“Yeah…okay,” a rattled Pearl replied.
Lief took his daughter’s hand and led her to the elevators. He motioned to the band to keep playing, and soon the murmured concerns of the other partygoers were swallowed up. On the way to the elevator, the two were intercepted by a well-dressed, barrel-chested man in his fifties.
“Eklund! Good to see you! And this must be Pearl,” the man said in a booming voice. “Sorry I’m late. Did I miss anything?”
“Not at all, Oliver,” Lief answered. “Pearl, this is Oliver Ogilvie of Ogilvie Pictures.” Pearl’s eyes widened with recognition. This was the producer she wanted to meet. She tried to shake off the recent bizarre turn of events.
“An honor to meet you, Mr. Ogilvie,” she said, a bit out of breath. “I adored A Dusk’s Sunset.” That was Ogilvie’s latest film, a romantic tragedy based on a series of books that were all the rage at the moment.
“Wait till you see An Evening’s Night,” he responded with a wink.
“I can’t wait,” Pearl said, flashing her winning smile. Like everyone else Pearl met, Mr. Ogilvie was instantly bowled over by her.
“We just picked up another set of books about a teenage girl who’s a samurai in a postapocalyptic future. She’s being pursued by three handsome young men: a vampire, an angel, and a genius scientist. We’re about to start casting, and I don’t know if you’re interested in acting, but—”
“I hadn’t really thought about it,” Pearl said coyly.
“Well, I think you’d be great,” Ogilvie said assuredly. “I want you to audition. Just give me a call at…” The producer was moving to hand over his business card, when a waiter walked by carrying a crate filled with live lobsters.
“Let us out!” a voice cried from inside the crate.
“We demand a trial!” another voice hollered. Pearl was instantly horrified.
“I’m too young to die!” a third voice announced tearfully.
“Are you all right?” Ogilvie asked, noticing the pained expression on Pearl’s face. Her eyes were glued to the path of the waiter. She could see the lobsters inside the semitransparent crate, and she couldn’t stand idly by any longer. She rushed over to the waiter, yanked the top of the crate open, and snatched up the crustaceans.
“I’ll save you!” she declared as she took off for the entrance of the building, leaving her father and Mr. Ogilvie to stare after her in bewilderment. The guests scattered and watched, stunned, as the most beautiful girl in Miami, if not the world, sprinted to the exit with two live lobsters in her hands and another two tucked under her arms. She burst through the doors, passed the valets, and bolted across the street. Drivers honked and swerved to avoid hitting her. The street ran alongside the Miami River, and Pearl raced to the water’s edge and tossed the creatures in. As she did, she could hear one of the lobsters shout, “Thanks, lady!” and then the four plunged into the water.
In the strange, awkward moments that followed, Pearl Eklund realized that her life would never be the same. She was now 100 percent certain she had gone completely and utterly insane.
Following a seemingly endless day of selkies, sinkholes, skunk apes, and shocking revelations, Sam London welcomed the quiet overnight stay at a ranger cabin in Everglades National Park. Once Sam, Tashi, and Dr. Vantana had settled in, Vance used his DMW badge to contact the Everglades’ head ranger, Woodruff Sprite. He was busy on the park’s western edge and would be unable to meet up, but he did express his surprise over the encounter with the Bishop Fish, whom he referred to as the “gossip fish.”
“Most strange, indeed, Doctor,” Sprite said, his words echoing over the badge and through the stale cabin air. He had a dry, whispery voice that Sam noticed would quicken when his interest was piqued, a trait more evident as he spoke of recent events. “I will poke around these parts for any information that might prove useful, although I am curious to hear what the girl has to say. Very curious.” The ranger’s speech trailed off with such speed that it was difficult to clearly understand all of the words he spoke.
Before they went to bed, Sam decided he should conduct some research into Pearl. He used Sprite’s computer to hop onto the internet, where he found newspaper reports related to Pearl’s rescue at sea. According to the articles, the model’s parents died in a boating accident, which she miraculously survived. The miracle part was in the form of Lief Eklund, who was captain of a fishing boat that happened to be sailing in the area on that day. He pulled Pearl to safety and, as she had no other family to take her in, eventually adopted the orphan girl and raised her as his own child. During that time, Lief went from a humble fisherman to a billionaire energy magnate who showered the young girl with gifts so lavish, they often made the local news. Like the time he bought Pearl her very own zoo, complete with a baby panda, or when he paid to close all the Disney World parks in Orlando for her birthday so that she wouldn’t have to wait in any lines.
After perusing a few articles, Sam realized that Pearl’s ascent to the forefront of the fashion industry was a relatively new development, and one that appeared to feed the teen’s love of attention. This was evident from the strong presence she cultivated on her various social media accounts, where she posted countless videos, photos, and messages, amassing quite the devoted following. Sam couldn’t put his finger on it, but there was definitely something unique about Pearl Eklund. She was exceptionally pretty; of that there was no doubt. In fact, he believed she was the most attractive girl he had ever seen—and that included Nerida, who, strangely enough, Pearl reminded him of. He chalked that up to their similar skin tones, hair, and light-colored eyes. Yet it wasn’t just Pearl’s looks that Sam found so intriguing—she possessed an allure he didn’t altogether understand.
Sam wouldn’t admit it, but he enjoyed researching Pearl and watching her videos, even if they were on topics like how to achieve a “totes adorbs” hairstyle for prom. Sam was viewing one of her videos on makeup tips when Tashi ambled over.
“Another one who paints her face for foolish reasons?” the Guardian mused.
“My mom and Nerida wear makeup, Tashi, and it doesn’t mean they’re foolish. It’s not a reflection of who they are. It’s just something they like to do,” Sam said. Tashi nodded but still appeared to be mulling it over.
Sam clicked on a video labeled “Inside Pearl’s Shell.” It was a Pearl-guided tour of her luxurious home atop the Eklund Energy building in downtown Miami. The place was expansive and had a 360-degree view of the city.
Vance joined Sam and Tashi at the computer and watched a few seconds of the clip before announcing, “Looks like we’ll be heading over there in the morning to see if we can make contact.” Sam paused the video.
“The sooner the better,” he said, and they quickly hashed out a plan for the next day.
That night, as Sam finally lay his tired head on a dusty old pillow, he considered the days that lay ahead. If all went according to plan, Sam London would not only solve the mystery related to Maris and Pearl, but he would possibly learn more about his father. The question remained as to whether that information would prove surprising or not. He still hoped for the latter as he sighed deeply and pulled the covers up to his neck. Now, if only he could sleep, with all of these thoughts of Maris, Pearl, and Bishop Fish swimming in his head.
* * *
* * *
The next morning the trio headed to Miami, seeking to learn more about Pearl and her connection to the selkie. Per Sam’s suggestion, they stopped off at an upscale boutique along the way to find Tashi new clothes to bolster her backstory.
“My friend wants to look really fashionable,” Sam told the bubbly salesclerk as Tashi wandered the store, eyeing the clothes with trepidation. “Can you help?” The attendant nodded and flitted around with impassioned purpose. She picked out colorful blue butterfly pants that flared at the ankle, and a blouse with yellow flowers. The clerk seemed to
enjoy playing dress-up with the Guardian, especially when it came to accessorizing the ensemble, which included a fake fur stole, a gaudy necklace, and a fedora. When Tashi emerged from the store a half hour later, she was thoroughly irritated with Sam London.
“You look great!” Sam exclaimed. She wasn’t buying it.
“I look ridiculous,” she huffed, adjusting the stole.
“It’s just a disguise….And it will help us stop the selkie,” Sam reminded her.
“So be it,” Tashi replied with resignation. “But do not dare take a photo of me in this…costume…,” she added with a steely glare.
“I wouldn’t think of it,” Sam said, suppressing a smile, though he hoped to snap a picture when she wasn’t looking.
Dr. Vantana paid for the clothes and jewelry using cash, which he had in abundance.
“Do you always walk around with that much money?” Sam asked.
“The DMW can’t exactly issue a company credit card, if that’s what you’re gettin’ at,” he answered.
“That’s not, like, taxpayer money, is it?” Sam inquired.
“Of course not,” the doctor responded, aghast that Sam had even considered it. “We may be government, but we aren’t funded in the traditional manner, given the secretive nature of the department.”
“Then where did you…,” Sam began, gesturing to the cash.
“Let’s just say there are perks to having a gryphon as your boss,” Vantana replied.
“Gold,” Sam whispered in realization. He remembered the hoard of precious metal in Phylassos’s cave in the Himalayan Mountains and recalled that gryphons coveted the metal.
Vance gave a small confirming smile.
When they arrived at the towering Eklund Energy building, Dr. Vantana promptly headed to the reception desk to speak with a surly-looking security guard, while Tashi and Sam walked over to the massive aquarium that sat in the center of the lobby.
“That’s a whole lot of fish,” Sam declared as he admired the exotic collection. Tashi suddenly grinned.
“That is funny,” she said matter-of-factly.
Sam peered over to the Guardian, confused. “What’s funny?”
“The striped one just called you ‘Captain Obvious,’ ” Tashi informed him.
“You can hear them?” Sam asked in disbelief.
Tashi nodded. “I hear all animals.”
“Oh, right,” Sam replied. He kept forgetting that the ability to communicate with animals was a power all Guardians possessed. It no doubt had something to do with the gryphon’s blood pulsing through their veins. “Hey, you should ask them if they know anything about Pearl that might help us.”
“That is a good idea, Sam London,” Tashi noted, and she leaned in toward the clear tempered glass, speaking in a gurgling-like language. But she was so loud, her voice echoed throughout the lobby. Staff and visitors shot them disturbed looks.
“Can you keep it down?” Sam whispered.
“The glass is thick. I was making it easier for them to hear,” Tashi explained. “Why are you concerned? Do you suspect someone in the lobby understands their language?” the Guardian asked, quickly scanning the lobby to see if she could spot the potential eavesdropper.
“No, it’s not that,” Sam assured her, then added, “Never mind.”
Two disc-shaped fish swam up to the glass, and Tashi nodded, as if hearing them explain something.
“According to Nancy and Gary,” Tashi began, gesturing to the two fish, “the selkie has not made an appearance. But something interesting has happened with regard to Pearl Eklund.”
“Oh?” Sam said, intrigued. That was when Dr. Vantana returned from the front desk.
“They sent the message to Lief’s office, but he’s in a meeting,” Vance reported. Then he nodded his head toward Tashi. “Why were you gurgling like that?” he asked Tashi. “It was creeping all these folks out.”
“She’s talking to the fish,” Sam answered.
“Okay…,” Vance replied apprehensively. “And what do they have to say? Are they as insufferably cryptic as the Bishop Fish?”
“Not at all. They are quite forthcoming, actually,” Tashi said reprovingly. “Apparently there was a party here last night. Pearl attended, and they claim she could understand their language. She seemed surprised by this ability,” Tashi explained. “Nancy and Gary were surprised as well.”
“I bet,” Vance said slowly, as if deep in thought. “Where is she now?”
Tashi posed the question to the fish, paused for what Sam thought must be an answer, and then turned back to the doctor.
“She left about an hour ago.”
“Did she say where she was going?” Sam asked.
“She mentioned going to see a man named Murphy. She said that she was confused and hoped to get some answers,” Tashi said. The name sounded familiar to Sam, and then it hit him.
“There was a man named Murphy on the boat with Lief when they rescued Pearl,” he recalled. “It was in one of the articles I read last night.”
“Interesting,” Vantana said. “So where is this Murphy fella now?”
* * *
—
Pearl Eklund’s limousine glided up to the curb outside the Shady Gardens Retirement Home in Coral Gables, Florida. She had come to speak with Reginald Murphy, the only man present other than Lief on the night of her accident. She remembered Mr. Murphy visiting often in the months that followed, until his visits grew increasingly less frequent, and then one day he stopped coming altogether. When she’d asked her father what happened to the man she called “Uncle Reggie,” he sat her down and explained that Reginald Murphy suffered from a severe mental illness and would no longer be able to visit. Lief promised her he would do everything in his power to help his old friend and even hired Dr. Hawkins to aid in his treatment.
As time passed, Pearl forgot about Uncle Reggie, but the recent incident with the talking fish and the crazed man in San Francisco had her dreaming and thinking back to when she was rescued. She wondered if there was anything about that tragic day that might help explain the recent phenomena. Adding to her curiosity was what Murphy said to her the last day she saw him.
“You don’t belong here,” an agitated Murphy told twelve-year-old Pearl in a hushed voice. “I’m going to come back…and I’m going to rescue you.” Pearl reminded him that he’d already rescued her, but he waved her away and hurried off, never to be seen by Pearl again.
A few days later, Lief informed her that he’d had Murphy placed in a special facility where he could get the care he needed. Pearl wrote to him on several occasions but never heard back. She assumed he was dealing with his sickness and that doing so required his full attention. Besides, she was safe and doing quite well—she certainly didn’t need any rescuing. But on this morning, she was surprised to learn that the facility she had sent her letters to no longer listed him as a patient. They wouldn’t disclose how long that had been the case and referred her to another center, which in turn directed her to Shady Gardens.
This retirement home was a quiet, tranquil place that catered to older people struggling with memory loss and age-related medical issues. Pearl stepped up to the reception area, where an exasperated woman behind the desk was wearing a name tag that read “Joy.” Her annoyed expression read differently.
“Hi. I’m Pearl Eklund,” Pearl said, smiling, and with a swagger that assumed Joy would recognize her. “I’m here to visit Mr. Reginald Murphy.” The nurse eyed her for a long moment.
“Are you family?” she asked in a monotone.
“No,” Pearl answered, and then immediately regretted her honesty. “I mean, not exactly,” she added quickly. “He’s one of the men who rescued me…at sea. It’s a long story. You probably read about it on the news or saw it on—”
“I’m sorry, miss, but only fami
ly is cleared to visit,” the nurse interrupted. Joy appeared to take joy in enforcing the rules. Perhaps the name did fit, Pearl concluded.
“Pearl Eklund!” an ecstatic male voice called out from across the room. Pearl looked to the origin and saw another nurse rushing over, a huge smile plastered on his face.
“Are you a gem?” Pearl asked, grinning. The grin wasn’t because she was flattered—it was because she instantly knew her fortune had changed. She had come to rely on her gems to always deliver the preferential treatment she craved. Whether it was letting her cut in line for coffee, instantly gaining her entrance to the hottest clubs, or snagging the best table for her at the trendiest restaurants, Pearl’s gems were her secret army, positioned throughout the city and ready to fulfill their mission of making Pearl’s life extra special.
“Are you kidding?” he responded excitedly. “I’m such a superfan I should have a cape!” Pearl chuckled at this and caught his name on his name tag.
“Well, thank you, Francis.” Francis let out a screech.
“You said my name!” he exclaimed. “I can’t believe you’re standing right in front of me. I love your photos and your videos and everything you do….Do you mind?” Francis gestured to his phone, angling as if to take a photo with her. “I have to get photographic proof of the best day of my life.”
“Photos or it didn’t happen,” she quipped, at which Francis laughed hysterically, as though it were the funniest thing ever said by anyone on earth. He pushed the phone into the desk nurse’s hand, draped his lanky arm around Pearl’s shoulder, and pulled her closer.
“Say ‘Pearl-tacular’!” Francis announced, a reference to a word Pearl had coined that combined her name and “spectacular” and referred to anything that went beyond ordinary description. She often used it when discussing clothes, shoes, and mostly herself. Through big smiles, they both uttered her famous saying, and the reluctant desk nurse snapped the picture. Francis snatched back the phone to ensure that the result was acceptable. “Pearl-tastic,” Francis declared a moment later, echoing another of Pearl’s words. She secretly hoped they would wind up in the lexicon and further amplify her fame. “What are you doing here?” he asked.
The Selkie of San Francisco Page 9
