Finders Keepers

by Melanie Mcfarlane

  “How’s your new job going?” Joy asked, changing the subject. “Any word on Drake and the Captain?”

  “I imagine they’ll be behind bars for a long time,” Mom said, standing up. “It’s one thing to transport a fish without a license. But to try to kidnap three kids? They must have been involved with a smuggling operation. Why else would they take a risk like that?” Mom slipped into the kitchen. “Anyway, it’s all behind us now. Does anyone want more iced tea?”

  “Yes, please, Mrs. K.,” Sam said.

  Joy leaned over and whispered loud enough for the three of us to hear. “MerKay is very grateful. She sent these as a thank you.” Joy passed each of us a glass bottle with a different sea souvenir inside. Mine had a sand dollar.

  “What’s that?” Mom asked, returning with the iced tea. She picked up my bottle and tipped it upside down. The sand dollar clinked. “How did they get this inside the bottle?”

  “Magic,” said Bug, Sam and I, all at the same time.

  Acknowledgments

  Thanks to my children, who are always on the lookout for stories about girls on adventures; my husband, for taking our girls on adventures so I could have my writing time; my mother, who continues to support my writing in every way possible by reading every draft I toss her way; old friends Jennifer Bardsley, Jamie Kramer and Arthur Slade, who gave early feedback on this story; and new friends like Paul Coccia, who convinced me that getting a book deal in Canada was possible and helped me polish my pitch.

  I’m especially grateful to my editor, Tanya Trafford, who not only saw potential in my story but also strengthened my manuscript extensively. Thank you too to all the staff at Orca for making this dream come true.

  Melanie McFarlane is the author of several otherworldly adventure novels for kids and teens. When not writing, she's on the lookout for mermaids and other fantastical creatures while prepping for the zombie apocalypse. She lives in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, with her family.

  For more information on all the books in the Orca Currents line, please visit

  orcabook.com.