by Michael Bray
“Mr Mackay?”
“Who’s asking?”
“My name is Andrews, and I would like—”
“You a reporter?”
“No. I’m with the government, and I want to talk to you about the accident that claimed the lives of—”
“Forget it. I don’t wanna talk about it.”
“Mr Mackay, the accident needs to be investigated, and we need to find out the truth.”
“The truth…” Mackay repeated as he took a sip of the drink Andrews had bought him. “The truth is the boat sank, and my friends are dead.”
“Is that why you won’t go back on the water?”
Mackay finally looked at Andrews, and for a second, it seemed he was going to lunge across the table. Instead, he shook his head and took another sip of the whisky.
“You don’t know shit. I have my reasons for staying on dry land.”
Andrews leaned close, and lowered his voice to a whisper.
“You saw something, didn’t you?”
Mackay watched, offering no reply. Andrews pressed on.
“You saw something out in the ocean, and whatever it is scared you, didn’t it?”
“Yes,” Mackay said with a sneer. “I saw my friends die. Nothin’ more, nothin’ less.”
“You can tell me the truth, I believe you.”
“Look, mister, I don’t know who you are, and I care even less. All I can tell you is if you don’t shut up and leave me alone, I’m gonna finish this drink, drag you outside and beat the shit out of you. Understood?”
“Okay,” Andrews said, “I hear you loud and clear. Just remember, I’m only looking to find out the truth.”
Mackay drained his glass and looked at Andrews with a glassy, half-coherent stare. “I don’t care about whatever it is you’re looking for. Just leave me alone.”
Andrews stood and pushed his chair under the table. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a business card, which he placed on the table.
“If you wish to speak with me, don’t hesitate to call.”
“I already told you, pal, I got nothing to say to you.”
“I know. Keep the card just in case.”
“Whatever you say, buddy,” Mackay said as he picked up the card, looked at it, then tossed it back on the table.
“Just one more thing,” Andrews said as he fastened his jacket. “The other survivor, Henry Rainwater… any idea where I might find him?”
“You might find him anywhere, but where he is I don’t know. Just get the hell out of here and leave us be.”
Andrews nodded, ignoring the icy stares of the other patrons as he made his way to the exit. Even though it was a small town, finding one man would be difficult, especially if it was a man who didn’t want to be found. He wondered if Russo would have any ideas, and was about to head back towards the Victorious, when he saw the newspaper stuffed into the top of the waste bin. He pulled it out, and looked at the headline.
FUNERAL FOR BROTHERS LOST AT SEA.
Andrews looked at the photograph of the grieving woman, crying at the graveside, then at the caption underneath
Widow, Valerie Harris, mourns her husband Joey, who along with his brother Sam and deck hands Hector Morales & Alex Grimshaw were killed at sea in last week’s tragic fishing accident. See page 7.
Andrews skimmed to the relevant page. Three quarters of it was filled with a long lens photograph of the funeral, and the mourners standing around the four coffins. Andrews skimmed the article, hoping against hope that the usual insensitivity of newspapers would pay dividends. The final paragraph of the article gave him exactly what he was looking for.
…Mrs Harris, of 344 Chestnut Drive, was not available for comment at the time of writing…
Andrews grinned and tossed the newspaper back into the bin.
CHAPTER 9
344 Chestnut Drive
Freeport,
Kodiak, Alaska
Valerie Harris walked around her home like a ghoul. Without the children to provide her the distractions she needed to get through the day, the bottle of vodka and the two full bottles of prescription painkillers on the kitchen counter looked particularly inviting.
Her way out.
Her exit strategy.
One that if not for the children, she would have taken already.
There was a knock at the door. She ignored it, unable to cope with another visit from one of her neighbours or a well-meaning do-gooder wishing to pass on their sympathy, and at the same time get a fresh batch of gossip about the Harris widow to spread around their circle of friends. The knock came again, louder and with more urgency. To continue to ignore it would mean more people would come and interfere, perhaps accurately guessing that she was considering ending her pathetic existence. She strode to the door and opened it. For a split second, she thought it was Joey, so similar were they in appearance now that he had started a beard.
“Hi, Valerie. Can I come in?”
She nodded and stood back to allow him in. Rainwater walked into the sitting room, clasping his hands behind his back as he looked at the photographs on the wall of his father and uncle.
“I didn’t see you at the funeral.” Valerie said.
“I couldn’t be there… It didn’t feel right.”
“They would have wanted you there. You’re all we have now.”
“I shouldn’t have left them. I should have gone back.”
“We can all talk about should and shouldn’t. It doesn’t change anything. They’re still dead, Henry.”
He nodded and turned back to the pictures on the wall.
“Can I get you a drink?” She asked.
“I’ll take a coffee, if you have some.”
“I have it. Go ahead and take a seat.”
Henry nodded, but didn’t sit. He picked up a photograph of his father, uncle, and himself as a five year old on the deck of the Lisa Marie, named after his late mother. Rainwater’s father had retired the boat following her death, and it had been in dry dock ever since. Setting the photograph back on the mantle, he walked to the kitchen.
Valerie was leaning on the counter, dabbing the corners of her eyes with a tissue.
“It’s hard isn’t it?” he said quietly, as his eyes slid to the vodka and pills on the work surface. Valerie saw them and scooped them up, shoving them into one of the overhead cupboards.
“I’m not about to do anything stupid, if that’s what you think,” she snapped.
“I didn’t say anything. Please, I didn’t come here to fight.”
“I miss him, Henry. I mean, I’m used to him being away at sea for weeks at a time but this is different, I keep waiting even though I know he’s never going to open the door and come back home.”
“I’m sorry, Val. I truly am. I miss them too.”
“Not enough to keep the family name though.” He knew the bitterness in her voice was fuelled by grief, the words still cut deep.
“Look, I have my reasons. Dad and I didn’t always get on. You have to understand how hard it is to live up to his name, to follow in his footsteps. I didn’t want that pressure.”
“Why did they die, Henry? Why didn’t you make him get in the damn lifeboat?”
“I’m sorry.”
“Sorry doesn’t pay the bills, it doesn’t answer the kids when they are asking when daddy is coming home. Sorry doesn’t cut it.”
“I don’t know what you want from me, Val. This wasn’t my fault.”
“I don’t blame you for the accident, I blame you for not being there for us after. Turning up at my door now doesn’t make up for you missing the funeral and abandoning us when we needed you the most.”
“I just needed some time…”
“It’s not all about you. What about me? What about my kids?”
Rainwater stared at the floor.
“I’m sorry,” he repeated, hating himself for not being able to think of anything more constructive to say.
“Look, I don’t mean to take it
out on you,” she said as she wiped her eyes. “I’m sick of well-wishers and people asking me if I’m okay. I’m struggling here, Henry. I don’t know what to do.”
Rainwater nodded, wondering how to best approach the subject that had been the reason for his visit.
“I spoke to Mackay. He came to the funeral.” Henry ignored the bitter edge in her voice, deciding he didn’t want to upset the grieving woman.
“He told me all about you and the crazy stuff you were babbling in the hospital.”
“I was delirious with hypothermia. What did he say?”
“He said you were babbling about something in the water, something big that smashed into the boat and caused the accident. He says you’re crazy.”
“Mackay had no right to say that to you. If he has a problem he can ask me about it himself.”
“How?” she shrugged. “Nobody could find you. Nobody knew where you were.”
“I needed to clear my head, I needed to think.”
“And leave us all to deal with the funeral arrangements in the process?”
“I’m sorry, I really don’t know what else to say.”
“So I see.” She snapped, setting the cup of coffee on the counter in front of him.
“So,” she said, as she looked him in the eye, “was it?”
“Was what?”
“An accident.”
“You know what happened.”
“Why do I get the feeling you know more than you’re letting on?”
“I don’t think this is the right time…”
“What did you see out there, Henry? I know you saw something, I can see it in your eyes. You Harris’s are bad liars.”
“Look, I didn’t come here to argue or to heap any more stress on you. I came here to clear the air and to ask a favour.”
“Ahh, here we go. The real reason for the visit.”
“Look, Val,” he said sharply, his anger taking over, “you’re grieving, I get it. I am too. Even if taking it out on me makes you feel better it’s not right. I lost them too. I appreciate how hard it is for you, I really, really do, but it’s no picnic for me either. I keep replaying it in my head, and wishing I had died instead of them. I screwed up by not forcing them onto the boat, but you know what they were like. They would never leave with someone still on board. They were trying to do the right thing.”
“And now I’m alone.”
“We both are.” He said quietly.
Another silence followed, as the two stood and sipped their drinks.
“So, what was it?” Valerie asked.
“What was what?”
“The favour you wanted to ask me. The reason for coming out of wherever you have been hiding.”
He sighed and lowered his head, wondering if he had picked the wrong time to visit.
“I’m sorry,” she said, running her hands through her hair. “I didn’t mean to snap. I haven’t been sleeping well.”
He saw it happen, the slump of her shoulders as all the fight went out of her.
“Look, I think this is probably a bad time,” he said, setting his cup down. “Why don’t I come back later?”
“No, no it’s okay. Just ask me whatever it was you came here to ask.”
Henry hesitated, and looked Valerie in the eye.
“It’s about the Lisa Marie. I want to use it.”
“Why?”
“It’s just something I have to do. Please, don’t ask me anymore. Just let me take the boat.”
She smiled and tried to make eye contact, but he lowered his gaze.
“It’s true isn’t it? You think you saw something out there?”
“No. That’s not what this is about.”
“What did you see? What’s out there that has you so scared?”
“I’m not scared, and there is nothing to tell.”
“You’re lying. I can see it in your face.”
“Valerie, please, don’t ask me anymore. Let me take the boat, no more questions, okay?”
“No, not until you tell me what you need it for.”
“I can’t. Not yet.”
“Fine. Then no boat.”
“Valerie—”
“No, Henry. If you want to take the Lisa Marie, you are going to tell me why, and what actually happened.”
“You don’t understand, I’m doing this for you. You don’t need the stress.”
“Who the hell are you to tell me what I do and don’t need? I want the truth, is that too much to ask?”
“Look, calm down, I’ll come back later, I—”
She slapped him hard across the face and recoiled instantly, drawing breath and lifting her hand to her mouth as the room fell silent.
“Henry, I’m sorry.”
“I guess I deserved that.” He said as he rubbed his cheek.
Valerie sat heavily at the kitchen table and put her head in her hands.
“I don’t hate you, Henry, and I don’t blame you. I just want to know what happened to my husband so I can start to get over his death.”
Rainwater hesitated, torn between getting it off his chest and how ridiculous what he saw would sound. “The night the Red Gold sank wasn’t an accident.” He said, choosing his words carefully.
“What do you mean?”
“Something hit us. Something big.”
He watched for her reaction as she processed the information.
“Tell me what you know.”
Despite his every intention of telling her what had happened when he had arrived, he had been caught off guard and unprepared for how badly she was coping. He didn’t want to put her through any more pain.
“No, this isn’t fair. I’ll hire a different boat. Forget I asked.”
“What gives you the right to keep it from me? Tell me what you’re hiding.”
“Look, all I know is the people we love are dead. I know you probably think I’m the biggest prick in the world right now, believe me, I’m only doing this to protect you.”
“It’s not your job. It’s not your right. I can tell something is bothering you. Spit it out. Be a man for once.”
“I’m sorry I couldn’t save them.” He whispered, and then before Valerie could say anything else, he set his cup on the counter and left without looking back.
CHAPTER 10
South Pacific Ocean
5 miles off the coast of New Guinea
The majestic 92-foot blue whale glided through the ocean, moving with ease through the black depths. It had acknowledged the presence of the creature that had been stalking it some five hours ago, and was now tiring as it further increased its speed to try to put some distance between them. With no natural predators, the blue whale wasn’t accustomed to fleeing from anything, it had however, sensed the immense size of this new threat, and had abandoned its previous course to try to avoid a confrontation.
The whale made for the surface, its need to breathe every twenty minutes forcing its decision. Its pursuer had no such need for oxygen, and increased its speed, closing the distance between itself and the blue to half a mile.
The whale breached, ejecting a great plume of spray before diving again, changing course towards the coastal shallows in the hope of shaking its mammoth pursuer. The creature accelerated, the attack ferocious and violent, its bite shearing away a portion of the blue whales fluke fin. The Blue increased its speed, heading for the shallows with more urgency.
The creature angled away, readjusted its position and attacked, the second bite more infinitely more devastating than the first, shearing away the whale’s entire ten-foot flipper with a single bite. The wounded whale emitted a pained moan, and tried to propel its crippled body through the ocean.
The creature devoured the fin, its body quivering as it consumed the mass of bone and blubber, sending it into frenzy. It could sense the water was becoming shallow, yet the creature’s instinct to feed was stronger than its self-preservation, and it pursued the crippled whale relentlessly.
It attacked again,
this time its bite shearing away a section of underbelly, and in turn, releasing a bounty of blood and entrails into the ocean. The creature fed, gorging itself on its meal as the dead whale drifted out of range into the shallows and onto the beach, where blood red waves licked against its mutilated remains.
CHAPTER 11
Greendale Cemetery
Freeport,
Kodiak, Alaska
It was the first time Rainwater had seen the grave of his father and uncle, and was surprised to find he wasn’t as upset as he expected he would be.
“I wondered when you might show up here.”
Rainwater spun his head around and nodded to Mackay, who was standing behind him, hands thrust in his pockets.
“I’m just here to pay my respects.”
“Aye, and not before time.”
They were silent, and Mackay walked closer, standing beside Rainwater.
“It’s still hard to believe isn’t it?”
“Yeah, it is.” Rainwater said softly.
“Missed you at the funeral.”
“I had my reasons.”
Mackay didn’t push the point, and the two stood in silence.
“In the hospital, I heard some of that crazy shit you were saying.”
Rainwater glanced at Mackay then exhaled, his breath pluming in the chilly morning air.
“I saw something. In the water.”
“You didn’t see anything.” Mackay said, glancing at Rainwater.
“Something hit us, something big.”
“Cut it out. We were hit by a damn wave, nothing more.”
“It wasn’t a wave, it was a wake. Morales saw it too.”
“Morales is dead. Don’t drag him into this when he can’t defend himself.”
“I’m not dragging anyone into anything. We both saw it just before it hit the boat.”
“Bullshit.” Mackay said, walking away. Rainwater followed.
“Why don’t you believe me? You were there.”
“It was a wave. A damn freak accident. Why can’t you accept it instead of spouting off this sea monster bullshit?”