is you need to do."
"You think Jeffery is here to …" Maddy frowned, "… what exactly?"
"To make sure that whatever was done all those years ago remains in place," Sage said, "Maddy … we're running out of time, and I think what I've found is making this a dangerous venture."
"How dangerous?" Maddy asked, her gaze snapping to Sage's.
"We're all going to be murdered in our beds, dangerous," Sage said, "I have to make sure I talk to the correct people; otherwise, everything I'm going to be trying and implementing is going to be for nothing."
"That is dangerous … and a lot of pressure," Maddy said, "but why do you suspect Jeffery?"
"I was working at that table before you placed the tea tray there," Sage said, "I came up here because I felt that I was being watched."
"You think it was …" Maddy said, trailing off as she frowned.
"It could have been," Sage said, "the fact that he was there so quickly after you put the tea tray makes me think it a possibility."
"Hmmm… I'd better be careful with those teacups," Maddy said, nodding.
"Why?" Sage asked.
"I think he was waiting for us to join him so he could poison us," Maddy said, "I shouldn't have left them there …" she sighed, sipping at her tea, worry heavy in her expression, "I'll bag and tag them anyway. Stuart knows of someone who can test it for us."
"Stuart is a very clever man," Sage said, smiling knowingly at Maddy, "do you like him?"
"Of course I like him, Stuart is very nice …" Maddy looked into Sage's knowing gaze and blushed, "… oh you mean like him as in … not a friend."
"As in … more than a friend," Sage said, smiling.
"He is a great guy," Maddy said, "anyone could like him …" sighing and pushing her cup onto the table, Maddy caved and shook her head, "… yes, I like him, but he is all about the cove and the ocean and the hills and preserving all of this …" she shrugged, "… what I feel doesn't matter because he's married to this place. It will always be more important than anyone or anything."
"Are you sure about that?" Sage asked.
"The only time Stuart has ever spoken to me is when it's about the cove or family history," Maddy said, "believe me, other than that, I don't exist for him."
"Huh, I wonder," Sage said, "for now, it may be that way, but you never know what tomorrow will bring."
"If you've dug up anything that may help us," Maddy said, "tomorrow will bring trouble and danger."
Sage grinned, "Those are very true words. What are you doing tonight?"
Maddy rolled her eyes toward Sage, "I'm at home, keeping my father company while he dozes in the chair."
"Fair enough," Sage smiled, "I know the rules, although I'd love to change them."
"At the end of all of this," Maddy said, rising and gathering the teacups, "you may get your wish."
"I hope so," Sage nodded, "it gets lonely in this house sometimes."
Maddy smiled gently, "I'll let you know when dinner is ready."
"Thanks, Maddy," Sage said, sitting in the chair pondering what she had found and what had been said, "I need to end this quickly ... for all of us," she wandered to the window to find Jeffry staring at her from the garden below, "wouldn't you love to have all of this ... even if it doesn't rightly belong to you ... " she murmured to his smirking expression, " ... I need to end this before anyone gets hurt."