Chapter 98: The Deformed Ring Box

“We were late, but we kicked everyone’s butt! This is the biggest haul I’ve ever seen,” Dan declared, tying the boat to the dock, his grin stretching from ear to ear. His excitement was infectious as he waved toward Pam, Mary, and Mandy, who were relaxing on the deck, sipping their morning drinks.

“Looks like you boys had fun, but you’re back too early,” Pam teased, watching her husband’s exuberance from the deck. Curious, the trio set down their mugs and strolled over to the boat to see what had Dan so thrilled.

“We had no choice! We caught so many crabs we ran out of storage space. Had to let a few go,” Dan said dramatically, flinging open the icebox and other compartments to reveal the impressive haul. His enthusiasm was almost child like, as if Christmas had come early.

“How about we unload these and go for another round?” Alwin suggested, smiling as he watched his brother’s energy. It had been a while since he’d felt this kind of joy and nostalgia. He missed these moments with the whole family.

“Uncle Al, let me off first! Then you can go for as many rounds as you want,” Danny said with mock exasperation, dashing off the boat toward the house.

“Slow down, tiger,” Pam chuckled, catching him by the collar. “Your games aren’t going anywhere. Spend some time with the family.”

“Dad, I’m out too. I want to go treasure hunting. Danny, you guys wanna join me?” Ace called, his eyes gleaming with excitement as he hopped off the boat.

The family exchanged bemused glances. Mandy, however, rolled her eyes, thinking to herself how such a handsome body was being wasted on a nerd.

Danny smirked and shook his head. “Dude, you still believe in that? We’re not kids anymore, you know. We’ve spent enough vacations hunting treasure and never found so much as a penny.” His disbelief was evident as he gestured dramatically.

“Fine, your loss. Don’t come crying to me if I find something,” Ace retorted, shaking his head as he strode away. Turning to William, he asked, “Where can I get a metal detector?”

“Right here, sir,” William replied, pulling a metal detector from one of the larger storage compartments on the deck. Treasure hunting was a popular pastime at the resort, now it mostly served to entertain kids while their parents relaxed. He handed the device to Ace with a knowing grin. “Happy treasure hunting, sir.”

“Thank you, good mate,” Ace said, slipping into a pirate accent as he snatched the detector and rushed off, grinning like a kid with a new toy.

“See? Told you—he’s still a total nerd,” Alwin said to his wife, clearly unfazed by the events this morning.

“Such a waste,” Mandy muttered under her breath, but Pam caught her and shot her a stern look, her eyes silently warning her sister to watch her words and actions.

…

Ace walked along the shoreline with his metal detector, heading toward the spot he and Dame Wasp had agreed upon to start their little show. He was playing the long game, aiming to secure his family a fortune sooner than originally planned. This risky endeavor was necessary because Dame Wasp needed Janice’s DNA for her next enchantment.

Since returning from his successful mission, Operation Fortune Dive, Ace had been carefully orchestrating his plan. The real hero behind Dan’s impressive crab haul was Dame Wasp. Without her secretly placing crabs in Dan’s traps, he wouldn’t have caught nearly as many, even if he had spent the entire day on the lake. After Dame Wasp found the perfect spot, Ace returned to the deck and pretended to go on a treasure hunt—an essential part of the scheme to secure his family’s fortune and help Dame Wasp obtain Janice’s DNA.

Now, it had all commenced!

…

Arriving at the designated spot, Ace began his search. He had chosen a public area outside the resort’s claimed territory—a place where hidden treasure could have lain undisturbed for centuries. As he swept the metal detector across the sand, it suddenly buzzed, signaling a potential find. Intrigued, Ace knelt down and unearthed a rock. But upon closer inspection, his eyes widened in surprise. The rock was actually something else—a peculiar, deformed, petrified wooden box.

Ace’s heart raced as he examined it, imagining a small, ornate jewelry box. He tugged at it, but it wouldn’t budge. Frustrated, he picked up a nearby stone, ready to smash it open. But he paused, fearing he might damage whatever treasure lay inside. With a resigned sigh, he decided to head back to the resort and consult a expert or someone who might know an expert—perhaps Mandy.

Hurrying back to the lake house, Ace found his parents and relatives still busy on the deck, sorting crabs from the boat. His uncle was prepping for a crab boil.

Ace sprinted toward them, waving the wooden box in the air and shouting excitedly, “Guys, look what I found!” His face was flushed with excitement as he held up the deformed, petrified box for everyone to see.

“What? A rock?” Danny asked, disappointment evident in his voice. His brow furrowed as he watched Ace with a mix of irritation and disbelief. For a moment, he’d thought Ace had found something valuable, even regretting not joining the treasure hunt. But seeing it was just a rock, he crossed his arms and rolled his eyes, disdaining Ace’s childish excitement.

Alwin held up the object, brushing dirt off its rough surface. “It looks like a petrified wooden ring box. I wonder if there’s a ring inside,” he mused, inspecting the stone-like object carefully. His words piqued the entire family’s curiosity causing them to lean in closer

“Did our Ace really find a treasure?” Pam was the first to react, her eyes wide with excitement. She eagerly stepped forward, followed by the rest, who gathered around Alwin and Ace in growing anticipation.

Mandy snatched the small box from Alwin’s hands, turning it over with a skeptical grin. “Well, it’s one ugly engagement ring box, that’s for sure,” she remarked, shaking it gently next to her ear. Her expression shifted to intrigue. “If someone thought it worth bringing to the lake centuries ago, there’s got to be something valuable inside.”

“Let’s break it open!” Danny proposed eagerly, his hands twitching with impatience.

“No, don’t!” Pam interjected, holding up a hand to stop him. “I’ve seen this on TV—if you find something like this, it’s best to open it in front of experts. It’ll make the treasure more credible and valuable.”

Danny frowned, tapping his foot. “Where are we supposed to find experts here?” he muttered, clearly frustrated by the delay.

“I might be able to help with that,” William chimed in, stepping forward with a knowing smile.

However, Mandy waved him off dismissively. “I know someone better,” she declared. Turning to Ace, she added, “Come on, bring your treasure box and follow me. Let’s find out how lucky you really are.”

Mary opened her mouth to protest, but recalling the incident this morning she couldn’t speak. Pam, however, wasn’t ready to relent. “Hold your horses! Where exactly are you going? Take Danny with you.”

“I’m going to meet with the resort owner—Janice,” Mandy revealed, flashing a smug smile. “She’s a friend of mine. She could gather every expert in the county with a snap of her fingers. And no offense, but Danny would cramp my style.” She threw a pointed look at Danny, who flushed with embarrassment. “But if you insist, feel free to go with William’s suggestion.”

Pam glared at her, clearly irritated. “How dare you talk about your nephew like that!”

Mandy shrugged, unfazed. “Fine, go with William,” she said coolly, clearly determined. She didn’t mind taking Danny to meet Janice, but she wanted to be alone with Ace. There were questions she wanted to ask about—particularly about the girl named Rose.

Pam was about to argue again, but Mary gently placed a hand on her arm. “Pam, it’s okay. Let them go,” she said softly. Then turning to Mandy, she said, “Just remember to return in time for the crab boil. It won’t be the same without everyone present.”

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