The Lifeguard

by Richie Tankersley Cusick

  Kelsey chewed slowly on a lump of cinnamon roll. “Maybe they never got along, and Eric had to keep them separated.”

  Donna frowned, staring thoughtfully into her cup. “It’s funny about Neale—I’ve never heard anyone say anything about him. It’s almost like they don’t know anything about him. Or they do know something but it’s horrible and they’re trying to keep it a big, dark secret.” Kelsey shifted uncomfortably in her seat, and Donna grinned. “You’re probably right; they probably just didn’t get along. Neale’s so sneaky, and Justin’s so sweet. Girls always mob the lifeguards, but Justin’s so shy! Not like Skip.” Donna flushed.

  “Is Skip…your boyfriend?”

  There was mild hopelessness in Donna’s eyes. “We’ve grown up together, but I don’t think he’s ever noticed I’m not the kid down the road anymore.”

  “Maybe you should go out with Neale,” Kelsey deadpanned. “Maybe Skip would notice that.”

  Donna laughed and reached for another roll. “Neale’s so creepy. Like last summer he just showed up on the island. I don’t even think Justin knew he was coming.”

  “So Justin was here?”

  “Yeah, he and Skip have been lifeguards here for the past few years. Neale stayed someplace down the beach and kept to himself. I never saw him much—at least not till after the drowning.”

  “Drowning?” Kelsey’s ears pricked up, her skin going cold.

  “It was really sad,” Donna’s voice lowered, “especially ’cause Rebecca was a friend of ours. She was a lifeguard, too—she drowned trying to rescue someone.”

  Kelsey stared hard at the table, the roll like a rock in the pit of her stomach. “How horrible…did the other person drown, too?” She looked up but Donna was gazing out the window, a puzzled expression on her face.

  “That’s the strange thing,” Donna said slowly. “There’s a phone at each lifeguard station. When any of them has an emergency they take their phone off the hook—that alerts the other lifeguards and the paramedics.”

  “Did…didn’t anybody come?”

  “Oh, they came all right. But by the time Skip and Justin got to her, she was already dead. And there wasn’t anyone else in the water.”

  “What…do you mean?”

  “I mean nobody else was out there. Nobody ever washed up on the beach, and no one was ever reported missing. Rebecca was all alone.”

  Kelsey reached mechanically for her coffee cup, for some bit of leftover warmth to quell the chill she felt inside.

  “It was just about time for the beach to close, and there weren’t many people around,” Donna sighed. “Just some kids on their way home.”

  “Well, surely they saw something?”

  “They said they heard someone yelling for help, and saw splashing around in the water, like someone was in trouble, but it was too far away to make out. Anyway, nobody believed them. Everyone said it was probably just seagulls, and when nothing ever turned up, well…”

  Kelsey closed her eyes, not wanting to hear any more.

  “That’s when Neale became a lifeguard—he took over Rebecca’s job.” Donna shook her head with a derisive laugh. “I can’t believe I’d forgotten about all that. It was just about this time last year.”

  Chapter 6

  “MOM!”

  Kelsey paused, listening, relieved when she heard a door open upstairs and the rapid thud of feet down the hall.

  “Kelsey—where on earth have you been? I’ve had Justin looking everywhere for you, but he had to go to work—”

  “Mom, I’m fine, I just went for a walk. Has anyone heard anything?”

  Mom shook her head, running one hand through disheveled hair. “No, honey, nothing. I sure could use some coffee—want to join me?”

  Kelsey poured the coffee, trying to think where to start. Donna…the old man at the lighthouse…her feeling of being watched on the beach…the note… With everything else that had happened that morning, it had been pushed completely from her mind. Now she frowned, wondering what to do, and lowered herself into a chair.

  “You remember the guy on the boat yesterday? I saw him on the beach this morning, and this girl—Donna—is a friend of his and Justin’s. We went and had some breakfast and talked.”

  “That’s nice,” Mom said, but her look was distracted. “Kelsey, they’re calling off the search after today. They’re convinced Beth fell and drowned, and they don’t think they’ll ever find her.”

  “Oh, Mom…”

  “Eric wants me to stay.”

  “I understand.”

  “Now look, you can call Jenny and see if you can still go with her folks to the mountains and—”

  “Mom, I can’t leave now.” Kelsey scooted forward, her voice urgent. “I just…wouldn’t feel right about it.”

  Mom sighed and pulled her close in a hug. “Do you think you can manage on your own? Try to have a good time in spite of everything? I know it won’t be much of a vacation, and Eric thinks you might be better off…”

  “Tell Eric not to worry. I’m really okay. I just wish I could help.”

  “We all wish that, honey. But no one can do anything because no one knows anything. There’s no proof…” She lowered her voice again and it trembled. “You just can’t give up, can you, if there’s no proof…I mean, it’s not like your father…”

  Her voice faded, and Kelsey stared down at her mother’s hands twisting together on the tablecloth. She could feel her own chest tightening, and she got up quickly. She couldn’t tell Mom about the note—not about any of it.

  Kelsey jumped as the kitchen door flew open, relaxing again when she saw Justin.

  “Oh, so there you are.” He looked relieved.

  “I’m sorry, Justin. She walked in a few minutes ago. I should have let you know.” Mom pulled out a chair and motioned for him to sit, but he shook his head.

  “I have to get back. I just wanted to make sure she got home okay. How’s Dad?”

  “He finally dozed off about half an hour ago. I was hoping he’d sleep a while, but he made me promise to wake him for the search party—”

  “Don’t do that,” Justin shook his head. “I’m going up there now. They’re finishing the last stretch this morning, so Skip said he’d close down East Beach and cover for me.”

  “Let us come,” Mom said quickly. “We can do something—”

  “No, you need sleep, too,” Justin said kindly. “I’d rather you just locked the door and tried to rest.”

  “But what if someone comes by or tries to call?” Mom argued. “If anyone’s heard anything—”

  “I doubt anyone would call except maybe the sheriff—and he’ll be with us. It’s an unlisted number anyway.” Justin took a pad off the counter and wrote on it. “Here—just in case you need it. We wouldn’t have a phone at all, only Dad needs to keep in touch with his agent. It’s the same number for both houses.”

  “Both?”

  “Well, when the phone rings, it rings here and next door, too. That’s so one of us will hear it if Dad’s locked away with his typewriter going. Except we’re usually not around, so Dad always misses his calls.”

  Kelsey smiled and took the paper he handed her. Justin backed towards the door again and paused.

  “The search won’t last much longer—maybe you heard. They’ve covered the whole island, and gone over the cove dozens of times…”

  Kelsey felt a knot in her throat. She wanted to say something, but Justin was gone.

  “Donna’s coming by to take me sightseeing,” Kelsey mumbled, but she knew her mother hadn’t heard. She slipped quietly outside, turning her face to the sun, taking in deep gulps of fresh, warm air.

  “Trying to get a tan on your throat?” Donna ran up laughing and Kelsey swung around, her spirits lifting.

  “Boy, am I glad to see you!”

  “Need to get away, huh?” Donna nodded understandingly, slipped an arm through Kelsey’s, and began to steer her toward the beach. “I saw Justin headed the other way.
Things don’t look good, do they?”

  Kelsey shook her head. “Justin’s with the search party. He doesn’t think they’ll be looking much longer.”

  “It’s such a rotten shame. And Justin is such a sweetheart, I can’t stand to see him sad like this.”

  “Was Beth a good friend of yours?”

  “Not really; she only came this summer. I never got the impression she was—” Donna cast her a meaningful look—“uh…you know…too bright?”

  “No kidding? She sounded to me like she was really sweet.”

  “Oh, sweet, yes. Always smiling. Always something nice to say to everyone. Kind of like Justin, really—only, you know, slow. Like things took a long time to get through to her. But her brothers were really nice to her.”

  “Even Neale?”

  “Yeah, it’s funny, huh? Even Neale. Come to think of it,” Donna screwed up her face, puzzling, “I never heard him speak a mean word to her. He was always really patient…like maybe he realized she couldn’t grasp things as fast as everyone else.”

  Kelsey felt sad. “She must have been pretty special… No wonder there’s such a void in the family.”

  “She seemed to really like both of them,” Donna added, staring into the blue sky as if the past was playing there like an old movie. “But she hung out with Justin more than Neale. All this summer she’s been a sort of permanent fixture around him. Like when he was working West Beach, she was never very far from his station.”

  “Did he mind?”

  “Never seemed to—and you know how some guys would handle that! I mean, can you picture Skip putting up with a tagalong little sister?” Donna rolled her eyes. “That’s funny, isn’t it—they grew up never knowing each other, and when they were finally together, they really seemed to get along.”

  “Maybe…” Kelsey stopped to shake a rock from her sandal, “if she was a little slow, they felt sorry for her.”

  “Maybe.” Donna mulled this over, then added, “That makes it even worse, you know. That’s what I keep thinking about. That she was kind of innocent and naive…and nobody was there to save her.”

  Kelsey shut her eyes, a flood of unwanted memories pounding through her brain. No…I will not think of them…

  “Hey, are you okay?” Donna shook her gently by the elbow, and Kelsey forced a smile.

  “Yes, something just got in my eye.”

  “Well, you better watch where you’re going—the beach is really busy.”

  Kelsey couldn’t believe the change since her walk that morning. Now the shoreline was absolutely jammed with people.

  “Where did they all come from?” she asked, amazed, and Donna giggled.

  “End of summerers. Trying to squeeze in all their last flings before school starts. The beach’ll be empty again when the boat pulls out this evening.”

  “What happens then? The beach just closes down?”

  “Well, it’s never really closed, not literally, but it’s swim-at-your-own-risk after six. I mean, the lifeguards can’t just live there twenty-four hours a day!”

  “Don’t any of the islanders ever use their own beach?”

  “Oh, sure, but not that many.” They swerved around a volleyball game. “Everyone’s been warned about the risks after dark, and really, there’s not many kids on the island anymore. They’ve all grown up and left. A lot of them go to the mainland to work or they’re off on exotic vacations.”

  “And what about you?”

  Donna threw her a mischievous grin. “My folks own the fanciest restaurant on Beverly. And am I a lady of leisure? No way! Unfortunately, my folks also believe in the old-fashioned values of hard work and earning your keep! This just happens to be my day off. Tomorrow Mom and Dad jet off to London, and where will I be? Waitressing and bussing tables.”

  Kelsey laughed and hurried with Donna through the crowds. They had been going in the opposite direction from Kelsey’s route that morning, and this part of the beach was like a whole different world. Instead of quiet cottages on the rise overlooking the sand, there was a hodgepodge of food stands, game booths, souvenir tents, bright blue awnings and striped umbrellas, all jammed together with swimsuited bodies and glistening tans. Floating in the salty air was an overpowering mixture of hot dogs, suntan oil, hamburgers and grilled onions, dried shells and seaweed, and hot, hot sun. Laughter and shouting mingled with the rush and break of the waves, blaring radios, the happy screams of swimmers, and through it all came the hollow boom of a voice: “You’re out too far! Get closer to shore!”

  “Look, there’s Skip!” Donna tugged at Kelsey’s sleeve, and they stopped beside his tower. “Hey, lifeguard! How’s the weather up there?”

  “Hey, ladies!” Skip grinned down at them, perfect white teeth flashing in his perfectly tanned face. “Just the usual routine. Let’s see…oh, I’d say I’ve saved about two hundred lives in the last hour.”

  “And broken how many hearts?” Donna flung back.

  “You cut me to the quick,” Skip tried to look wounded. “Can I help it if they all lust after me? Can I even blame them?”

  “Dreamer.” Donna aimed a punch, but he dodged.

  “And where are you two headed?”

  “Thought I’d take her on a tour of the island.”

  “How grand. That should take all of ten fascinating minutes.” He bent over and winked at Kelsey. “You understand, of course, that seeing me was the highlight of the tour. Everything from now on is simply—”

  “Garbage,” Donna finished smugly. “Don’t pay any attention to him—he’s a perfect example of what too much sun can do to the brain.”

  “Is that any way to talk to someone who might one day save your—” Skip broke off, and gave a sharp blast on his whistle. “I said come back!”

  “They really respect you, Skip,” Donna said, straightfaced. “I’m very impressed.” She started to pull Kelsey away, but Skip aimed his megaphone down over their heads.

  “Now hear this! Are you coming over tonight?”

  “Why would we want to do that?” Donna clamped her hands over her ears, and Skip grinned.

  “Because the servants are away, and I want to play. Come on, be a sport. We need some bright moments in our lives. Happiness. Joy. Laughter.”

  “Sounds pretty boring,” Donna faked a huge yawn.

  “You’ll have me all to yourself,” Skip reminded her. “Without all these jealous females around.”

  Donna tried to hide it, but Kelsey saw the quick flush on her cheeks. “Skip, you really are too much. And why would I ever want you to myself—you know I don’t like used merchandise.”

  “But I’m like fine leather,” he deadpanned. “The more I’m handled, the better I get.”

  “The more stuck on yourself you get,” Donna retorted.

  “Donna, Donna,” Skip said, his tone patronizing. “Now you know you don’t mean that. You know how boring tonight will be anyway, all alone in your house with nothing to do.”

  “So what?”

  “So I think you’ll come.” Skip looked as if he had won a secret battle. “And anyway, you didn’t let me finish. I want to get Justin over there. Get his mind off all this horror-movie stuff.”

  “Oh, Skip,” Donna looked uncertain. “I mean, I think it’s really nice of you trying to cheer him up, but do you really think he’ll feel like coming? And what about Neale?”

  Skip heaved a martyred sigh. I’ll even ask Neale. Out of the goodness of my heart.” He stared down at them for a moment, his expression turning serious. “I’m worried about Justin, Donna. He just won’t let himself believe that she’s gone.”

  “And what do you think?” Kelsey spoke for the first time, and they both looked at her as if they’d forgotten she was there.

  Skip sighed again and balanced the megaphone on one knee. “I think she fell and drowned. I think she was wandering around the cove where she shouldn’t have been, and she slipped, and the tide came in. I don’t want to be a pessimist or anything, but it’s happen
ed before, people taking chances on the beach after dark. We’ve just been lucky and found them, that’s all.”

  Kelsey looked startled, staring at Skip while Donna tried to pull her away.

  “Come on, Kelsey, miles to go before we eat.” Her tone was light, but Kelsey didn’t miss its undercurrent of concern.

  “So I’ll see you later, right?” Skip stretched, trying to catch Donna’s parting remark as the girls took off through the crowds.

  “If you’re lucky!” Donna smiled companionably at Kelsey and once again linked arms with her. “He never changes. Impossible since the day he was born. Oh, well, I’m stupid for being so determined, I guess.”

  “Did you go away to school, too?”

  Donna shook her hair back from her eyes. “No such luck. I go to school on the mainland. Skip went there, too, till he had to go away.”

  Kelsey looked up. “Had to?”

  “Well, he’s hardly turned out to be the model son,” Donna chuckled. “His father finally got tired of bailing him out of trouble and thought boarding school would help straighten him out. It didn’t, of course, he kept flunking out. But when you’re as rich as Skip, people can be persuaded to make exceptions. Mr. Rochford paid this last school a bundle to keep him, just so Skip could graduate.”

  “How on earth do you know that?”

  “Skip told me. But just between you and me, I think he was actually glad to stay at this school ’cause Justin was there.”

  They slowed down, the crowds thinning out at last, and Kelsey cast Donna a sidelong glance.

  “So what happens now—now that Skip’s graduated?”

  Donna scuffed her shoes through the sand, laughing. “If you’re referring to the ongoing saga of Skip and Donna, your guess is as good as mine. Oh, who am I kidding? Of course I’d love for him to come to his senses and realize just how right for him I am. Goodness, we know each other too well—no one else could put up with us!”

  “What…about Justin?” Kelsey tried to sound casual, but Donna looked at her knowingly. “I mean…is he…involved with anyone?”

  Donna smiled. “Justin’s too shy to get involved with anyone. Of course,” she added slyly, “there’s always a first time.” She gave Kelsey’s arm a hard yank and raced ahead to where a yellow shuttle bus was just loading passengers. “Come on! This is where we get on!”