“That’s not exactly the point,” Naomi said.
Brrrrring!
“I’ll get it.” Emily rushed to grab the phone. “Hello?”
Nothing.
“Hello?”
Emily started to hang up, but then heard breathing. Very faint. She checked the caller ID: unknown.
“Who is this?”
“Em—” Then the phone went dead.
The room shifted, like in an earthquake. Emily’s heart pounded so hard she thought her ribs might crack. She gripped the cordless phone tight and leaned against the kitchen bar. The corner dug into her side.
Breathing no longer came naturally. She had to force the air in and out of her lungs.
“Emily?” Naomi glanced up and caught sight of Emily’s face. She set down the serving spoon and rushed to Emily’s side. She pried the phone from Emily’s hand. “Hello?”
She turned the phone off and set it on the counter. “Emily, you’re white as a sheet. Who was that?”
“I—I—I think it was Marika.” Again. Why couldn’t she leave her alone?
The wind whistled through the trees, and moonlight bounced off the whitecaps. Emily zipped her coat as high as it would go and snapped her hood under her chin. “We’ll never find the dog out here. How can Samson smell it out over the water?” She did not want to get in that boat, but Bree stood with her hand out and she had no choice.
Bree helped Emily aboard the motorboat. “The moisture enhances the odor for the dogs.”
The call had come right after a gloomy dinner. A family had been getting their boat docked for the winter, and their beloved dog had leaped overboard. Emily had been glad to get out of the house and quit worrying that her mother would call back. But a water search was not high on her list of things she wanted to experience—especially at night.
Her pulse throbbed in her throat. “Are you sure you need me?”
Bree patted the seat beside her. “This is part of your training. And with Charley sick, it will help to have Sherlock along for a second nose—it’s good training for him too. The dog has been in the water for an hour, so I’m not hopeful, but we have to try.”
Naomi handed her a life jacket. “Put this on. Are you warm enough?”
“Not really. Maybe I should wait in the car. The wind is really cold.” Maybe Naomi would take pity and let her stay behind.
Naomi dug in her pocket. “Here, take my gloves. And sit behind the windshield.”
“I’ve got gloves.” Emily pulled them from her pocket. “I’ve got homework to do too.”
Naomi frowned. “It’s not like you to want to sit out on a search. Are you getting sick?”
Emily had worked hard to overcome her fear of the water over the years, and she wasn’t about to admit her knees were shaking. “I’m just cold.” She moved to the seat Naomi pointed out.
“I’ve got the dog’s blanket.” Bree held the fluffy blue scrap of material under Samson’s nose. He sniffed it eagerly.
Emily got back up and led her puppy to the blanket. “Smell that, Sherlock.” The puppy sniffed around the material, but he was more interested in Samson.
“Search, Samson,” Bree commanded.
The dog whined and moved to the front of the boat with his nose into the wind. Emily eyed him doubtfully. His tail wagged and his ears were at attention. Sherlock followed him, but he was more interested in the boat than the scent.
“How will you even know if he smells something?”
“By his manner,” Bree explained. “He’ll bark or lean forward more. Samson sometimes even climbs out on the bow of the boat.”
Bree started the engine, and the boat pulled away from the harbor. The bow of the boat slammed into the choppy waves, and Emily steadied herself on the side. Nausea made her swallow several times. All she wanted was for this trip to be over and for her feet to be back on solid ground.
“The dog went into the water about here, as near as I can tell,” Bree said, slowing the boat. The boat bobbed in the waves as she killed the engine. “Give the dogs a refresher sniff.”
Emily didn’t want to let go of the side of the boat, but she grabbed the blanket and eased up to where Samson and Sherlock could smell it. Samson took another whiff and then whined eagerly. He jumped onto the bow of the boat and went out to the very front.
“He’s going to fall in!” Emily tried to reach Samson’s leash and failed, but she did grab Sherlock’s. Sherlock wanted to follow, but Emily held his leash tight. Her puppy wasn’t as experienced as Samson, and she didn’t want him to tumble into the icy water.
“Samson is very sure-footed,” Bree said. “I think he smells something. What is it, boy? Where is Jasper?”
Samson barked. His tail swished wildly. He crouched on the tip of the boat until his feet hung over. Emily strained to see in the dark, but she couldn’t see anything in the choppy water.
“There!” Naomi pointed. “What’s that? It looks like a flotation cushion. And I think that’s the Vesterses’ boat.”
“Mrs. Vesters told me she threw one in hoping Jasper could get to it.” Bree started the engine again and cruised near the other boat. When they reached the Vesterses’ boat, she cut the engine again.
Mrs. Vesters grabbed the rope Bree threw her. “He hasn’t barked in ages.” Her long blond hair was pulled back in a ponytail, and her cheeks were red from the cold wind.
“I thought I saw a flotation cushion,” Naomi said.
Mr. Vesters nodded. He worked in the shipyard and was a big bear of a man in his twenties with a black mustache. “We threw it as close as we could, but Jasper never made it onto the cushion.”
Emily wanted to cry. The poor little dog probably drowned. Her hold on the side of the boat eased, and she concentrated on trying to see some small speck in the water. The dogs were still acting as though they smelled something. Samson hadn’t left his perch on the bow. His nose pointed north, and he whined.
“Let’s try that direction,” Emily said, pointing. “I think Samson smells something.”
Bree nodded and pulled in her rope, then started the engine again. They motored toward the northern cliff face. Emily forgot about the cold and the scary waves. Where was Jasper? Samson whined and barked. His nails scraped on the boat as he tried to wiggle closer to the water.
Emily glanced at Bree. “Is he reacting?”
Bree nodded. “And he’s not giving a death reaction. I think Jasper is still alive.”
Emily straightened and called to the little dog, “Jasper!” She leaned over the side of the boat by a few inches. Where was he? He was white and tan, so he wasn’t going to be easy to spot in the whitecaps.
Sherlock barked too, his paws up on the side of the boat. He seemed to be staring at something in the water, but Emily couldn’t see what. She shouted for Jasper again and listened. Was that a weak whine? Squinting, she looked as hard as she could. A small curl of a wave parted to reveal a dog in the cold water. He was lying on a scrap of wood.
Thank you, God! Emily leaped to her feet and pointed. “There he is! Hey, Jasper, hey, boy. We’re going to get you out of there.” She looked at Bree, who seemed grim. “We are, aren’t we?”
“I’m afraid the wake of our boat is going to knock him into the water. You ready to go get him, Naomi?”
Naomi reached for her backpack. “Sure am. Let me get on my dry suit and fins.”
The thought of Naomi in that high surf made Emily’s mouth go dry. “Can’t we snag him with an oar or something?”
Bree shook her head. “We sit up too high in the water.”
Emily hadn’t thought through how they were going to rescue the little dog. She moved nearer to Naomi. “How can I help?”
“When I’m in the water, it will be harder to see where he is. You’ll need to direct me.” Naomi zipped up her suit, then reached into the pack and pulled out some blankets. “Wait by the ladder with blankets for both of us. We’ll need them.”
Emily clutched the blankets to her chest
and nodded. Naomi snapped on her fins, then jumped into the water. The cold spray struck Emily in the face, and she winced. The water in Superior was always cold, but this time of year it was nearly freezing. Naomi could get hypothermia pretty quickly out there.
She stood and pointed. “There he is, Naomi. About ten feet to your right at about two o’clock.”
Naomi waved a hand, then struck out in Jasper’s direction. In moments she reached the dog. Clutching him to her chest, she side paddled slowly, with his muzzle on her shoulder out of the water, until she was nearly to the boat.
Emily eased herself down on the ladder by one rung, only a foot above the water. “Hand him up to me.”
Naomi lifted the drenched and shivering dog up to her. “Hang on tight.”
“Got him.” Emily clutched Jasper to her chest and climbed back to the deck, where she wrapped the blanket around him. She turned and handed the other blanket to Naomi as she came up the ladder. “Your lips are blue.”
“That water is freezing!” Naomi wrapped herself in the blanket, then pulled out another blanket and wrapped herself in it too. “Let’s get him to the vet.”
“I just called his owners and told them to meet us there. They’re already on their way to the dock.” Bree started the motor.
Emily unzipped her coat and put the shivering dog inside. She’d been only a little afraid.
SEVEN
“I can’t believe Principal Sturgeon hasn’t had an assembly all day.” Emily shoved books into her locker, then slammed the door shut. She didn’t even need a notebook for yearbook staff class. “It’s clear no one claimed the jacket because the sheriff was on the news last night asking for the owner to come forward.”
Olivia shrugged. “Maybe someone came forward after the news last night. Or this morning.” She had yearbook with Emily, so she fell into step alongside her.
“I don’t think so.”
“Why not?”
Emily nodded at the front circle of the school. The sheriff’s car sat parked right out front. “I don’t think he’d be here if they’d found the owner of the jacket. They’d have them down at the station, not here at the school.”
“You never know.” Olivia led the way into the media center. “I miss our classroom already. It’s hard to work on layouts and designs without all our stuff.”
“Yeah, me too.” Emily sat at one of the round tables, Olivia taking the chair beside her. As they waited for class to start, she told Olivia about her adventure on the lake.
“Wow, you went out in a boat? And climbed down the ladder? I’m impressed.”
“I’m a little impressed with myself too.” Emily grinned and took out a book. “It was less scary once I was focused on that poor dog. I’m actually kinda excited to try another water rescue.”
Mr. Morris, the yearbook sponsor, entered the media center. The few hairs left on the top of his head stood up from the wind. The media center was located on the main breezeway, and it was almost always windy. Today the hint of smoke still lingered on the east end of the school.
“Students, most of our needed tools will be brought to the media center tomorrow, so for today, I’d like you to review previous issues of the yearbook to see which layouts you think worked best.” Mr. Morris smoothed his hair. “Upon approval, you and your team will be allowed to recreate that layout in the current yearbook.” He gestured to the various yearbooks lying on the main table. “Begin.”
“I’ll get one.” Olivia jumped up from her seat and rushed to the main table, apparently determined to get first pick.
Emily stared out the window into the parking lot. She caught herself automatically searching for Marika. Naomi had called the sheriff after Marika’s call last night, but he said there wasn’t really anything they could do. He suggested they change their number to an unlisted one, but Dad and Naomi talked about it and decided not to, since it was too easy to get anyone’s phone number in Rock Harbor. They did decide to upgrade the phone service and have auto-reject on any unknown or private number.
“What are you staring at?” Olivia nudged Emily.
“Oh, nothing.” Emily smiled. “Was just daydreaming.” She hadn’t told Olivia about Marika’s call. She didn’t like talking about Marika. Besides, as Sheriff Kaleva pointed out, there was no way to know for certain the caller had really been Marika.
Except Emily knew it was. She was absolutely certain.
Olivia snorted and sat down, setting last year’s annual in front of Emily. She opened the book. “Well, stop daydreaming and start focusing. I want to find a really good layout for the Fashion Club’s page.”
Emily grinned back and opened the yearbook. “Got it.”
“Hey”—Olivia stopped flipping pages—“when do you think you’ll get back to making your jewelry?”
As much as Emily loved making beaded necklaces, bracelets, and earrings, she loved SAR more. “Maybe once Sherlock’s trained. Between training and Smackdown practices and studying, I just don’t have the time.” She turned to the back of the yearbook, where most of the freestyle layouts were. “Speaking of time . . . are you working on your parents’ anniversary party? Naomi ordered the cake for you with their wedding picture.”
Olivia nodded. “I turned the invitations over to Mrs. Heinonen to address and mail. Your grandma is the best.”
Actually, Martha Heinonen was Naomi’s mother, but she loved Emily and Timmy just as much as she loved Matthew. She could be a little stuffy and formal sometimes, but Emily adored her.
“It’s hard working on the party.” Olivia’s nose scrunched. “I mean, they’re my parents and I love them and want to celebrate their anniversary, but . . . well . . .”
“It’s hard to do something for them when they’ve kept the secret that you’re adopted all these years.”
“Does that make me a selfish person?”
“Of course not. Don’t be silly. You’re one of the most generous people I know.” Emily couldn’t think of many people more giving than Olivia. “Have you had any luck finding your birth certificate?”
“Not yet. Mom and Dad have their monthly meeting with Pastor Lukkari tonight, so I’m hoping to have a chance to look in the trunk again.”
“Do you want me to come help?”
“No. I need to do it alone.”
“I understand.” And she did, but she still really wanted to help her friend.
Olivia didn’t reply; she just turned the page.
Wanting to give Olivia the moment she obviously needed, Emily focused on the pages in the yearbook in front of her. She could only imagine how Olivia felt. If it’d been her, Emily would’ve already confronted her parents. The curiosity to know would have outweighed anything else.
She flipped to the next page, barely glancing at the photographs or the layout. After school tonight, she had to study for the Smackdown exhibition or she’d embarrass herself and the team at the homecoming demonstration. If Principal Sturgeon didn’t have it canceled. Then again, if the community demanded the celebration happen regardless, like Inetta had heard . . .
“Did Naomi call Dr. Meeks this morning?” Olivia asked, interrupting Emily’s thoughts.
“He said Charley was about the same as before, but tests should be back today.” Naomi had tried to hide how worried she was, but Emily understood. They all loved Charley and missed him. If something happened to Sherlock, Emily would be a total wreck.
“I’m still praying.”
“Thanks.” Emily was too. A lot. For Charley. For Naomi. For Olivia and her parents. She turned to the next page in the yearbook.
And froze. Her heart kicked up a notch as she let out a little gasp.
“What?” Olivia leaned over and stared at the picture on the page.
In front of the football field, several juniors hammed it up for the camera by striking “bodybuilder” poses.
“Do you see it?” Emily whispered.
Olivia shook her head. “What? It’s just a bunch of guys goofing off. Nothing
special about the layout.”
Emily tapped her finger on one of the boys in the picture.
“Drake Wilson?”
“Look at what he’s wearing,” Emily whispered.
“Oh.”
It was the blue fleece jacket.
Olivia licked her lips. “Maybe it’s not the same kind or same shade of blue.”
Emily arched a single brow, a talent she had only recently perfected. “I was there when it was found, remember? It’s the same color and style. It has that little logo on the sleeve too, see? And Drake’s on the varsity football team, so he has access to the locker room.”
“But Drake?”
Emily understood. Drake was the son of the county coroner and a local hairdresser. He was an honor student, running back for the varsity football team, and one of the nicest seniors in the whole school. He’d even been voted junior favorite last year.
“I could be wrong, I guess.” It didn’t make any sense. Why would Drake have had anything to do with a fire?
Olivia leaned closer as other kids moved to the table beside her and Emily. “You have to tell Principal Sturgeon.”
“I can’t.” But Emily’s heartbeat quickened.
“You have to, Em.”
“What will the whole school think? They’ll label me a snitch. That’d be social suicide for sure, Liv.”
“It’s not just the school. The police are involved. You don’t have a choice.” Olivia grabbed the yearbook and handed it to Emily. “You have to take this to the office and tell Principal Sturgeon.”
Emily twirled her hair around her finger. What was she supposed to do? If she told on Drake, she’d never be popular, and she would go into high school next year with everyone hating her.
“Emily.”
“I’m not sure. I mean, like you said, it could very well not be the same jacket.”
“But it could be.”
It could be the kiss of death on her high school social life. “Remember Inetta said Sheriff Kaleva was visiting all the varsity players’ homes last night. He probably already talked with Drake and his parents.”
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