| |
I stepped onto Main Street and was shocked to see Johnny strolling along.
"Johnny!" I shouted, waving him down. "What are you doing here? Didn't Lottie tell you Nate needed your help?"
He stared at me like I was talking in tongues. "Nate needs what?" I could see panic settle in, the same way I'm sure panic would settle on me if Nate was in trouble and I didn't know it.
"Hal was swept into the water. They're mounting a search-and-rescue around the island in case he was able to swim to shore."
Johnny was off like a rocket, sprinting to the beach.
"Wait! Wait!" I called after him, unable to keep up. By the time I finally reached him on the sand, he had already pushed his little motorboat halfway into the water.
"You coming?" he asked.
I had no idea where Nate was, but figured this was probably the best way to find him. "You bet I am."
"Well, put on a lifejacket and hop in!" he said, tossing me an orange, nylon covered rectangle.
I pushed my head through the hole of the lifejacket, and wrapped the white strap around my waist, clicking the clasps into place, then grabbed a side of the boat and pushed it out with Johnny.
The water was totally gross, filled with flotsam and jetsam kicked up from the storm.
"This is nasty," I said, crawling into the boat and picking leaves and twigs off of my jeans.
"Just try not to inhale," Johnny said, pulling the string on the motor until it kicked in. "You should be fine."
I picked up my phone and texted Nate everything that had happened with the robberies. He didn't get back to me, but I figured he was probably driving. Johnny was doing a good job of hugging the coast, and we kept our eyes on the beach and rocks.
"So, Lottie didn't find you?" I shouted over the hum of the boat.
He kept his eyes scanning the waterline just in case he might miss Hal. "Naw. Didn't see her at all. I was down at the shack all morning. Kept waiting for someone to try to get in the water, but everyone seemed to be cool with staying on land."
Not such a strange prospect seeing as how Seaside was known for pretty mediocre waves and the only guests on the island were probably looking to stay dry after the big storm.
Still, it was weird. If he had been there, why hadn't Lottie found him? Why had she made a promise she hadn't kept?
I tried to shoot Nate another message to keep an eye out for her, but we were far enough away from the shore that all service was gone.
We kept puttering around the island, but it all seemed in vain.
"The ocean is big, Paige," shouted Johnny over the sound of the wind and the motor. "But she gives back that which is not hers. We'll find Hal."
I shivered, and not just from the cold mist. I spotted Tim's fishing boat coming at us from the other direction. He was the owner of the bait shop, worked as an EMT on the island, and just had a strange way of always being there when I needed help. Part of me was starting to think he was my guardian angel of sorts. I waved to him and he slowed down as he pulled along broadside.
"You kids out looking for Hal, too?" he asked.
"Yep!" shouted Johnny. "No chance you spotted him."
The waves began tossing us like a cork. "Getting pretty choppy out here," he shouted back. "I wouldn't be scooting around these waters in that leaky bathtub you're driving, Johnny."
"Aye, aye!" he shouted back, giving a little salute.
"See you back in the harbor!" Tim yelled as he pulled away.
We puttered around for a little while longer, just in case Hal was out there somewhere, but then the rain started up again. By the time we got back to town, we were both drenched and shivering. I was having to bail by the time we reached the beach.
I hopped out and pulled the boat onshore. To my relief, Nate was standing next to Tim under the dive shop's awning.
"No sign of him?" Nate called.
"Nothing."
"I was about to steal Tim's boat and come out after you!" Nate shouted as we dragged Johnny's boat ashore.
"I wouldn't have taken Paige for a tour of Davy Jones' locker," promised Johnny.
My teeth were totally chattering at this point and Nate took off his jacket to wrap around me. "You're so cold, your lips are blue."
"Hey! What about me!" piped up Johnny.
Tim came to his rescue. "It smells like fish, but take my coat," said Tim. "You know better than to go out in waters like this, Johnny."
"Thought the storm had broken," he said. "Couldn't help but think of Hal, sitting on the rocks like the Little Mermaid, just hoping a boat would come along to save him."
"You got a good heart, but leave it to folks who have a cabin," chided Tim.
"Can you yell at me after we get someplace warm?" asked Johnny.
"Fair enough."
Nate shook Tim's hand in thanks and then we all ran up the street. The Grand Hotel was right in front of us, so we made a mad dash for it.
The warmth of the lobby was like a hug.
"Sorry," Nate apologized to the girl at the front counter. "Just need a little shelter from the storm."
"Of course!" she said, coming around with worry. "Let me grab you some towels so you can dry off."
A big fire was roaring in the cocktail lounge, and Johnny and I decided to take advantage of it while Nate went over to the bar to get us something warm to drink. He came back with a cup of coffee for me and an herbal tea for Johnny, and I have never tasted anything so delicious. I was starting to feel human again when the clerk arrived with heated towels.
"We'll get you right as rain and all sorted out," she promised as she handed them to all three of us.
As we dried off, Nate asked the clerk, "Hey, there was a reporter here named Lottie and she said that her cameraman was staying here. Any chance you've seen her?"
The clerk shook her head. "No. When did they check in?"
"Well, he would have checked in yesterday, and she said that you were sold out, so she stayed with us."
The clerk seemed mystified. "We weren't sold out."
"You weren't?" Nate asked again, just to confirm he had heard what he thought she had said.
"Yeah, and there weren't any reporters or cameramen who checked in. The only new guests were your grandparents, Paige." She stopped herself. "Sorry, your grandmother and her friend. They're so cute together, I forget they aren't together together. Everyone else has been staying here for a while."
We were all absolutely flabbergasted.
"Um... thanks," said Nate. "Uh... if someone named Lottie checks in, can you call me?" He reached into his wallet and pulled out a business card. "It's important."
"Sure! No problem! And feel free to hang out as long as you like." The rain started pelting the side of the building and it sounded like it might have begun hailing. "This is not the sort of weather anyone should be stuck out in."