Home to the Harbor--A Novel

by Lee Tobin McClain

  “Why’d you do it?” Aiden asked.

  Caden focused hard on his phone. Probably a blank screen, or he was telling someone how annoying Sunny was.

  Obviously, he was leaving the explanation to her. “We were trying to find some information about the dog abuse.”

  Caden frowned like he didn’t know what she was talking about.

  Avery nudged her twin. “We heard about that. There’s some weird stuff happening to the dogs around here.”

  Aiden nodded.

  “Like what?” Sunny asked.

  The twins looked at each other. “Sometimes we sneak out,” Avery said finally.

  “Yeah?” Caden looked interested in that part. “Where do you go?”

  “Ever go back to Victor’s Hummock?”

  “Not for a while,” Sunny said. She knew the place as an old hunting and camping spot.

  Caden looked up from his phone. “My dad used to take me there when I was little.”

  “Weird place for a rich kid,” Aiden said.

  Caden shrugged.

  “Anyway—” Avery glanced at the two boys and then focused on Sunny. “There’s some dogs out there, in cages. They’re not treated very well.”

  “A lot?”

  “About five or six.” She paused, then added, “We think there might be dogfighting. There’s this pit, like, and some benches around it.”

  Sunny’s jaw dropped. “Here? That’s awful!” She’d seen a TV special on Michael Vick and it had given her nightmares afterward.

  Not to mention that Venus’s mom had done a painting of dogs fighting in a pit.

  “There has to be an audience for that,” Aiden said, “and money. It’s all about betting.”

  “So there’s gotta be some people around here who know about it,” Avery said, “but we’ve been asking around the docks, and so far, nothing.”

  Avery looked at Caden. “Maybe it’s not dock families. You need to ask around the rich neighborhood, see what you can find out.”

  “Considering I’m totally grounded except for this, that won’t be easy.”

  “Hello, social media? Message some people.” Avery rolled her eyes.

  “If we find out there’s dogfighting, what do we do?” Sunny asked slowly. “People who would organize that can’t be very good people.” She thought of the wounds on Xena and Muffin. “Anyway, our dogs are nice. How could they be trained to fight?”

  Aiden shrugged. “Used as bait.”

  Fury rose in Sunny, and Caden looked mad, too. “You don’t mean that.”

  “Pretty sure it happens,” Aiden said.

  “We have to find out about this and stop it,” Sunny said. “We should go to the police.”

  “They’re not going to believe us, without evidence,” Aiden said.

  “Then we find out when the next fight is,” Avery said, “and get the evidence.”

  * * *

  ON WEDNESDAY, WILLIAM felt a little happy about the fact that Sunny and Muffin were coming over for another training session. Working with the dogs helped him shut out his confusion for a short stretch of time each day.

  Yesterday, he’d hoped working with the teens would provide similar solace, and he and Bisky had managed to avoid each other, but he’d still been incredibly conscious of her. Conscious of how she was keeping her distance, so he had, too.

  He wasn’t even sure why anymore. He just knew that being around her made him risk staring at her in longing, or sweeping her into his arms, and neither seemed appropriate when he felt like such a bad bet for a relationship.

  He liked Pleasant Shores. He didn’t know if he wanted to go back to his old job. He even felt like he was getting better, mentally and emotionally. Like maybe life could be worth living even amidst his pain about Jenna.

  It was being around Sunny and Bisky that did it, but the good feelings weren’t unmixed. The connection with them was in equal parts wonderful and painful. He wanted a family, but he didn’t trust himself with one.

  He was out in the yard, putting Xena through her paces to get her warmed up, when he saw Sunny and Bisky approaching with Muffin trotting beside them.

  Immediately, he went hot and cold inside. Xena whined.

  He watched them come, trying to settle himself. “Didn’t know we’d have an audience,” he commented when they were within earshot. Then he could have smacked himself in the head for how unwelcoming that sounded. “Want something to drink?”

  “You didn’t tell him I was coming?” Bisky scolded. “Sunny, you know better than that. You can’t just bring an unexpected guest to someone else’s house.”

  “You’re not an unexpected guest, you’re an old friend,” Sunny said, shrugging. “Anyway, I figured if I asked, he’d say no.”

  “I wouldn’t have said no,” William protested. He looked at Bisky, who looked back at him and lifted her hands, palms up. Kids, you know how they are, was what her gesture implied.

  He did know how kids were, because of Jenna. He remembered her blundering ahead doing something that turned out to be socially awkward for him and Ellie. The memory made him smile a little, because Jenna’s “so what” shrug had been so similar to Sunny’s.

  “Let’s train!” She brought Muffin closer to Xena. “We were about, what, six feet apart last time? Is she warmed up?”

  “Yes and yes,” he said.

  “Watch how she’ll let Muffin get closer this time,” Sunny said confidently, so William commanded Xena to sit, showing her the beef jerky she’d get for good behavior.

  Sunny walked Muffin past, first at about five feet away, then about four.

  “Good girl!” William fed her the jerky and rubbed her chest. “She got a little tense on that last pass. Maybe we should stop there for right now.”

  “You’re doing good!” She high-fived him. “You’re reading dog body language. Pretty soon, you’ll be a pro.”

  He smiled at her enthusiasm. She was a good kid. A great kid, really, and so much like her mother that he felt like he was looking at Bisky sometimes, instead of Sunny.

  “Here, Mom, hold Muffin. We’ll do the ‘Come when called’ command. Xena can practice not getting hyper about it.” Sunny walked to the other side of the yard. “Let her go when I call her.”

  “Really?” Bisky hesitated and looked at William. “Won’t she run away?”

  “Nope. Your daughter is good.”

  “Okay.” When Sunny gave a high-pitched call, Bisky let Muffin go, and sure enough, the dog ran directly to her.

  “Now do it with Xena,” Sunny ordered.

  “Hope you don’t mind being bossed,” Bisky said to William as he handed her the leash.

  “Not by someone who knows what she’s doing. Sunny’s terrific.” In fact, he thought Sunny was ten times better with dogs than the woman Mary had hired. Though, apparently, that woman had gotten angry when Mary had given her feedback, and she hadn’t gotten along with a couple of other dog owners she’d spoken with. It didn’t look like she’d be in the job for long.

  His hand touched Bisky’s as she took the leash, and William felt the contact all the way from his fingers to his heart. He had to fight the desire to grab her and hold on.

  He tore himself away and jogged over to Sunny’s side of the yard.

  “Call her,” Sunny encouraged.

  He did, and Bisky let go, and Xena came racing to him, tongue flopping out of her mouth, what looked like a smile on her face. She barreled into his arms and he rubbed her scarred sides, his heart contracting with something like love.

  “Give her a treat,” Sunny said, “but her real reward is getting that attention from you. You’ve built a bond with her.”

  It was true, and William realized that whatever his future plans included, Xena would have to be a part of them.

  They banged some trash can lids
together to practice having the dogs stay calm despite loud noises. Then Sunny had Bisky approach to pet Xena, to make sure she could sit politely rather than hiding behind William.

  It worked, and Bisky looked up at him, still petting Xena. “She’s doing great.”

  “She is,” he agreed, and knelt to pet her as well. She’d sat politely for Bisky, but when William petted her, her whole back end wiggled, a clear display of happiness.

  “Look at that! She’s crazy about you!” Bisky’s genuine happiness made William smile, and she was smiling back.

  William got a little lost in Bisky’s eyes, and then it was like they both remembered their issues. Simultaneously, they looked away and backed apart. William’s face felt hot.

  “I’m taking the dogs inside for a drink of water,” Sunny announced. “You two make up.”

  “But...”

  She was gone.

  Bisky looked up at him. “Whatever I did to offend you, I’m sorry,” she said.

  “You didn’t offend me,” he said. “I just...” He trailed off, not sure how to explain his complicated feelings about the boat ride and Sunny’s rescue. How he’d wanted to do more, do it all himself, but how he was starting to realize that he might be looking at things the wrong way.

  She raised a hand. “It’s okay. I understand.”

  Did she, though? Did she get how much he cared for her, how he wanted her, but wanted the best for her?

  “Hey,” he said, and reached out. They hugged, and he patted her back.

  “I just miss the friendship,” she said against his chest.

  “Me, too.” She felt so good in his arms.

  Maybe it wasn’t just the friendship he missed.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

  BISKY CAME OUTSIDE to meet the teens on Thursday afternoon, her hair wet from the shower, wearing jeans and a T-shirt. Normally, she’d have needed a nap on the couch after a full day on the water. She was grateful that she’d gotten her boat fixed in time for crabbing season. And since she and William had straightened things out, she was feeling like everything was right with the world.

  Avery and Sunny came toward her the moment she sat on the edge of the porch. “We have something really intense to show you,” Avery said.

  “What’s that?” She looked up and saw William coming toward them with a couple of the boys. “Are they in on it? We should wait.”

  William looked so handsome. He still dressed a little preppy, with a polo shirt that he had to have gotten at some big and tall store. He wore khakis, but they couldn’t disguise the fact that his legs were basically tree trunks. Bisky felt warm all over, just watching his approach.

  “Come on, come on, we’re telling them,” Sunny said, and gestured William to sit beside Bisky.

  Bisky eyed her narrowly. Was she imagining it, or was Sunny trying to play matchmaker?

  The kids fell all over themselves explaining that they were pretty sure they’d discovered a dogfighting ring, and that was why the dogs had been hurt, and there was supposed to be a fight tonight. And they needed to go, all of them, to film it and get evidence for the police.

  “Now wait a minute,” William said. “Don’t you think the police should be the ones to do any spying and filming?”

  Caden gave him a look. “You think the cops will listen to us?”

  “Good question,” William admitted. He looked at Bisky. “Consultation?”

  The two of them walked over to the side of the porch and stood close enough together that the kids couldn’t hear them. Close enough Bisky could feel heat radiating from his body.

  She had it bad.

  She could admit, now, that she wished for more than friendship from William. But if that was all they could have together, then she’d take it. Anything would be better than distance and coldness between them.

  “It sounds risky to me,” he was saying. “I know next to nothing about dogfighting, but I can’t imagine they’re decent folks involved. If we let the kids go, they’ll be in danger.”

  “You’re right,” she said. “I’d like to support them, but I just don’t think it’s a good idea.”

  They went back over to the kids and announced their verdict. “We’re really impressed you figured this out,” Bisky said, “and we want to support you, but it’s too risky. We should tell the police. Maybe if William and I talk to them, they’ll take it more seriously.”

  The kids glanced at each other. “Okay,” Avery said, “but don’t call the police yet. I’d like to find out a couple more things from the kids I talked to, and then, um, we’d like to tell them ourselves.”

  Bisky and William looked at each other and it was like they could read each other’s expressions. She remembered being a dock kid, not looked at with respect, and William had to remember that double.

  “They’ll learn more by taking charge of this project for themselves,” William said. “That’s what all the education theorists say.”

  “It’s what I say, too,” Bisky said, without benefit of theory. “I guess we can let them talk to the cops themselves.”

  “All right!” the kids said. “We’re out of here!”

  “No, uh-uh.” Bisky raised a hand. “You have obligations at the bookstore. Right?”

  “Right, but it’s quick,” Sunny said. “You guys don’t have to come if you don’t want to.”

  William narrowed his eyes. “I trust you,” he said, “but I need to follow up with Drew at the museum. Bisky, I can walk down there with those who are working at the museum while the rest of them finish up at the bookstore. You’ve worked all day. You deserve to take it easy.”

  It didn’t feel like a rejection; it felt kind. “Thanks,” she said, giving him a smile before he headed off with the kids.

  She went to lay down on the couch, but she couldn’t sleep. She had a slight feeling of foreboding she didn’t understand.

  * * *

  LATER THAT NIGHT, Bisky was talking to Mary on the phone, checking up on the kids. “Did they do a good job finishing the planter today?”

  “They did a terrific job on Tuesday,” Mary said, “but they didn’t come by today.”

  Bisky frowned. “That’s funny. I’m sure Sunny said they were going to finish today. I guess something must have come up.”

  They talked a few minutes more and Bisky tapped her phone against her hand and looked up at the ceiling. Sunny was upstairs in her attic bedroom, working on homework, and Bisky hated to accuse her of lying, but she needed to know what was going on. “Hey, Sunny,” she called up the stairs.

  No answer.

  “Come on, girl,” she said to Muffin. “Let’s go see Sunny!”

  Muffin got to her feet gamely and followed Bisky up two flights of stairs. Bisky knocked on Sunny’s door. “Honey? Need to talk to you.”

  No answer. Bisky rolled her eyes. No one could sleep as much as teenagers, especially during the day and early evening. She turned the knob and walked in to wake up her daughter.

  But Sunny wasn’t there. “Honey?” She walked around the house calling, growing more uneasy. She looked outside.

  Then she texted, then called Sunny’s phone. But there was no answer. She could tell from the tone that the phone was turned off.

  William was the first person she wanted to call, probably because he’d been there when Sunny had taken the boat out. Rather than second-guessing herself, she did it.

  Heart pounding, she told him Sunny was missing and hadn’t shown up at the bookstore. It was news to him, as she and the twins had said they were going there to finish the job and had walked off in that direction. “Can you come help me find her?”

  He hesitated. “I want to come,” he said, “but I have...another obligation. I’ll see what I can do.”

  “Okay, let’s stay in touch.” He sounded weird, but she didn’t have time to focus on that.
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  She called Avery and Aiden’s parents, who checked the twins’ bedrooms and found that their kids were out, too. The other teenager who’d been supposed to go work at Mary’s bookstore was Caden, but she didn’t want to call his parents. Caden had already gotten in plenty of trouble through Sunny.

  The twins just lived down the street. Their parents walked down, and Bisky went out front to meet them. To her relief, William pulled up in his car and hurried toward the little group. He checked his phone and then shoved it back into his pocket.

  His presence released a little bit of the tension in Bisky’s shoulders. She took deep breaths, trying to stay calm. “Sometimes Sunny just turns off her phone.”

  The twins’ mother nodded. “Aiden and Avery share a phone, and it’s old. Loses power fast, so that could be why they’re not answering.”

  William frowned. “I hope they didn’t take it on themselves to investigate that dogfighting ring.”

  “What?” The twins’ father barked out the word.

  William quickly explained what the teenagers had told them earlier this afternoon.

  “But they weren’t going to go.” Bisky shook her head hard, even as her palms began to sweat. “We told them not to do that. They were going to go to the police.”

  “But didn’t they say the fight was tonight?”

  The twins’ parents glanced at each other. “Where was it? Somewhere local?” the mother asked.

  William pounded his fist in his hand. “I wish we’d gotten the exact location from them.”

  “Me, too.” Bisky nodded. “It can’t be anything big-time, but still...not the kind of place you want your kids to go.” The thought of Sunny being anywhere near illegal, organized dogfighting, no matter how small-scale, tied her stomach in painful knots.

  “Right,” the twins’ father said, his voice going grim. “One of my friends has talked about betting on dogs. Let me see what I can find out.” He walked away, scrolling through his phone.

  The rest of them kept trying to call the kids, but there was no answer.