When he came back on Thursday, Lance looked over the clutter in Adam’s living room that now spilled over into the dining room.  Most of it, he already knew, consisted of notes.  Adam even added a rustic model of Fantasyland that took up most of the kitchen table. “You know, Adam, you’re going to need help with this.”

Adam didn’t look up from the pictures of the Storybook Land Canal Boats he had taken and was using for reference.  He was trying to put them in order of occurrence. “You could start helping me.”

“I’ve been helping you all along. We rode those blasted Canal Boats a millions times. I think pursuing that idea is a waste of time. It’s not there!” To make his point, Lance spoke in his typical, blunt manner.  “But, if you insist on pursuing it, you will need help.” 

“I know.” 

Lance’s seemingly careless shrug went unnoticed. “Help from someone who knows the Park even better than you do.” 

As Adam flipped back a snapshot and wrote something, his reply came out a little strained. He knew where Lance was headed and he didn’t like it. “I know.” 

A smile came and went from his friend’s mouth.  “The only person I can think of outside of a Disney Suit is....” 

“I know!” Adam bit out between clenched teeth. 

Lance had walked over to Adam’s desk—if it was actually still there under the mountain of paper—and leaned his hip into it.  “And you got her fired.” 

Adam lowered the photograph of Pinocchio’s miniature Bavarian village.  His eyes lost their focus.  “I know.” His voice was softer now, his thoughts somewhere in the past. 

“Fired from the only job she ever wanted.” 

“I KNOW.”  Adam’s head snapped up and he looked into Lance’s face, meeting his eyes for the first time; the glare of resentment and frustration obvious. 

Lance relented a little when he also saw the anger and the hurt that was in them.  “How long has it been?” 

Adam regained control over his features and the emotion clamped shut.  “Let’s just call it two years.” 

Lance gave a snort. “More like five. Do you think she’ll work with us? Well, with you?”  

Adam’s face briefly registered a ghost of a smile.  “Now, that I don’t know.” 

“Any idea where she is now?” 

Adam slowly shook his head and put down all the photos.  It was no use.  He had looked at those pictures for hours and couldn’t find anything that helped.  “Nope.  But I know who might.  She keeps track of everyone.”  Everyone I ever had as a friend, dated, or…loved, he sighed to himself. 

Lance flashed a big grin.  “Mom.” 

“Yeah.  Mom.” 

There was a low whistle.  “This isn’t going to be pretty.  Margaret liked her.  I mean really, really liked her.  I really liked her.  Heck, everyone....” 

“I know!” Adam cut him off, exasperated. “Sheesh.”  He paused and looked away, back five years to be exact.  “I ....liked her, too.” Loved, adored, worshiped. Fill in the blank. 

Lance ignored Adam’s use of the verb liked.  “But,” he emphasized, examining a torn fingernail and wondering when that happened, “you still got her fired.” 

Adam glared up at him. He knew that. It had been eating at him for five long years now.  “Let’s hope that’s all water under the bridge by now.” 

“Lot of water.” Lance still examined his fingernail, his mumble just loud enough to be heard. 

Ignoring him, Adam gave a sigh he didn’t realize was audible as he reached for the phone.  “I need to call Mom.”  

Lance’s infectious grin was back.  “Can I stay and listen?”

An hour later, Adam found that staring at a telephone does not: 1) make it easier to pick up the handset; 2) make it ring by itself; 3) make his heart stop its erratic pounding; and 4) help him come up with the right words to say.

“Why don’t you meet me in the Park?” 

“It’s raining.” 

“Yes, Captain, I’m aware of that.” The nickname came automatically as Adam chuckled. “There won’t be as many people around while we check some things out.” 

She didn’t have to ask where he wanted to meet.  There was only one place.  “I didn’t realize you took up smoking.” In spite of her mixed feelings, Beth had to smile at the familiar use of her old nickname Captain Obvious. Lance had dubbed her that years before. He found her habit of stating the obvious amusing and the nickname had stuck. The guys working the Keel Boat ride with her had even started using it right before.… Rats. It still hurt. She closed her eyes and held the phone so tightly her knuckles turned white. 

“I didn’t, but the old Keel Boat dock should be deserted with the rain coming down like it is.”  

Adam’s response to her banter took her by surprise. Lost in her memories, it took her a moment to remember what she had asked. Her voice was quiet, not quite masking her feelings when she spoke again. “Gosh, what a waste.  One of the best rides in the Park and now my old dock is a smoking area.” 

“How soon can you get there?” 

Ah, he doesn’t know where I live. “Give me an hour or so, depending on the freeway traffic.”  Or fifteen minutes, depending on red lights. After a brief pause, Beth had to add one last point. “Adam?”  

“Yeah?” 

“This’d better be good.” 

“It is,” he promised and hung up, checking the time.

 

Two hours later, damp from the spring rain that was still lightly falling, Adam poked Lance in the ribs and motioned with his chin.  Lance grinned when he saw a 1980’s-style Mickey Mouse umbrella bouncing up and down as Beth approached along the Frontierland Rivers of America.  Waiting a moment, Lance realized Adam wasn’t going to go out and meet her halfway. In fact, Adam didn’t move at all from the spot on the dock where he apparently had taken root.  Rolling his eyes, muttering, “Stubborn,” Lance went to meet her himself, arms open. 

Adam could hear her happy shriek.  “Oh my word!  Stinky!”

“Shrew!” Lance’s grin threatened to take over his entire face.

“Are you still hanging around with him?  Gosh, no accounting for taste!” Beth threw herself into his arms, umbrella forgotten as her arms went around his narrow waist.

Adam watched as they hugged as old friends always do, and then watched as the hug lasted longer than a hug between old friends should last. Inexplicably he started to get irritated with Lance. His face darkened, Adam was just about to march over there and do….something. His brain overrode his runaway emotions as he realized he had no idea what he would do. He had no right now, no claim. He lost that right years ago. Adam forced himself to remain in his rooted spot as he observed Beth not-so-subtly trying to extract herself from the bear hug.   “Okay, you big oaf, let me go!” 

They both laughed and turned back to the dock.  When her gaze reluctantly settled on Adam, her happiness visibly dimmed.  It was like watching a bright light bulb begin to fade.  “Buck up, old girl.” Lance took her arm through his and patted her hand. 

“I’m fine.” Even to her own ears, her mutter was unconvincing.   

“If you cain’t smile, then grit yer teeth.  It all looks the same from here,” Lance quoted from her old Keel Boat spiel. 

“Guaranteed to make the next few minutes fly by like hours.” The response was automatic, and she smiled again.  “Gosh, it’s good to see you.” Some of her old animation came back as she punched him in the arm.  She looked up at him with her big brown eyes. “I missed you, Slick. You could’ve kept in touch, you know. It’s not like I died.”

He touched the side of Beth’s face with his fingertips. Adam tensed again. “I know. It just felt like you did.”

She gave his arm a grateful squeeze. “Hey, why don’t we just go ride Space Mountain and forget this.” 

Lance tugged her toward the landing.  He could feel her holding back, resisting, and had to encourage her to move. “Come on. I think you’re going to like this.” 

“That good, huh?” Beth leaned back to look up at his 6 foot 2 inch height. 

Lance just nodded and came to a stop next to Adam. Lance looked from one to the other. They just stood there unsmiling, looking at everything but each other. He rolled his eyes and did the best thing he could. “I think I hear a churro calling.”  With that, he abruptly turned and left. 

They both stared in disbelief as Lance sauntered off toward New Orleans Square, mindless of the drizzling rain. Adam turned back to face Beth, but she still stared after Lance, unable to believe he had actually left her alone with Adam. Still unable to look Adam in the eye, neither of them said anything. The moments stretched on and the silence started to get a little embarrassing now that their buffer was gone.  One of them had to say something. Adam cleared his throat. “Nice umbrella.” Are you kidding?

“Thanks.” Beth couldn’t say any more at that moment. It had been so different when she talked to him over the phone. True, it had been a complete shock when she realized who was calling. But, on the phone, she didn’t have to look at him. She didn’t have to see the way his wavy blonde hair dripped rain into his soft blue eyes. Hair that needed to be brushed off his forehead. Scenes of past rendezvous with Adam on this same dock tumbled through her mind. Knowing this moment was coming since his mysterious phone call, she knew she’d have to talk to him, look at him, be near him…remember him. She just didn’t realize the memories would still hurt so much and was trying to make the tightness in her throat go away.

When she said nothing else, Adam tried again. “I, uh, I like some of the stuff they came out with in the ‘80’s.” Gosh you sound lame.

“Thought….” She had to stop and clear her throat before she could continue. “Thought you might like it.  I figured you wanted us to look like tourists—from what little you said on the phone.” 

“I do.” He didn’t bother to clarify which he meant since he couldn’t take his eyes off her. She hadn’t changed at all. Her brown hair was still shoulder length, cut to frame her oval face, the ends flipped under. Same lovely brown eyes. Same pert nose. She had on a short bronze-colored raincoat over her preferred stretch jeans and tennis shoes. Well, he amended to himself, at least she wasn’t soaking wet now. No! Bad memory! 

She could see he was scrutinizing her face. Did he remember? Beth cleared her throat, which was very dry at the moment.  “I think we need to clear up something if we might possibly work together.”  She looked over at Tom Sawyer’s Island, not meeting his intense look.  “It’s been a long time....” 

“Five years.” He hadn’t realized he had spoken out loud. 

At the mumbled words, she felt something inside thaw a little.  He knew?  Thrown a bit, she had to start over. “It’s been a long time, and I want to know something about that day.” 

He didn’t have to ask which day she meant. He shifted uneasily to lean into the railing, some ducks swimming by apparently capturing his attention.  “I was hoping we could get past that.  You know, water under the bridge.”  He knew that tactic wouldn’t work. 

“Lot of water,” Beth mumbled.  “You got me fired.” Then she waited for him to say something, something he hadn’t said on that fateful day.  Something he hadn’t said any time since.  Adam, say ‘I’m sorry.’  Tell me you were wrong. 

When he didn’t make any reply and shifted his attention to the Mark Twain chugging by, she continued, hurt by his silence.  “Do you realize how much that position meant to me?  I was the first, heck, I was the only female Keel Boat pilot in any of the Parks.  And I was good, Adam. I was darned good!”  She gave a little ironic laugh.  “You should know.  You helped me improve the spiel.”  Beth paused to get her voice back to normal, marshalling her emotions. She refused to cry. She had done enough of that in the months that had followed that awful day. “I still don’t realize exactly what happened, why I fell into the River.  Everything was normal.  I was pushing the boat into the river with the shove stick.  Bertha Mae’s nose was far enough out to start the trip.  And then I...I was in the River.  You jumped in—why, I don’t know—to save me? I got fouled up with the stick and the tie rope and you.”  She paused, her cheeks suddenly flushed red with her still-vivid memory. “My shirt came half off.  People were snapping pictures, laughing at me.  You were, like, wrestling with me for some reason.  Then a Suit showed up—probably because some Raft guy radioed that a worker was in the water.  You disappeared under the Dock.  I got pulled out of the River by Pete and the Suit.  Got hauled to the area office.  Dressed down for nearly stripping in view of the guests!  Fired on the spot.  And,” she finished, struggling with it all, “banned from the Park for three years.” 

“I didn’t know you were banned.” His comment seemed to be addressed to the ducks that bobbed in the wake of the steamship.  

Her hands came down on the railing with a loud smack.  “That’s all you can say?!  That I was banned?  Not that I was fired?  Not that I was in line for promotion?  Not that you didn’t stick up for me?  What happened to you?!” 

Adam was silent for a long time.  Because everything got out of control so quickly.  Because I didn’t think about the consequences.  Because I was going to propose to you before I helped you out of the water.  Because you were so angry and hurt beyond anything I had ever seen.  Because I didn‘t know how to fix it. He finally managed to say something out loud. “I don’t know what I can say.  They would have thrown me out of the Park too.” 

“Isn’t it possible that I wouldn’t have gotten fired if you had helped explain it was an accident?”  Say it, Adam, say you’re sorry. When Beth realized he wasn’t going to say anything else, she sighed. It seemed nothing on his side had changed. There was no point beating a dead horse. He apparently wasn’t going to tell her what she desperately needed and wanted to hear. With a hurt nod of her head, she gave up and asked something else. “How did you get out of it?  You were in the River too.” 

“They didn’t see me.  They were too focused on your, uhm, chest.” 

Beth blushed again and then slowly shook her head side to side, an uncomfortable smile on her face.  “You know how many photo albums I’m probably in around the world?” 

He managed a little laugh. He glanced sideways at her. “Three year ban, huh?” 

She nodded.  “Usually for the charge of ‘indecent exposure’ as they termed it, means a ban for life.” 

“And yet here you are, Captain.” 

“Obviously,” Beth added dryly. “They relented a little after I asked them to review my past employment history and flawless record.”  She didn’t add the part about the uncontrolled sobbing she had broken into when told she was fired and banned for life. 

With a frustrated groan, she turned and punched him in the arm.  Hard.  He realized she was still as strong as she had been when she needed to push the nose of the Keel Boat away from the landing dock. 

“Feel better?” He had to restrain from rubbing his aching arm. 

She laughed. It was the first honest laugh he had heard since Lance deserted them.  He could tell she was relenting a little. “Actually, a couple more punches would make me feel a lot better.” She sighed and shook her head at the conflicting emotions that churned inside. “You know, you could at least have had the decency to go fat and bald since the last time I saw you.”

He just chuckled softly.

She was quiet for a few minutes. “They had me followed the first time I came back to the Park.” 

“Really?  Was it a Suit or Security?” 

Beth smiled at the memory.  “Al.” 

“Al?  Was he still working then?  Gosh, he had to be 100 years old.  How’d you know he was following you?” 

She gave him a sarcastic look. “It was Al.  He never was very subtle.  I doubt he would’ve had much of a career with the CIA.”

“How long did it take you to notice you were being followed?” 

“All of five minutes.  He was there before I got to the end of Main Street.  I guess they wanted to make sure I wasn’t going to expose myself to the kiddies again.  But, I took it easy on him.  Had lunch at the Golden Horseshoe because I knew he liked the show and get off his feet for an hour.” 

Adam nodded and smiled.  That was just like Beth to think of the comfort of an old man rather than the indignity of being followed.   

“So, have you said yes yet?” The intrusion of Lance’s voice startled them both.  They took a step farther away from each other. 

“We haven’t gotten that far.” Adam heard himself snap at his friend, for some reason irritated that Lance was back. 

Lance ignored him and took Beth by the arm. “Well, you’ve talked so long the rain has finally stopped. Come on, Captain, let’s go ride the Bobsleds.” 

She pulled free with a laugh.  “You’ve got to be kidding!  I ain’t sitting in your lap again!” 

He wiggled his eyebrows. “Could be fun.” 

“No, thanks. I tried that once, remember? I still don’t know how you got your hands up....” She broke off when she saw the wicked grin on Lance’s face and the frown on Adam’s. “Never mind,” she mumbled, red-faced. 

“Hey, Adam, did you get to the part about your costume collection?” Lance had noticed the sour expression on Adam’s face since he rejoined them and decided to stir the pot a little more. 

Adam silently winced and cursed Lance in the same breath.  That had been Beth’s goal—to collect a costume from every ride.  She would have been able to do it if she hadn’t gotten fired.  He could feel her eyes burning into him as he glared at Lance, willing him to shut up.  Lance calmly smiled back at him, rocking back and forth on his heels.   

“Yeah, well, I, uh, kept in touch with some of your old friends from here….” Adam broke off at the accusing look on her face.  She hadn’t been allowed to keep in touch with her old friends. “Listen, I think we need to get to the point of all of this.” 

“Yes, Adam, I think you’re right.” Lance gave a tug on her arm to distract her.  “We’re going to go ride Mansion.  There isn’t any line right now.” 

“The sun’s out. Obviously.” Beth was glad for the break in the tension. She folded up the red and black umbrella, stashed it in her purse and walked off with Lance.  Adam wondered what Lance was up to when he saw their heads go together as they neared the entrance. She suddenly roared with laughter. Adam sighed as he followed them up the walkway to the ornate front porch of the Haunted Mansion. He had a long ways to go. 

There were only about twenty-five people in the Stretching Room, the expanding room within the foyer of the Haunted Mansion. Beth stood between Lance and Adam in the middle as everyone looked up at the elongating portraits that adorned each wall. The lights came back on as the hidden doors opened into the Portrait Gallery. As Beth waited to exit, she looked to her right and noticed Lance wasn’t with them.  He had, in fact, ducked out through a hidden cast member’s door with one of the female Ghostess cast members and went to the French Market for lunch.  After waiting a couple of minutes in the Gallery to see if he would rejoin them, the remaining twosome got into a Doom Buggy that would take them through the Haunted Mansion.   

It was then that Adam started his explanation as to why he needed her help.

The next day, Beth hesitated outside of Adam’s apartment—the same apartment she had often visited when they were dating. She tried to still her pounding heart, wiping her sweaty palms down the leg of her jeans. Come on, girl, you can do this. You’ve already seen him. The worst is over….

Shaking away the images of the past, she rang the bell. Two male voices called out, “I’ll get it,” then she heard a scuffling, a muttered oath, and Lance flung open the door while Adam scowled at him a few paces back.

“Bon jour, Captain, come on in.” Lance extended his hand to her, gallantly taking her arm as she entered the apartment.

She couldn’t help but notice Adam’s sour expression. “Did I miss something?”

Lance was all innocence. “No, no, you’re right on time.”

Grunting something about “his apartment,” Adam stormed back to his paper-covered desk.

“You want to see it?” Lance steered Beth to the far side of the apartment, her arm still tucked in his.

She didn’t need to ask what ‘it’ was. The dread of being back in Adam’s apartment and in his vicinity was overtaken by excitement: Excitement of a new discovery. Excitement of a possibly priceless piece of history. She wanted to see for herself what Adam had explained to her the day before at Disneyland.

Adam could see the gleam in Beth’s eyes as she looked at the small black book in his hands. She pulled away from Lance’s grasp and reached out to touch the cover with a finger. “That’s it, huh?”

He couldn’t resist. “Obviously, Captain,” as he handed it to her.

She didn’t seem to hear him. She turned it over in her hands to examine the front and back. Adam noticed she didn’t even look up as she went from the desk to the sofa, unconsciously walking around the armchair without even seeing it. She almost sat in Lance’s lap. Both men were silent, giving Beth her moment with the diary. She carefully opened the cover, found the first page with writing and began reading. The men watched her lips moving as she silently read the words they had already memorized. When she paled, they looked at each other with a grin. She was hooked. They now knew they had her help.

She read it again, more quickly this time. She found the glued pages in the back and the secret compartment. Then she tried to count the number of missing pages in the front. Murmuring, “can’t tell,” she sat there staring into space.

“What are you thinking?” Adam’s voice was like a foghorn to her.

“What?” Beth snapped back to the present, looking at him.

“I wondered what you thought of it.” He studied her face, seeing her wide eyes and heightened color.

“This is amazing. Have you had it authenticated?”

Lance and Adam exchanged an uneasy look. Lance answered in carefully chosen words. “We thought it best to keep it to ourselves at this point. We’ve followed the clues as far as we could. When we got stuck, we called you.”

Excited and unable to sit still, Beth paced around the room. “You said you found it in Walt’s apartment?”

“Yeah, during the Mouse Adventure race.”

“And no one saw you?”

Adam looked at Lance with a smirk. “Seems the cast member on duty couldn’t keep her eyes off Pretty Boy Floyd here. For once that came in handy.”

Unperturbed by Adam’s gibe, Lance just smiled. “Wendy.” At Beth’s blank look, he added, “She was the cast member. We had dinner a couple of weeks ago.”

She had to laugh at that and fondly shook her head side to side. “I’m sure you did. You’re too much!”

“What?” Lance gave a shrug. “You know I still love you the best.”

“Focus, people.” Before Lance could expound on his declaration, Adam had to cut in. “Considering where I found it, and how I found it, we decided to keep quiet. There was an article in the paper saying they’ve closed Walt’s apartment to the public now that there’s an investigation going on.”

Beth’s mouth fell open. “That was you two!!?? Oh my gosh. I saw that article. You did that? You destroyed the ancient shrine?”

“It was four lousy stitches in the back of a stinking cushion, for crying out loud!” Adam threw up his hands in protest. “Well, maybe eight.... But, they made it sound like we tore up the carpet and threw the sofa out the window. Heck, they aren’t even sure it happened during the Race.”

“Doesn’t matter. They’ll tar and feather you if they find out.” She looked from Adam’s red face to Lance. “And this Wendy didn’t suspect you guys?”

For the first time, he managed to look a little embarrassed. “Uh, no. She didn’t even remember Adam being there. She just remembers me.”

She knew enough about Adam and his pride not to laugh. “Well, that’s good. Wow, this is amazing.” Getting her mind back on the find, she excitedly started to pace through the room again. Stopping abruptly at the kitchen table which held Adam’s home-made model of Fantasyland, she pointed at the Matterhorn. “How old are these mashed potatoes?”

Adam looked up from the paperwork and clues he was organizing to show her what they had accomplished so far. “What? I don’t know. You hungry?”

Beth just shook her head and moved away. Returning to the wall next to the front door, she stopped to examine something. She took an eight by ten inch picture off of the wall, staring at it. Lance watched her study the picture, turning it this way and that to watch the light play over the photo. Adam was engrossed in what he was doing and didn’t notice. “So, how do you know the diary is authentic?”

Lance could see a familiar light in her eyes and waited for Adam to answer since she looked at Adam, not him.

Distracted, Adam looked up from what he was doing. He saw Beth held his autographed photo of Walt. Taken at the Burbank studio, it was an informal black and white shot, signed ‘To Georgie, Thanks for all your help! Walt.’ She wouldn’t have seen it before because it was one-of-a-kind. There was a hint of smugness as he shuffled through some of their notes, making a cross-reference in the margin. “Oh, I just know. I, uh, consider myself something of an expert.”

“Ah.” Putting the picture carefully back on the nail in the wall, she moved over to the trophy case filled with his cast member nametag collection from around the Disney world. She had gotten him started on that collection. They had had plans to travel to all the Disney Parks and fill in the missing tags. It didn’t take her long to notice her nametag was gone from the box. Batting down a sharp wave of hurt and remembrance, she hurried over to the huge ‘40 Years of Adventure’ Park map he had tacked up next to the trophy case. This was safer emotional territory. Beth had to clear her throat before she could speak. “Adam, do you still keep all your receipts?”

Adam looked up from the diary, frowning. “My what? Receipts?” He shrugged. His attention was only half there. “Yeah, I guess. Why?”

Lance had been unnaturally silent through all this, watching them as if he was at a tennis match. He took a swig of his soda, feet propped up on what he assumed was a coffee table and waited. Knowing Beth, he figured this would be good.

Moving casually, she walked over to Adam’s desk and took the diary from his hands. “Just wondered.… You are right, you know.”

Adam just looked expectedly at her and waited.

Beth waved the diary and then placed it reverently back on the desk. “This,” indicating the black book, “is real.” She walked back to the signed photo of Walt. “This.… well, this is worth about $9.00.”

Lance choked on his next swallow and started coughing. He knew Adam was proud of the fact that he won that picture in an auction for just under $3000. Adam’s mouth dropped open to protest and then it abruptly closed. It opened again, but he couldn’t say anything. He knew she meant it. And, more importantly, deep down, he knew she was right.

She moved over to Lance, helpfully pounding him on his back as he tried to stop choking and laughing. When he asked her to move her hand “lower, lower, a little more,” Beth suddenly realized she was almost patting his behind. She gave him ‘The Look’ and stopped. He just grinned and shrugged. “Worth a try.”

“Pampered Poodle,” she shot at him.

“Prima Donna.”

“Playboy.”

Adam, still staring at her in shock, automatically mumbled, “Will you two knock it off?”

She went back to Adam’s desk and reached for the pile of clues they had deciphered. After looking over the various bits of treasure and memorabilia they had collected, she gazed longingly at the Conductor’s button. She had been trying to win one through an online auction. At her request Adam walked her through the steps he and Lance had taken to solve the clues and the places they had gone. As she pictured it in her mind, she nodded throughout his explanation. “Very good. Wow, you’ve been to a lot of places I would like to see. Like Marceline.”

“Yeah, they were fascinating. But then we get to this clue and we are stymied.”

Beth looked at the ancient coin, holding it up by the chain Lance had attached and let it slowly twist in front of her. “Any idea what the other half looks like? Have you found anything similar in your research?” At their negative reply, she took the folded clue and carefully opened it. She went through the same process they had used since their first paper clue in Kansas City. Yes, the paper matched the diary paper. One edge was rough, showing it has been ripped from the book. Yes, the ink and the handwriting matched. ‘Ride the cab to see the cup and walk 20 paces N. Sometimes my heart is like an island. Look for Jeremy B. He has the other half.’

“Sounds like Walt was getting a little poetic here.” With a soft smile, she was still unable to believe she was holding in her hands something actually written by Walt Disney himself. Pacing the room as she thought, she ended up at the desk to look at all the other clues. She finally shook her head. “You know what? I need some time to process everything you’ve shown me. I’m a little overwhelmed right now. There’s so much to think about.”

Adam looked up from his work in surprise. He somehow expected her to snap her fingers and lead them to the right destination. “You want to leave?” He sounded a little desperate. Now that she was here, he didn’t want her to go. Ever.

“I guess I’m hungry.” With a grimace, she looked over at the kitchen table and the mashed potato Matterhorn. “Why don’t we go out for lunch?”

Always ready, Lance immediately bounded off the sofa and shoved Beth’s purse into her hands. “I’ll drive.” He took her arm and herded her towards the door.

“You still have your Benz?”

“The black one?”

“Yeah.”

“No, I traded it in.”

She looked disappointed. “Aww, I liked that car. What’d you get?”

He smiled at her. “A Benz.”

“What color?”

“Black.”

She started laughing as they headed for the street. Silent during the friendly banter, Adam got in the back seat.

“So, where do you want to eat?” Lance checked the side mirror as the car pulled away from the curb.

“I don’t care.” Beth gave a shrug.

“No, really. Where do you want to eat?”

“I…don’t…care,” she answered again, very slowly.

“And just where is ‘I Don’t Care’?”

“Right across the street from ‘I Don’t Give a Darn’. Of course, ‘I Don’t Care’ is a lot more popular than ‘I Don’t Give a Darn’.”

“I suppose it would be.” With a laugh, Lance pulled into an expensive French bistro. When he saw her hesitation, he patted her hand. “My treat, sweetheart.”

“No, we can’t. It’s too expensive, Lance. Adam, back me up here.”

Adam slammed his door shut with more force than necessary. “He said it’s his treat, Beth.” He then made a lunge to open her door to hand her out, beating Lance by seconds.

She smiled her thanks to Lance. “Trust Fund Brat.”

He held the bistro door open for them. “You’re welcome.”

All through lunch they discussed the clues and how the men had arrived at their solutions. When they told her what they had done in San Francisco, Beth got really quiet. “That’s pretty serious, guys.”

Lance and Adam exchanged a look. “We know.” Adam expelled a long breath. “We also agreed never to do anything like that again.”

“Adam doesn’t know this yet, but we made the San Francisco Chronicle.” With a hidden smile, he noticed Adam’s face go pale. “Well, ‘we’ didn’t make the paper.” Lance stopped to take a drink just to make Adam wait longer. “The article said ‘two bungling burglars’ broke into a warehouse but didn’t manage to steal anything. It reported there were ropes left behind—which you still owe me $100 for, by the way—and a grappling hook, but nothing was taken. The owners couldn’t believe it, considering how valuable everything was. All they could find misplaced inside was one little screw. They are getting a new security system, by the way, in case you want to go back.”

“Bungling burglars!” Mouth open, Adam could only sputter. “We…we didn’t bungle anything!”

“I think you’re missing the point, Adam,” Lance said as if he were talking to a slow child, “we are not in trouble and we are not suspected. And nothing was harmed.”

It took a moment for that to sink in. Once Adam was finally appeased, they could refocus on the last clue which had the men stumped.

Beth took the lead in getting the discussion back on track. “To me, there’s no doubt it refers to Disneyland and riding the Skyway to see the Mad Tea Party. But, you didn’t have to ride the Skyway to see that.”

“True.” Adam paused to organize his thoughts so he could explain as he thought he saw it. “But it seems to me like we’re going on a journey with Walt. We’ve gone to all these places in his history. I think he wants us to really appreciate his life and his work, like Disneyland. That’s just as important to him as getting to the final destination—wherever that is.”

She nodded, taking a final sip of the buttery Chardonnay Lance had ordered with lunch. It was from Fess Parker’s Vineyard, Marcella’s Reserve, 1999. “Seemed appropriate.”

“And you went twenty paces north, which was....”

“Storybook Land Canal Boats.” Lance gave a disgusted groan. “We’ve ridden that silly ride a dozen times now. I can’t take it one more time!” He paid the bill and they headed for his car.

“Did you take into account that some of the houses are in different places now? Like Toad Hall used to be where Aladdin’s Palace is.”

“Yeah, I tried that too, but nothing. I just don’t see what he apparently wants us to see.”

“You made a model of Fantasyland.” Beth grimaced, thinking about Adam’s Matterhorn. “Do you also have the locations of everything in the Canal Boats?”

“Well, I started taking pictures of all the houses when Lance started whining.”

“Hey, man, I rode it twelve times. There is a limit.”

Beth thought it all over. “Well, I’d like to see those pictures—in order. Something doesn’t add up.”

“We even snuck up to the old Skyway Chalet in Fantasyland to get a bird’s eye view of the run all the way to the Matterhorn.”

She looked envious. “Aww, I’d love to see that again! I miss that ride.”

“We almost got caught.”

“Oh, really? What happened? You charm your way out?” Beth smiled fondly up at Lance.

Adam choked out a laugh. “It was a guy cast member this time. But, yes, he did. I told you, Brentwood, you’re just too pretty.”

This time Lance was embarrassed. “Never mind that. We didn’t get thrown out and that’s what’s important.” He just kept his eyes on the road as he drove.

When they got back to Adam’s apartment, Beth went straight to his Fantasyland display. She shook her head at the Matterhorn. “Ever hear of Styrofoam?”

“Didn’t have any.”

Looking at the coffee mug, she knew that would be the Tea Cup Ride. The rubber ducky (an old joke present from herself) proved to be the Storybook Land Canal Boats. A silver foil horse-like shape was the Carrousel. Beth picked up a small picture of Lance. “What’s this? Prince Charming from Sleeping Beauty’s Castle?”

“That would be Prince Phillip from Sleeping Beauty’s Castle, but no. It represents Dumbo.” It was Adam’s turn to have a smug grin.

“Boys, boys, boys,” she muttered as she looked over at the map on the wall. “I don’t see why you built the model when you have the map.”

“To get a better feel of it.”

Beth nodded. “Makes sense.” For Adam, she added silently. She went over to the map and looked from it to his model. “What year is this map?”

“It says 40th anniversary right on it. You should know that would be 1995, Captain. That much is obvious.”

Deep in thought, she didn’t reply. Yes, that was obvious. But something about it wasn’t right. Yes, the map was right. For 1995. But it wasn’t right for today, 2002, as some attractions had changed. His model was right. For 1995 and for now. But something just wasn’t right. She was missing something. The key.

But, what was the key?

Sighing in frustration, she went back to the diary and just stared at it. It was old, cracked with age. More age than the map showed. The age of the two items didn’t match. The map was wrong for the diary. The diary had to have been written around 1964 or 1965. It had to be…the map. The map needed to be older.

“What are you thinking?” Adam tried to break into her concentration as he watched her move from the desk to the kitchen table, hands on her hips as she ignored him. She picked up the foil horse and moved it to the left. “Hey!” he objected, “I have that just right.” Then she moved the picture of Lance up where Adam had put the horse. He stopped when he saw she wasn’t listening. She picked up the coffee mug and looked at it. A smile slowly spread over her face as she put the mug to the left of where the picture had been.

Beth then stood back, her confident smile fading. No, that wasn’t right either. “Adam, can I use your computer a minute?” She walked around Lance who was behind her watching.

Adam was staring at what she had done to his model. “Sure. You know where it is.… Why did you mess up my model? I don’t see.…” He stopped complaining as he stared at what she had done, arriving at the same conclusion Beth had a moment earlier. “Oh, shoot, that’s it! The rides were moved,” he muttered. “I never even thought of that.” He looked up at Lance, a wide grin on his face. “The rides were moved! Brilliant!”

Over at his desk, she nodded but didn’t answer. She was accessing a favorite website that had pictures of the old Fantasyland. “Here!” The excitement in her voice was evident. “Look!” When the men gathered around her, she pointed at the picture of the Tea Cups. They were close to the current location of the Carrousel. Dumbo was pushed back further to the side. There was a large pirate ship in the spot where Dumbo now sits, next to the Canal Boats.

Adam had the Tea Cups on the wrong side of Fantasyland.

She went back to the table and rearranged Adam’s items one final time. “There. Now that’s the way Walt would have seen it.”

Adam stared at it. “And twenty paces north of the Tea Cups would be the….”

“Chicken of the Sea Pirate Ship,” Lance finished for him. “We didn’t have to ride the Canal boats at all. Dang it!”

Adam beamed at her. “That’s why we hired you, Captain!”

Beth was pleased with herself, too. They were one step closer. Closer to what, they didn’t know. But they were closer.

“So, what does Captain Hook’s ship have to do with all of this? Do we need to ride Peter Pan now?” Lance gave another groan.

“Aw, I love that ride.” Still looking at Adam’s model, she sighed. “Do you think we need another trip to the Park?”

Lance threw himself on the sofa. “Well, I ain’t riding the Canal boats again.”

“I don’t think we need to, Lance. Can I see the clue, please?”

Adam got it from his desk and handed it to Beth. “What do you think? Do we need to concentrate on the island part now, or finding a Jeremy B.?”

“Not sure,” she answered slowly. “What islands are involved with Peter Pan?”

“Just Neverland, the island of the Lost Boys and Captain Hook.” Lance was stretched out on the sofa, head back on the pillows.

“And the Mermaid Lagoon and Tinker Bell,” she counted off. “Plus, the story was set in England.”

Adam shook his head. “I don’t see any of that as a logical setting for a next clue. We already searched for an Imagineer named Jeremy something-with-a-B, but couldn’t find anyone.”

“Maybe it’s the pirate ship.” Lance’s words were muffled by a yawn. He was almost asleep.

She looked at Adam. “We need to go to the Park. I think we should ride both Peter Pan and Pirates of the Caribbean.”

“Pirates?” Adam was surprised. He hadn’t even considered that ride. “But Pirates wasn’t finished when all this took place.” His wide gesture took in all the clues and the treasures they had found already.

“I know, but Walt was well into the planning stages. It was the next Big Thing for the Park.” Beth shrugged. “I don’t know. But I think we should at least check it out.”

“Do you want to go now? How late is the Park open today?” Adam glanced down at his watch and saw it was only 2:45 p.m.

Her former cast member training kicked in. “The Park is open until 11 tonight. California Adventure closes at 10:00. Fantasmic starts at 9:00. The fireworks will begin at 9:45.” She broke off at the amused look they were giving her and turned red. “Sorry. It all came back to me.”

Using their Annual Passes, they once again entered Disneyland. Adam and Lance kept their faces averted as they passed the Fire House and Walt’s Apartment.

“Jumpy, guys?” Beth saw their nerves and had to tease. “Want to go say hi to Wendy?”

Adam walked a little faster. “The only Wendy I want to see is waiting inside Peter Pan.”

They went straight down Main Street and walked through the Castle. Turning right in the Fantasyland Courtyard, they got in line for Peter Pan. This ride was the most popular of the dark rides—the group of rides that employed the use of black lights to brightly illuminate the painted scenes. Because of the phosphorescent paint, the non-painted areas of the rides remained dark, hence the name dark rides. They had to wait twenty minutes before climbing into their pirate ship with an orange and black sail. It was a tight fit for three adults in a single padded seat as the lap bar was pulled down over their legs. The ride whisked them up into the air and through an open window to see the Darlings’ nursery below them. Nana the dog stood guard as Wendy read a story to John and Michael. The shadow of Peter Pan greeted them with the familiar voice: “Come on, everybody! Here we go!” Sailing out of the nursery, they had a bird’s-eye view of the busy streets of London as they circled Big Ben. The words of the song “You Can Fly” played softly in the background. The sky around them was moon-lit, filled with stars.

Their pirate ship banked around a corner for their first glimpse of Neverland. The whole island was laid out below them. They could see Capt. Hook’s pirate ship floating in the lagoon; the Indian Village had smoke coming up from the teepees. Even the volcanoes were steaming as they rounded the side of the island to see a rainbow over Mermaid Lagoon.

Next, they were flying into the sword fight between Capt. Hook and Peter Pan. The Darling boys were tied to the mast of the ship and guarded by Mr. Smee while Wendy bravely walked the plank.

The ship now went into a dive straight toward Tiger Lily who was tied up in the water below. Just in time, their pirate ship veered left to go past her father’s village. They found Capt. Hook’s ship had turned to gold with help from Tinker Bell’s pixie dust and Peter Pan was steering them toward home. “Second star to the right and straight on ‘til morning.” The trio swung past Captain Hook trying desperately not to fall in the Crocodile’s open mouth while Mr. Smee ineffectively tried to row his boat closer. A left turn took them past Mermaid Lagoon, Peter’s ship left a trail of golden pixie dust behind in the sky overhead. And the ride was over.

They now stood outside the exit gate. Across the way, King Arthur’s Carrousel was making its rounds. Merlin the Wizard was surrounded by a large crowd as he chose a youngster to pull the sword from the stone. Adam put a restraining hand on Lance’s arm before he could head over there.

“So, what do you think? Any ideas?”

Beth gave Adam a dreamy sigh. “I love that ride.”

“Not what I meant….”

Lance interrupted Adam’s line of thought. “Hey, Beth, did you know there’s a Lead Horse on the Carrousel?”

“You mean Jingles?”

His face fell. “Oh, that’s right. I forgot you worked here.”

“Back to today, people.” Adam tried again. “This is like herding mercury.”

The other two gave him a blank look.

“Never mind. Did either of you see anything that could actually help?”

A large cheer went up from the Sword and Lance started to edge over that way.

“Brentwood! We’re getting in line again. Come on.”

Barely stifling a groan, Lance joined them in the queue. Beth suggested they look at the building blocks on the floor of the nursery. Adam was going to look for any patterns in the traffic on the London streets and examine the pirate ship fight. Lance was assigned to study Neverland for any discrepancies and volunteered that he would be more than happy to study the mermaids more closely.

When they finished riding a second time, Beth had seen the word Disney spelled out in the blocks. Adam and Lance had seen nothing of any importance that would help.

Adam was determined. “One more time around. Beth, you take Neverland. Lance gets the nursery and the Indian Village. I’ll take the rest.”

Beth cheerfully got back in line. Lance walked like he had twenty-pound weights on his shoes.

“Spoiled brat.” Beth aimed her barb at the whiny Lance.

“Perky Penny.”

“Whiner.”

“Slave Driver.” Lance warmed up to her challenge and fired back his response.

“Loafer.”

“Task Master.”

Adam thought seriously about buying a gun as the two of them kept up their favorite game through the entire queue. The same cast member who had loaded them two times before looked at them oddly as she lowered their safety bar again.

Using a falsetto voice, Lance explained, “She just loves this ride,” as the pirate ship lifted them from her view.

Once more they looked in vain for some clue to help them out. Once again, they found themselves standing outside the exit.

Lance was the first to say it. “I really don’t think there’s anything here to find. And I AM NOT going to ride it nine more times to come to the same conclusion.”

“I agree with Lance.” Beth looked around Fantasyland. “From what you’ve shown me, none of the clues were situated in one spot very long. My opinion is that Fantasyland is done. I think we need to go to Pirates.”

“Ok, I’ll go along with that. Lance, you agree with Pirates?”

He gave a fake deep sigh and said, “I just love that ride,” in the same falsetto.

Beth punched him in the arm. “Can we ride Storybook Land? I haven’t been on that in years!”

“No, no! I apologize! You know I love you, Beth dear, but if I have to go on that ride one more time I swear I’ll kill Adam.”

Adam was halfway hoping she would rush to his defense—to state that she couldn’t live without him. Instead, she looked as if she was thinking it over. “Thank you very much.” With a huff he strode off through the castle and headed toward New Orleans Square.

Behind Adam’s back, Beth winked at Lance. With a shared silent laugh, they followed their intrepid leader.

It was nearing dinner time at the Park. The lines became shorter as the guests started thinking about the restaurants or the snack stands. After a short ten minute wait, they were ushered into the five-row flat-bottom boat that would take them through the world of the Pirates of the Caribbean. They didn’t have any preset ideas on what to look for yet. Adam was on the outside left end, Lance in the middle, and Beth on the other end of their seat. She ducked her face into Lance’s side as they splashed down the first waterfall to keep from getting wet. His arm went around her shoulder and stayed there even after the second, shorter fall. For the most part, they were silent on this first time through the ride. They studied the skeletons at the Bar Scene. Lance did ask Beth if she had an outfit like the girl in the painting that hung over the bar. The girl was a stunning red-head wearing only a pirate hat, eye patch, short skirt, sword, and tall boots. Her long hair hung down and covered her bare chest. Red-faced, Beth didn’t answer. Adam silently answered to himself yes she does… well, except for the sword, and then wished he hadn’t remembered.

They sailed slowly past the Captain’s Quarters, invisible ghostly fingers playing “A Pirate’s Life for Me” on the white harpsichord. As they viewed the Treasure Room, Lance thought how much fun it would be to get off and play in all the gold and riches. A dark, misty tunnel warned them that “Dead men tell no tales” and deposited the riders in the middle of a gun battle between a full-size pirate ship and a Caribbean fort. Hidden air cannons made it feel like real cannon balls were whizzing by overhead. Geysers of water shot up all around the floating boatload of people. Once past the cannon fire, their boat floated into a town filled with audio-animatronic people and pirates. They studied the scene where the mayor of the town was getting a dunking in the well while several prisoners shakily awaited their turn. A group of village women were being auctioned off in the next scene with a stunning red-head attracting all the attention of the drunken pirates doing the bidding. The ransacked town was next, with the happy, singing pirates doing their rendition of “A Pirate’s Life for Me”. The jail scene followed, leading into the burning building and the drunken pirates shooting at each other amid piles of ammunition, dynamite and boxes stenciled TNT. A steep ninety-foot waterfall carried their boat upward against the current, the pull-chain clanking beneath the boat. They bumped quietly around the entrance island with its squawking parrot and treasure map.

Knowing what Adam would want next, Beth and Lance headed back to the entrance to get in line again. There were even fewer people waiting now. Beth indicated the treasure map at the entrance when they walked past it. “That’s a new addition, isn’t it?”

Adam nodded. “Yes, but it wouldn’t have been there at the time we’re interested in.” They were almost at their boat already. “Any thoughts, you two?”

Lance just shook his head as Beth sighed, “There’s so much to consider. I’ll concentrate on the island part of the clue.”

Adam nodded and got in their boat next to Beth. Lance climbed in last, leaning back towards the edge of the boat. He considered resting his legs across Adam’s knees, but figured that wouldn’t go over very well. Their boat started off with the familiar head-snapping jerk and settled into the dark, murky water surrounded by simulated willow trees and realistic-looking fireflies that darted above the tranquil waters.

Even though the riders were warned to “Keep hands and arms inside the boat at all times,” Lance trailed a finger in the water as they slid past the houseboats.  The Blue Bayou Restaurant was still setting up for dinner, the clink of silverware mixing with the sounds of croaking frogs and banjo music.  A full moon peeked through wispy clouds as the boat left the pleasant sights and sounds behind them and entered the mysterious waterway that led to the first waterfall. 

Beth was first to break the silence. “I’m sure it can’t be in the bayous of Louisiana.  I don’t think Walt ever went there.”

“The mayor of New Orleans did come for the dedication and opening of New Orleans Square,” Adam reasoned.

“True, but I don’t see how that would relate to the clue.”

“What about the front of the building, the façade?” Getting drowsy, Lance’s question was asked around a yawn.

“What about it?”

“Oh, I thought you knew. It was partly inspired by the Cabildo Building in New Orleans. Jackson Square.”

“Ok.” Adam had to prompt Lance when he fell silent. “What else? Anything we need to know about that building?”

Lance shrugged. “I don’t know. The Louisiana Purchase transfer ceremonies were held there in 1803.”

Beth gave a mock dramatic intake of breath. “You mean Walt left us Louisiana!!??”

“Well, that and Arkansas, Missouri, Iowa, Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, most of North Dakota, and part of Minnesota, New Mexico, Texas, Montana, Wyoming, and Colorado,” Lance counted off.

“Nice treasure.”

“You left out South Dakota,” Adam added dryly.

“I did?” Lance started over, counting back on his fingers. “Wow, you’re right. Hmph.”

Beth gave a little laugh. “I keep forgetting you two actually went to college.”

“I did minor in History,” Lance sniffed.

“Same college. Same fraternity.”

Beth smiled at Adam’s reminder. “Oh, yes, how could I forget? Frat Dumba Dumba Guys.”

Adam let that pass. Man, I’ve missed her.

The slow journey again took them past the grotto, the bar, the Captain’s quarters, the treasure cave.  Nothing gave them any inspiration.  As they sailed through the fight between the ship and the fort, the guys debated the actual words heard in the dark passage they had just gone through. Beth’s voice broke into the on-going discussion—the discussion that was beginning to irritate the other passengers around them.  “You do know the fort is patterned after Puerto Rico, right?”  Beth looked over at them fully expecting to hear the now-familiar, “Of course, Captain.”  But it never came. 

“What’d you say?” Adam cut off Lance’s spirited rendition of the ghostly voice: “Perhaps he knows too much. He’s seen the cursed treasure. He knows….” 

“I said the fort is like the one I saw in Puerto Rico.” 

His eyes narrowed.  “When were you in Puerto Rico?”  Even in the darkness he could see the blush mount her cheeks.  She turned to face the bidders of the auction scene and coughed.  He thought he heard the word “moon” somewhere in that cough.  “Pardon?” 

Beth rolled her eyes and faced forward.  “I said I saw it on a honeymoon cruise.” 

“A honeymoon cruise, or your honeymoon cruise?” Adams’ words came out as demanding as his glance fell to her left hand, but she had tucked it into her pocket. 

“My honeymoon cruise,” she mumbled. 

Before Adam could react, Lance leaned over the top of him, pushing him back, to give her a hug.  “Hey!  Wow, congrats, Captain! I didn’t know.” 

If possible, she looked even more embarrassed.  “Yeah, well, that was years ago.” 

“You’re married.” Adam’s spoke as a definite statement, strangely calm considering the sudden pounding of his heart. 

“Was married.” Beth slapped away Lance’s hands as a disembodied—but very human—voice came over the hidden speakers for everyone to ‘remain seated, please.’  “Can we get back to Puerto Rico, please?” 

“What happened, Captain?” Lance was genuinely concerned, not just nosey. 

She looked at the burning town around them.  Apropos.  He wasn’t Adam.  Resigned, she knew she would have to tell them something. “He decided he didn’t like being married to me and told me—with some regularity—to get out.” 

“And you did.” 

Beth nodded. “After about six months of trying to make it work.”  She tried to change the focus.  “But, hey, I got to keep my car.” 

“Oh, cool.” Lance was leaning over the top of Adam again. “What did you get?” 

“Lance, who cares about a car!” Adam’s snap came over the top of Beth’s, “Thunderbird.” 

Ignoring him, Lance asked, “The big one?” 

“No way. The two-door.” 

“Nice!” 

Adam leaned his head against the back rail and groaned.  Lance was practically in his lap again. 

“’55?”

“’57.”

“What color?” 

“Thunderbird Bronze.” 

“Porthole?” 

“Of course.” 

“Rag top?” 

“Duh.” 

“Stick?” 

“Automatic.” 

“Lazy,” Lance snorted.  “Can I drive her?” 

“No!”

“Please exit to your right.” The three friends looked up in surprise at the cast member. Their boat had stopped between the waiting guests on their left and the exit on their right. First to react, Lance climbed over the still-seated Adam to grab Beth’s arm.  “Sorry about the jerk, Captain.” His words were quiet as they walked toward the ride’s exit. 

“Which one?” Beth smiled sadly as they emerged from the Pirate’s exit corridor into the late afternoon sunlight. 

“Where are you going!?”  Adam finally caught up to them as they headed over the bridge into Adventureland, bypassing the entrance to Pirates. 

Lance looked at her and gave his grin.  “I thought that was obvious.” 

She never could resist that smile of his. She laughed for the first time in hours and gave his arm a squeeze.  Looking back over her shoulder at Adam, her eyes shining. “Puerto Rico.”

“Puerto Rico?” Adam echoed. “That’s not right….” He had to trail off as Lance and Beth kept walking. Hurrying down the slope of the Adventureland bridge to get in front of them, he finally got them to stop in the shade near a little waterfall. “That’s not right.” As he spoke, his eyes dropped to her arm still tucked into Lance’s.

“What’s not right?” Beth’s eyes followed his and leaned a little closer to Lance, daring him to say something else.

He shook his head, frustrated. “No, Puerto Rico isn’t right.”

“But the fort…,” Lance started, only to be cut off.

“No, it may be true the fort was patterned after Puerto Rico, but the rest doesn’t fit.”

“But it fits the clue, too, ‘My heart is sometimes like an island.’ Puerto Rico is, after all, an island. I thought that was obvious.” Beth gave a little smile at her own joke.

Adam started pacing, still frustrated. It just didn’t feel right. But why not? He went over the tie-ins they had found so far and Puerto Rico just didn’t fit. Nothing happened there of any importance in Walt’s life. He leaned against the railing to face away from Beth and Lance and the hundreds of guests moving to and from Adventureland. He stared unseeingly at the baby elephant squirting water into the tropical stream that wound down from Tarzan’s Treehouse and emptied into the Jungle Cruise river. Lance leaned back against the rail next to Adam to watch the crowd go by. Beth stood apart and stared at Adam’s back, mentally going over the clue and trying to see where their mistake might be.

The scream of a leopard could be heard over the excited laughter of children. It was followed by the noisy din of pots and pans being pounded as musical instruments. Tarzan’s Treehouse. Beth looked at the exit gate next to them and saw the Kitchen Area of the attraction. There must have been fifteen kids in there, two of them pulling on the rope that activated the leopard scream. As she stood there, a few tired parents managed to herd their children out of the exit with a grateful sigh at the relative quiet outside. Smiling at the parents’ expression of relief, Beth opened the little exit gate and went up the stone steps. She wandered around the Kitchen thinking about the scene from the movie Tarzan that inspired it. The movie’s version of the noisy racket had been a lot more enjoyable than the clamor she was now hearing.

Beth looked up at the higher elevation and thought about the view of the Jungle Cruise from up there. As the guys still seemed to be working on the problem at hand, she thought about taking a stroll through the Treehouse. Figuring she needed to go back to the entrance and do it the right way rather than fighting against traffic all the way up, Beth turned back the way she had come. There was a lull in the noise as she walked towards the exit. In that moment of peace, she heard the scratchy organ music that was used as subtle background noise.

She froze. That background music—and something else. How could she have forgotten? She laughed as she stood there and looked up again at the Treehouse. It wasn’t Tarzan’s place she saw, but what came before. The music was a tribute to the first family that occupied the Treehouse before Tarzan and Jane moved in. The music was the SwisskaPolka. The Swiss Family Robinson had been in the Treehouse when it opened in 1962. The Treehouse had been built after the tremendous success of the movie. She loved that movie, had a secret crush on Ernst, and always visited the Treehouse whenever she came to the Park.

The clue suddenly made sense. It wasn’t ‘my heart is sometimes like an island.’ It was “My Heart was an Island.” Mother sang that song in the movie while puttering around her new kitchen.

“Adam!” Beth yelled for the guys and laughed again. “Lance! Get in here!” She ignored the angry looks of those into whose ears she just hollered.

The guys came in frowning at her rude call. Puzzled, they saw her laugh, arms outstretched as she turned a full circle pirouette.

She laughed at their looks. “Can’t you hear it?”

Adam looked over at the table of pots and pans and the kids joyfully beating on them. “All I can hear is that awful racket. Is that what you find so amusing?”

Beth ignored the sarcasm. “Wait for it,” was all she told them.

When there was a lull, she pointed at the gramophone in the laboratory scene and the delightful music coming out of it. Lance still didn’t understand. Adam listened for a moment. “It’s a polka.”

“It’s not just a polka. It’s the SwisskaPolka,” she elaborated, still smiling.

It took Adam a full minute. He was still frowning at her but the frown faded as he thought it through. Suddenly his face lit up. That was it! “SwisskaPolka from Swiss Family Robinson.” With a whoop, he grabbed her by the waist and led her into a wild two-step polka around the stone-covered floor. She effortlessly fell into step with him.

Still puzzled, Lance watched as the impromptu dance continued and saw them laughing together. “So? I don’t get it. This isn’t obvious to me, Captain!” He didn’t like being left out of the loop.

She was a little breathless as she broke from Adam and two-stepped over to him, still exhilarated. Lance’s attitude couldn’t take the happy look on her face. “And….,” he prodded in a more decent tone of voice.

Beth got her breathing back to normal. “And one of the songs in the movie was ‘My Heart was an Island.’ And,” she paused for some dramatic impact. Lance looked like he would strangle her. “And the movie was filmed on…an…island.”

“Which island?”

Her giddy expression faded. She looked back at Adam who was also puzzled. “I…hmm…I’m not sure. It shouldn’t be too hard to find out, should it? Adam?”

“I don’t know either. How could we not know that? Do you have the movie?”

She tilted her head to the side, and gave him a “Duh” expression. Did every female on earth feel the necessity to give him that same look? “Of course you do. Let’s go check it out.” He made a move to grab Beth’s hand, but she took a step back toward the relative safety of Lance.

Her reaction had been immediate and involuntary. Too many years of hurt. Embarrassed at herself and not knowing how to fix it, she looked down at her feet, her expression guarded again. “How about if I bring it over to your place?” He just stared at her, silent. “Well, all the research you’ve done is already there.” Her words sounded lame and mumbled.

Hurt, he glared at her a moment longer. “Fine. Lance, you coming?”

But Beth wasn’t finished. “Look, guys, it’s been a long exciting day. Why don’t we start fresh tomorrow afternoon.”

“Afternoon? Beth, this is important. We have a lot to do yet.”

“I know, but I have something to do in the morning. I should be back around 3:00.” She looked up at Lance for help and support. He could see a little desperation in her eyes. “You’ll be there, right?”

Lance looked back and forth between them and rolled his eyes. “Wouldn’t miss it. I’ll bring the popcorn.”

She managed a smile for him. “Thanks, Sparky.”

“No problem, Grouch.”

“Slacker.”

“Tyrant.”

“Slave.”

Lance got in “Dragon,” before Adam let out a loud groan as their favorite game resumed and led the way out of the Park. Adam knew he had to let Beth’s rebuff roll off him right now. He would somehow fix it later—somehow. For now, they had work to do.

They had to find Walt’s island.