by Tracy Sharp
I nodded, my throat tightening. Even this many years later, the very thought of my sister caused a mixture of profound loss and rage to war inside me. I swallowed it down. “Yes. I have.”
She watched me, waiting for me to continue.
“My sister. She was abducted when she was six years old. I was seven.” I cut my eyes to the bonfire. Watched the teens as they quietly traded stories about Shannon.
“That’s horrible. I’m so sorry. Did they ever find who grabbed her?”
I kept my eyes on the rising flames. For a slight second I imagined walking into them. “No. They never did.”
Jackson’s voice brought me back to the here and now. “Nina, does everyone here know Shannon?”
Nina nodded. “We pretty much all grew up together. There are a few here who are transplants, but most of us grew up here.”
“Do you think they’d be willing to talk to us?” He asked her.
“Yeah. I think so. Everyone here misses her. We all want to find out what happened. We all want whoever did this to her, caught.” She gave a short, hiccupping laugh. “Some people are even talking about trying to catch him themselves. Doing the same thing to him that he did to her.”
“As tempting as that might be,” Jackson said. “Probably not a good idea. Not worth going to jail for a scumbag like that.”
She turned her gaze to Jackson, and for a moment it seemed bottomless. “You only go to jail if you’re caught.”
“Hey, Nina. Where did you put the cooler?” A tall, willowy girl in denim cut-offs and a red tank top came running over. She reminded me of the racehorses in Saratoga Springs, NY. Sleek and gorgeous.
“Carrie,” Nina slid an arm around the girl’s waist. “These are private detectives, Leah and Jackson.”
Carrie tucked a lock of chestnut hair behind an ear. Her skin was darkly tanned and her dark eyes shimmered in the firelight. “No kidding. That must be cool.”
“It can be,” I said. “Nice to meet you, Carrie.”
Jackson gave a nod and shook her hand. “And sometimes you sit in cars for long hours and pee in a bottle.”
Carrie laughed. “Awesome! Where do I sign up?”
“You can come work for us,” I said. “But we’re located in New York. You may not want to leave this beautiful place.”
“Maybe I’ll hang my own shingle here. I don’t think we have private eyes in Bass Bay. Are you investigating Shannon’s murder?”
I nodded. “Yes. Is there anyone either of you think might’ve hated Shannon enough to do this to her?”
“Dru Neeley hated her,” Nina said. “But I don’t think she’d do this.”
“No way,” Carrie said. “She’s kind of crazy but you’d have to be really twisted to do what was done to Shannon.”
“Did you notice anyone new paying a lot of attention to Shannon? She was getting kind of famous for her surfing skills. Did she get any weird fan mail?” Jackson asked the girls. “Or maybe somebody was hanging around a lot. Anything like that?”
Nina’s shook her head. “No, nothing like that.”
Carrie said, “No. Not that she mentioned.”
Nina said, “She was getting a lot of press. She’d had a close call with a shark, and a radio DJ asked her about it. She was joking about swimming with sharks. She said the shark didn’t go after her because she wasn’t tasty enough, but that mosquitoes love her.”
Carrie said, “The DJ asked if she was nervous to surf now, because she’d been so close to a shark, and Shannon said it added to the thrill. But she said that sharks aren’t interested in people. She thought the shark was just curious. She said that JAWS was her favorite movie, but that being near sharks was cool. She said they weren’t the monsters everyone thinks they are.”
“Sounds like somebody didn’t like her courage,” I said.
“Shannon was fearless,” Nina said. “It intimidated some people. You could tell in the way they reacted to her. The way they looked at her, you know?”
“Like you,” Carrie said. “She had the same kind of confidence you do, the way she held herself, the way she walked. You kind of remind me of her. Not in the way you look, but personality-wise.”
Nina nodded. “Yeah. She reminds me of Shannon, too. You seem fearless, too.”
“Nah,” I said. “I have fear, but I do what scares me anyway.”
“That’s what bravery is,” Nina said. “I saw that on a poster once. Maybe your picture should be on that poster.” She smiled.
“The only poster you might see my picture on would be a ‘wanted, dead or alive’, poster.”
The girls laughed. I grinned.
Jackson handed our business cards to the girls. “If you think of anything that might help us figure out who did this to Shannon, please don’t hesitate to call.”
“Okay. You can try talking to the others over by the bonfire,” Carrie said.
“Thanks, we will.” I looked over at the crowd surrounding the bonfire. The mood was solemn. Voices low.
Carrie slipped a hand around my wrist. “Come on, we’ll introduce you.”
***
By all accounts, Shannon was an extraordinary girl. The shaggy, red haired kid that I’d seen on the beach during my run was at the fire. His name was Jayden, and he’d taken a video on his phone of Shannon surfing just before she vanished. He’d uploaded the video to YouTube; a channel that was dedicated to Shannon’s memory.
Shannon had her own YouTube site full of videos that people had taken of her, and several that she’d taken herself while surfing. The videos were breathtaking. In several, she rode a wave that curled around her, and it seemed endless, like she was caught in a moment in time. When the camera faced her, the look of joy on her face was pure and unmistakable.
“These videos are incredible,” I said. “I’ve never tried surfing.”
“Would you like to?” Jayden asked me.
My heart jumped at the idea. Surfing looked exhilarating. Bold. Freeing. “Sure. It looks like a lot of fun.”
“There’s nothing like it,” he said, the smile on his face wistful. “You’ll get hooked. I can already tell.”
“Maybe.”
Jayden nodded, big lopsided grin on his face. “You’ve got the look.”
“The look, huh?” I said. I had the look all right. Just bailed out of prison look. Just rolled out of bed look. I was good with it.
“Yeah. The thrill-freak look,” Jayden said. “Like, you like to get your heart pounding. Tempt fate. Shannon was like that. Man, she wasn’t afraid of anything.”
Was it that obvious? Nina and Carrie had said something similar just a little while ago. How I looked fearless. “I’ve been known to tempt fate a time or two.”
“Well, then, you will love surfing.” Jayden picked up a small twig lying near his feet and tossed it into the fire.
“Leah, have you forgotten that there are sharks in these waters?” Jackson said.
Jackson. The voice of reason. “No. I haven’t.”
“We surf here all the time,” Jayden said. “It’s really rare that a shark comes up close to the beach, and when they do, they usually just swim past you and keep going.”
“Is that supposed to make me feel better?” Jackson said.
“I’ll be fine, Jax. You only live once.”
“Yeah, and your life will be cut short if you get eaten by a shark.”
I rolled my eyes, and turn to Jayden. “When can I start?”
Jayden said, “How about tomorrow morning?”
Several of his male friends had gathered around, all offering their expertise.
Jackson chuckled and shook his head. He’s said that I’m a guy magnet. The younger ones, in particular, seem to take a shine to me. I don’t know why; I’m no pin-up girl and my fashion style would best be described as shabby chic. I like black and wear a lot of it; it matches my hair and eyeliner.
“Tomorrow morning, it is. Are you coming with, mother hen?” I asked Jackson.
H
e sighed. “Sure. Why not? I haven’t jumped in to save your ass in what? Oh, five minutes?”
“Stop. I save my own ass.”
He lowered his head, shook it, reddish blonde waves bouncing slightly. “Fine. All I can say is, if you drown or get eaten by a shark, don’t come crying to me.”
Chapter 3
“Are you really going to do this?” Jackson followed me around the beach house, trying to talk me out of it.
“Jackson. It’s just surfing. I’ll be right out there.” I pointed out the picture window to the ocean out front. The wind was strong, bending the branches of nearby trees, and the waves were choppy. “Good thing it’ll be windy. The temperature’s supposed to be in the high nineties with eight percent humidity. So glad I’m not in New York right now.”
“Your friends are already here. They’re hanging out front, like love sick puppies. Look at them.”
I turned and looked out the window. Five teenage boys, including Jayden, were milling around on the sand, glancing up at the beach house. I opened the glass door to the deck and stepped out onto it, leaning against the railing. “Hey guys! Be out in a minute. Just have to change.” I still wore the loose cotton shorts and tank top I’d worn to bed.
They nodded and waved, gave thumbs up signs, and called out, “Okay.”
I went back in. Jackson had given up trying to talk me out of it, and instead was in the guest room he’d moved himself into, changing, I presumed. “Are you coming down to the beach, Jax?”
“Yeah,” his tone was unenthused.
“Awesome!” I went into what would be my room for the duration of the vacation and changed into the swimsuit I’d bought for the occasion. A pair of black boy shorts with a band of yellow trim around the legs and a black and yellow halter swim tank that hugged my waist.
When I came out, Jackson was holding up a bottle of waterproof spray sun block.
“Did you put sun block on?” He asked me.
“No,” I said. “It’s overcast.”
“You can still get sunburned,” he said, and bent down, applying the spray to my legs.
I let out a little scream. “That’s cold, Jax!”
“Don’t be a baby.” He worked his way up, spraying both arms, then shielding my face with his hand as he sprayed my chest and neck. He moved his fingertips over my cheeks, nose and chin. “Turn around.”
I sighed, turning. He did the backs of my legs, arms and shoulders.
“Okay. You may get eaten by a shark, but at least you won’t suffer the agony of a sun burn.”
“Good to know,” I said. “Now, let’s go.”
He followed me out to the beach where three of the guys were already surfing. Jayden smiled and handed me a surfboard. “This one is yours. It’s a longboard, eight feet long. Longboards are easier for beginners to learn to stand on. You can keep it.”
I looked at the surfboard. It was light blue with a single yellow stripe down the middle. “Wow. Are you sure?”
“Yeah, my parents run the surf house down the beach. It’s a gift from my dad. He’s glad you’re helping to find out what happened to Shannon.”
“I’ll have to come by and thank him.”
“Any time,” he said. He turned to a brown haired kid next to him, of about his age. I recognized him from the bonfire the night before. “This is Josh.”
Josh grinned and lifted his hand in greeting. “Hey.”
“Hey, Josh. Nice to meet you. I’m Leah.”
“Yeah. I know. I was at the bonfire last night.”
I nodded. “I remember.”
“Okay, first lesson,” Jayden said, “Wax your board.”
Between all five kids, I was ready to try within a half hour.
“You’ll wipe out a lot at first,” Jayden warned. “Everybody does. So don’t get discouraged.”
I looked back at Jackson, who was lying back on the sand, propped up on his elbows, his long legs stretched in front of him. He offered me a smile. “You got this. Go for it.”
I smiled back, happy that he had decided to chill out and let me try something new. Surfing appealed to the adrenaline freak in me, and he knew that it was always better to let me blow off some steam. Otherwise, I could get into some trouble. It’s been known to happen before.
Jayden was right. I wiped out a lot. But it was fun and exhilarating, and before I knew it, I was already firmly addicted to the thrill of surfing. Just as Jayden had predicted.
“You’ve got to try this, Jax! It’s incredible!” I sat on the surfboard, riding the small waves and ripples. The sun had pushed its way through the clouds and warmed my skin. According to Jayden’s stop watch, I’d actually been able to stay upright on the board without falling for three whole minutes.
“No, thanks! I’m good!” Jackson stood up, watching me. He cut an impressive figure on the sand. Tall and chiseled. He lifted weights and had started running with me several mornings a week.
“Okay, but you don’t know what you’re missing!” I climbed back up on my board the way Jayden had shown me. It was an exercise in balance and coordination that I’d mastered pretty quickly. I’m not a patient person by nature, but the running had taught me patience and it was serving me well with learning to surf.
“Here comes a nice one, Leah!” Jayden called out to me.
A large wave came rolling in and I rode it, feeling a huge smile on my face. It felt like I was flying. I kept my knees bent and my arms out, and with every passing second, I was more surprised that I hadn’t wiped out yet.
I rode the wave until it sank into the ocean and then I wiped out.
For a terrifying moment I found myself beneath the water, unable to tell where the surface was. A flash of Shannon floating in front of me sent a thrill of panic through me.
Calm down. It’s only water. As Jayden had said, I allowed myself to sink for a few seconds, and then slowly swam upward.
On my way up, I inhaled a bit of water. The saltwater burned my nostrils and throat.
“You okay?” Josh called out to me.
“I’m good,” I said, coming to the end of the coughing spell. “Just sucked in some water.”
“It’s scary the first few times you find yourself under there,” he said. “Until you get used to it. I fell a lot a first.”
The other boys were oblivious, riding their surfboards, whooping and hollering.
Jayden popped up right beside me, and my heart jumped. I hadn’t seen him swim up to me under the water. “That was amazing, Leah. You had that wave until the end.”
“It was fantastic,” I said. I turned toward the beach, hoping that Jackson hadn’t noticed my coughing fit.
He wasn’t there. Then I saw his head emerge right in front of me.
I startled. Let out a scream. “Holy shit, Jax! You scared the hell out of me.”
“I thought you were in trouble,” he said, bobbing in front of me. “Thought you were drowning.”
“You’re going to give me a heart attack, and then I’ll drown for sure.”
“Just looking out for you, Kicks. You look tired. Ready to come out? I can take your board.”
“Not just yet,” I said. I was tired, but I was also stubborn. I wanted to come out on my terms. I appreciated Jackson looking out for me, but couldn’t help prickling. We’d been through a lot together, all the way back to juvenile hall.
But he knows how strong I am. I’m no shrinking violet. Sometimes I just need room to fall, and get back up again on my own.
Jayden bobbed beside me, eyes cutting to Jackson, then to me.
Great. All I needed was this kid thinking I needed a bodyguard. “I’ll come out in a bit. Don’t worry about me, Jax. I’m fine.”
He hesitated for a long moment, then turned and began his swim back to the beach.
I swam back to my surfboard, which was still attached to my ankle by a leg leash. My arms were tired, but I managed to pull myself up onto it.
I drifted on the surfboard like that, gently paddling, not re
ally aiming for any direction. I squinted against the sun, closing my eyes for a long moment, enjoying its heat on my skin. “I could get used to this.”
“Kicks!” Jackson called out to me.
“Yeah!” I called back, turning my head toward the beach. I was surprised at how far from the beach I’d drifted. I had to be a good sixty feet from the sand, if not more. The realization was disconcerting, but I shoved the rising panic down. I didn’t want to look like a ’fraidy cat in front of all the guys. I didn’t want to act like a girl.
But Jack’s posture had changed. He looked alarmed. He stood straight and took a few steps forward. “Leah! Get out! NOW!”
Jayden and Josh yelled at me, pointing behind me. The other three boys swam to the shoreline, swearing and hollering.
I turned in time to see the fin a couple of feet away from me on my right. A large triangle, rising a good two feet out of the water.
My heart slammed. Fear paralyzed me for a moment as I watched the shark circle me. I remembered stories of surfers loosing arms or legs while floating on their boards. Carefully, I pushed myself up to a sitting position, and pulled my legs up, knees bent and hands gripping the sides of the board, praying my balance wouldn’t falter. If I fell into the water right now, I’d be in serious trouble.
I heard panicked splashing sounds and I knew Jackson had run into the water, full speed. The loud splash that followed told me that he was swimming toward me.
Almost hypnotized by the shark, I stared at it as it swam closer.
Don’t act like food. Don’t move. My instinct was to jump into the water, swimming and screaming for all I was worth. But the frantic movements would signal the shark that I was acting like food. I kept myself as still as possible, but I shook so badly I was certain it wouldn’t be long before I lost my balance and tilted off the surfboard.
“Hey!” Jackson screamed. “Over here, asshole!”
For a strange moment I thought Jackson was talking to me, but then I saw him blasting his huge arms into the water, bringing the water up high over his head. He screamed and splashed like a maniac. “Over here! I’m tastier!”
The body of the shark was so close to me that I could see its grey skin, just the below the surface of the water. Its pointed nose lifted slightly, and its mouth was slightly open in a grin. One dark eye seemed to look right into mine.
