Chapter Eleven #2
We head out onto the dock to wait, watching Shawn at the wheel while Tech balances on the side. He throws out the fenders as they slow their approach, and the vessel gently slaps against the dock before groaning to a halt.
Tech tosses me the line, and I catch it on instinct, fingers working the knot automatically. I’m aware that Jamie’s already pacing, his footsteps echoing across the wood as he checks the damage.
“It’s superficial,” I call to him. But if it were my boat, I’d be pretty upset too.
Shawn cuts the engine, and there’s a loud cranking noise. Jamie immediately snaps his attention that way, and I wince. Okay, it’s bad.
Tech jumps onto the dock, and his eyes are wide as he darts them around.
That’s suspicious. And probably not a good sign.
He immediately comes over, taking my arm to lead me away from Jamie. “We need to talk,” he says.
“Okay…” I say, fresh worry warming my skin. “Is this about his boat?” I lower my voice. “How screwed up is it?”
“It’s nothing,” he says, but then pauses. “Actually, it’s fucked up, but that’s not what we need to talk about.” He holds a breath, his gaze sparkling with excitement. “I… found it, Noa. We found it.”
“Found what?” I ask, glancing toward Shawn. She’s still at the wheel of the boat, although I’m not sure why. “What’s going on?”
Tech bites his lip as if not wanting to say it out loud, and the anticipation is killing me.
He smiles. “I found Rum Runner Island.”
“Again?” I ask with a laugh, and wait for the real answer.
“I mean it this time,” Tech says. “I have proof.”
My stomach drops, little prickles racing across my skin. “What kind of proof?” I ask.
“When we were picking up the boat,” he starts, “Shawn and I were talking to a few of the coast guard dock workers, Chasers from Cape Hope. They asked how we found Rum Runner, and I told him we didn’t.
It was just a jail, and not even the right island.
They exchanged looks, so we pressed a little, and turns out—Rum Runner is out there.
It was so close, Noa. We just missed it somehow. ”
I find that hard to believe. “We didn’t miss it,” I say. “We wouldn’t have missed an entire island.”
“They confirmed it’s there,” he tells me.
“They’ve never personally looked for it because the coast guard has some kind of agreement with the state, but they swore to us.
” He pauses. “Also, they think it’s haunted,” he adds as if that’s a given.
“But they told us how to find it. It’s been in the marsh all along.
They think someone purposely tried to hide it.
Changed the way the water flowed, closed off the route so no one would pass by there again. ”
Although I know he’s excited, after everything we went through yesterday I’m not so easily convinced.
“Tech…” I say. I don’t want to snuff out his hope, but we have to be realistic. “Changing the waterways? How? And how did they get everyone to keep it secret?”
“Money? Hauntings? Threats? All of the above,” he offers. “They’re hiding something. I think the hotel is still there, and along with it, their secrets.”
I’m not sure what to say at this point. Just yesterday, we were in coast guard custody.
It would be insane to go out looking again, especially when the sheriff has his eye on us.
We’d be risking our lives for an old story that ultimately might not change anything—the Collective always wins.
Matteo proved that today. This would be reckless.
At the same time… getting a bit of confirmation has upped the stakes.
When I look at Tech again, I see that he’s waiting for my response. He’s hoping.
“Aren’t you tired of always losing?” he asks. “Let’s put them in the ground once and for all.”
I am tired. I’m tired of the harassment, them coming to our homes and businesses.
They nearly knocked me off a roof, and my dad is probably going to have to sell the Surf Shack.
It’s all coming undone around me. And it’s because of the Collective.
But even my uncle doesn’t think we should fight back. Even he doesn’t see the point.
Tech seems to understand all the thoughts swirling in my head. “We can do this, Noa,” he says emphatically.
“I’m in,” Jamie announces from behind us, startling me. I spin around, surprised that he overheard part of our conversation.
“This has nothing to do with you,” I say simply, waving him back. “No offense, but you don’t even know what this is about. You don’t want to—”
“What?” he asks. “Put them in the ground?” He turns slightly to show his bruised eye. “Do you think I’m loyal to those assholes at the resort?”
“A little, yeah,” Tech says. He adjusts his stance, both dismissive and curious. He’s not over Jamie skipping out on us, on me. At the same time… they used to be friends.
“Come on,” Jamie says to him, sounding hurt. “I said I’m in. What more do you need?”
I’m not sure why he wants to risk his place at the resort. I’m not sure if it’s for him or us… or me. And maybe in a way I hope it’s me. “You don’t have to do this,” I tell him quietly.
“I know I don’t have to,” he says, and then grins. “But I want to. Oh, I really want to.”
Jamie is ready to go purely on faith—he doesn’t even have the details. Not to mention he’s willing to do it for almost no personal gain.
“I want to make things right,” he adds, no bravado. The sheer goodness shining through.
I’ll admit, it is encouraging. A reminder that we’re on the side of justice. Okay, a little revenge, but mostly justice. Maybe we really can do this.
I nod to Tech that it’s up to him. But he still looks doubtful about involving Jamie.
“You want to come?” he asks, like it’s a challenge. “Then we need your boat.”
Jamie’s shoulders droop slightly, and he surveys the Sweet Caroline, as if asking for her permission. He exhales. “Fine,” he says calmly. “But I’m driving. I know my boat better than anyone.”
It’s a standoff. Tech slowly runs his eyes over Jamie, judging him. In return, Jamie stands there ready to stay or go. I roll my eyes—this could last all day.
“It’s his boat,” I tell Tech. “He knows it best, and that might be an asset out there.”
Tech hums, thinking it over. Finally, he relents and tells Jamie he accepts the terms. “You can come,” he allows, “but you’re staying in the boat.”
“No problem,” Jamie replies. “Now, where are we heading?”
“We can’t say yet,” Tech tells him. “What we’re doing, it’s some top secret shit. We need to know that you can keep your mouth shut about what we find. Can you keep your word?”
“Yeah,” Jamie says. “I always keep my word.”
It’s not true, of course. He broke his word to me, and as if he just remembered that, he winces slightly.
“I will keep my word,” he swears, glancing at me. He waits a moment, and when I nod, he turns back to Tech. “Now,” he adds. “Give me my keys.”