The Crown is Not Enough

Dani's plans to stay far away from her friends' adventures change when an ancient relic shows up at her doorstep. Now she's in the midst of secret codes, suspicious bodyguards, and a mystery surrounding her antique shop.

Hunter knows there's something about Dani and her friends that she's not telling him. But spending time with her is worth all of the secrets. That is, until the moment the package arrives at her doorstep.

While Dani and Hunter feel like they're way in over their heads, they know it's up to them to make this right. Now it's a race to find who sent the package and why before the enemy does. Will this new and unexpected turn be just what they need to finally admit their feelings for each other, or will it be too much for their friendship?

 Dani sighed as she finished the last of the dusting with a flourish. Dee and Carlie were off on yet another mission, and she was stuck
here in the antique shop. Again. But the day was done, and she had a small carton of ice cream and a movie waiting for her at home. The glamorous life for sure.

The “Open” sign buzzed in the background as she set her duster down and slipped on her jacket. There were several things she needed to do before Dee’s wedding in a few weeks, and Dani hadn’t had a chance to work on them because of working overtime here. The buzzing stopped with a flip of a switch. If only it was that easy to turn off the thoughts swimming around in her brain.

The warm Arizona weather welcomed her, enveloping her after the frigid air
conditioning she’d had to deal with all day. One day this place would be hers and she could turn the AC to something other than Arctic temperatures.

Her phone buzzed, and she had to fumble with her keys and purse to find it. “Hey, Dee. How’s Italy?”

“Amazing. Found you a dress.” Dee’s voice was faint, but it was good to hear. Ever since that first adventure, Dee and Ben had been gone almost constantly.

“Sweet. I can’t wait to see it.” She grinned when her phone buzzed again. “I assume you sent a picture just now?”

“Ben did.” 

Dani pulled her phone and pushed the text button. They’d sent a picture of a blue dress, but next to it was a huge book of Italian architecture. She squealed. “Please tell me you got that book for me.” 

Dee laughed. “Of course I did. And trust you to get more excited about a book.”

“What can I say? I’m a nerd.” Dani unlocked her car door and climbed in. “Any idea when you’re coming home? You have a wedding to plan.”

“I’m not sure. We’re so close to finding the vase, but so is another group.” When she spoke again, her voice was lower. “I actually had to use a gun this time. I’m so not okay with that part.”

Dani sighed. “I warned you. Did you actually hit someone?”

“Nope. Thankfully they ducked.”

Dani laughed. “I don’t think that’s what you wanted to have happen.” 

She pulled out onto the road and headed for her apartment. Her apartment. So strange. After renting for so long with Dee and
Carlie, she finally had her own place.

Shouts sounded in her phone. “Oh, hey, we’ve been noticed. Gotta go.”

The phone went dead, so Dani dropped it on the passenger seat. This wasn’t the first time the call had ended like that, but it still scared her to death every time. She pulled into the apartment complex and parked under the carport, then grabbed her bag and phone.

Even the thought of her ice cream and movie didn’t stop the ball of worry from settling in the pit of her stomach. She was going to end up with gray hairs because of her two best friends. Dani bent down to pick up a package on her front porch and frowned. She hadn’t ordered anything . . . at least not that she could remember.

“Hey, Dani.” Hunter’s voice made Dani jump and hit her head on the doorknob. They’d been next door neighbors for long enough that she should have expected him to
be standing there by now. They knew each other’s schedules by heart. They met while she was moving in and had been best friends ever since.

“Hey, Hunter.” Dani rubbed her head. “How was the final?”

He shrugged. His hair fell into his brilliant green eyes and he pushed it out of the way. “About how I expected. I passed, so that counts, right?”

“Right. You probably aced it.” Dani opened her door and held it open so he could come in. “Did you see them drop this off?”

“No, it was sitting there when I came in.” He took the box from her and read the label. “It doesn’t have a return address.”

Dani nodded as she opened the fridge. “I noticed. Want one?”

Hunter grabbed the orange juice out of the air that she’d tossed at him. “You going to open it?”

“Of course.” Dani grabbed a knife off the counter. “When have you ever known me not to open a super creepy package?”

“Never. I just figured I’d check to make sure this wasn’t one of those rare times.”

Dani laughed and sliced open the box. Another box sat inside. She carefully pulled it out and opened it. Inside, a set of plates and a crown sat nestled in Styrofoam. Dani gasped. She searched every inch of the box, but there was no note or any indication of who it was from. 

Hunter whistled. “You must have one awesome secret admirer.” 

“Yeah, right.” Dani brushed a hair back off her cheek and leaned forward. “If these are authentic, the plate set alone would cost a fortune. Question is, why send them to my apartment? Why not to the shop?”

“Unless whoever sent them doesn’t want you to sell them.” Hunter picked up one of the plates to examine it. “I think they’re the real thing. Check out the inscription on the bottom.”

Dani whistled. “This is insane. I can’t just keep these things here.”

“Whoever sent them must have thought you could.” Hunter gently laid the plate back into the box and picked up the crown. He whistled. “This has to be solid gold. And
these stones are real emeralds. Looks Egyptian to me. African at least. Look, it has those same marks as that necklace Carlie has in the museum.” Hunter glanced
up at her, his eyes filled with concern. “I don’t suppose you have any of those fancy guards hanging out around here?”

Dani’s eyebrows shot up. “Guards?”

“Dani. Come on. We’ve been friends for months now. You don’t think I wouldn’t notice that you have guards outside of your door whenever your friends show up?”

“I . . .” Dani blushed. She’d hoped they’d stay hidden. It had been Carlie’s idea, and no matter how many times Dani protested, they still showed up. “They’re not mine. Not really. My friend hires them.”

Hunter pointed at the plates. “I don’t know what else is going on, but I do know that if I had plates and a crown that are worth millions of dollars sitting in my apartment, I’d have security all over the place.”

Dani stared at him for a moment before pulling out her phone. “Fine. But I’m making you pay for the guards.”

“Fine.” Hunter went to the door. “Be right back.”

Dani waved and turned back to the package. It couldn’t have been from Carlie or she would have had some kind of clue to go along with it. Besides, it most likely would have gone to the museum in New York. She punched the number for Carlie
into her phone.

“Hello?” Carlie answered on the third ring. Her voice was quiet and raspy. “Dani? Is everything okay?”

“Sorry. I forgot it was the middle of the night there.” Dani dropped onto her couch and picked up one of the throw pillows. “Did you send me a package?”

“No. Why?”

Dani sighed. “I didn’t think so. I came home to a box on my step. Carlie, this stuff in here . . . You need to see it. There’s a crown that looks almost . . . Egyptian.”

Carlie gasped.

“I’ll be there in the morning.” Carlie’s voice became muffled as she tried to wake Braden. “I’m calling one of my guys. He should be there in less than an hour. And Dani? Don’t leave the apartment.”

“Yeah, yeah. I know.” Dani tossed the phone on the cushion next to her and stood to get some food. There wasn’t much she could do for now and even if Carlie hadn’t warned her, Dani wouldn’t have gone anywhere. She checked the silverware drawer to make sure the small pistol was still there. A birthday gift from Dee.

The doorbell rang. Dani hesitated before shutting the drawer. If someone was coming after her, they wouldn’t just ring the doorbell. She checked the peephole just
to make sure, then opened the door for Hunter.

He stood there with a pillow and blankets. “Hey. Did you get ahold of your friend?”

“Yeah, she’ll have someone here soon. Going somewhere?” Dani gestured to the items in his arms.

“I’m not letting you stay here alone with that stuff in the house.” Hunter pushed past her and set his things on the couch. 

“I told you that someone was coming.” Dani shut the door and went back to the kitchen. So much for ice cream and a movie. “Don’t you have a final tomorrow?”

He shook his head. “All done.”

Dani frowned. “Are you sure? I thought you had one more computer science test.”

“That was a project and I handed it in after my other final.” Hunter grabbed an apron off a hook. “What are we making?”

“Pasta, I think. Haven’t decided.” Dani checked her freezer and pulled out some chicken. “Want to make the alfredo sauce?”

“Yes, ma’am.” Hunter took the bag of chicken from her. “Find anything else out about the package while I was gone?”

Dani shook her head. “Nothing except that Carlie didn’t send it, but she’s going to be here by morning to check it out.”