The Island

by Heather Graham

  Kim and Amber were there, just inside the doors, heads together as they sipped sodas. They looked up and saw her.

  Both girls were talented actresses onstage, but in the real world, neither one of them was much at deception. The eyes that met hers were wide and filled with guilt.

  She stared at them. “What are you doing here?” she demanded.

  “Early-dismissal day,” Amber said, swallowing hard.

  The girls exchanged glances.

  Beth crossed her arms over her chest, furious. She was sure they hadn’t really intended to do anything awful, but she had been scared. Really scared.

  “Early dismissal,” she choked out.

  “I…forgot to tell Dad,” Amber said. “So, I, um, came here,” she finished weakly.

  “To my office,” Beth said icily.

  Both girls gulped.

  “You were on my computer, weren’t you?” Beth asked accusingly, forcing herself to keep her voice low, since she was at work.

  “Aunt Beth…” Amber began, then trailed off guiltily.

  Beth tried hard to control her temper, but she still felt frightened, and that didn’t help matters.

  She always tried so hard with Amber. It was such a delicate balance. She wasn’t Amber’s mother and could never hope to fill that void. She wanted her niece to know, though, that someone was always there for her, as a mother figure.

  Her real mother would have had the luxury of real fury and the ability to punish her without losing her, but Beth had to tread a milder path.

  “I suppose you thought you were very amusing,” she began.

  “I—just thought—” Amber began.

  “I don’t want to know what you thought!” Beth exploded, good intentions forgotten.

  “Please don’t tell Dad,” Amber begged. “I’m sorry, really sorry. I’ll make it up to you. Somehow. If you tell Dad, then he’ll tell Kim’s parents, and then…” Her voice faded. She looked at Beth and whispered, “Please. We really didn’t mean to be terrible.”

  Beth didn’t answer her. She had to calm down. She turned around and walked back up the stairs, not knowing if the girls would follow or not.

  In her office, she sat down again, shaking.

  She looked at the computer, then started to laugh. She had apparently tripped over the cord on her way out. The only thing that greeted her now was a blank screen. After a moment she rose, found the displaced plug and returned it to its rightful lodging.

  A week ago she wouldn’t have been scared, she would have been puzzled.

  Her anger had already begun to fade, probably because she had been so frightened, then so relieved.

  She weighed the situation while she logged on and opened up her art program, working on plans to promote the Summer Sizzler and make sure she got everyone in the place excited about the dance lessons.

  Do I tell Ben about this or not? she asked herself, returning to the question of the girls and their prank.

  Amber would hate her.

  Amber would have to get over it.

  Maybe she should give the girls a second chance.

  She forced her mind back to business. She was going to need a picture of Maria Lopez, which should be easy enough to find online. She pulled out Maria’s card to call her for permission.

  She found a picture that was sensational and was also able to reach Maria immediately. In an hour her flyer had come along perfectly and was ready for printing. With that accomplished, she sat back in her chair—just as her brother made an appearance at her door, his daughter right behind him.

  He was frowning. “You knew you had the girls?” he asked.

  She could see Amber’s eyes. Pleading.

  She shrugged, not willing to outright lie when the girls had done something so wrong.

  “They never cause any trouble here, Ben.” She stared at Amber. “Almost never,” she added with a grim smile.

  She saw him relax. She hadn’t lied, though she hadn’t exactly told the truth, either.

  “All right, but I’m supposed to know as well when it’s early dismissal,” he told his daughter.

  “Dad,” Amber said, and there was a slight note of reproach in her voice. “You have the school calendar. You just don’t always pay attention.”

  Ben opened and closed his mouth. “Yeah, I have the school calendar,” he said finally. He sounded gruff. He turned and walked away.

  Amber stared after him, thinking he was still angry. Beth knew better. He was just feeling as if he’d somehow failed as a parent.

  Amber stared at Beth again, and Beth was startled to see tears rising in her eyes. “I’m sorry, Aunt Beth. Really sorry.”

  “Don’t do it again,” Beth said softly. “And your dad lives for you. Give him a break.”

  Kim slipped an arm around Amber as they walked off together.

  “Hey,” Beth called. “Kim—what’s the story? Am I driving you home later, or are your folks coming?”

  The girls turned back to her. “I’m getting picked up at five-thirty by the guardhouse,” Kim said. “Thank you,” she added quickly.

  “Right,” Beth murmured. “Amber, after Kim’s folks have come, we’ll find your dad and have dinner before we leave, okay?”

  Amber nodded and took off with Kim.

  Beth watched them go, forgetting her own anger. This aunt thing wasn’t easy, she thought. Of course, life never was.

  She smiled slightly, turning back to her work, writing herself a mental note that she should be checking up on Amber’s school schedule more than she had been.

  BEN WASN’T ANGRY; he felt depleted. He was actually a pretty good father. He just sucked at trying to be two parents at once.

  He sat at the outside bar, sipping a beer. “Hey,” came a call.

  Looking around, he saw Mark Grimshaw. As kids, they’d taken sailing lessons together. Then they’d wound up at law school together upstate, and, like their fathers before them, they’d both become members of the club.

  “Hey yourself.”

  “Your latest case is sure making headlines,” Mark told him.

  Ben must have winced, because Mark quickly apologized. “There’s a group of us—and not all attorneys, honest—at the pool. Why don’t you join us?”

  Ben lifted his beer. “My daughter’s here. I think we’ll just grab a bite and go home.”

  “It’s early. They’re not even serving dinner for another hour. Maybe your daughter wants to hop in the pool, too.”

  No, his daughter wouldn’t want to hang with her old man. But maybe a few laps would tire him out, if nothing else.

  “Sure. Let me go to my locker. I’ll join you in a few minutes.”

  Mark nodded, smiling. He was a pleasant guy. Worked on civil cases, had a great reputation. Ben had tried to set Beth up with him. Beth liked him well enough but insisted there was just no chemistry.

  In the locker room, Ben shed his coat, eased out of his tie and began to turn the wheel of the combination lock on his door. As he did, he thought he heard a noise and hesitated, looking around.

  He wouldn’t have been surprised to see someone. Lots of guys came straight from work, changed and headed out to the pool or their boats.

  What surprised him was that he didn’t see anyone.

  He was certain that he hadn’t been alone a moment ago.

  Working too hard, too much. Worrying too hard, too much. Hell, if life was just a jaunt out on the boat, days on an island…

  Hell. He suddenly wanted to give Beth a good shake. He was jumpy because of the stinking island!

  With a shake of his head, he turned back to his locker and started the combination over.

  Click…click…click.

  The lock opened.

  He changed and went out to the pool.

  It wasn’t even dark yet. He’d been ridiculous, thinking he’d heard something. Someone.

  Disgusted with himself, he strode out to the pool and dived in. Strong-armed, he did lap after lap. When he came out, dri
pping, his friends were waiting with a beer.

  Amber had come out. She smiled, waving to him. Apparently Kim’s folks had picked her up. She walked over. “Dad, think Aunt Beth would mind if we ate burgers out here? I was thinking about hitting the pool, too.”

  “Sure. Aunt Beth won’t care. It’s a nice night, and you’re right—we should just be casual out here.” He left it at that, but inside he was inordinately pleased that she’d wanted to spend some time with him after all.

  She smiled again, then scampered off to change. His heart took a sudden plunge.

  It was hard to love someone so much and not smother them with that love.

  As he watched his daughter walk away, he felt again the pinpricks that had haunted him in the locker room.

  Fear.

  Irrational but all too real.

  He was scared. And he wasn’t at all certain why.

  It just seemed that suddenly a shadow, something dark, had entered his life, stealing away comfort and ease….

  He looked up.

  The sun was still out, brilliantly shining.

  The shadows, he tried to tell himself, were all in his mind.

  9

  BETH WAS GLAD SHE HAD KEPT her mouth shut about the girls messing with her computer. When she joined her brother and niece out at the pool, she found a number of families engaged in a game of chicken.

  Ben, with Amber on his shoulders, was trouncing the opposition. There was a lot of laughter and camaraderie going on. Nice.

  She sat on the sidelines, watching, until Amber saw her and waved, then tapped her dad on the top of the head and alerted Ben to her presence, as well.

  The competition tried to take advantage of Ben’s distracted state, but Amber turned back, ready to take on the world. Her opponent went down, and Amber laughed delightedly.

  Like a child.

  Then the two of them, after high-fiving each other in victory, laughed and left the pool, joining Beth on the sidelines.

  “Congratulations,” Beth said.

  “Thanks,” Amber said. “You’re cool with this, right? Hamburgers okay with you? I’ll go put our orders in. Would you rather have fish, Aunt Beth, or the salad bar?”

  Beth shaded her eyes to stare at her niece. “Are you suggesting I should choose the salad bar?”

  “No!”

  “I’m going to have a hamburger and fries and iced tea,” she told Amber. “Ben?”

  “The same.”

  Amber nodded, grinned and went off to the counter to order.

  Ben stared at his sister. “Dancing?”

  “You could learn to dance,” she said defensively. “Salsa, I’ve decided. For a party—‘Summer Sizzler.’”

  “I think it’s great,” he assured her. “Summer Sizzler—salsa. What’s not to like?”

  “Good.”

  “But are you sure that’s all you have in mind?” He leaned closer. “Tell me you’re not still trying to find out more about the Monocos.”

  “I happened to see Maria Lopez at lunch. She’s a salsa queen. I spoke with her. It will be fun, good exercise, and Eduardo Shea gave me a great deal, because he thinks some of the members will sign up for dance lessons.”

  Ben let out a sigh, shook his head and leaned back in his chair again.

  To Beth’s dismay, one of the members, a woman named Tania Whirlque, came over and immediately brought up the same subject.

  “Hey, Beth, I hear we’re having a dance workshop at the Sizzler.”

  She hadn’t even put the flyers out yet.

  “Do you like the idea, Tania?”

  “Love it, especially if they’re going to arrange for a few teachers. I’m not so sure I’ll get my husband out on the floor, though.”

  “We’ll have to work on the guys,” Beth said.

  “You know, when I heard Eduardo Shea’s name, I got thinking about the Monocos,” Tania said. She took a seat next to Beth.

  Beth couldn’t keep from casting a slightly guilty glance at Ben. “It seems that no one has heard from them.”

  “Quite frankly, I fear the worst.” Tania hesitated. “We have friends from Virginia who lost a boat to pirates.”

  “Really? What happened?” Beth asked, all her suspicions on the alert again.

  “They were off Chesapeake Bay, in a forty-five-footer by themselves. They were anchored, sunning…I think Betty was cooking dinner. They were attacked by thieves who climbed aboard in dive gear. They thought the divers were in trouble at first, lost…whatever. Anyway, turned out they were armed. While Betty and Sal were being welcoming, the divers pulled knives, forced them overboard and stole the boat.”

  “How horrible! But they survived?” Beth said.

  “They’re both strong swimmers, and they were able to reach another boat in the area. They called in the Coast Guard, but the thieves got away.”

  “When did it happen?” Beth asked.

  “About a year ago now. The boat has never been found. But then, you can disguise a boat just like you can disguise a car.”

  A year ago. Before the Monocos disappeared.

  “Could they describe the…pirates?” Beth asked, finding she still couldn’t quite wrap her mind around such a crazy concept.

  “One was male, one was female,” Tania said. “And that’s about it. They both had on wet suits and head covers. I talked to Betty about it. She says when she looks back now, it all happened so fast that she can’t really remember much about the incident. Frankly, she’s just glad to be alive. Where they were…well, even though they’re strong swimmers, they could easily have drowned.”

  “The thieves probably meant for them to drown,” Beth murmured.

  Ben moved uncomfortably, obviously disturbed. She wondered if it was because of the story Tania had told or because he thought it would fuel her desire to find out the truth about the Monocos.

  “Ben is always armed,” Beth said.

  “Ben has good reason to be armed—he put away a few unsavory characters when he was with the D.A.,” Tania reminded them. “You’re a crack shot, right?” she asked him.

  He nodded grimly. Then he said, “Let’s drop this, please? Amber is coming back with our burgers. I don’t want to scare her.”

  Despite the fact that he laughed and teased his daughter as the evening wore on, Beth could see that he remained uneasy.

  Finally she realized it was getting late. “I’ve got to go back to my office before I go home. I left my stuff up there. See you tomorrow sometime?”

  “Probably. Are you working?”

  “For a bit. I usually come in just to see how things are going on the weekends. You know that.”

  “Want me to walk you out to the parking lot?”

  “You guys have to change, and I’m tired. I just want to go home, and we have a security guard in the parking lot, remember? But thanks. And, Ben, I’m okay—I haven’t gone off the deep end.”

  Beth said good-night to Amber, then left, hurried up to her office for her handbag and jacket. After scooping up her things, she turned out the light, and headed downstairs and out the front door.

  The club hadn’t completely shut down for the night. The dining room would still be serving until around ten or ten-thirty, and then it would take another hour to an hour and a half to close down completely. And that night, out by the pool, the snack bar was serving late, as well.

  There were still plenty of people around, talking and laughing. Even so, Beth heard her heels click on the concrete.

  As she walked, she could hear the breeze as it rustled through the trees and bushes that grew around the borders of the club and the reflecting pool by the front steps.

  Suddenly she thought she heard footsteps coming up behind her.

  She told herself there was no reason for the sound of footsteps to frighten her. The club was still full of people, one of whom might have chosen to leave at the same time.

  Was it in her own mind though, or were these footsteps echoing her own almost perfectly?
/>   She paused, turning back.

  The breeze lifted her hair and felt cool against her neck.

  No, it felt chilling.

  “Hello?” she called. “Anyone there?”

  There was no reply.

  The bushes, which seemed so benign by day, suddenly seemed thick and dark, able to hide a million dangers.

  She straightened her shoulders and gave herself a mental shake. “Hello?” she called again. Once more there was no reply.

  She started walking again, looking toward the front of the lot, where the security guard should have been in his little glass-windowed booth.

  She couldn’t see him. He might have been sitting, with his head in a book, perhaps.

  Or someone might have taken him out.

  “Oh, right,” she murmured aloud, disgusted that she was letting her mind go off in such a paranoid direction. He was there somewhere. Or maybe he had gone off to help someone who was having car trouble.

  Her car was only another fifty feet or so away.

  She stared at it, hugging her purse against her side, reaching inside until she found the comforting shape of the pepper-spray canister.

  The parking lot was well lit, but bright lights always allowed for shadows.

  And those bushes, so big and lush, admired by everyone who came.

  She didn’t like them anymore. Not one bit.

  Aim for the car, she told herself. She had to get over this feeling.

  The sounds from the club had faded completely. Click, click. She could hear her heels against the asphalt again, and then…

  Footsteps, following.

  She turned back once more.

  This time she was almost certain she saw a shadow go flying behind a tree.

  “Hello?” she called.

  No one answered.

  The car was nearly in front of her, and she made a hasty decision.

  Screw rationality.

  Run.

  She did, and she was ready, keys in her hand, to click open the lock and jerk open the door as she reached the car.

  Quickly she slid into the driver’s seat and slammed the door shut. She started to exhale, then remembered to hit the automatic lock.

  She let out a sigh and leaned back, allowing herself to feel a little ridiculous. When she looked to the side, she could see the guard in his little booth.