by Brenda Beem
Dylan handed Nick a roll of duct tape and raced over to me. “Are you okay?”
The boat’s gun shook in my hand. Dylan took it from me and turned it on Baldy. Angelina was still aiming Scarface’s gun at the bundle on the floor.
We’d done it. The plan had worked. But I couldn’t stop shaking.
“I need to get out of here.” I felt like throwing up.
When Nick and Takumi were done wrapping Baldy’s ankles and wrists with duct tape, Takumi helped me out of the tiny hut.
Chapter Six
Zoë sat waiting on a log outside the medical hut.
“What happened?” She stood. “Is Dylan okay?”
I told her the short version.
“Looks like my plan worked.” She lifted the flap and went inside.
“Her plan?” I mumbled.
Takumi gripped my shoulder to stop me from saying something I would regret. I gulped in gallons of fresh air and focused. It was over. Everyone on Whistler was safe. That’s all that really mattered.
Angelina and Nick came out. Angelina leaned on Nick, but seemed so much better than just the day before, even after all the drama. Boots took off and raced around, exploring the grasses, bushes, and trees that had survived the tsunami.
“The cons are all tied up,” Nick said.
I gave Angelina a hug. “You okay?” I asked.
She rubbed my back, just like she did her sister’s. “Thanks to you.” She glanced around. “Jervis, where’s Makala?”
Jervis looked like he wanted to whisk Angelina to safety too, but didn’t move. “I took her to her friend’s tent to play. She’s safe with Sophia.”
Angelina smiled. “Thank you. I’m so glad you got her out of there.”
Jervis glared at me. He’d been right. We should have left her on the boat. I took off on a path to the beach, putting as much distance as I could between myself and the cons. Takumi remained at my side.
A ways up ahead we came to a pile of sleeping bags, a couple of small tents, flashlights, buckets, and fishing gear scattered about in the dirt.
“This is our stuff. We were allowed to take one armload,” Takumi whispered.
This would have been all we had left to survive with if the cons had gotten their way. I was so engrossed in staring at the small pile, I didn’t notice the young man who sat on a log a few feet away.
His arm movement startled me. He was calmly whittling a long spear that already seemed sharp. He stood as we approached.
“Everything okay?” he asked.
I grimaced. Nothing was okay. My brother Cole died trying to get to this island. My parents were supposed to be here, but weren’t. The safe refuge we’d been hoping to find had been anything but safe.
“Yeah!” I said. “Everything’s fine. The two cons are tied up in the doctor’s hut. Are you good with that?”
The guy shrugged. “I’m Jeremy. If you’re Toni, my wife and my daughter, Sophia, met you earlier. The little girl who came with you is playing at my place right now. My wife said you told her we could leave the island with you.”
I cleared my throat and bent over to pick up a cooking pot and my backpack while I sought the right words to answer his question.
Jeremy sighed. “Earlier, I watched your group hike up the hill. When they dropped everything and ran for the hut, I said to myself, “Jeremy, you should just stay here and keep an eye on their things. They don’t realize that stuff disappears if you’re not careful.”
Angelina raised her eyebrows and handed Takumi Scarface’s gun. As soon she and Nick had their arms full, they headed down to the beach.
Takumi and I took a seat on Jeremy’s log.
“Thanks for keeping an eye on our stuff,” Takumi said. “Our group is deciding what to do with the cons. Maybe you and some of the other island campers should help make the decision.”
Jeremy stared at the hut, lost in thought. Finally he closed his pocketknife and began walking away.
“Where are you going?” I asked.
“The convicts hurt and stole from some of the people here. It is only fair that everyone has a say in what becomes of them. I’ll tell the others.” He strode a few feet, then swiveled to face us. “Are you going let my family sail away with you?”
I took a deep breath. “We’re not sure what we’re going to do, but we don’t have enough room for everyone on the boat as it is.”
“I see.” Jeremy’s shoulders drooped as he climbed up and over the hill behind us.
Part of me wanted to cry, but more of me wanted to hit something. Takumi must have felt my frustration. He bent down, picked up a handful of dirt, and turned his palm up and let the wind blow the dirt away, particle by particle.
Slowly, the handful evaporated. He bent and picked up another.
I watched the breeze blow and scatter the dirt across the hill. Somehow it was calming. When he picked up a third handful I asked, “What are you doing?”
He focused on the dust he was creating. “Do you know how many times I wondered if I’d ever feel land again? It is a miracle we made it here.”
“We almost didn’t,” I said as I put my gear down.
He let the third handful slowly float. “But we did. We’re lucky. There’s a doctor here, no disease, water, land, and a sea full of food. Besides, there’s no bad guy anywhere that can stand up to you.”
“Stand up to me? You’ve got to be kidding.” I picked up my own dirt clump and threw it at him.
“Hey! I’m the good guy.” Takumi chuckled and brushed the dust off his jacket. “What you did was brave. Jervis told me about your drugged coffee plan. I just wish you’d been the one to tell me. I wouldn’t have gone back to the dinghy.”
I grimaced. “Makala was always close by and I couldn’t trust her not to tell. I’m sorry. I should have tried harder to find a way to tell you what was going on.”
Takumi bent to pick up another clump of dirt, then changed his mind. “Yes, you should have. But it all worked out. And now, those guys will be gone, one way or another. We can explore the island just like we talked about. We can set up our own campsite. Maybe we’ll even find a fresh water lake or pond to swim in.”
A real fresh water bath! I rubbed the dirt off my fingers and looked around. Really looked. Across the bay stood a clump of trees. How they’d survived, I didn’t know. Beyond that, lay land and more land. A whole island to get to know… somewhere in the middle of the island, the travel book said there was an old homestead and buildings. And somewhere close by, my parents could be waiting.
Takumi was right. We should hike inland and see what the tsunami left. I leaned against him. “I love camping.”
Takumi smiled and my heart did flips.
We picked up a load of our gear and began our climb down to the beach. Nick and the girls were a short ways up ahead. Whistler gently floated in the calm bay, beautiful with her blue hull and tall mast. From a distance the pieces of duct tape and dents in the hull couldn’t be seen. The sea beyond the bay was dark. The steep cliffs and high banks protected our little boat, the beach, and the campers.
I saw movement along the far edge of the bank behind us and watched. A group of men and women were headed toward the medical hut. I was glad they’d be able to take part in the trial. All of a sudden, three of the men broke away from the main group, and started down toward the beach.
Both the dinghy and Whistler were unprotected.
“I have Angelina’s gun,” Takumi said and bolted.
I hurried after him. At the shore, we watched a guy take hold of the line that was tied to our dinghy. The other two men were bent over a couple of badly beaten-up kayaks.
“Hold it right there!” Takumi pulled out the gun as we raced across the gravelly beach.
The three guys dropped the lines and held up their hands.
“Dude!” the tall bearded guy who held our dinghy line cried. “What’s your problem?”
“You’re taking our boat. That’s a problem. Now move away,” I said.
> The guys who were near the kayaks shook their heads and pulled the kayaks up to higher ground. Then they waded over to a small rowboat and drug it up on the shore too.
The bearded guy holding our dinghy stood with his hands in the air. “It’s gonna be an extra high tide today.” He pointed at the large boulder our line was tied to. “That rock will be underwater in about an hour and then, poof.” He demonstrated with his fingers. “Your line and dinghy will just float away. But if that’s what you want?”
Takumi lowered the gun. My cheeks burned. These guys were trying to save our boat, not steal it.
“We, we didn’t know,” I said.
“You didn’t ask,” one of the guys near the kayaks said.
“Sorry.” Takumi checked the safety and put the gun in his waistband. “We didn’t get a very warm welcome when we arrived yesterday.”
“Yeah.” The bearded guy with our dinghy glanced up at the hill where the medical hut was. “Those convict dudes messed things up here, big time. Before they arrived, we mostly worked together. Kinda like one big family.”
“Well, they won’t be a problem anymore,” Takumi said.
“Right. Now you’re threatening us with a gun.”
He was right. We’d never have thought to pull a gun on someone two weeks ago. I’d never even held a real gun back then. Now it was our first thought.
“Let’s try this again.” I reached out my hand. “I’m Toni. This is Takumi. Thanks for trying to protect our dinghy.”
The bearded guy hesitated for a moment, then shook my hand. “You’re welcome. I’m Ned, that’s Banks and Brad.”
We shook hands all around. Takumi helped pull our dinghy up on the beach.
“We heard a gunshot.” Ned looked up the cliff to the doctor’s hut. “Anyone get hurt?”
I told them about Scarface wanting to kidnap Kat and shooting a hole in the roof to make her come back. Then I explained how I’d drugged the coffee. As I spoke, the three men folded their arms and frowned, clearly not appreciating how clever I’d been.
The more I talked, the more uncomfortable I became. What was their problem? My cheeks burned. My plan worked. The escaped cons were tied up. They should be happy.
“What are you guys going to do with them?” Banks or maybe it was Brad asked.
“We don’t know. I think your people and ours are deciding,” Takumi said.
“Live by the sword, die by the sword,” Ned said. His friends nodded.
Really? My mouth hung open. Were we supposed to just let them steal our boat? Were Kat and I just supposed to sail away with the creeps? What was wrong with these guys?
“Look. We didn’t come here to make problems. We’ve only protected what’s ours.” Takumi’s eyebrows cinched.
The guys looked at one another. “We voted that no guns would be allowed on the island.”
I gritted my teeth. “Yeah? And how well did that work out, when the convicts showed up with a gun?”
One of the “B” guys rolled his eyes.
Takumi quickly pulled me into his arms. “Take a deep breath before you say anything,” he whispered in my ear.
“What’s the point?” I answered, loud enough for them to hear.
From out of nowhere Boots appeared and barked at us as if he hadn’t seen Takumi or me in ages. I finally picked him up, got my nose licked, and put him back down. He raced back to Nick, Angelina, and Makala who were a short ways down the beach. Makala threw a stick a few feet away from her. Boots picked it up and dragged it along the water’s edge.
The guys we’d tried to talk to moved off to study a long wooden piling. It was stuck upright on the beach. Jervis and Kat were slowly making their way down the path from the doctor’s camp. The trial of sorts was finished.
“What’s the verdict?” I asked when they joined us.
Ned, Banks, and Brad moved to stand close behind us.
Kat threw a rock into the bay. “I wanted them to…” she noticed Makala and paused. “I think Dylan’s going to sail them to another island and leave them.”
“Right!” one of the B’s said in a snippy tone. “As soon as the boat’s out of sight, he’ll just throw them overboard.”
These guys were too much. “Knock it off!” I yelled. “If my brother says he’ll take them to an island, he will.”
“One of us should go along to make sure,” Ned said. The B’s agreed.
Takumi held me back and called out, “He’ll probably let you go if you want. It’s about four hours to the closest island. That’s four hours over and another four back. And that’s if there is good wind.” He turned around and stared into my eyes. “I’m going to stay here and search for a good place to make camp.”
I grinned. Hiking, walking, anything on shore sounded wonderful. There was no way I wanted to get back on that boat and I never wanted to see the creepy cons again. But if I stayed, Dylan and Whistler would leave without me. There were so many dangers out on the ocean. What if there was an accident? What if they were attacked by pirates? What if there was another tsunami and the boat wasn’t secured?
Takumi was my boyfriend. I loved him. But Dylan was my family. Whistler was my home.
How could I choose between them?
Chapter Seven
Mid-afternoon approached. In the distance, we could see streaks of rain. Rain would make the sailing trip even harder for Whistler. The air had a slight chill to it and I shivered.
Takumi wrapped me in his arms. “You don’t have to see those creeps ever again.”
He thought I was freaked about seeing Scarface and Baldy. He hugged me so tight I had trouble breathing.
“I’m okay, Takumi.” I stepped away, ignoring the confusion on his face.
Nick and Angelina joined us on the edge of the dinghy. Makala gave up on sticks and began tossing pebbles at the water. Kat tried to show her how to skip rocks, but Makala’s rocks never quite made it far enough to splash into the sea. Makala grew frustrated, but Boots wagged his tail, and happily chased after the bouncing rocks.
“If Dylan ends up taking the convicts to another island, what are you guys going to do?” I asked Nick, Angelina, and Jervis.
Angelina held her injured shoulder. “The doctor said Makala and I could stay in the medical hut until our campsite is ready. Makala is so excited. She can’t wait to play with her new friend.”
“I’m going to find us a perfect campsite and get a good night’s sleep. Just think. No cons. No rocking.” Nick kissed Angelina’s forehead.
“For the next few days you’re going to feel like you’re rocking, no matter what you do. It takes time to get rid of sea legs.” I smiled.
Jervis glanced at Angelina and Nick, who sat cuddled together. “I told Dylan I’d go with him.”
Kat raised her eyebrows at Jervis’s reaction. The three pacifist guys were having a deep discussion while they lounged on an upside-down rowboat a few yards away. Boots drug a stick almost as long as he was up the beach. Makala called and chased after him. He growled and stayed just out of her reach.
“What about you two? Stay on the island or boat?” Nick asked Takumi and me.
“I vote island!” Takumi said.
“Dylan will need help if he’s going to sail and guard the cons.” I glanced at Takumi. He looked disappointed.
We watched the last of our crew, Dylan and Zoë, head our way. The island people had to be guarding the cons. I peered down at Whistler. If only she could make my decision for me.
“What did you decide?” I asked when they finally arrived.
Dylan held hands with Zoë. “Lots of campers showed up. Some wanted to make a prison and keep the convicts tied up until things get back to normal. Kat wanted to kill them.”
Kat shrugged.
Dylan continued. “In the end, we offered to sail them to the closest island, Santa Rosa, and leave them without a boat.”
“What do you mean, we?” I asked, although I already knew the answer.
“Jervis offered to h
elp. I figured you and Takumi would want to come too. Nick can stay and watch over the girls.”
“Are any of the island people going with you?” I gestured at Ned and the B’s.
“No, why risk it?” Dylan followed my gaze. “They might try to ambush the boat.”
I shook my head. “We talked to those three. I don’t think they’d swat a fly if it was biting them. I think you should take at least one islander with you if we’re going to stay here.”
Dylan tipped his head. “’I should take’? Does that mean you’re not coming with me?”
Before I could think of an answer, Zoë shoved her hand in my face.
“You haven’t seen my ring. Dylan just asked me to marry him. Isn’t it beautiful? I’m so excited. Can you believe it? We’re going to be sisters.”
Blood rushed from my head to my feet. I grabbed Takumi to keep from fainting. Zoë was talking, but I couldn’t follow her words. All I could do was stare at the huge sapphire and diamond ring she must have taken from the yacht in Grays Harbor. It took me a few moments to realize she’d stopped speaking. Everyone was staring at me.
I forced a smile on my face. “Congratulations!”
Makala pulled Zoë’s hand down so she could see the ring. “Sissy, did you hear? A wedding! Will we have lots of food? And dancing? Can I wear a pretty dress?”
Zoë grinned from ear to ear. “Makala, you can be the flower girl.”
Makala’s face lit up. “Flower girl! Sissy, did you hear… I’m going to be the flower girl.” Her smile faded. “What’s a flower girl?”
Zoë turned to me. “We’re not going to have a big wedding here on the island. But one of the campers is an attorney. He said he could write up a wedding contract and do the service for us. Oh! And I have an important question to ask you.” She paused. “Toni, will you be my maid-of-honor? I know, I know, you normally wouldn’t be my first choice, but all my friends are still in Seattle. When we get home, my parents will want to have a huge wedding at their club. You don’t have to be the maid-of-honor then––just for the wedding here. So will you?”
My jaw dropped. Fifteen minutes ago, I’d been fighting for my life. Now, Zoë wanted me to be her… her what? Substitute maid-of-honor? The corners of Takumi’s mouth twitched. He was struggling not to crack up.