“Damn it.” I hit the steering wheel with the side of my fist. Acid spurts in my stomach. Of all the people I didn’t want to see that kiss, Fahrenbacher heads the list. “Maybe he didn’t see us,” I console myself. But my luck doesn’t run that way. Of course he saw us. I continue to mutter the rest of the way home then paste on a smile so Gramps won’t know I’m upset.
I need not have bothered. Gramps has bigger fish to fry.
“Are you going out again tonight to see if the dolphin hunters are out there?” is his opening gambit over dinner.
“I’ve got to check it out. They could have captured one of my relatives,” I mumble around a huge bite of mac and cheese.
“I don’t like it. Thinking of you ending up in one of those labs turns my hair gray.”
“Your hair is already gray,” I point out helpfully, swallowing the rest of my cheesy macaroni.
“Smart mouth,” he grumbles. “I might as well try to stop the wind from blowing as to try to talk you out of something you’ve got your mind set on. Your mom was the same way.” I notice the stains under his eyes and the sallowness of his skin.
“Are you feeling okay?”
“Don’t try to change the subject, missy.”
I reach over and clasp his hand, rough and warm in mine. “The last thing in the world I want to do is cause you worry. If you want me to stay at home, I will.” I have to force the words out. It will kill me if something happens to the dolphins that I could prevent.
Gramps gives me a long look then sighs. His shoulders slump. He knows it. “I can’t ask you to be less than you are.” He straightens and gives a determined grin.
“But I can do my best to keep you safe.” He pushes away from the table, walks out of the kitchen, and comes back a moment later carrying a small bag. He thrusts it at me.
“What’s this?”
“Open it and find out.”
The bag rustles as I pick it up.
“Open it,” he urges again. His hands in his back pockets, he rocks back and forth on his heels.
I smile and peep inside. Two blue boxes that look like watch boxes are nestled in the bottom of the sack. I pick one up and turn the box around in my hand. “Did you get us matching watches?” I’m only half-joking.
He just smiles, waiting for me to open the box.
I pop the top, bemused. It’s a large watch with a picture screen and lots of buttons. I raise my eyebrows.
Impatient, he sits down, pulls out the other box, and opens it. It’s an identical watch. “It’s a GPS system.”
“Oh. That’s nice.” I smile my appreciation, still at sea as to why he’d get us matching GPS watches. Good thing I don’t worry about making fashion statements. This certainly won’t do it.
“It works in the water.”
“Oh.” The light goes on.
He starts pushing buttons and leans over to show me. “It has a panic button. Press the first button on the right.”
I do as instructed. A red light pulses on his watch. “Press the button if you’re in trouble. It gives me your coordinates. Same goes with mine. If I get in trouble, yours starts blinking.”
“I’m thrilled to have this, but don’t even talk about getting in trouble. I couldn’t bear it if something happened to you.”
“Don’t worry, honey, I intend to live a good long time.” He pats my shoulder. “But enough of that. If for any reason you think you’re running into trouble, press the button. I’ll come out in the boat and get you.”
Touched, I reach over and kiss his rough cheek. A wisp of soft whiskers tickles my mouth. “Thanks, Gramps. This is the best gift I’ve ever had.”
“You’re welcome. Now if you still think you need to go, you better get going before it gets any later.”
Since the sun is setting and I don’t want Gramps to worry, I should go. I push back my chair and hurry to my bedroom to change. A few minutes later I’m in a downward dive off the cliff.
The warm wind whips around me, blowing my hair to the side. My hands cut the water and my body follows them down. The water caresses me, circling me like embryonic fluid. I grasp my knees, roll in a ball, and turn over and over, smiling with joy. I give myself five minutes to play before I strike out in the direction I’ve seen the boat in the past. I check my new watch. It’s taken me fifty minutes to reach the general area. The water darkens as the sun sets.
Before I even reach the boat, I sense the distressed chattering of at least two dolphins. Like the dolphins, I use echolocation under water. I pick up the high-pitched vibration, which is generated in their forehead, along my jawbone. My jawbone conducts sound like my ears do, at least when I’m underwater. By the frequencies I’m getting, it sounds like two dolphins, a male and a female about a mile up ahead. I extend my arms and swim faster.
In a few minutes, I spot the shadowy outline of the cage. The slightly larger male dolphin is caught inside, while the female swims in agitated circles around the cage, chattering.
I look around. When I see nothing but shadows, I pull out the knife strapped to my ankle and pry open the door. In a flash, the dolphin darts through. Both dolphins glide a distance away and continue their chatter. Something’s wrong. I sense it.
As the dolphins’ agitation mounts, I turn in a slow circle. That’s when I see the three divers.