A Ticket to the Gold Rush: Vintage Voyages, #4

By Ashley Holloway

Take a trip with us…

… to the Gold Rush!

 

Take a walk along the streets of old San Francisco.

Have a drink at the local saloon.

Try your hand at panning for gold.

 

But remember to watch your back…

The wild west is full of killers and thieves.

 

Join Vintage Voyages today with your Ticket to the Gold Rush!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Ashley Holloway
• Release date: Mar 14, 2024
• ISBN: 9798224375653

Ashley Holloway

While other kids played outside, Ashley Holloway spent much of her childhood devouring as many books as she could. By the time she reached junior high, she decided she wanted to learn how to create fantasy worlds and stories to share with the world, even going so far as to write to her favorite author at the time for advice. A few failed attempts and many, many years later, she has stopped ignoring the writer within to co-author upcoming sci-fi novel The Parnassus Initiative with Tom Chattle. Her interests range from sci-fi and fantasy to murder mysteries. When she's not trotting the globe, Ashley lives in Colorado. Her other passion is clogging - the kind with taps, not wooden shoes!

Book preview

Chapter 1

Zari dodged the blow aimed at her face. Sweat trickled down her cheeks, but she ignored it and jabbed a fist into her opponent’s ribs.

At his failed attack, he reverted to a defensive stance. The pair crab-walked around an imaginary circle, arms braced in front of them, ready to block.

With a huff, Zari stopped and tilted her head. Come on, Nathan. Quit stalling and make a move.

Her partner swept his wavy brown hair out of his face. You told me to study my assailant for weaknesses or an opening to attack.

A muscle worked in her jaw. She hated it when he used her own words against her. You’re forgetting part two of my instruction. You have to use that information to your advantage quickly.

I did, and you blocked me. Nathan motioned toward her. I’m observing for my next opportunity. Or do you want me to rush in without a plan?

Zari grabbed a hand towel from a bench along the wall and doused it in water from her bottle. At some point, you need to take the offensive or you’ll lose your chance. We’ve sparred enough that you should have picked up on a few of my weaknesses. Use them.

Despite her gentle admonition, he had improved over the last few months. Since Nathan already had years of practice in sword-fighting, she’d mostly concentrated on hand-to-hand combat techniques she’d learned during her career as a police officer. In return, he’d continued teaching her how to properly wield a blade, expanding upon the lessons he had given her during their first trip. Zari knew sheer luck more than skill had saved her from a bloody death during the Medieval tournament, and she wanted to minimize her chances of getting caught off guard again.

Zari dabbed her face and neck with the towel before tossing it aside. As she approached the ring, Nathan bounced on the balls of his feet.

You sure you won’t get mad if I beat you? Nathan smirked.

Her eyebrow lifted. You have to actually hit me to do that.

Before Zari reached the center of the ring, he rushed in for an attack. She stepped out of his path and tapped him on the arm. He whirled around and jabbed a fist toward her, aiming for her shoulder.

As Zari blocked, his other arm swung toward her face. She grasped his wrist and twisted his arm around, forcing him to turn away from her. Zari pushed him between the shoulder blades, which sent him stumbling forward.

When Zari had first suggested they regularly train between jaunts to the past, Nathan had balked at the idea. According to him, Mason had hired Zari as the Vintage Voyages bodyguard, and thus far, she had managed to get them all home safe and sound. Never mind their clients’ injuries from a fistfight in ancient Egypt or her wound from the Medieval tournament.

In response to his hesitation, she had bombarded him with a litany of reasons he would benefit. He tried to hide from her throughout the Montgomery Enterprises building, but she always found him and resumed her logical reasoning. In the end, he agreed to her suggestion only to stop her from pestering him, as he put it. After a few weeks, though, he had finally admitted that he noticed a difference physically and conceded it wasn’t such a bad idea after all.

After their expedition to the Festival of Drunkenness, they’d had more than enough time to spar in the basement. True to his word, Mason had required their next clients to endure a three-month wait before their weeklong trip to Victorian England. When the head of the prep team, Jessica, had not-so-subtly hinted that they should book as many expeditions as they could, the boss had explained that as the only time travel agency in the world, a wait would increase the demand for their services by limiting the supply. Regardless of whether she believed his statement, Zari appreciated the break after their hurried escape from ancient Egypt.

Either Mason had the right idea, or their former client, Aspen, had done his job of quietly advertising their services to the richest of the rich. Within a month of their return from the Victorian era, Mason sent them on two short expeditions—attending a Shakespeare play presented by William Shakespeare himself and watching Martin Luther King Junior’s speech during the March on Washington. By the time they finished the latter, he had already met with half a dozen potential clients.

According to Jessica, he had spent the last few days deciding where they would go next. The news surprised Zari since she expected him to automatically pick the destinations where he could charge the most. Apparently, Mason had a more elaborate business plan than she expected.

While they waited for him to choose their assignment, Zari insisted that she and Nathan continue their daily training. After multiple trips with no issues—technical or otherwise—he had begged for a break, but she ignored his whining and pushed him even harder. She knew the completion of three smooth journeys should reassure her. Instead, she felt more on edge than ever, always looking over her shoulder for signs of a threat.

After half an hour of sparring, their movements slowed as their bodies yearned for a break. Nathan hopped out of the path of Zari’s fist, but his feet tangled underneath him, causing him to stumble forward. He grunted. Are we done yet?

I thought you wanted to beat me? To give herself a reprieve—if only for a few seconds—she waited while he recovered his balance.

Not like we won’t do this again tomorrow, he grumbled.

Zari brought up her arm to block a punch. In her tired state, she missed his feint. Instead of hitting her with his dominant right fist, his left palm slammed against her ear. She stumbled forward with her eyes squeezed shut in an attempt to restore her blurry vision. From behind, he pushed her to the mat.

Nathan lifted his leg to straddle her and gain the upper hand. Zari wrapped her hands around his other ankle and tugged his leg out from under him. He landed on his back with an oomph. Before he could recover, she hopped to her feet and placed a foot on his chest. His head thunked onto the cushioned mat.

A snort of laughter drifted from the other side of the room. Zari whirled to face the noise, unaware they had gained an audience during their fight.

In the open doorway, Jessica clapped a palm over her mouth. Her blue eyes widened behind her plastic-frame glasses. Sorry, she muttered at Nathan’s offended glare.

Despite her best efforts, Zari couldn’t keep the smirk off her face when she held out a hand to help her partner off the floor. Instead of accepting it, he swatted her arm aside and hopped to his feet.

Please say you’ve come to save me from further humiliation. Nathan twisted open the lid of his water bottle and took a drink.

As a matter of fact, I have. Jessica waved a leather-bound portfolio in the air. Mason finally decided on a destination. Your next clients will arrive in half an hour, and he wants you to meet them.

Any hints about where he’s sending us? Zari draped the hand towel around her neck.

Jessica twisted an imaginary key across her lips. I’m sworn to secrecy.

The assertion caused Zari to roll her eyes. Only Mason would insist on such dramatics when they would find out in thirty minutes.

Jessica’s nose wrinkled when she eyed Zari and Nathan. You better clean up before heading to the conference room.

Nathan tugged his workout shirt away from his sweaty chest. He could have given us a little warning.

Thirty minutes is plenty of time to make yourself presentable. Zari hoisted Nathan’s gym bag from the bench and shoved it into his arms. Just keep your preening to a minimum.

Easy for you to say. Nathan slung the strap over his shoulder. You sport a low maintenance look.

Zari’s nostrils flared. Her mouth opened, but Jessica cut her off with a shooing motion.

No time to waste on bickering. Mason expects you both in the conference room before our clients arrive. Before Zari disappeared into the women’s showers, Jessica added, Oh, and make sure to practice maintaining a neutral expression. I have a feeling the skill will come in handy when you meet our new clients.

Chapter 2

Twenty minutes later, Zari exited the elevator onto the Vintage Voyages floor, freshly showered and changed into dark khakis and a purple blouse. Instead of heading straight to the hallway that led to the offices and conference rooms, she stopped at the front desk. Afternoon, Marjorie.

Good to see you, Zari. The receptionist glanced up from her computer monitor and smiled at her. Mason and Jessica are waiting in conference room B. You can head on in there, if you want.

You’re the best. Zari waved as she headed through the glass door.

And don’t you forget it! Marjorie called after her.

Zari shook her head and smiled. After she and Marjorie had started off on the wrong foot when she’d barged past the receptionist and burst in on Mason with their first clients, Zari made it her mission to repair the damage she had done. Against her introverted nature, she went out of her way and stopped to bring Marjorie coffee every day. Bit by bit, the receptionist had thawed, which Zari considered a personal triumph.

Around a bend in the hallway, the door to conference room B stood open. Jessica and Mason already sat in leather chairs at the walnut conference room table, chatting in hushed tones. At the head of the table, Mason wore a tailored charcoal suit, a common occurrence in the presence of clients. He had his jet-black hair glued into place with gel, not a single strand awry. His hands rested on top of a leather-bound portfolio.

When Zari appeared in the doorway, the conversation stopped. Both of them leaned back in their chairs. Jessica picked at a loose bit of paper that peeked out from her notebook.

No need to stop talking on my behalf. Zari settled into a chair next to Jessica, so her back wouldn’t face the doorway.

Mason’s eyes twinkled. I wouldn’t want to spoil the surprise early.

Zari checked a clock on the wall. Mason, our clients will be here in less than ten minutes. I don’t think telling me a little early will ruin the meeting.

Instead of answering, Mason reclined in his chair and steepled his fingers. At Zari’s glare—which made everyone else wither—his lips curled into a mischievous grin.

Can you at least give me a hint? Zari asked. Or narrow it down a little?

Her boss shook his head. Have a little patience.

Zari huffed. You know that’s not exactly my strong suit.

Oh, he knows. Jessica laughed. Which is why he’s doing it.

You make it so easy to mess with you. Mason smirked.

Before Zari could retort, Nathan arrived, dressed in slacks and a green button-down shirt. Although he had dried his hair, it hung limp over his forehead, absent from its normal styling products. What did I miss?

Absolutely nothing. Zari frowned. Mason refuses to share anything until our clients arrive.

With a shrug, he plopped into the seat across from Jessica. Not like we have a long wait.

See? Mason jabbed a finger toward Nathan with a triumphant grin. He gets it.

The sound of high heels clacking on the tile floor echoed along the hallway and the room fell silent. Marjorie walked into view, trailed by two women.

An unexpected thrill of anticipation caused Zari to shiver. After several trips, she still found it difficult to believe that she traveled through time for a living. With every new client, she had the opportunity to go to a time period that no one alive had ever ventured. She could barely contain her excitement at finding out where they would go next.

When their clients crossed into the conference room, Mason stood to greet them, an amiable smile splashed across his face. Ivy, Mikaela! So nice to see you again.

While they exchanged pleasantries, Zari watched with interest. A tall woman with an olive complexion wore a neon-pink pantsuit that almost blinded Zari, perfectly ironed and pleated. Her thick black hair hung to the middle of her back.

Behind her, a blond woman hugged a notebook against her chest. From the safety of the doorway, her brown eyes flicked to each of the room’s occupants before landing on the floor.

Let me introduce you to the team. Mason ushered the women into seats next to Nathan.

While he went through everyone’s names and roles in the company, Marjorie flitted around the table to pour water into everyone’s glasses. She left the half-empty pitcher to Mason’s right and disappeared through the door, pulling it closed with a soft click.

Once he had introduced the Vintage Voyages crew, Mason said, Everyone, these are our new clients. He pointed to the woman in the bright pantsuit. This is Ivy. Moving on to the blond beside her, he smiled warmly. And her wife, Mikaela.

It’s so nice to finally put faces to names. Ivy shook hands with each of them, her grip firm. We heard so many good things from Aspen.

Zari’s eyes widened. Really?

Oh, yes. Ivy tapped her glitter nails on the wood. He’s talked nonstop about his trip to ancient Egypt and how it went off without a hitch. He said you and Nathan were the most wonderful guides.

Across from her, Nathan raised an eyebrow. Zari pressed her lips together and swallowed a laugh. In his new marketing role for Vintage Voyages, Aspen had obviously excluded a few key details from his retelling, including how the entire city had hunted for them after he had stolen a statue of a goddess.

I’m happy to hear he gave us a glowing review, Zari managed.

Ivy nodded. Five stars. Of course, it took a while for us to believe he actually went to ancient Egypt. We thought he went on a role-playing tour.

Which didn’t seem like him, Mikaela interjected, her voice soft and lilting.

Ivy laughed. Not at all. But when he showed us the orange perfume bottle he brought back, we started to believe he’d really gone to the past.

At her words, Zari’s hands clenched into fists. She moved them under the table so her clients wouldn’t see them shake. Despite all her warnings, that little brat had stolen a historical artifact and flaunted it around his social circles like a prize. What if everyone he recruited thought they could treat the past like a personal gift shop?

Along with all his details about the trip. Mikaela’s voice drew Zari from her fury. He obviously could have bought a well-made replica of an ancient perfume bottle, but he knew so much about the town and the festival. I doubt Aspen would have put that much effort into research for a lie.

Definitely not. Ivy smiled. So, we talked it over and decided to take a leap. I mean, who else can help us solve our problem?

Mason clapped his hands and rubbed them together. With that, why don’t you tell Zari and Nathan about where you want to go. And more importantly, why.

Mikaela’s eyebrows flew upward and disappeared beneath her bangs. You haven’t told them?

I thought I’d save that for the two of you. Mason motioned a hand to indicate they had the floor.

Zari stifled a groan. Based on the hint of amusement that laced Mason’s tone, she was sure she would object to the expedition he’d selected. No surprise there. Even though she knew he picked their clients and destinations based on his business plan, she often wondered if he considered it a bonus when she had reservations.

I guess we should start at the beginning. Mikaela interlocked her fingers and rested her hands on the table, her knuckles white from the tension in her grip. I’m haunted by a ghost.

Chapter 3

Zari blinked. Across from her, Nathan’s mouth hung open.

I know what you’re thinking. Ivy raked a strand of silky hair away from her face. Hear her out before you decide she’s crazy.

After a reassuring nod from her wife, Mikaela continued. Her words came out rushed with a hint of embarrassment lacing her tone. It all started two years ago. About a month after we moved into our house, I had a few…odd experiences. Strange noises, cold spots in an otherwise-warm room, flickering lights.

Did you consult a contractor? Zari asked. Sounds more like you have wiring and insulation problems than a ghost.

Under the table, Jessica whacked her on the leg.

You’ll have to excuse Zari, Nathan said. She’s a bit of a skeptic.

Heat rose to Zari’s cheeks. Before she could defend herself, Mikaela waved away the admonishment.

It’s fine. I thought the same thing. Mikaela picked at her cuticles. Even though we had the house inspected before we moved in, I hired a professional to recheck everything from roof to basement.

Ivy nodded. They found a few minor issues but nothing to cause the disturbances Mikaela described.

Although she knew Mason might reprimand her for doubting their new clients, Zari couldn’t help but sate her curiosity. So, it only happened to Mikaela?

Yep. Mikaela ran her tongue across her lips.

After the hauntings got worse, we searched for medical explanations, Ivy said. Mikaela went for a psych evaluation, had an MRI, sat through endless medical tests. Everything came back normal.

We finally realized I only heard and felt weird things at home. Mikaela tugged her cardigan tighter around her shoulders, as if trying to stave off a chill. Nothing strange happened to me anywhere else.

And you didn’t move? Nathan asked.

We love our home. Ivy