❝ LOVE AND TREASURE ❞ ── Ben Gates ✓

❝ CHAPTER 16 ❞

▌Chapter 16 ─ Boston Tea Tables ▌

━━━━━ CLARA WALKED WITH Ben and Riley, Abigail had moved into their place as they had offered it to her. While Ben had thought he had been searching for a new house Clara had already found a new historic house. But it was part of a game that the two played, sometimes they even brought in outsiders to help. And it just so happened that Clara brought Abigail in to play along.

"I can't believe you have to break into your own house." Riley said, looking at the couple.

"Technically, it's not our house anymore Riley," Clara reminded him.

"I need to get Abigail's ID badge since Clara won't let me use hers." Ben explained.

"They won't let me anywhere near the document Ben, and you know that. Abigail has access to the Booth diary page though."

"Why don't you just ask Abigail for her help?"

"She changed the alarm code. And right now she's not talking to me for some unknown reason." Ben said, his eyes briefly looking at Clara who looked away acting like she didn't know anything.

"You know very well that was going to happen the second she moved into the place."

"All right." Riley said, as he took his backpack off. "You have 30 seconds after the alert starts to disable the alarm." Ben placed the key in the keyhole. "Go." He turned it and the three walked into the house. Riley turned slightly and began working his magic with the alarm while Ben and Clara stood there. "So I know I'll probably regret asking this, but why did you two decide to move out of this house?" Riley asked, briefly looking at them.

Clara and Ben exchanged a look with each other. "Do you wanna tell him or should I?" Clara asked him.

"You can tell him." Ben replied.

"Ben and I are trying to start a family." Clara answered, as she leaned her head on Ben's shoulder.

"And Clara wanted a slightly smaller house because of it, which I'm okay with." Ben added.

"So?" Riley asked.

"Well, we're keeping some of the furniture but we're trying to decide what Abigail can have because there is a lot of it that she likes."

"Maybe that's why she's not talking to you, because she doesn't want to give up the furniture she likes." Clara knew that was a lie though but she wouldn't admit it to Ben.

"I highly doubt that, Clara."

"Oh, women. Can't live with 'em, especially if they change the alarm codes."

"Hey."

"No offense."

"You did that in 25 seconds." Ben said, briefly looking down at his watch. He and Clara turned away from Riley and moved up the steps.

"That's why I tell people to get a dog."

They moved into the room where Abigail had kept her belongings, Ben turned the light on and pulled the drawer open and grabbed her badge.

"Got it." Ben said.

"All right, let's go." Clara and Ben looked up, seeing lights, indicating that someone had pulled into the driveway. Ben walked over to the window with Clara following behind him.

"That's not Abigail's car. She's on a date."

"Yeah, sorry I forgot to mention that." Clara said, looking at her husband.

"Isn't that that guy? The White House guy." The two started talking to each other, Riley chuckled. "He's weird." They walked out of the room and headed back down the way they came briefly passing the front doors. "Wow, what a clever repartee. She must really like him." Riley hid while Ben grabbed a box and Clara walked with him.

"Oh, Abigail." Ben breathed out sending his friend a smile.

"What are you doing here?" Abigail asked the two.

"Clara and I just needed to get some things. Connor, good to see you again."

"Gates." Conner said, looking between the couple. Clara smiled at the mention of the last name.

"How'd you get in, Ben?" Abigail proceeded to ask.

Clara leaned closer to her husband. "See still mad." She whispered.

"Riley, come out here!"

Riley peaked around looking at Abigail. "What?" He then laughed. "Hey, what are you doing here? I mean it's your house, but─ Hey, I sent you a copy of my book. Did you get a chance─"

"No, I haven't read it yet."

"Mm. I know you. You're the White House curator. I'm Riley. We met back in ─"

"Oh, right. You're Ben's assistant."

"What?"

"Um, maybe I should... go."

"Yeah. I'm really..."

"Dinner tomorrow night?"

"Oh, I-I actually already have plans for tomorrow."

"They're with me." Clara said, causing Abigail and Ben to look at her.

"Oh, you do?" Ben asked, still looking at his wife who only sent a nod.

"Of course you do."

"But I'm free on Friday."

"Oh, great." Connor placed a kiss on Abigail's cheek.

"Good night."

"Good night." The three watched Connor exit out of the house and close the door while Abigail turned to look at her friends.

"I cannot believe you broke in." Abigail said as she walked down to Clara and Ben. "What'd you take?"

"Just our things." Ben answered.

Abigail then took the box from Ben. "Hand it over, Ben."

"Whew. I need to see the Booth diary page. Clara won't let me use her badge." Ben explained.

"Even if she wanted to she can't, they didn't allow her access because she's married to you."

"See I told you."

"You both saw the page yourself anyway. There is no treasure map on it."

"No, it's a cipher leading to a treasure map." Clara mentioned.

"Did anyone spectral-image the page?" Ben asked her.

"No need to. The ink writing on the page is clearly visible."

"It could've been erased or faded. You're the director of document conversation with Clara right by your side. You both know all this."

"It's not up to me and it's not up to Clara. It's not our department."

"That department reports to your department. Come on. Abigail, one look under infrared. You can have the Boston tea tables." Clara watched her friend stop in her tracks. She turned around to look back at the two.

"Both of them?" She asked.

Ben looked to Clara who nodded her head in agreement, she loved the tables but she didn't mind handing them over to Abigail. Ben shook his head in agreement to what she was asking for.