LITMIR.BIZ

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refer to the squall, not my aching head.

      “I’ll get going then.”

      I nod. It might not be flashy but our tag team routine saves lives. I scoop my spoon into my bowl and hit bottom. I finished my cereal without even realizing it. The chair scrapes the floor as I push up and rinse out my bowl.

      I try Holly’s cell again. Tyler’s a teenager, surely he isn’t up this early, I console myself.

      “Hello.” A sleepy voice answers on the other end.

      I go limp with relief. “Holly, it’s Piper. Is your brother there?”

      “I doubt it. He was going out on his sailboat. He leaves at the crack of dawn.”

      “Could you reach him on his cell?’ My hand tightens on the phone. Darn the boy. Hadn’t I told him it was not a good day to be on the water?

      “Nope. He doesn’t have a booster or a mini tower.”

      “Okay. Thanks.”

      Before I can click off, Holly asks, “What’s going on?” She sounds more awake.

      “Gramps’ knee is acting up. A sure sign bad weather is coming.”

      “That’s nice of you to give us a heads up. But don’t worry about Tyler. He’s an experienced sailor.”

      “Good to know. I’ll talk to you later.”

      “Since I’m up—”

      I pretend not to hear and click off. Maybe Gramps is having better luck. I pour myself another cup of coffee and hit speed dial. “Gramps, any sign of Tyler?” I draw circles with the warm cup on the counter.

      “I just got here. I’ll call you back either way, okay?”

      “Okay.” The pressure at the base of my skull creeps downward. I scrub the back of my neck. Holly said he’s a seasoned sailor; maybe he won’t go that far out. Maybe he’ll have enough time to make it home.

      The minutes tick by. I pace, waiting for Gramps’ call. By the time the phone rings, my head feels like a jackhammer is drilling a blast hole through my skull.

      “Hello,” I speak breathlessly into the mouthpiece.

      “Piper, it’s Holly.”

      Crap.

      “I was wondering if you wanted to do anything today.”

      Impatience dances along my nerve endings like a thousand spiders. I manage to keep it out of my voice...just. “That’s really nice, Holly, but I can’t today. Rain check?” I’m going to be busy swimming the ocean, checking on her brother. “Just out of curiosity do you know where your brother is headed?”

      “Not really. He said he didn’t intend to go out too far.” Before I can respond she continues, “Why the interest in my bro? Do you two have something going on?”

      I pull the phone away from my ear and look at it, shocked. “Get serious, Holly. Your brother is the most popular boy in school. He can have anyone he wants. I’m the school mouse.”

      “The thing about mice is they can scurry around unobserved, go places, and see things that most people can’t,” Holly responds.

      “While that’s very astute on your part, I don’t think that’s the main thing that attracts high school boys,” I reply dryly.

      “You got that right.” She laughs. “Though, I’ve never heard Tyler rhapsodize about a girl’s voice before. He keeps talking about sea sirens. I hate to hurt your feelings, but I don’t get it. You sound rather raspy to me. You aren’t a smoker are you?”

      I’d just brought my coffee to my lips when she mentions sea sirens. It goes spewing across the counter. I hastily wipe my mouth. “Listen, Holly, I’ve got to go. Got a call coming in.”

      “Okay, talk to you—”

      “Yeah, sure.” I click off before she can say anymore. “Come on, Gramps.”

      As if on cue, my cell rings. “Gramps?”

      “Sorry, honey. No luck. Burt said the kid headed out a couple of hours ago.”

      Burt and Gramps are old cronies. They’ve known each other nearly sixty years.

      “You’re going out aren’t you?”

      The kitchen darkens. I lift the curtain and look out the window. The sun has disappeared and the sky is black. A wind that will quickly pick up is blowing. “Yeah. I am.”

      “You be careful.”

      “I will. And, Gramps.”

      “Yes?”

      “You better get home.”

      “On my way.”

      I run to the bedroom and throw on a midnight blue one-piece with the back cut out then rush out the door, the screen banging behind me. I trot to the cliff’s edge. The house is set off, with no near neighbors. Unless someone has a pair of binoculars focused on it, no one will see me. I dive into the foaming gray waves below.

      I turn in a circle and look around. The air, heavy and still, increases the clamp-like pressure on my head.

      A horizontal spear of lightning flickers along the shore. Thunder rolls. Several yards away, a speedboat skims the water’s surface. Waves buck and roll in its wake. The sun that warmed the water when it came up has disappeared. I breathe in thick wet air and strike out toward sea.

      Chapter 7

      The wind picks up. The water rises, gray and stormy. A cold drop plops on my face then another and another.

      The sky opens. Rain pours down in sheets. A large wave washes over me, picks me up, and tosses me down. I go with it, closing my nose, mouth, and blowhole. Icy water washes over and under me.

      It subsides, only to build and hit again, more powerful than ever. The squall blows in earnest. I can survive this, last as long as it takes, but can Tyler?

      How can his boat keep from capsizing? Somehow, I have to find him. In spite of the waves that pound me and the icy liquid that pours in my eyes, I push forward through wall after wall of gray swells.

      There’s nothing but an angry sea, black skies, and sheets of rain. I feel alone in the universe. The sea creatures have the good sense to head deep into the ocean and wait out the storm’s ferocity.

      Treading water, I glance around. To my right, something white catches my eye. I swim toward it. A wave knocks me back. I try again and get knocked back again. After what seems forever, I reach it. A poor drowned crane floats on the water. It disappears in the next gray wave.

      Which direction now? I sluice the rain out of my face and push back my hair. I might as well not bother. I’m blinded almost immediately.

      The waves slow. Taking advantage, I look around, cupping my hand above my eyes for better visibility. In the distance, a dot of orange catches my eye. I swim toward it, pushing through the icy water.

      A dolphin DNA benefit that completely escaped me is the layer of fat under the skin to keep me warm. Right now, the only thing keeping my teeth from chattering is constant movement. Even so, goose bumps roughen my skin as I swim toward the orange dot. A swell tosses me backward. I’m getting nowhere.

      I get my bearings and dive beneath the waves. Ah, much better. The ocean is rough but I’m holding my own. I press my lips together and taste the salty liquid of the sea.

      I swim for about eight minutes then surface, just in time to get hit by another wave. Several feet away, something floats on the water. The downpour so intense I can’t make out what it is. I swim forward, reach…and a gust of wind carries it away. I dive after it, stretching out my arm till it feels like my joints will pop. I’ve got it! My heart sinks. A life preserver.

      “This

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