'Fuck…'
Wren drove his fingers into the damp coarse sand lining the bottom of the deep pit.
He put his hand inside the chest, his fingertips brushing past a lining of faded, brittle red velvet, and brought out the locket.
It was a small, oval piece of tarnished brass that was heavy for its size.
He felt around inside the dark interior of the wooden box for more stuff… searching for a stack of cash, or even another cryptic letter but there was nothing else.
The damp velvet was bare.
He pulled out the locket, holding it up into the blinding glare of the tropical afternoon sun. The dull metal barely reflected the light.
"All of that searching… for a simple locket, huh?" Isa asked, leaning her weight against the wooden handle of her steel shovel.
She didn't really sound offended, and she really wasn't.
Her chest heaved and her athletic clothes were sticking to her sweaty skin, but a relaxed smile rested on her lips.
