by Shari Barr
The girls quickly gathered their towels and bags and headed to the beach house. After changing their clothes, they grabbed their cameras and stepped out the back door. They set off down the road behind the row of beach homes that led to the Sea Lion Harbor observation area.
When they arrived at the overlook, McKenzie heard the sea lions before she saw them. Their barking was unlike anything she had ever heard. Even though she had heard them the night before with Aunt Becca, she was still shocked by the noise.
“Look at them all,” McKenzie said, peering over the fence that overlooked the rocky ledge below. “There must be dozens of them. They’re so cute when they play, and they’re so noisy. Do you know what a group of sea lions is called?”
“A cluster?” Alex asked.
“No, a herd,” McKenzie said. “When Aunt Becca told me that, I thought she was kidding. I thought she said it was a herd because I’m used to cows being in herds!”
“Well, I guess they’re actually about as big as cows,” Alex said.
“At least some of them. I never realized how big they can get,” McKenzie agreed.
“Do you see Susie?” Alex leaned against the railing and watched the sea lions frolic in the water.
McKenzie squinted as she searched the herd for Susie. “There she is! On the ledge. That’s not like her. Last night she was spinning like a ballet dancer while Mario and Bianca swam around her. She must not have found her pups yet. She looks sad now.”
“Maybe she misses her babies.” Alex lifted her camcorder and focused on the sea lions below her.
McKenzie focused her digital camera on Susie and snapped a picture. Several of the sea lions were chasing fish, catching them playfully, then letting them go. “Susie just doesn’t act right. Do you think we could figure out what happened to the pups?”
Alex lowered her camcorder. “I think we should try, anyway. When I was doing my report for school, I learned it’s illegal to capture sea lions. If we don’t look out for them, who will? They’re God’s creatures, too.”
“If someone stole Mario and Bianca, we need to find out who did it and what they did with the pups,” McKenzie said, glancing at her watch. “It’s hot out here. Do you want to go back to the beach for a while before Aunt Becca gets off work? That will give us time to figure out how to start this investigation.”
Alex agreed as she shut off her camcorder. They hurried back down the road to the beach house. After grabbing their towels, they headed to the cove. While they were gone, sunbathers had flocked to the beach, spreading out colorful blankets and coolers. Rock music blared out of someone’s boom box. A few kites dotted the sky.
McKenzie flung herself onto the sand.
Alex dropped down beside her and stretched out on her stomach with her arms folded beneath her chin. “Isn’t it funny that a group of sea lions is called a herd, but baby sea lions are called pups?” Then without waiting for an answer, she asked, “Where should we begin, with this investigation, I mean?”
“Good question.” McKenzie started digging in the sand. “We don’t know much about the couple that the boy said stole the pups. All we know is that they drove a silver and red boat, and the guy had a fish tattoo. And they had two helpers. Maybe we should try to figure out why someone would want to steal the babies. You’re the sea lion expert, Alex. What would someone do with a sea lion?”
Alex thought for a moment, then answered. “Well, it’s not to sell the fur, like some animals, because the sea lion doesn’t have any fur. Some people in northern Alaska use the skins to make boats, but that would be dumb to steal pups for that.”
“That’s gross,” McKenzie said, making a face. “Surely no one would be mean enough to do that. They wouldn’t get much skin out of baby pups, anyway. There must be another reason. Why else would someone want a sea lion?”
“Hmm.” Alex wrinkled her brow. “Mario and Bianca were twins, and that’s very unusual. Maybe someone wants them for a zoo or something like that.”
McKenzie scanned the people lounging on the beach. She wished she would see the mother and her two kids, Keaton and Claire, again. If she did, she would talk to the boy. But she didn’t see the family anywhere on this stretch of beach.
“Hey, look.” McKenzie nodded in the direction of a boat. “Is that the boat that about ran us over this morning? It kind of looks like the same couple.”
Alex turned in the direction McKenzie pointed. “It could be. It all happened so fast that I didn’t get a good look at them. But it does look like the boat. It’s silver and red, just like the one that kid, Keaton, saw.”
The pilot of the boat steered it into the marina and cut the engine. A tall blond woman jumped onto the dock and tied the boat to the dock. They stowed their fishing gear in the back of the boat. Then they each grabbed an end of an old cooler and lugged it onto the dock.
“It is them. That’s also the couple that got so mad because they wanted the Hideaway Bungalow so badly,” Alex said.
McKenzie watched the couple carry the cooler across the beach and disappear on a narrow path through the trees. “I’m sure it’s them, too.”
A figure on the beach caught her attention. “McKenzie! Alex!”
A young woman with short dark hair called and waved at the girls.
“Alex, Aunt Becca’s back.” McKenzie stood and brushed sand off her legs.
“Hey, girls,” Aunt Becca called out as they approached. “How’s it going?”
Both girls began talking at the same time, telling Becca about the missing seal pups and the conversation they had overheard with the little boy and his mother.
“And when we were out on the skimmer, a couple that matched that description almost ran us over with their boat, tipping us over and everything,” McKenzie explained.
“And then the fog got so bad we could hardly see to get back home. Mr. C. was almost ready to come looking for us,” Alex said anxiously.
“What’s this?” Aunt Becca frowned at the girls. “You were out and got lost in the fog? How far did you sail?”
“Uh…” McKenzie stammered, glancing sheepishly at Alex. “We’re not sure. It was so foggy we couldn’t see the landmarks.”
Uh-oh. We’re in trouble now. We’ve said too much, McKenzie thought. I’ve seen that look before.
Aunt Becca looked from one girl to the other, like she was trying not to get mad. “I know I told you girls you could take the sailboat out, but only if you stayed within a reasonable distance to the beach. You need to stay close enough to land so you can get back safely, even in a fog. I had asked Mr. Carney to keep an eye out for you two. I’m sure he was worried sick.”
“We’re sorry,” both girls said awkwardly.
“Next time you’ll need to tell either me or Mr. Carney when you go out. And you definitely need to stay very close. If you got pulled out into the ocean, you’d be in big trouble.” Aunt Becca gave them a forced smile.
“Okay, enough of that,” she continued. “Now, I’ll tell you what I came out here for. How would you like to go flying with me in the Skyview plane? I’m taking a gentleman for a sightseeing tour in about thirty minutes. When I told him about you girls staying with me, he invited you to come along. I talked with my boss, and he said you could ride for free this once, since there’s room.”
Both girls jumped up and down with excitement as they hurried to the house. McKenzie couldn’t wait to go flying. The girls quickly changed, and Aunt Becca drove the short distance to the small airport.
An older man introduced himself to the girls as Ted Lowry. He climbed into the front seat beside Aunt Becca. The girls settled into the backseat and fastened their seat belts. Aunt Becca taxied down the runway and expertly lifted the plane into the air.
“Yeee-iiikes!” McKenzie clutched her stomach as the plane climbed higher and higher. McKenzie had ridden in jets but never in a small plane like this. She felt weightless, sailing through the air. When Aunt Becca swooped low, McKenzie felt she was on an amusement ride.
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Aunt Becca flew the plane along the coast, shouting above the roar of the engine, “You’ll see the city of Florence to your right. The Emerald Bay Resort is just below us. You can see our cabin, girls, next to Mr. C.’s. Then the Hideaway Cabin is behind all those trees.”
That’s the Frankses’ cabin, McKenzie thought. Why would anyone want to stay in a cabin hidden in the woods like that? It’s so isolated, no one would even know it’s there.
“Look at the people on the beach,” McKenzie said, nudging Alex. “They look like tiny little bugs, and the homes and stores looked like miniature dollhouses.
This is so cool!”
Aunt Becca flew the plane up and down the coast, pointing out various points of interest. “Cape Perpetua and the Heceta Head Lighthouse are just ahead a few miles,” she said.
All too soon, the flight was over and Aunt Becca landed the Skyview back on the runway. After they had taxied to the hangar, she cut the engine.
Mr. Lowry turned around in his seat to face the girls. “Becca here tells me you two are working on a special report on sea lions for your public TV station. That is quite an honor, McKenzie.”
McKenzie felt her face flush as she thanked him.
He cleared his throat and continued. “I’m retired from the University of Oregon. I’ve spent years doing research on Steller sea lions. Tomorrow I’m going out on a boat with a crew that is training sea lions for use in government operations. I’ve already talked with Becca. She has given me permission to ask a favor of you girls.”
McKenzie looked at Alex. “Okay,” she stammered.
The older man grinned. “Don’t look so worried. It’s not every day kids your age get to ride along on one of these training sessions.”
McKenzie stared at him as her pulse quickened. Did I hear him right? Is he really asking us to come with him?
“Are you serious?” she stammered.
Mr. Lowry chuckled. “Of course. I’m officially inviting you to be my guests. So, how about it? How would you girls like to go with me on the boat and videotape the crew as they work with the sea lions?”
McKenzie noticed that Alex looked as excited as she was.
How lucky can we get? McKenzie thought. Maybe, just maybe, he can help us find Mario and Bianca!
A Scream in the Night
For a minute McKenzie didn’t know what to say. She still couldn’t believe Mr. Lowry was serious.
McKenzie turned to Alex who was nodding, her dark ponytail bouncing up and down. “Well, sure. I mean, thank you, Mr. Lowry.”
“Then it’s all settled. I’ll drop by about seven thirty tomorrow morning. We’ll head to the port and meet the rest of the crew there.”
The girls climbed out of the airplane and said goodbye to Mr. Lowry. They chatted excitedly on the drive back to the beach house. The sailing trip tomorrow would give them a great chance to film the report.
When McKenzie went to bed that night, scattered thoughts filled her mind. I can’t believe we’re going in the sea with Mr. Lowry tomorrow. Hopefully we can get some great video footage of the sea lions. She finally fell asleep to the sound of the waves rolling onto the beach.
McKenzie was the first one up in the morning. She woke Alex and by seven thirty, both girls were waiting outside when Mr. Lowry pulled up in his red pickup truck. They hollered good-bye to Aunt Becca and climbed into the car. Twenty minutes later, he pulled into a parking spot at the port.
“What are we going to do today?” McKenzie asked after the three climbed aboard the largest boat at the docks.
Mr. Lowry pointed at a vessel out a little way in the Pacific Ocean. “That ship belongs to the United States Navy. The navy has trained sea lions to protect U.S. ships from underwater terrorists. In their mouths, these sea lions carry a clamp that is attached to a rope. They fasten that to the leg of any diver approaching a ship. The sailors on the ship can then pull the person from the water.”
“What does that have to do with us?” McKenzie asked.
“After we approach the ship, one of our men will dive into the water to test the sea lions,” Mr. Lowry explained. “You girls will want to have your camera going. You should get some good footage.”
Mr. Lowry handed each girl a life jacket. “I’ll introduce you to our crew.”
He called to a man in a blue jacket sitting behind the steering wheel. “Hey, Warren, I’d like you to meet my young friends, McKenzie Phillips and Alexis Howell. They’re here to film a report for Montana Public TV.”
The girls chatted with the captain. Then Mr. Lowry led them to the back of the boat where two more men waited. A blond-haired man, wearing a black scuba diving suit, turned as the girls approached. He shook the girls’ hands and introduced himself as Josh.
The other man had dark hair and wore swimming trunks and a long-sleeved T-shirt. He ignored the girls as he focused binoculars on the navy ship. After a few seconds he turned to meet the girls.
McKenzie felt her jaw drop. Before she could speak, Mr. Lowry said, “McKenzie, Alex, I’d like you to meet Mel Franks, our sea lion expert and head diver today.”
For a minute, McKenzie thought Mr. Franks wasn’t going to respond. He stared at one girl and then the other, a crease forming on his forehead. I wonder if he knows we’re the ones he almost clobbered yesterday with his boat.
“Nice to meet you, Mr. Franks,” McKenzie said as she stuck out her hand.
He hesitated but shook her hand. He looked at her, as if he couldn’t figure out where he’d seen her. McKenzie didn’t know what to say or do. She didn’t really want to ask him why he had almost flattened them.
Mel Franks glanced at his wristwatch and turned to Mr. Lowry. “Ted, why don’t you go tell Tony to fire up the engine? It’s time to move on.”
The moment Mr. Lowry stepped away, Mr. Franks turned to the girls. “Didn’t I see you girls out in the cove yesterday?”
McKenzie and Alex glanced sheepishly at each other. “Yes, our sailboat tipped,” McKenzie explained. She left out the part that he was responsible for capsizing them.
“You girls stay away from that area. It’s too dangerous in there, with all the rocks and churning waters. That can pull you right down. I can’t believe your parents let you go out there,” Mr. Franks scolded.
“Our parents aren’t here,” McKenzie said. “We’re staying with my aunt in the Seaside Bungalow.”
Mel Franks glanced around at the blond-haired man looking their way, then muttered, “Well, see to it that you stay away from that area, or I’ll have a talk with your aunt.”
McKenzie took a step backward, wishing Mr. Lowry would return. She sighed with relief when the boat’s motor rumbled to life, and the older man appeared.
“Hey, Mel,” Mr. Lowry called. “Aren’t you going down first? You’d better suit up.”
“Yeah, yeah, I’m going,” Mr. Franks said, suddenly in a lighthearted mood. He peeled off his shirt and strode to the back of the boat.
McKenzie stifled a gasp. She couldn’t believe her eyes. She nudged Alex and nodded at the blue and green fish tattoo on Mel’s arm!
Mr. Franks glared at her and slipped into his scuba suit. Alex opened her mouth to speak, but McKenzie shook her head. Her heart raced as she watched Mel.
“Come on up here with your camera, girls.” Mr. Lowry motioned as the motorboat approached the navy ship. “Mel’s going down. Then you’ll see the sea lions go to work.”
McKenzie wanted to talk privately with Alex but knew she couldn’t do that while they were on the boat. What is going on? she wondered. Is Mr. Franks the man that boy saw steal Mario and Bianca?
When the boat was about fifty yards from the ship, Tony cut the boat’s engine. A message crackled over his two-way radio. He spoke into the mouthpiece and turned to the crew on deck. “Captain said, ‘anytime now’.”
With his breathing gear in place, Mr. Franks flipped backward off the side of the boat. McKenzie saw the outline of his body as he swam toward the ship.
; “See the sea lion.” Mr. Lowry pointed at a dark shadow beneath the water. “It’s swimming to Mr. Franks with the clamp in its mouth. Watch what happens next.”
McKenzie lost sight of Mel. Seconds later, the rope hanging over the side of the navy ship jerked. The crew onboard the ship quickly reeled in Mr. Franks, hanging upside down with his leg attached to a rope. McKenzie laughed. Mr. Franks looked so funny as the navy guys hauled him onto the deck.
The rest of the crew cheered, declaring the practice mission a success. Then Josh took his turn diving. This time Alex filmed McKenzie explaining the role sea lions played in the military. In the background, Alex filmed Josh as he was jerked from the water.
They waited until a motorboat taxied Mr. Franks and Josh back to Mr. Lowry’s boat. After the two men climbed aboard, Tony headed back to shore. Since these men knew a lot about sea lions, McKenzie asked the question that had been bugging her all morning.
“Mr. Lowry, have you heard about the twin sea lion pups that are missing?” She had to almost shout to be heard over the roar of the engine.
Mel Franks turned sharply, shooting McKenzie an angry look. Mr. Lowry didn’t seem to notice as he offered the girls cold drinks from a cooler.
“Yes, I heard about that. I’ve heard talk that poachers got them,” the older man said sadly.
“I’m guessing killer whales got them,” Mel Franks said. “Poachers wouldn’t have any use for sea lion pups.”
Mr. Franks changed the subject back to the sea lion mission they had just finished. McKenzie’s suspicions about him began to grow. He sure fit the description of the man the little boy had seen. And he obviously didn’t want to talk about Mario and Bianca. If he did steal them, why would he do it? If he’s an expert on sea lions, surely he would want to keep them safe, though, McKenzie thought.
The crew quickly arrived back in port. The girls thanked Mr. Lowry for letting them tag along. McKenzie noticed that everyone seemed happy they had come. Everyone, except for Mel Franks.