8. Margot
EIGHT
Margot
I heard Josie scream for me to stop running, but there was nothing short of a twenty-foot wall that was guarded by a pit of snakes that would keep me from running toward where I thought Caleb would come back to me.
She wasn’t the only one screaming my name. The poor security guard who knew her from high school was after me too.
I squeezed my body through the gap in the gate and sprinted toward his barracks. As I ran, I wondered if I should go to the docks instead. I took a sharp left, but then regretted it when I saw the silhouettes of several Coastguardsmen running toward me.
One held a flashlight pointed directly at my face, blinding me.
“Ouch.” I held my hands to shield my eyes. I tried to back up, but there was no way I could escape with a spotlight on me. Where was I going to go?
I heard radio static and a brief conversation. “We have her here. Threat has been contained.”
Threat? Who did they think I was? A prankster teenager, trying to complete a dare? I felt like I was fighting for my life out here. For Caleb’s.
“Please,” I begged. “Don’t make me leave. You can’t. I have to stay.”
They walked toward me.
“At least drop the flashlight. You’re burning my retinas,” I whined.
“Margot? Is that you?”
I recognized Fletcher as soon as he dropped the light. We had met at one of the bonfire parties the Coast Guard regularly through on the beach, unsanctioned, of course. The other sailor seemed stunned we knew each other.
“Fletcher? Thank God someone who knows me.”
“What the hell are you doing?” he asked.
“I’m here because of Caleb.” I glared at him.
“Right. Stupid question. I just didn’t expect the person to bust past Charlie at the gate to be you.” He scratched the back of his head.
His colleague glanced at him. “What do we do with her now?”
I had a chance to make my case with someone who knew Caleb and me. “I know they’re out there looking for Caleb. You’ve got to let me stay. I can’t sit at home while he’s…” I couldn’t finish the sentence.
Fletcher and the other guy exchanged a look. I couldn’t tell if it was one of sympathy or one to signal they thought I was insane.
“I have orders to take you back out to the main gate,” he stated.
“Isn’t there someone who can give me permission to stay?” I pressed. “I’ll stay out of the way. I swear. I can’t leave. I just can’t.” I knew even if they tried to kick me out, I’d stand in front of the gate until I saw Caleb. I would sleep on asphalt or a sand dune.
Fletcher nodded. “There is, but the base is in emergency mode. I can radio over and see if Guthrie will see you.”
I nodded. “Yes. Will you?”
“Hold on a minute.” He put a hand up. “But what he says goes. You understand? There’s nothing I can do if he says you have to be escorted off base. It is his decision.”
I had a twinge of hope. “Of course. I’ll be so quiet. No one will know I’m here.”
The radio crackled to life when Fletcher tapped the side button. “Permission to see Guthrie.” There was a beep when he let go of the button.
I held my breath. Please. Please. Please. This had to work. I knew I had potentially ruined my chances of being allowed to stay when I bypassed the front gate.
There was a long crackle followed by a muffled voice.
“Repeat,” Fletcher requested.
“Granted,” a voice crackled.
I almost jumped in place. It was the first piece of good news I’d had since Josie showed up at my door.
Fletcher grinned. “Come on. Guthrie doesn’t like to wait.”
We walked past Caleb’s barracks apartment and past the gym. He had pointed out all the major landmarks and buildings when I had stayed with him. But it was always late at night, and he had to sneak me in and out through the beach passageway. It felt different to see it with someone else, knowing Caleb wasn’t here. Worse—no one knew where he was.
Fletcher led me to the main office building. The hallway was long and narrow.
“Remember what I told you. This is out of my hands.” He opened the door and pushed me through.
I didn’t have a chance to prepare a plea or a speech. I stood in front of a man with bushy eyebrows and a scowl. He was on the phone and placed a hand over the receiver when he saw me. He scanned my clothes and my face. It didn’t take long for him to realize who I was.
“Margot Delaney, sir.”
He nodded. “Margot, please have a seat. I’m almost finished with this call.”
I had heard Caleb’s stories about his commanding officer, but I never imagined I’d be on this side of his desk, awaiting instructions. Permission. Information. Everything felt like a dream state. I didn’t know if when I awakened, it would be with Caleb or not.
Commander Guthrie finished his call and faced me. “Margot, I’m sorry about Officer O’Connor. We are doing everything we can to bring him home tonight.”
I leaned toward his desk. “Does that mean you know where he is?” I asked.
“No. We don’t.” He sighed. “But I understand why you would want to be here.”
I nodded. “Please. I’ll stay out of the way. You can even put me to work. I don’t know what I could do, but I’ll do it.”
He pushed back from his desk. I expected him to move around to my side of the desk and haul me out of his office and into the hands of a military police officer who would ban me from the base.
He pressed his lips together. “I can’t let you assist in a military operation, but I can have Fletcher take you to get a visitor’s pass.”
“Really?” I squeaked.
“Yes. We’re a close group here. Officer O’Connor is family to every member of this base. But no more stunts like the one you pulled, sneaking past the front gate.”
I shook my head. “No. I won’t, sir. I promise.” I felt the tight grip my ribs had on my lungs start to ease. I was going to be able to stay.
He patted me on the shoulder. “Fletcher can also show you the break room. You can get updates from there?”
“Thank you.” I rose from the chair and walked with him to the door. “Thank you for not making me go home.”
He opened the door. Fletcher was waiting for me on the other side.
“Let’s hope for good news soon.”
I turned and stopped. “Commander?”
“Hmm?”
“He’ll be back, right? You’re going to find him?”
That’s when the softness and the comfort he had been using to mask his worry thinned.
“He is our best swimmer. I have confidence that he and Officer Axton will be able to handle any situation they might have found themselves in today.”
I bit my lip. “What does that mean?”
He patted me again. “Why don’t you go get that visitor’s pass?”
Before I could ask him for more information, the door closed, and I knew things were getting worse by the second. If there had been good news, he would have told me.
I blinked back the tears stinging my eyelids.
“Come on, Margot. We’ll get the pass.” He put an arm around me, and I nodded.
What else could I do?