Andrea reached forward to lay a hand over his. “It’s good that you came back to support her. Are you staying?”
Ben saw Emma’s lips compress. For some reason, he felt flattered. He patted her hand and then slid his out. “Only for a while. Thought I might try and finish my veterinary studies. Then settle down somewhere… for good.”
“You? A vet?” Dan comically widened his eyes and then grinned. “Suppose it’ll be good to use your brains rather than just brawn for a change.”
“Aw, thanks, buddy.” Ben grinned back. “I’ll make a fortune off rich guys like you; I hear they have houses full of fluffy little dogs.”
Dan nodded and raised his brandy. “And peacocks; don’t forget the peacocks.”
“Hey, Greenberry needs vets too, you know?’ Emma raised her coffee.
“Do they now?” Ben smiled at her.
“So I guess right now you’re helping your mom; anything we can do, just let us know,” Steve Chambers said.
“Thanks, buddy.” Ben looked into his coffee for a moment. “Right now, I’m just getting all Dad’s things squared away. I’ve been picking over the Cartwright ancestor history in the attic.” He snorted. “Hey, want to know something cool? Did you know my great, great grandfather was a friend of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle? I even found a first edition copy of a book, 1912, still wrapped in paper — was never even opened.”
“Very cool; which one?” Emma asked.
“The Lost World,” Ben replied.
“No way! That’s one of my favorites; I read it as a kid.” She turned to the group. “It’s where these explorers find a hidden mountain covered in dinosaurs.”
“Something like that.” Ben leaned forward. “But you want to know something really weird?”
“Always,” said Dan, leaning closer.
“What if it was true?” Ben looked up.
“Say what?” Steve’s forehead creased.
“Oh, Ben.” Emma started to giggle.
“No more whisky here.” Dan grinned as he shouted to the bar.
“Hear me out.” Ben cleared his throat. “What if it was true? Seriously, what if it was all true? What if it was never make-believe at all, and that the Lost World was real? Sir Arthur Conan Doyle didn’t make it all up. I believe he was reading about a lost expedition that really happened.”
The group just stared. Emma’s cheeks reddened slightly.
“I found out that my great, great grandfather, Benjamin, actually went to South America and found something amazing.” He opened his hands on the table. “And Arthur Conan Doyle used it as the basis for his story.”
“I believe you, or want to,” Steve said, with a hint of a smile. “But, ah, how do you know that? Know that it’s true, I mean?”
“Benjamin wrote it all down in a notebook; in 1908.” Ben sat back.
The looks went from disbelievingly to quizzical.
“Wait a minute here. You have a notebook that proves all this?” Dan blew air between his lips. “Now, I’m really interested.”
“Can we see it?” Andrea asked.
“Well…” Ben grimaced.
“Here it comes.” Steve grinned again.
“I don’t have it.” Ben sighed. “Apparently, Benjamin sent it to Arthur Conan Doyle, and then according to some old correspondence, when Doyle learned that Ben the 1st had passed away, he kept it, and then hid it somewhere on his estate so it wouldn’t be lost.”
“You mean like it is now,” Dan said. “Good plan.”
Ben then spent the next few minutes giving them a thumbnail overview of what he’d found out. The group was spellbound, especially Dan, who seemed to fully suspend his disbelief and had moved to the very edge of his seat.
When he was finished, Ben sat back. “All I have is a letter from a lawyer verifying that the notebook exists and belongs to me, or at least to one of Benjamin’s heirs.”
Ben sprang forward. “Oh, one more thing; apparently this place in the Amazon can only be found during some sort of weird seasonal thing that only happens once every ten years. And the next year it can be located is…” he held up a finger for a moment, before jabbing it down on the table. “…now, in 2018. In fact, we probably missed it; the window for locating it is in just a few weeks.”
Dan clapped. “Oh man, that is awesome.”
“That notebook’s got to be worth a fortune… if you could ever find it,” Steve said.
“As long as the notebook hasn’t been destroyed, then anything lost can be found.” Dan waved over his shoulder, calling the waitress for more drinks. He then pulled his chair so close his chest bumped the table. “And forget selling it; the value is in its secrets. And by the way, Ben, we haven’t missed anything yet. I say, we need to find the notebook, find this place, and then go there.”
“Nah, gone now,” Ben said. “Wouldn’t even know where to look.”
“Is it? Gone, I mean.” Andrea tilted her head. “I’ve never heard of this notebook or whatever it is coming to light. Have any of you?” She then looked at each of them for a moment before turning back to Ben. “So it might still be hidden. Maybe it’s still hidden there. I bet he left clues. So the million dollar question is, where is there?”
Ben bobbed his head. “In some sort of secret place that only both of them knew.” He sighed.
“That’s it?” Andrea frowned.
“Well, he mentioned it being under the earth in Windlesham Manor.” He hiked his shoulders. “So, buried somewhere there, I guess. If it exists, and if it hasn’t already been found or inadvertently destroyed by the elements.”
Dan put his hands to his head. “Bullshit.” He slapped a hand on the table. “Think positive, man. I say it’s still there somewhere. We can find it. We use science and technology. Like I said, we find it, and then we go there.”
Ben chuckled and lifted his glass. “Not the whisky talking at all.”
“Why not?” Dan implored, his almond eyes now wide. “This is the most exciting and interesting thing I’ve heard of in years.” He turned. “Guys, what do you think?”
“In England, right?” Steve raised an eyebrow. “We’ll just all pop over to England, each of us with a shovel on our shoulders, and start digging. I hear they like Yanks doing stuff like that.”
Dan laughed out loud. “No, smartass, with a little more investigative finesse than that. I can’t believe you don’t see this as the biggest and most exciting opportunity, like ever.” Dan rubbed his hands together, looking like he was warming to his own idea. “I’ll even pay… for everyone.”
“Well, I’d go.” Emma straightened.
“Me too,” Andrea added.
“Now wait a minute.” Ben couldn’t believe how fast this was getting out of hand. “To the United Kingdom? Jesus Christ.”
“Yeah, to start. I mean, the whole shebang — we go and look for this hidden jungle as well.” Dan rubbed his chin. “Windlesham Manor, you say? Tell you what, by morning, I’ll know everything there is to know about it. I’ll have some of my guys do a full search.” He grinned. “I smell a plan coming together.”
“Good grief.” Ben shook his head, but couldn’t help being swept along by Dan’s excitement. “Guys, maybe Dan is keen to waste his money and time, but we should think about this. It could all be a wild goose chase… and a deadly one at that. As I mentioned, the book might be nothing of interest, or it might already be found.”
“You’re right.” Dan eased back in his chair. “And I can find that out as well. I’ll have two-dozen tech guys on it in 20 minutes; we’ll put a search out on the networks, and even the dark web. The traders, collectors, and even the black marketeers would know if something like that has ever come to light.” He grinned. “Let’s rustle a few bushes and see what we scare up.”