Evelyn surveyed the chaotic scene. She and Margaret were the ones who came to stay for the whole summer, Evelyn running the main cottage while Margaret manned Bernie’s, shuffling kids between the houses as their siblings came in for a week here, two weeks there. Fred came up every other weekend, then would be there for two weeks in August.
Doing a head count was impossible among the moving children, but she scanned faces, knowing someone was missing.
“Joanie,” she called to her middle child. “Where’s your sister?”
Joan’s face fell, and she turned to flee, but Evelyn grabbed her nine-year-old’s arm.
“Where?” she asked again.
“I told her not to go.”
“Told her not to go where?”
Joan pointed with her free hand to the island. Evelyn dropped her daughter’s arm and walked closer to the water, shielding her eyes with a hand as she gazed out toward the island. There was no one visible. Evelyn looked down at the water and swore. The sandbar was almost gone. They hadn’t made it back in time for the tide. And the rule was if you went to the island, you told an adult first to prevent this exact situation.
“Sofia is with her?” Joan nodded, and Evelyn’s lips narrowed to a line. It hadn’t been much of a question. The two were inseparable each summer, sending letters through the rest of the year. But Sofia, as a local, should have known better.
With a sigh, Evelyn went to the semicircle of lawn chairs where her siblings sat, smoking and drinking sodas spiked with whiskey, and knelt at Margaret’s side. “I need to go to town.”
“What for?”
“Don’t make a fuss.”
Margaret turned to look at her sister. “What about?”
“Anna and Sofia went out to the island.”
Margaret looked across the water, lowering her sunglasses. “And they aren’t back?” Evelyn shook her head, and Margaret pursed her lips. “Well, if you ever wondered if she was yours, there’s your proof.”
“Thanks.”
“What are you going to do?”
“What do you think? I’m going to go get them.”
“By going to town?”
“Just keep everything under control here.” Evelyn looked toward the island one more time, then left the beach, walking swiftly up the hill to the cottage to grab the car keys. She drove at breakneck speed to the marina, where she strode purposefully down a dock, climbed into a waiting motorboat, and started the engine.
It was sheer bad luck that the boat’s owner was just down the dock, worse luck that he didn’t believe she was a police officer commandeering the boat, and even worse luck still that she had no idea of how to helm a boat, as she would have just left when he called for her to get out of his boat if she had.
The owner, a summer person, boarded the craft as well and was threatening to throw Evelyn overboard when a loud whistle broke up their argument.
“What’s going on here?” Evelyn’s head snapped to her right. She would know that voice in her sleep.
“Officer,” the irate man said. “This crazy woman is stealing my boat.”
Tony turned to look at her, his eyes widening. They had seen each other from afar in town but hadn’t done more than raise a hand in greeting in years.
“Evelyn, what—？”
“Anna is on the island. The tide is in. Sofia is with her.”
There was a beat.
Then Tony stepped onto the boat. “Sir, I’m afraid I’m going to need to commandeer this boat.”
“But—I—no!”
Tony gently guided him back down to the dock as he sputtered in protest. “The city of Hereford thanks you for your commitment to saving two stranded children. We’ll make sure you are officially thanked for your cooperation and service.” He threw the line off as he spoke, then turned to Evelyn. “Life jacket. And sit.”
“I don’t need a life jacket.”
A muscle ticked in his jaw, and she sat. He put the boat into gear, reversing it out of its spot at the dock, then pulled expertly into the channel.
“Why couldn’t you call the station like a normal person?” he growled once they rounded the small cape and he no longer needed to dodge the sailboats and fishing boats.
“Well, hello to you too, darling. You look well.”
He shook his head. “I guess that’s like asking a leopard to change its spots.”
“Would I be me if I did things like everyone else?”
“How long have they been out there?”