31. Caleb
THIRTY-ONE
Caleb
T he cutter coasted over the waves. The saying everyone always quoted was about the calm before the storm, but on Marshoak Island there was nothing like the calm after the storm. I followed the coastline, punching the coordinates I had been given for where to begin the search for the missing boat.
I wished Margot was with me. I would have liked to have shown her this side of the island. A flock of herons were stalking through the marsh, picking through the vegetation for shrimp. The seagulls soared overhead. It was a gorgeous day on the water. I wondered if she had been out on the water other than the trip to the mainland for Lucas’s emergency. I drank from the to-go cup of coffee I had poured on base.
I needed to change that. I should take her out and give her a tour all the way around the island. She should see it from every angle. My favorite cove. The spot where the teenagers liked to smoke. The little inlet that was home to the turtles. All of it. I wanted her to see it so she knew there was more to Marshoak than the Blue Heron.
The boat slowed as I approached the first navigational beacon. I turned on the sonar and began to troll so I could keep an eye over the side of the boat. There was a lot of debris. A few schools of fish. I didn’t spot the vessel. I called in my first search back to base and moved on to the next site.
No one was having any luck finding the boat. The more time that passed, the greater the chance it was going to drift to the bottom and then it would be a lost cause.
I drifted, letting the sonar do its work and pick up anything below the surface that popped up. I should have brought bottles of water instead of coffee. The sun was intense. I wiped my brow. I heard a loud beep on the sonar. I moved to the device, shielding the screen so I could see what it was picking up. There was something large underneath my cutter. I put her in reverse and circled again. The same large object was on the screen. I leaned over the side of the boat, trying to make out what was underneath.
Damn. I grinned. I laughed. It was the missing boat. I lifted the receiver on my radio.
“Base, this is Cutter 21. Tell the team I found what we’ve been looking for.”
“Copy that, Cutter 21.”
I plugged in the exact coordinates in case I drifted far from the vessel. I waited for the extraction boat and tug to arrive. I couldn’t wait to give Gabe hell about this. He thought I was going to miss out by not going on the early patrol.
He was on the first Coast Guard boat to arrive at the site. He shook his head. “Fucker.”
I laughed. “What can I say?”
He peered into the water. “She’s really down there. You think they’ll be able to get her up?”
“I’m just glad that’s not my job.” I didn’t do wreck salvage or construction dives.
He pulled up next to me. We floated along, waiting for the larger boats that would pull the wreckage to the surface.
“Whose boat is it anyway?” I asked.
“You’re going to laugh when I tell you,” he called from his bow.
A list of island names ran through my head. I had no idea. “Whose?”
“Dean Waters.”
“What? This is his boat?” I couldn’t believe my fucking luck.
“Brand new. Right off the boat lot.”
It was the first time I regretted finding someone’s boat.
I showered back at my room after Dean’s boat was brought in. The water was still pouring out of it when they used the heavy crane to crank it out of the water and onto a trailer. We all knew he had spent a fortune on it. There was custom leather and expensive teak trim. From what I could tell, it was a total loss. We had done our job though, it wasn’t going to cause a hazard in the water to anyone else.
I called Margot when I docked at the base, but I got her voicemail. I had a bad feeling. A sinking feeling she wasn’t going to dinner. I fished in the back of the dresser drawer for Carrie’s check. I tucked it in my back pocket and sent Margot a text telling her I was about to leave. If she wanted a ride, I needed to know.
I saw the three little dots undulate and then disappear. My shoulders sank. I had my answer. She wasn’t going. I grabbed my keys and headed out.
Pointe Harbor was Marshoak Island’s older snobbier sister. As I ferried over, I thought about all the times the island school played the Harbor Pointe schools. The mainlanders were never short on names to call us. Most of us grew up with a chip on our shoulder against the bigger, cultured school. They had things we didn’t. It never seemed to matter until we matched up in a basketball game or at prom. There were those few couples who tried to bridge the differences, only to find out one prom wasn’t the same as the other.
I turned onto Carrie’s street. I didn’t know if she grew up in Pointe Harbor, but the more I thought about it, the more she fit the stereotype of a mainland girl. The check in my back pocket was proof she thought she could get what she wanted by pushing her influence around. I parked in the driveway.
Before I could step out from behind the wheel, Lucas barreled down the stairs and ran straight for me.
“You’re here!”
“Hey, buddy.” I rustled his hair. He looked healthy and strong. The dark circles under his eyes were gone and his complexion looked tan and rosy. “You look better than the last time I saw you,” I teased.
“Mom said you were coming but I didn’t believe her.”
“Really? Why not?” I locked the car and followed him up the stairs to the house.
It had a big wrap around porch, anchored by huge columns. Hydrangeas bloomed in the yard. Everything was neat and trimmed. It was a perfect Harbor Pointe manicured lawn.
“Just because I know you’re really important.”
I chuckled. “I think you might have the wrong idea, but I wanted to see you again. Make sure you’re okay after they let you out of the hospital.”
He pushed open the front door. “Mom! Caleb’s here!” he yelled through the foyer.
The house was gorgeous. I didn’t know anything about design or decorating, but I knew it was worthy of a magazine. I never would have guessed a kid lived in it.
I heard high heels on the hallway. Carrie emerged wearing a low-cut sundress.
“You’re here.” She smiled, tipping upward to kiss me on each cheek. I stiffened and tried to shrug off the affection.
“Oh here. And this is for you.” I handed her a bottle of wine I had picked up at the Flying Devil.
“How did you know summer blends are my favorite?”
I shook my head. “Had no idea.”
Lucas yanked on my arm. “Come on, I want you to see my room.”
Carrie laughed. “Leave him alone, Lucas. He can see it later. Caleb needs to open this wine for me.” She lifted her eyebrows. I was stuck. Did I follow the kid or the mom?
“I—I guess I can open the wine then see your room.” I could tell my decision made Carrie happy. She lead me to the kitchen. On the other side was a wet bar.
“You’ll find a corkscrew in the top drawer.” She pointed.
“Okay.” I got to work on the cork while Carrie checked on something in the oven. “Smells good.” I twisted the top and freed the cork with a pop.
“Actually my sister Iris made it for us. You remember her from the hospital I’m sure, don’t you? I’m just warming it up. It’s her famous crab casserole.”
“She didn’t want to join us tonight?” I was thinking about how another person would help diffuse the growing awkwardness. Maybe there was a way to invite Carrie’s sister over.
“No. No. I told her this was a special dinner for Lucas, you, and me.” She smiled, closing the oven. Carrie walked across the long kitchen. Her dress lifted to the tops of her thighs. She reached the wet bar and stretched around me to open the glassware cabinet.
She retrieved two glasses. “I still can’t believe you brought this wine.”
I poured the glasses for us. “Here you go.”
“Let’s sit on the patio. It’s nice outside.” Carrie pushed open a set of French doors and floated outside. I blinked when I realized there were lanterns already lit, along with strings of lights and music played.
The courtyard overlooked the water. I could see the lights of the Coast Guard base and almost all of Marshoak Island. Almost to the end where the Blue Heron sat. And Margot.
“This is a great view.”
“I think it’s the best one there is on the mainland. I can see right over there where you are.” She pointed.
I gulped the wine, almost taking half the glass at once. I guessed this was as good as any. I reached into my pocket and unfolded the check. I put it on the table between us.
“What’s this?” She eyed the check with suspicion.
“I can’t accept it, Carrie. As generous as it is. I could lose my commission.”
She rolled her eyes. “No one will ever know. How about this…” she drags the check in her direction. “I’ll just exchange this out for cash. Then you really don’t have to worry about it.”
I blinked. “Cash? You want to hand me $20k in cash?”
“You saved Lucas. Honestly, it should be a lot more. I can’t put a price on what you did and what I owe you.” Her eyes began to glisten with tears. “Every time I think about it. About what could have happened…”
I shook my head. “But it didn’t happen. He’s good. He seems happy. From what I can tell that kid has made a full recovery.”
“Because of you. Because you saved him.”
I didn’t know how much more I could take her false praise and adoration. “I didn’t save him. That was all Margot. She swam out to him, kept him afloat, and called in the accident. She’s the one who deserves the credit for saving his life. All I did was drive the boat.”
Carrie huffed. “You did a lot more than drive the boat. I want you to have the money.” Her palm swept over my knuckles before landing more firmly in place. “I want you to have a lot of things, Caleb.” Her voice moved to a deeper register. Fuck.
Suddenly, Lucas started hollering another announcement. I couldn’t make out his words he was excited and animated. I wrenched my hand free just as Lucas emerged on the patio with Margot.
My stomach did this weird twist and flip. She was beautiful. Her hair was pulled up in a loose bun. The dress she wore was dotted with swirls of blue and white. She held a big bouquet of flowers. I didn’t know I was the kind of guy who could light up from the inside out, but it’s exactly what happened when I saw her standing in the doorway.
“It’s Margot. Margot’s here!” Lucas jumped up and down. I thought he was excited to see me, but it was nothing compared to his pure joy now that Margot had arrived.
Carrie tried to reach for my wrist, but I was out of reach. “Margot?” She stood from the table.
Margot extended the bouquet. “I hope it’s okay that I came. Caleb invited me. He said it was a celebration dinner.”
I raced to her side, sliding an arm around her waist. I kissed her cheek, inhaling how amazing she smelled. “Thank you,” I whispered.
Her lips twisted together in an impish grin as if I would owe her for this favor.
Carrie hesitated a little too long. “Of course. There’s plenty of food. Lots to go around. Not sure about the wine, though. Let me go inside and check.” She hurried past us into the kitchen. I knew then it wasn’t okay that Margot was here, but I also knew it was the only way to put an end to Carrie’s plan.