by C J Murphy
“This was the shop that helped arrange that dive tour I went on. It’s the same guy from that boat tour we have scheduled for later this week.”
Jordan scanned the full-color pictures of the diving and boating adventure. Half way down the page, she came to an abrupt stop. Jordan stumbled and Sarah caught her arm.
“Jordan, are you okay?” Sarah asked. Jordan stepped out of line and found a counter she could lean against. She stared, wide eyed, at the brochure. She couldn’t say anything.
There, staring back at her in neck-deep water, were Professors Aggie James and Noeul Scott, holding up a beautiful purple starfish and what looked like a toy figurine. From beneath the goggles pulled up on their foreheads, they looked into the camera with broad grins and sparkling eyes.
Sarah stood directly in front of her, stretched out her arms and placed a hand on each of Jordan’s shoulders. “Jordan, you’re scaring me. What the hell?”
Physically shaking herself, Jordan reached up to cover one of Sarah’s hands. Drawing a shaky finger to the picture of the couple on the brochure, she swallowed hard. “That’s Professor Scott.” Jordan tapped the photo. “That’s the woman I’m looking for.”
Sarah quickly moved to her side and pushed her sunglasses up. She pulled the brochure closer. “How in the hell?”
“That’s what I’ve been trying to tell you guys all along. Something, or someone, is guiding me through this. You explain to me how in the thousands, maybe millions of pictures this company has probably taken…how does this picture,” she flipped her finger against the brochure, “end up in a brochure that you pick up in a bicycle shop that has nothing to do with scuba diving?”
Jordan stood transfixed. She had a direction, someone in this town that had been in direct contact with Noeul Scott at some point. There was nothing to date the picture other than the fact that Aggie James was in it. The photo had to be more than twelve years old. Would anyone at the dive shop remember Noeul?
“Sarah, I don’t care about returning the bikes right now. Jordan pointed at the brochure. “We need to go here, now. Do you remember how to get there?”
Sarah grabbed the keys hanging from Jordan’s pocket. “I’ll drive.”
Jordan pulled up the business’s website. She kept scanning for anything that would lead her to the picture of Noeul and Aggie. She clicked on a link to a social media site. There were hundreds of pictures of the boat tours and a few diving expeditions. Professor Scott’s picture didn’t seem to be there. What she did find were toy figurines. Some were duplicates of the previous version and some were very distinct. The one thing they all had in common was a three-digit number written on them. The captions detailed the antics of the figurine being held in the claws of various lobsters or pictures of the figurine missing limbs that some sea creature had relieved him of. The numbering on the toys started to niggle at her. She started opening the pictures and paying attention to the numbers.
Jordan turned to Sarah. “I think I figured out a way to determine the year on the photo in the brochure.” Her pulse raced. She used her phone to take a picture of the brochure and zoomed in until she could make out the number 128 written across the top of the figurine’s dive mask.
Sarah negotiated a left turn. “How?”
“This guy, Jon, takes this little toy diver with him.”
Sarah shook her head. “Yeah, I remember that, calls him Mini-Jon, I think. I might even have some pictures from my trip.”
“Well, they’re all numbered, and I’ll bet those numbers have particular years associated with them. The one in Noeul’s picture looks a lot like this one he has designated as 128. I can’t make it out. When we get there, we can try to leverage that information to jog some memories.”
The Wave Bobber was a large, blue and white boat moored at the dock when they pulled in to the lot. Adults and children were clamoring off the boat and chatting excitedly. A man, probably in his fifties, and a woman with a long, white braid were waving goodbye and high-fiving the departing kids. Jordan and Sarah stood back until everyone disappeared and the pair turned back to the boat.
Jordan held up her hand. “Excuse me.”
The woman stopped and caught her companion’s arm, turning the pair back to Jordan and Sarah. “Can I help you?”
“Hi, my name is Jordan Armstrong and this is Sarah Reynolds. We have a tour scheduled with you tomorrow at high tide. My sister’s in a wheelchair.”
The man’s eyes brightened and he extended his hand to her. “Oh yeah. Hi, I’m Jon Everett and this is my wife, Lynn. We have another group of people that will be going with us. The couple has a young son who’s in a wheelchair too. Don’t worry, we’ll get everyone safely on the boat.”
Jordan blushed as she took his hand. “Pleasure to meet you both. I’m not worried. I’m grateful. It’s rare to find an adventure activity that’s willing to make accommodations.”
Lynn smiled softly. “Our son, Jon Jr., was confined to a wheelchair. We wanted to make sure he had the opportunity to do all the things his sister, Yvette, could whenever possible. He loved going on the boat.”
Jordan noticed a sadness cover Lynn’s eyes. Jon was shuffling his feet and not making eye contact at all. “I’m sorry if I’ve brought up something painful.”
“It’s not your fault.” Jon raised his head and managed a smile. “We lost Jon Jr. about two years ago, complication of his muscular dystrophy. We miss him and keep his memory alive in our hearts and business. How can we help you?”
Jordan took a deep breath. “Is there someplace we can sit down for a minute?”
Lynn waved them up onto the boat. “Come aboard. We don’t have another tour today, so we were about to reset everything for tomorrow. There’s a table on the deck where we can sit.”
Jordan and Sarah followed Jon and Lynn onto the deck. Scuba gear, crates, and mesh bags lay near the stern of the canvas-covered deck of the vessel. Jordan pulled out the brochure.
“Okay, before I get started, I ask that you keep an open mind for a minute, while I tell you sort of a winding tale. You need to know this part, so you will understand what I’m asking. Okay?”
Jon raised his eyebrows and shrugged. Lynn smiled at her and waved for her to continue.
“I’m an agricultural studies professor at Cornell University. I’m also a bioengineer, working on a project to grow a superfood without water.” Jordan looked up at each of them to gauge if they were following.
Jon scratched his face. “As someone who makes his living by the sea, I certainly hope there isn’t a time when it won’t be around.”
Jordan explained the reason for her journey and what brought her to Maine. She brought her hands together and steepled her fingers, bringing them to her lips. “Now, here’s where it gets pretty strange. Noeul,” she pointed to the woman on the left of the picture, “never got to complete this list with Aggie before her untimely death. After the funeral, Noeul quit her job at the university, and from my understanding, set off to complete the bucket list Aggie created. At each of the locations, Noeul left a memorial to Aggie with a small portion of her ashes, a list of clues for the next location, and usually, a personal letter. The last clue I decoded brought me to Acadia. However, it didn’t give me a location for the memorial.”
Jordan closed her eyes and took a deep breath trying to find the words to explain the unbelievable things guiding her. “All along this journey, I’ve had someone, or something, guiding me to these memorials. I’ve been directed, you could say, to areas or people who have helped me find the final resting place of these memorials. In Havasu Falls, I found an Indian medicine woman who’d helped Noeul. In Sequoia National Park, I heard a voice and a whistle that led me to the site. In New Orleans, I ended up at a bar across the street from where I was staying. Out of the millions of people that live there, I ran into a bartender who’d met them and even had a picture of the three of them together. Her grandmother had helped Noeul create the memorial there. Oh, and this grandmother, happens t
o be a Santeria priestess who can talk to the dead. I know this all sounds crazy, and I appreciate that you are still listening to me at this point.”
Jordan put her head into her own hands at the ridiculousness of the story. She pinched the bridge of her nose. “Which leads me to you. After arriving at Acadia, I kept hoping something would lead me to the memorial. Sarah and I rented bikes at the Bar Harbor Bike Shop and went for a ride today. When we went to return the bikes,” Jordan tapped the brochure. “Sarah pulled this brochure off the shelf, and I recognized Aggie and Noeul in this picture. Now, sometimes I think I’m losing my mind, but to me,” she slid the brochure closer to them, “is like a giant, flashing billboard telling me this is my clue. I’m hoping you remember them.” Jordan felt Sarah’s hand on her back.
“I can vouch for the fact this woman is sane.” Sarah laughed. “Well, let’s just say she isn’t crazy. Jordan’s a bit driven, because she’s on a mission to end world hunger. If you know anything that could help us find Aggie’s memorial. Is there any chance you remember one or both of these women?” Sarah slid her finger back and forth between Aggie and Noeul on the glossy brochure. “The little Mini-Jon’s number seems to indicate they would have been here around 2007, if we understand your numbering system.”
Jordan watched, as Lynn looked at Jon and took his hand. She pointed out something on the back to him, and he shook his head in wide-eyed wonder.
“Jordan, I’m about to add to your story with a few more pieces of divine intervention. This particular brochure,” she held it up and waved it a bit, “never went to print. There shouldn’t be a single copy of it anywhere, because the printer messed up several things on the proof.” She pushed it back over to Jordan. “If you look at the cover, our company name is spelled wrong. You might not catch the other things, but we can tell. The phone number, hours of operation, and even the website is wrong.” She tapped the brochure. “This never left the shop. The gentleman who’d always designed our brochures got sick during the process. His less than enthusiastic son took over. Mr. Daniels passed away, and Roy didn’t know how to make any of the changes or finish the project. This layout never made it off the computer. We’ve used a completely different service for our marketing for the last, what…” Lynn looked to Jon.
Jon shrugged. “At least twelve years.” He scrubbed his jaw, making a sound akin to sandpaper from the stubble of his beard. He sighed and closed his eyes. “I remember them, Noeul in particular. They came on this trip,” he pointed to the picture, “as an anniversary present. Aggie told me all about the clues she had Noeul decipher.” He chuckled. “I thought it was the coolest thing I’d ever heard.” He looked at his wife. “Jon Jr. was still with us when they were here, and Aggie was amazing with him.” Jon looked out into the bay. “About four years after this picture was taken, Noeul came back and told us what had happened. Our son was still alive and it almost broke his heart. Noeul asked me to help her with the memorial she wanted to place.” He stopped and looked at Lynn again.
Jordan could see some hesitancy. “Jon, I know you might not want to tell me where that is. I completely understand that. I promise we will respect the remains and do no harm. All I’m asking is for you to consider it, because I’m not sure how else I’m supposed to find the next clue. It’s a step by step process, and I have to believe I would never have known any of this if Aggie wasn’t directing me in some way. How else do you explain this brochure, or Sarah being with me to find it? I wouldn’t have picked this up. I was standing in a line trying to return our bike rentals. It was Sarah, who was here before. She picked up the brochure to show me your company that she’d been on a group dive with. The same company that we have a boat trip scheduled with, yours. No one, until now, has been with me on any part of this journey. We made this trip to Acadia into a family vacation, because there are activities accessible to my sister, Dava. She has spina bifida and is the one in a wheelchair. We booked an adventure with you because of your efforts to be inclusive.” Jordan knew her voice was bordering on desperate. “You created a way to do it for your son, who met both Aggie and Noeul. I must believe I was meant to find you and put two and two together. Please?”
Jon and Lynn shook their heads. Jon massaged his temple as he spoke. “The picture you see here was taken at Anemone Cave. Aggie loved it when we all dove there together. It’s a really beautiful place. I’m trusting you, because what I’m about to tell you could get me in big trouble.” He stopped and folded his hands. “I helped Noeul put Aggie’s memorial in an underwater cave and found a place to hide it out of the public eye. By now, it will probably be grown over with colorful sea life. It’s illegal to put anything like that there. I justified it because environmentally, there was no harm. Can you dive? High tide tomorrow morning will be around five thirty. Meet me here at the boat at four thirty. I’ve got wet suits you can use.”
Jordan looked at Sarah and both nodded affirmatively. She stretched her hands out to Jon and Lynn. “I thank you both, more than you will ever know.”
After leaving the boat, they returned the bikes before heading back to the hotel. They checked the rack for more of the brochures but weren’t surprised that there were none. It was close to four in the afternoon when they returned to the hotel to clean up for dinner and share what they had learned.
Chapter Twelve
NOEUL RAISED THE COFFEE cup to her mouth and took in a deep breath. There were certain scents in this world that made her smile, fresh brewed coffee, the smell of hay drying in the sun, a ripe tomato, lilac, and honeysuckle. Puppy breath, that’s another favorite. She smiled and let Kyo out as she walked to the chair, cup and journal in hand. Raising her face to the sun, she sat quietly listening to sounds of the world waking up around her.
Chickens clucked behind her, the bells around the goat’s necks rang off the surrounding rocks, and the horses nickered low in their throats. The breeze moved through the branches, causing them to creak and the leaves to rustle. Birdsong sounded in the distance and all seemed right in her world. Well, mostly. The growing feeling of loneliness was as stifling as heat in the desert. Sometimes, it literally stole her breath. She opened the journal and noted the date.
I’ve been able to replicate several pieces of my former student, Professor Jordan Armstrong’s research. I find it completely fascinating how far she’s been able to take the bioengineering aspect of the grafting process. She does seem to be missing a few elements that I’ve documented in my research logs. The processes that I’ve been working on in my own greenhouses mesh beautifully, resulting in a stronger grafting process.
I am intrigued by her ability to articulate the processes. Her data isn’t just factual, it correlates to its usage to end world hunger. I wonder what we would have been able to accomplish together. There are times I miss teaching and seeing the light bulb moment when the student gets it. The real satisfaction is when an exceptional student, like Jordan, takes what they learn from the classroom and puts it to practical use. That’s what a true teacher strives for.
The more I read about her, the more I want to know. At this point, I don’t know what I want to do about that. I do know the desire grows stronger every day.
Aggie’s been quiet of late. No dreams or long conversations. I don’t know, maybe I’ve been imagining it all. Maybe I’m losing my mind talking to a dog, a cat, and a goat. All I know is I’m less and less satisfied with the life I’ve made. It’s certainly not the life I’d imagined.
Noeul closed the book and decided she needed a run. She had too much pent-up energy with no outlet. The trails would offer her a place to clear her mind and tire her body. Kyo would love it. She’d put her journal, a sandwich, and a bottle of water in a lightweight pack and head out to the waterfall, maybe take a swim. After changing, she tied on her trail shoes and walked out to do a few stretches before choosing her route.
Kyo perched at her feet, body in a full downward dog. Her tail wagged slowly, her eyes darting around the yard. Noeul couldn’t help but
laugh as Kyo’s ears twitched. “Come on you nut, let’s go.”
A brisk pace pushed Noeul’s body and thankfully cleared away all thoughts of ghosts from her past. Her research, former students, and loved ones long gone silently faded into the forest. A pleasant heat hummed through her legs, her arms pumping in synch to each step. There had been a time, right after Aggie’s collapse, when she wasn’t sure she would enjoy this ever again. Pine and damp earth filled her nostrils with each deep inhalation.
Time ceased to have any real meaning once her mind and body entered that zone of perfect harmony. Up ahead lay the waterfall. As they approached, Kyo’s excitement was almost palpable, and Noeul laughed as the dog ran in front of her and hurled herself into the water. Noeul stopped and paced back and forth, inhaling deeply and letting her pulse rate drop. Once she was no longer panting, she began to strip down, untying her shoes and pulling off her clothes. She climbed up the side of the falls and dove into the cool water. Noeul let her body absorb the temperature change. It was a shock at first, brisk and breathtaking. It reminded her of the scuba diving adventures with Aggie in Acadia. That bucket-list location had been the site of a huge argument and in the end, their final adventure.
Noeul heard her phone ping with an incoming message, the third of the morning.
Aggie frowned and stabbed a forkful of pancakes and sausage. “Really?”
“I can’t help it, Aggie, it’s my lab. There’s a problem, and vacation or not, I’m responsible.” Noeul opened her email app and read the message from her lab assistant.
Professor, I’m sorry to have to tell you this. Research plot 672 has developed lesions. We’ve identified it as stagonospora nodorum blotch. What do you want us to do?”
Amy
“Shit, I’ve got to call the lab after breakfast. We’ve got a major failure, a fungal leaf disease.” Noeul threw her napkin on the table, grabbed at the sides of her head, and rested her elbows on the table.