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She started speaking frantically…and extremely loud. So much so that Maddox had to pull the phone away from his ear. Even though I couldn’t make out most of what she was saying, I did hear, “Where the hell have you been? Been trying to reach you!” to which Maddox responded, “Yeah, I’m sorry. I’ve been in the backwoods, and the reception sucks.” Then out of nowhere, the blood drained out of his face, and he dropped the phone. It clattered onto the hardwood floor.

“What? What is it?” I cried.

Without responding, Maddox groped for his phone while my hand flew to my chest to still my erratically beating heart.

“Did you just say Maudie’s alive and in a coma?”

Chapter Nine

I sat frozen in my place on the couch. I could barely blink let alone process his words. I kept hearing them over and over in my mind. Maudie is alive. Maudie is alive. Maudie is ALIVE!

But in a coma.

After Neely said something else, Maddox replied in an anguished voice, “We thought the worst—that she was…dead.”

She continued to talk a mile a minute. Bits and pieces of their conversation floated over to me. “Was life-flighted to Erlanger Trauma Center. Twenty-four hour police protection outside her bed. In ICU. Is expected to pull through. May have a long road of recovery ahead. We’re listed as her next of kin. Have to make all the decisions about her medical care.” And then finally a very adamant, “Get your ass here now!”

“I really want to. But I can’t,” Maddox replied.

“Excuse me?” Neely screeched before launching into a tirade I couldn’t make out.

Maddox closed his eyes and let her rant and rave for minute or so. Finally, he shouted, “Would you please just shut up and let me explain?” Suddenly, it was dead quiet on her end. “I can’t come to the hospital right now. Lane and I are…well, we’re doing something for Maudie.” He cut his eyes over to me, and I nodded. He then proceeded to tell her everything that had happened and what we were planning on doing the next day.

“You’re serious?” Neely asked.

“Yes, I am.”

“Let me talk to Lane.”

Maddox hesitated before handing the phone over to me. Visions of teenage Neely doing my hair, experimenting with make-up, and dancing with me to the Backstreet Boys filled my mind. I’d idolized her as the big sister I’d never had when I was growing up. Maddox loved to be a typical aggravating boy, aka a jerk, but she’d always been so sweet.

“Hi,” I said.

“Is my brother telling the truth?” she demanded.

“Uh, yeah, he is.”

Neely sighed. “I would have thought you of all people would have talked him out of all this craziness. You two should be at the local police station or here at the hospital, not treasure hunting.”

“You’re right, but we had to do this for—”

“Maudie. Yeah, I know.”

“Trust me, I know it sounds stupid and selfish and ridiculous, but I promise the minute we find the treasure, we’ll come to the hospital.”

“All right then. Put my brother on the speakerphone.”

“Okay,” I replied, before pressing the button.

“Maddox? Are you listening to me?” Neely asked.

“Yeah.”

“Regardless of how stupid and irresponsible I think this little quest is, I want you to promise if at any time this gets dangerous again, you’ll stop. I don’t want to imagine any more gun battles or car chases, okay?”

“Okay,” he grumbled.

“I’m totally serious. I’ve already had to deal with you getting hurt once. I can’t do it again—especially with Maudie in the shape she is. You’re all I have, little brother.”

Maddox’s face softened. “I promise I’ll stay safe.”

“And you’ll keep Lane safe, too?”

“Yeah, I’ll try.” He glanced over at me and winked. “She’s actually not as helpless as she used to be.”

“Ha, ha,” I muttered.

“Okay, fine. Lane, have you talked to your parents yet?”

“Yeah…but I haven’t exactly told them what happened. They’re in Charleston on Dad’s book tour.”

“Don’t you think they’d want to know?”

I fought the urge to say, Well, duh, of course they would, but when they find out, they’ll go ballistic. There won’t be a chance in hell I’ll still get to hunt for the gold! Instead, I replied, “Yes.”

“Listen, I’ve gotta go. I’m supposed to get an update from the doctors.”

“I really hate that you’re by yourself, sis,” Maddox said, affectionately. “Well...Justin is here with me now.”

Maddox scowled slightly. “Yeah, that’s good. I guess.”

“All right. Be safe, and I’ll talk to you soon. Love you.”

“Love you, too.”

Maddox hung up, and I couldn’t help but ask, “Who is Justin?”

He wrinkled his nose disgustedly. “He’s the douchebag that Neely’s been dating the last year or so.” He shifted on the couch—his jaw clenching and unclenching. “I mean, he’s not really that bad a guy. He’s a teacher and a coach, and he’s crazy about her. He’s not like the other tools she’s dated.”