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Nick pulled up in front of Evelyn’s dilapidated pickup truck, a dinged and dented mosaic of rust, patch and paint colors, indistinguishable from most island vehicles except for the swim-bike-run bumper sticker taped across a crack in the windshield and the rearview mirror that swung above the dash like a disco ball. He saw the woman and child across the pond, sitting, waiting, and watching. Evelyn was busy wrestling her dinghy out of the back of her pick-up. Climbing out of his truck he called out to her, “Come on now, Evelyn, you don’t have to prove you can do it all by yourself. Everyone already knows you can.”
“And yet no one lets me. Why is that, Nick?” She hauled the bow of the upside-down boat so it overhung the open tailgate and then climbed underneath to slide it further off.
“Just to annoy you, I suspect,” said Nick, keeping his voice neutral even as he quickened his pace, imagining her crushed beneath the weight of the boat.
“You mean if I started acting all grateful, they’d leave me alone?” said Evelyn. She grunted as she lifted with her legs, the seat across her shoulders like a yoke, and slowly carried the boat down to the water’s edge. Nick followed her down to the pond wondering how the hell she was going to get herself out from under the boat without breaking it or herself. Once by the water’s edge, she slowly turned 180 degrees, lowered into a squat, set the stern down on the ground, and then used the bow line to ease the boat back into the water while she leaned back as a counterweight. Nick was impressed but kept it to himself.
“Ev, if you started ‘acting all grateful’ they’d be sure you’d lost your mind and try and help you some other way.”
“Ha, they would at that. You want to be helpful, go ahead and flip those oar locks while I go get the oars.”
Nick knew better than to try and claim the heavy job for himself; chivalry, like compliments, only raised her hackles and put her on the offensive. He put the oar locks in place and then positioned himself squarely between Evelyn and the dinghy. Shoulders back, feet wide and thumbs hooked into his belt, he watched patiently as she carried two oars and a lifejacket back down. Evelyn came to a standstill in front of him, leaned the shafts against her shoulder, and draped her arm possessively around them.
“Come on now, Nick, don’t go all cop on me. You’re retired,” said Evelyn.
“She wants to speak with the police. And the police need to speak with her.”
“Because of the man?” asked Evelyn.
“Because of the child. We don’t know who Sheera is or how she got here. We don’t know how Kate is involved. There are a lot of serious questions that need to be answered. The sooner the better.”
“So, you’re going to interrogate them out in the middle of the pond? They’re exhausted and scared, Nick. Especially the child.”
“No, Ev, I’m not going to interrogate them in the middle of the pond. I’m not going to interrogate them at all. You’ve been watching too much television.”
“So what are you going to do?” asked Evelyn.
“I’m going to introduce myself and then I’m going to ferry them back over here. The ranger is on his way.”
“Why you? Why do you need to go get them?” Evelyn drilled him with her eyes as if he was a hostile witness on the stand. She could pull it off despite her messy and spiked hair, ratty fleece, and wet suit peeled down over her hips.
“Because I’m a cop and you’re not.”
“You’re not a cop anymore.”
Nick wished he could just slap her in cuffs and get on with it. “Oh for Christ’s sake, Ev. I’m a retired cop, which means I have the training and experience to listen carefully and assess the situation. That woman may be unstable, she may pose a danger.”
“So you said before, ‘capable of violence’. How do you know? I’ve seen her. She’s barely capable of walking.”
“I know because she assaulted someone yesterday despite being barely able to walk.”
“You’re kidding. Who?” asked Evelyn. When Nick didn’t immediately answer, Evelyn continued. “Well, whoever it was, I bet he deserved it.”
“She beat up Matt, Ev. Do you really think he deserved it?”
Surprised, Evelyn looked at Nick for a long moment and then guffawed. “Nope. You got me there. The only reason people ever had to beat up Matt was because he’s your son and you’re gay, which is of course no reason at all.”
“So give me the oars, would you?”
“No can do. It doesn’t take a lawyer to figure out you shouldn’t talk to that woman alone and it just so happens I’m a damn good lawyer and can spot a conflict of interest when I see one. Now get out of my way, Nick. You’re wasting time.”
“Ev, I can’t let you go over there.”
“You can’t stop me, Nick. My boat, my choice. Besides, finders keepers – maritime law.”
“This isn’t a game. You don’t know what you’re getting into.”
“I know exactly what I’m keeping you out of, though. And so should you. Besides, I’m pretty sure I can take her if I had to.”
“Matt couldn’t.”
“Yeah, well. What’s your point?”
Nick glared at an unflinching Evelyn and then slowly stepped aside and gestured to the boat. “You’re the most stubborn mule I’ve ever met. Be careful and don’t say a word about Matt.”
“Why thank you, Nick. And mums the word.” Evelyn glanced over Nick’s shoulder. “Looks like Ranger Rick is just arriving. I’ll be back in a jiff.”
~~~
Kate had watched the standoff between Evelyn and the older gentleman and was relieved to see that Evelyn was the one to climb into the boat to come get them. She just exuded competency; she had a truck, a boat, a phone and, apparently a retired cop on speed dial. She would have known how to rescue the little girl just like she knew exactly what to do when they’d flagged her down. Thank God Evelyn was here to save the girl, to save both of them. Kate looked to the little girl and was startled to see her staring right back at her. She recognized the way she looked at her because it was exactly how she had been looking at Evelyn. Kate reached out her arm and the child burrowed in close like a baby chimpanzee to its mother. The smart and brave little girl claimed Kate and in so doing gave Kate the courage to claim her back.
Evelyn rowed in close and skillfully spun the boat stern to shore so she faced them. The child walked just behind Kate, one arm wrapped around her bad leg as they made their slow and awkward way to the dinghy. Evelyn found it almost impossible to imagine Kate posing any kind of danger, particularly to a man in his prime. Matt may have been a little past his prime, but he was still strong and fit enough to defend himself and experienced enough to do it ably. Either Kate was one hell of an actress and not as she appeared, or perennially well-intentioned Matt had blithely waltzed into a situation he didn’t understand. Evelyn was pretty sure which it was and shook her head in sort of maternal resignation at his inexplicable but undeniable shortcoming; in all the years she’d known him, he always expected to be the hero.
Once they were at the water’s edge, Evelyn spun the boat a quarter turn, lining it up parallel to the shore and invited them to climb aboard. After a reassuring nod from Kate, the little girl stepped right up, donned the vest style life jacket offered by Evelyn, and then scampered nimbly past Evelyn up into the bow. Kate handed the pack to Evelyn who tucked it under the seat. Kate made a couple aborted attempts to get into the boat gracefully while Evelyn used the oars like outriggers to try and hold the boat steady. Giving up on appearances, Kate finally lifted her bad leg up and over the side and rolled her body over the gunnel to land in a pile in the bilge. It was awkward and painful, and she nearly capsized the boat.
“Shit. Sorry,” said Kate, taking a seat in the stern.
“You okay?” asked Evelyn.
“I’m in; that’s all that matters. Thanks for coming back for us and being the one to row us in. It looked like the man you were talking to would have preferred to do it himself. He’s the retired cop you mentioned?”
“That’s right. More than that really; he’s a legend around here. You know the cliché’ – doing the right thing, the right way, for the right reasons – that’s Nick. If ever I needed help, he’s the one I’d turn to. Just don’t tell him I said so. The last thing I need is someone else coming to my aid. You’d think it’s a disease, being a middle-aged woman living alone. People keep bringing me casseroles.”
Kate smiled. “Doesn’t matter the age. Something about being a single woman just screams ‘take pity’. Either that or ‘take liberties’. That’s why I wear this ring,” said Kate, flashing her left hand in front of her.
“That actually works?” asked Evelyn.
“You’d be surprised. And not just on men, either. As long as they think you’re coupled up, you stop getting those just-us-girls mercy invites.”
“Like you’re someone’s project. It’s the worst.”
“I’m telling you, make up a fiancée or something, stick him in the peace corps or whatever. The nobler the better. Then you’ll know if they invite you out, it’ll be for your company – not some sort of intervention.”
Evelyn considered Kate for a long moment. “Well, we better head back on over before those boys get themselves all worked up.” Looking over her shoulder toward the child in the bow she asked, “All settled?”
There was the girl, concentrating closely on tying a knot into the end of the bow line, the rest of which lay neatly coiled at her feet. With a tug she finished it and Evelyn saw it wasn’t just any knot, but a complex Perfection knot used by fisherman to create a secure loop at the end of a line.
“Hey, look at that. How old are you?”
The child didn’t answer.
“Well, unless you’re a salty old fisherman disguised as a little girl, that is really impressive. You deserve a prize.” Evelyn pulled out a box of TicTacs from her fleece pocket and dumped a couple in her hand. The little girl looked at the offering warily and then looked to Kate.
“Go ahead, sweetie. They’re good, kind of minty. May I?” asked Kate, holding her hand out for a couple and then popping them in her mouth.
Evelyn turned back to the child and offered them again. This time she took them and, holding Kate’s eyes, put them in her mouth and swallowed.
“Oh? No, sweetie, you’re not supposed to swallow them. You just suck on them, see?” said Kate, sticking her tongue out to show them still in her mouth. Evelyn shook out another couple in offering, but the little girl just shrugged and looked away.
“Alright then. Let’s get you two to the other side.”