The Lifeguard

by Richie Tankersley Cusick

  Kelsey felt anger surging up in her, and the look she gave him was scathing. “Well, I might just be dead by morning, thanks to you, and I hope that makes you very happy!”

  “Dead!” Neale scoffed. “Of what? Feeling sorry for yourself?”

  “It just might interest you to know that Isaac almost strangled me tonight!” It was out before she thought, and Neale’s eyes narrowed.

  “What do you mean?”

  “He threatened to kill me!” she went on, but some of the boldness had gone from her voice. “He said I might wash up on the beach some morning like all the others.” She shut her eyes against a sudden image…a body…by the lighthouse…in the weeds…

  “Isaac said that?” Neale’s voice sank even lower, his stare going through her like a lance.

  “He saw me go on his boat today,” Kelsey admitted reluctantly. “He said again that he didn’t kill Beth…but—”

  “But what?”

  “What he told me before. That he knows who did.”

  Neale wasn’t even looking at her now. He was gazing out to sea, and the wind lashed his hair, giving him a wild, frightening look. Kelsey heard his voice, carefully controlled.

  “Did he say who it is?” Neale asked.

  She shook her head. “No. Just that he knew. But he didn’t tell me.”

  Something snapped on the path behind them, and Neale was on his feet so fast that Kelsey wasn’t even certain she had seen him jump up.

  “Relax,” Skip’s voice came out of the dark. “It’s just us.”

  It was obvious that Neale didn’t appreciate being eavesdropped on. He reached down and pulled Kelsey roughly to her feet, glaring at the newcomers. “What do you want?”

  “We were getting worried,” Donna said, annoyed at Neale’s greeting.

  Skip just laughed it off. “So old Isaac has the murderer picked out, huh? Well, this island is just crawling with smart detectives—”

  “That’s not funny, Skip,” Donna glared at him.

  “Sure it is. Almost as funny as you and Kelsey are.” Skip grabbed her arm, but Donna shook him off. “Oh, come on, be a big girl and use your head—you remember, that place where everyone else has a brain?”

  “Drop dead, Skip,” Donna muttered, and Kelsey stood there helplessly, watching her go.

  “Donna!”

  “I’ll see you tomorrow!” Donna called back, strangely choked. “Are you walking on the beach in the morning?”

  “Yes, but—Donna, wait!” Kelsey ran after her, only half conscious of the boys heading back to the house. “Donna—”

  “It’s my fault, you know—” Donna wiped angrily at her tears, tried to smile. “He’s such a total jerk, and I’m so stupid—”

  “No, you’re not. I think Skip likes you more than you know—more than he knows—”

  “Now who has an empty head?” Donna’s laugh was weak, and she shivered. “Listen, can I borrow your jacket? It’s a cold walk home.”

  “Why don’t you wait a minute,” Kelsey slipped out of her windbreaker, handing it over. “Let Justin give you a ride—”

  “No thanks.” Donna jerked the hood up over her head and dug her hands into the pockets. “See you in the morning.”

  Kelsey trudged back, going up to her room without seeing anyone. The boys were all in the kitchen and, she supposed, still having fun at her expense. She tried to put herself in their places, but it only made her angrier. I’d believe Justin…I’d believe Justin, no matter what he told me…

  The knock at her door nearly sent her out of her skin. “Who is it?” she asked, almost angrily.

  “Me. Justin.” Kelsey went over and opened the door, and they stood there looking at each other. There were dark circles under his eyes, a gauntness to his cheeks where the last few days had finally taken their toll. “I…just wanted to check on you…to see if—”

  “If I’m still seeing things?” The words were out before she could stop them. She turned away and sat on the foot of her bed.

  “Look,” Justin said at last, “I don’t know what happened out there tonight…what you saw or heard…I do know that something was wrong. That something terrified you. I guess…well, I guess I just went crazy for a minute, diving in and not finding anyone. I guess I just kept thinking about Beth and…” His explanation trailed off, and his eyes lifted, bewildered. “I’m really sorry about your dad.”

  So he and Skip had heard that part, too. Kelsey stiffened as Justin crossed the room and sat down beside her. “This whole thing…I guess it’s been like a nightmare for you.”

  And again she numbed her emotions, her body, her mind. It took a while to even realize that Justin’s fingers had slipped beneath her chin, were tilting her head so their eyes met. So blue…so beautifully blue…

  “Oh, Kelsey,” he whispered, and his lips met hers, his arms strong in their gentleness, wrapped around her, easing her down, holding her close, keeping her safe… “Kelsey,” he murmured again, and for just one brief, sweet instant, pressed against him, heartbeat to heartbeat, all her walls and defenses crumbled uselessly, finally away…“Kelsey…I need you…”

  She didn’t want him to stop, didn’t want to leave his arms—yet she was almost relieved when Neale’s footsteps sounded in the hall, bringing them back to reality.

  At the door, Justin glanced over his shoulder and gave her a slow smile. “Do you think you’ll be all right or should I stay?”

  Her heart was fluttering so uncontrollably that she stammered. “I…can sleep.”

  “I’ll see you in the morning then.” He backed out of the room. “Good-night.”

  For a long time she lay there, staring at the door, at the place on the bed where he’d been…where he’d held her… She climbed under the covers and switched off the lamp, smiling a little at the darkness and the chill and the rattle of the wind at the windows.

  But then she pretended the blankets were Justin’s arms…

  And all the terrible fears, all the dangers, faded away at last into a deep blue dream of Justin’s eyes.

  Chapter 20

  THE LIFEGUARD FLATTENED HIMSELF against the lighthouse wall, his eyes wide and fixed in terror on the rocks below.

  It wasn’t her!

  This couldn’t have happened—couldn’t have—not to him—not when he’d planned so carefully…

  The wind was like the inside of his head, screaming and shrieking, like she had screamed…like she had screamed and screamed, the whole way down until she’d finally hit those rocks and lay still…

  He caught his breath, his own scream choking him.

  It was Kelsey’s fault, this terrible thing that had happened.

  Kelsey’s fault.

  She’d said she’d be out walking this morning…he’d heard her say that…and he’d waited for her, oh, so patiently…just watched and waited for that purple windbreaker to come up the beach…waited and followed…tracking her…choosing the perfect moment…

  And he’d felt that strange, wonderful thrill, coming up behind her…that flow of pure invincibility…that strange, cold joy as she sensed him there and whirled around—

  Only it wasn’t Kelsey.

  It wasn’t Kelsey that had whirled around, eyes wild, staring, not begging, just staring and crying—“Oh, my God…not you…not you…”—And her eyes, two perfect mirrors of his own face—

  He’d hated what he’d seen in her eyes.

  In that last split second, what he’d seen there with the horror and the terrible fear.

  Pity.

  He’d shoved her, hard, because he’d had to, because she knew who he was now, and she was sorry for him, and he hated her for that…hated…“Oh, Donna…Donna…” he whimpered, “I didn’t want to kill you, too…”

  And again he heard the screams, Donna’s screams as her body had hurtled down the cliff, and his screams, even now, as he leaned against the lighthouse wall, and he couldn’t stop…couldn’t stop…

  It was all Kelsey’s fault.

&
nbsp; She had tricked him.

  The lifeguard drew a ragged breath and stared down at the limp body on the rocks.

  Tricked him…

  Now…and finally…it was his turn.

  Chapter 21

  AT FIRST SHE THOUGHT it was still night.

  The room was so dark that Kelsey groped for the clock and stared at it, convinced it must have broken sometime while she slept.

  The hands read 8:30.

  Puzzled, Kelsey roused herself and looked out through the windows. It was hard to tell where the ocean ended and the horizon began. The sky was a boiling mass of black, the waves choppy shadows, the sand gunmetal-gray, so that everything melted together in a thick, murky blur. Sporadic stabs of lightning pierced the clouds, and a strange, thick mist hung over everything. Kelsey shuddered and jumped out of bed, switching on the light. She wouldn’t be taking a walk this morning.

  There was a radio going downstairs—she could hear the drone of a newscaster and bursts of static. A cabinet door opened and closed. There was a murmur of voices, the smell of strong coffee. The phone rang once, then clattered down again. The boys were probably both downstairs; Kelsey doubted if the beaches would open today.

  She went to the closet and rummaged through her sparse assortment of clothes. She hadn’t planned on it being quite so cold, and now Donna had borrowed her only jacket. She hoped Donna didn’t forget to return it—it was her favorite one. Thinking of Donna now made her smile. She had grown close to her in such a short time—she hoped they would stay friends, even after Kelsey went back home. She chuckled to herself. Hopefully Donna would be recovered now from her fight with Skip, although Skip probably deserved to suffer, just a little.

  The jeans and shirt she finally put on weren’t nearly warm enough. Kelsey hesitated a minute, staring into the closet at Beth’s things. Maybe there was a T-shirt or light pullover she could tuck discreetly under her own shirt. It really was so cold in here…

  A quick search through the hangers proved fruitless. Kelsey stood on tiptoe, trying to see the high shelf at the back of the closet. There were stacks of things folded and several boxes—maybe there was something she could borrow.

  She dragged a chair over and stood on it. Pulling on the nearest pile of clothes, she was instantly showered with envelopes that fell from a box without a lid.

  “Damn!” Kelsey jumped back and began gathering everything up—clippings, photographs, letters—trying not to look at them, feeling like the worst kind of intruder. She had just swept them all back into the box when suddenly one particular piece of paper caught her eye. Unlike the others, this one didn’t have an envelope, and it had come unfolded in the fall so that the scrawled writing was clearly visible. But it wasn’t only the writing which caught her attention now—it was the official insignia stamped across the top:

  BROOKFIELD PSYCHIATRIC HOSPITAL

  For several long minutes Kelsey stared at it, and then, hating herself, she began to read, her eyes widening as they descended the paper.

  Dear Beth,

  Yes, to answer your last letter, I’m doing much better. As you can see, they even let me have a pen to write with now! Doc says I’m making great progress. I’ve had lots of time to think here—to think about what I almost did. I know you can’t run away from your troubles. I’ll never be Justin, and Dad will never accept me like he does Justin—I guess I have to live with that. What I tried to do to myself was the worst thing I could ever have done. But I’m lucky—I’m getting a second chance and I want to make it work this time.

  So how’s Dad? Justin calls, but never comes—the calls are always in secret, of course. Guess I’m not the sort of thing you want your important friends to know about. But I guess I can handle that, too. But why hasn’t Dad at least been to see me? Or written? Or anything?

  I’m glad you liked the scarf I sent. And you’re sweet to keep writing me, to keep believing in me. Guess you’re the only one who does, besides myself. Maybe if we’d been born into some different family, you and I could have known each other better.

  Time to put this out for the mail. I look forward to your letters—they keep me going.

  Neale

  P.S. I love you, too.

  Kelsey stared.

  And even after she refolded the paper and put it back in its box, she sat there on the floor, staring but not seeing…until finally the room, and her thoughts, began to focus back.

  Neale? In a psychiatric hospital? Her mind could hardly grasp it, and she shook her head, incredulous. Neale…and envious…of Justin? Kelsey stared at the folded paper. What had Neale tried to do to himself? Brookfield Psychiatric Hospital. Yet there was something else in the back of her mind…something important…Brookfield…something that Donna had told her…

  “Kelsey? You awake?”

  The tap on her door brought her to her feet just as the bedside lamp dimmed and went out. “Yes, I’m up.” Frowning at the sudden gloom, she stuffed the box back into the closet and flung open the bedroom door, hoping she didn’t look guilty.

  Justin didn’t seem to notice anything wrong. “The power just went out, and the phones are out, too. We’re in for one hell of a storm, I’m afraid.”

  Kelsey followed him downstairs and saw Skip hunched over on the couch, lighting some kerosene lamps. Judging by his rumpled appearance and grumpy expression, Kelsey guessed he had spent the whole night on that very spot.

  “Feeling better?” she asked, and he gave her a sullen look. “Coffee?”

  Skip groaned and frowned at the couch. “Is this made out of concrete or what?”

  “Concrete,” Justin grinned, handing Skip a freshly filled cup. “You’ve been up for an hour already—I thought you’d have all the kinks worked out by now.”

  “I’m probably ruined for life.”

  “You’re just nursing a broken heart,” Justin said. “These things take time.”

  Kelsey patted his knee. “Did anyone get ahold of Donna?”

  “Yeah, I called her. And called her. And called her. Last night, and this morning, too, till the damn phones went dead. No answer.”

  Kelsey felt the first nagging twinge of worry. “Should we go and check on her?”

  “And give her the satisfaction? You must be joking.”

  “It’s not unusual,” Justin informed her, “for Donna not to answer when they’ve had a fight.”

  “But I’d like to talk to her,” Kelsey insisted.

  “Good.” Skip waved his hand. “You talk to her. Tell her what a brat she’s being—”

  “Skip—” Kelsey admonished.

  “Kelsey—” Skip retorted, “tell her it’s her own fault—”

  “Skip, aren’t you even the least bit upset? And what’s this on your neck?”

  Skip fingered the wide red welt that encircled his neck, and he frowned. “My chain must have come off last night in the water. Terrific…there goes my key again—damn, it feels like a rope burn. Any of you guys have a spare key?”

  Justin fumbled at his pockets, his face blank. “Neale must have borrowed mine—Come on Skip, just admit it. You’re upset about Donna. I’ll just get the jeep and we’ll—”

  To Kelsey’s surprise Skip nudged him roughly aside. “Why should I be upset? I can have anything I want, so why should I be upset? She’s the one who should be upset—she deserves it.” He stomped from the room, throwing a last remark. “She deserved exactly what she got.”

  Kelsey felt a ripple of fear move up her spine. She looked at Justin, waiting for some explanation, but he only looked as upset as she felt. Without a word he followed Skip into the kitchen, leaving her alone and strangely troubled. Something… something’s not right…

  Uneasily Kelsey opened the front door and surveyed the mounting storm. The trees were whipping wildly in the wind—the ocean looked maniacal…bursting on the shore, exploding in a black frenzy that chilled her to the bone. Something…something…

  “I’m going to check on Donna,” Skip said suddenly
behind her. She whirled around, cheered a little by his change of heart. “You wanna come with me?”

  She did, but instead shook her head. “No…I think three might be a crowd if there’s any making up to do.”

  Skip pondered these words of wisdom, then shook his head. “No, I think maybe you should be there. So when she crawls back and I refuse her, you can arbitrate.” He took her punch on his arm and grinned, more like his old self again.

  “You might as well go with him,” Justin urged, shrugging into his jacket. “Neale’s gone off to check something up the beach, and I need to go find him. I’d feel better if you weren’t alone.”

  So you feel it, too, Kelsey thought, and she met Justin’s eyes with a slight shock—they seemed to confirm her sense of foreboding. Something…something’s not right…

  “Yeah, come on. We’ll take the shortcut up by the lighthouse—it’ll be faster.” Skip propelled her out to his jeep, not giving her time to answer. She gasped as the wind nearly knocked her over, and Skip helped her into the seat, his own body braced against the fierce gusts. “Sit close to me!” he ordered her, and she scooted into his side, glad to have something to lean on.

  “I need a jacket!” she shouted, and Skip coaxed the jeep to life, sending them both back against the seat.

  “You can get one at Donna’s. What do you think I’m here for anyway?” He slipped an arm around her and hugged her close, waving smugly to Justin as they started off. Justin waved back and shouted something, but it was lost in the wind.

  A clap of thunder shook the air, the sky, splitting the clouds. Kelsey jumped as the rain hit her—not a light sprinkling, but an unleashed torrent that turned the world an instant, impenetrable gray. They were drenched within seconds.

  Skip hung over the wheel, squinting through the impossible curtain of rain. “Damn! I can’t see a thing out here—”