Adam Jacobs had piloted her and Henry to the little unnamed island while Tessa and Logan had taken a boat to check on the residents of Elias Island. An unofficial boat and seaplane “taxi driver,” Adam had greeted her and Henry as they had joined him at the plane in Harlot Harbor at the crack of dawn, and Cate was pleased that the young man had been on good behavior and not leered at her once.
Now he helped unload the boxes of surplus medical supplies that she and Henry had scrounged together. Cate had made a trip to the grocery store late last night and bought most of their supply of prenatal vitamins, antacids, and a few other things. If Ashlee was pregnant, Cate hoped that one of the products would draw the woman out.
Cate didn’t see any people other than the two men, but she knew far off to their left and now out of sight was a “marina.”
She had seen the marina in a small protected cove as they had flown over the island and didn’t know what else to call the three little rickety boats tied to a slightly more stable-looking dock. She’d also seen two bleached and battered rowboats pulled high up the rocky beach. Cate had wondered how seaworthy any of them were. She and Adam had agreed to tie up at their current dock instead. It was easier for him to approach and felt more open to Cate.
“Morning,” Henry said to the men with rifles as he walked to the end of the dock, two cardboard boxes in his arms. “I’m Dr. Powers. We’ve got some medical supplies we thought some of your residents could use.”
“We don’t need nothin’，” said the man wearing a Seahawks baseball cap. “You can load those boxes right back up in your plane.”
Cate grimaced. Dammit.
The younger man stepped forward, curiosity in his eyes. “What’s in the boxes?”
Good.
“Sterile bandages. Medical tape. Acetaminophen. Benadryl. Topical antibiotic cream. Rubbing alcohol.”
“Got anything stronger than acetaminophen?” the second man asked hopefully. He was missing several lower front teeth.
“No, sorry,” said Henry. He’d told Cate to expect one of the first questions to be about painkillers. Everyone wanted free narcotics.
“We’ll take the boxes for you,” said the man with the toothy smile. “You can be on your way.” The Seahawks fan glowered at his partner.
“I’d prefer to hand them out,” said Henry. “Anyone on the island need looking at? Any infections or sicknesses going on? Kids healthy?”
“We don’t need any doctors,” said the first man. His partner, who had agreed to take the boxes, gave him a side-eye.
“Everyone feel that way?” Henry asked. “Seems like people should decide for themselves if they want me to take a look at something for them. Or do you make the decisions on everyone’s health?”
“He’s not in charge,” said the man with missing teeth. “We’re all free men here. If you follow me, I’ll take you in and put the word out that a doc is visiting.” He gestured for one of the boxes, and Henry handed him a large carton of bandages.
Henry turned around and met Cate’s gaze. She nodded at him, pleased he’d gotten them onto the island. They’d agreed that the type of men on the island might respond better if Henry appeared in charge.
Twenty minutes later, they’d hiked to a small clearing with their load of supplies. Adam stayed with the plane, at Cate’s request. She didn’t want anything hampering their plan to leave—like a resident deciding they wanted a seaplane for themselves.
“No cell service,” Henry muttered.
“Nope,” said Cate, unsurprised. “That’s why Tessa gave me a sat phone.”
The Seahawks fan spoke into a beat-up walkie-talkie as they were leaving the plane. She heard him explain that a doctor was on the plane everyone had seen fly over the island. The doctor was bringing in a few supplies and was willing to take a look at any problems.