Is that why you built the wall to hide the piano? She looked at him only indirectly. When I went inside, it wasnt that hard to miss.
Steve shook his head. No. I did that because I love you.
Ronnie flashed a brief smile, hesitating before taking a seat beside him. They watched the waves rolling steadily up the shore. High tide would be here soon, and the beach was half-gone.
Whats going to happen to me? she asked.
Pete is going to talk to the owner, but I dont know. A couple of those records were real collectors items. Theyre pretty valuable.
Ronnie felt sick to her stomach. Have you told Mom yet?
No.
Are you going to?
Probably.
Neither of them said anything for a moment. At the waters edge, a group of surfers walked past, holding their boards. In the distance, the swells were slowly rising, forming waves that seemed to collide before immediately re-forming.
When are you going to call the aquarium?
When I head back inside. Im sure Jonahs getting hungry anyway. I should probably start dinner.
Ronnie stared at the nest. With her stomach in knots, she couldnt imagine eating. I dont want anything to happen to the turtle eggs tonight.
Steve turned toward her. So what do you want to do?
Hours later, after tucking Jonah into bed, Steve stepped out onto the back porch to check on Ronnie. Earlier, after hed left a message at the aquarium, hed gone to the store to buy what he thought she needed: a light sleeping bag, a camping lantern, a cheap pillow, and some bug spray.
He wasnt comfortable with the idea of Ronnie sleeping outside, but she was clearly determined and he admired her impulse to protect the nest. Shed been insistent that she would be fine, and to some extent, he trusted she was right. Like most people who grew up in Manhattan, shed learned to be careful and had seen and experienced enough of the world to know it was sometimes a dangerous place. Moreover, the nest was less than fifty feet from his bedroom windowwhich he intended to keep openso he was confident hed hear something if Ronnie ran into trouble. Because of the shape of the windblown dune and the location of the nest, it wasnt likely that anyone walking on the beach would even know she was there.
Still, she was only seventeen, and he was her father, all of which meant hed probably end up checking on her every few hours. There wasnt a chance hed be able to sleep through the night.
The moon was only a sliver, but the sky was clear, and as he moved through the shadows, he thought back on their conversation. He wondered how she felt about the fact that hed hidden the piano. Would she wake up tomorrow with the same attitude shed had when shed first arrived? He didnt know. As he drew near enough to make out Ronnies sleeping form, the play
of starlight and shadow made her appear both younger and older than she really was. He thought again about the years hed lost and would never get back.
He stayed long enough to gaze up and down the beach. As far as he could tell, no one was out, so he turned and headed back inside. He sat on the couch and turned on the television, flipping through the channels before turning it off. Finally, he went to his room and crawled into bed.
He fell asleep almost immediately but woke an hour later. Tiptoeing outside again, he went to check on the daughter he loved more than life itself.
12Ronnie
Her first thought upon waking was that everything hurt. Her back was stiff, her neck ached, and when she got the courage to sit up, a stabbing pain coursed through her shoulder.
She couldnt imagine anyone ever choosing to sleep outdoors. When she was growing up, some of her friends had extolled the joys of camping, but shed thought they were deranged.
Sleeping on the ground hurt.
And so, of course, did the blinding sun. Judging by fact that shed been waking up with the farmers since shed arrived, she figured today was no different. It probably wasnt even seven yet. The sun was hanging low over the ocean, and a few people were walking their dogs or jogging near the waters edge. No doubt theyd slept in beds. She couldnt imagine walking, let alone exercising. Right now it was hard enough to breathe without passing out.
Steeling herself, she slowly got to her feet before remembering why shed been out here in the first place. She checked the nest, noting with relief that it was undisturbed, and ever so slowly, the aches and pains began to subside. She wondered idly how Blaze could tolerate sleeping on the beach, and then all of a sudden she remembered what Blaze had done to her.
Arrested for shoplifting. Serious shoplifting. Felony shoplifting.
She closed her eyes, reliving it all: the way the store manager had glared at her until the officer had arrived, Officer Petes disappointment on the drive to the station, the awful phone call shed had to make to her dad. Shed felt like throwing up on the car ride home.
If there was one bright spot in all that had happened, it was that her dad hadnt blown a gasket. And even more incredible, hed said he believed her to be innocent Then again, he hadnt spoken to Mom yet. As soon as that happened, all bets were off. No doubt Mom would scream and shout until Dad gave in, and hed end up grounding her because hed promised Mom that he would. After the Incident, her mom had grounded her for a month, and this was way, way bigger than just an incident.
She felt sick again. She couldnt imagine having to spend an entire month in her room, a room she had to share, no less, in a place she didnt want to be. She wondered if things could get any worse. As she stretched her arms above her head, she yelped at a stabbing pain in her shoulder. She lowered them slowly, wincing.
She spent the next couple of minutes dragging her things to the back porch. Even though the nest was behind her house, she didnt want the neighbors to guess that shed slept outside. Based on the grandeur of their houses, she pegged them as the kind of people who wanted everything picture perfect when they stood on their back decks drinking coffee in the mornings. The knowledge that someone had been sleeping beside their house probably didnt fit with their image of perfection, and the last thing she wanted was to have the police to show up again. With her luck, shed probably get arrested for vagrancy. Felony vagrancy.
It took two trips to get everythingshe didnt have the energy to carry it all at onceand then she realized shed left behind her copy of Anna Karenina. Shed intended to read it last night, but shed been too tired and had set it under a piece of driftwood so the mist wouldnt ruin it. When she went back to get it, she spotted someone wearing a beige jumpsuit advertising Blakelee Brakes, carrying a roll of yellow tape and a bunch of sticks. He seemed to be walking up the beach toward the house.
By the time shed retrieved her book, the man was closer and hunting around the dune. She started toward him, wondering what he was doing, and then he turned in her direction. When their eyes met, it was one of the few times in her life that she actually felt tongue-tied.
She recognized him immediately, despite the uniform. She flashed on the way hed looked without a shirt, tan and fit, his brown hair wet with sweat, the macramé bracelet on his wrist. He was the guy at the volleyball court whod crashed into her, the guy whose friend almost got into a fight with Marcus.
Coming to a halt in front of her, he didnt seem to know what to say, either. Instead, he just stared at her. Although she knew it was crazy, she had the impression that he was somehow pleased to run into her again. She could see it in his dawning recognition, in the way he began to smile at her, none of which made any sense.
Hey, its you, he said. Good morning.
She wasnt sure what to think, other than to question the friendly tone.
What are you doing here? she asked.
I got a call from the aquarium. Someone called last night to report a loggerhead nest, and they asked me to come here to check it out.
You work for the aquarium?
He shook his head. I just volunteer there. I work at my dads brake shop. You wouldnt happen to have seen a turtle nest around here, would you?
She felt herself relax a little. Its over there, she said, pointing.
Hey, thats great. He smiled. I was hoping it was near a house.
Why?
Because of storms. If the waves wash over the nest, the eggs wont make it.
But theyre sea turtles.
He raised his hands. I know. It doesnt make sense to me, either, but thats the way nature works. Last year, we lost a couple of nests when a tropical storm came through. It was really sad.
Theyre endangered, you know. Only one out of a thousand live to maturity.
Yeah, I know.
You do? He sounded impressed.
My dad told me.
Oh, he said. He motioned down the beach with a friendly wave. I take it you live around here?
Why do you want to know?
Just making conversation, he answered easily. My names Will, by the way.
Hi, Will.
He paused. Interesting.
What?
Usually when someone introduces himself, the other person does the same.
Im not most people. Ronnie crossed her arms, careful to keep her distance.
I already figured that out. He flashed a quick smile. Im sorry about running into you at the volleyball game.
You already apologized, remember?
I know. But you seemed kind of mad.
My soda went down my shirt.
Thats too bad. But you should really try to pay more attention to whats going on.
Excuse me?
Its a fast-moving game.
She put her hands on her hips. Are you trying to say it was my fault?
Just trying to make sure it doesnt happen again. Like I said, I felt bad about what happened.
With his answer, she got the feeling that he was trying to flirt with her, but she didnt know why. It didnt make senseshe knew she wasnt his type, and frankly, he wasnt her type, either.
But at this early hour, she wasnt in the mood to try to figure it out. Instead, she motioned to the items he was holding, thinking it was probably better to get back to the subject at hand. How is that tape supposed to keep the raccoons away?
It doesnt. Im just here to mark the nest. I run the tape around the dowels so the guys who do put up the cage know where to find the nest.
When are they going to put it up?
I dont know. He shrugged. Maybe in a couple of days.
She thought about the agony shed experienced upon waking, and she began to shake her head. No, I dont think so. You call them and tell them that they have to do something to protect the nest today. Tell them I saw a raccoon last night hovering around the nest.
Did you?
Just tell them, okay?
As soon as Im finished, Ill make sure to call. I promise.
She squinted up at him, thinking that was too easy, but before she could dwell on it further, her dad stepped onto the back porch.
Good morning, sweetheart, he called out. Ive got breakfast going if youre hungry.
Will looked from Ronnie to her dad and back again. You live here?
Instead of answering, she took a step backward. Just make sure you tell the people at the aquarium, okay?
She started back toward the house and had stepped onto the porch when she heard Will call out.
Hey!
She turned.
You didnt tell me your name.
No, she answered. I dont suppose I did.
As she headed for the door, she knew she shouldnt look back, but she couldnt help stealing a quick peek over her shoulder.
When he raised an eyebrow, she kicked herself mentally, glad that she hadnt told him her name.
In the kitchen, her dad was standing over a frying pan at the stove, stirring with a spatula. On the counter beside him lay a packet of tortillas, and Ronnie had to admit that whatever he was making smelled terrific. Then again, she hadnt eaten since yesterday afternoon.
Hey there, he said over his shoulder. Who was that you were talking to?
Just some guy from the aquarium. Hes here to mark the nest. What are you making?
A vegetarian breakfast burrito.
Youre kidding.
It has rice, beans, and tofu. It all goes in the tortilla. I hope thats okay. I found the recipe online, so I cant vouch for how it tastes.
Im sure its fine, she said. She crossed her arms, thinking she might as well get this over with. Have you talked to Mom yet?
He shook his head. No, not yet. I did talk to Pete this morning, though. He said he still hadnt been able to talk to the owner yet. Shes out of town.
She?
It seems the man who works there is the owners nephew. But Pete said he knows the owner pretty well.
Oh, she said, wondering if that would make any difference.
Her dad tapped the spatula on the pan. Anyway, I just figured that it might be a good idea if I held off calling your mom until I have all the details. Id hate to have to worry her unnecessarily.
You mean you might not have to tell her?
Unless you want me to.
No, thats okay, she said quickly. Youre right. Its probably better if we wait.
Okay, he agreed. After one last stir, he turned off the burner. I think this is just about ready. Are you hungry?
Starved, she confessed.
As she approached, he took down a plate from the cupboard and added a tortilla, then scooped some of the mixings onto it. He offered it to her. Is that enough?
Plenty, she said.
Do you want coffee? Ive got a pot going. He reached for a coffee cup and handed it to her. Jonah mentioned that sometimes you go to Starbucks, so thats what I bought. It might not be as good as what they make in their stores, but its the best I can do.
She took the cup, staring at him. Why are you being so nice to me?
Why shouldnt I be?
Because I havent been very nice to you, she could have said. But she didnt. Thanks, she mumbled instead, thinking the whole thing felt like some weird Twilight Zone episode, where her dad had somehow completely forgotten the last three years.
She poured herself some coffee and took a seat at the table. Steve joined her a moment later with his own plate and began to roll his burrito.
How was it last night? Did you sleep okay?
Yeah, when I slept. Waking up wasnt so easy.
I realized too late that I probably should have picked up an air mattress.
Its okay. But after breakfast, I think Im going to lie down for a while. Im still kind of tired. Its been a long couple of days.
Maybe you shouldnt have coffee.
It wont matter. Believe me, Ill be out.
Behind them, Jonah walked into the kitchen wearing Transformers pajamas, his hair poking out all over. Ronnie couldnt help smiling.
Good morning, Jonah, she said.
Are the turtles okay?
Theyre fine, she said.
Good job, he said. He scratched his back as he walked to the stove. Whats for breakfast?
Breakfast burritos, her dad answered.
Warily, Jonah studied the mixings in the pan, then the items on the counter. Dont tell me you went over to the dark side, Dad!
Steve tried to stifle his smile. Its good.
Its tofu! Its disgusting!
Ronnie laughed as she pushed back from the table. How about I get you a Pop-Tart instead?
He seemed to be trying to decide if this was some kind of trick question. With chocolate milk?
Ronnie glanced at her dad.
Theres plenty in the fridge, he said.
She poured him a glass and set it on the table. Jonah didnt move. Okay, whats going on?
What do you mean?
This isnt normal, he said. Someone should be mad. Someones always mad in the mornings.
Are you talking about me? Ronnie asked. She put two Pop-Tarts in the toaster. Im always cheerful.
Yeah, right, he said. He squinted at her. Are you sure the turtles are okay? Cause the two of you are acting like they died.
Theyre fine. I promise, Ronnie assured him.
Im going to check.
Go ahead.
He studied her. After breakfast, he added.
Steve smiled and glanced over at her. So whats on your agenda today? he asked. After your nap?
Jonah reached for his milk. You never take naps.
I do when Im tired.
No, he said, shaking his head. This isnt right. He put the milk back down. Something weird is going on and Im not leaving here until I find out what it is.
After shed finished eatingand once Jonah had been placatedRonnie retired to her room.
Steve followed with some towels that he draped over the curtain rod, not that Ronnie needed them. She fell asleep almost immediately and woke up sweating in midafternoon. After a long, cool shower, she stopped by the workshop to tell her dad and Jonah what she was going to do.
Still no mention of punishment from her dad.
It was possible, of course, that hed ground her later, after he talked to the officer or her mom. Or maybe hed been telling the truthmaybe hed believed her when shed said she was innocent.
Wouldnt that be something?
Either way, she had to talk to Blaze, and she spent the next couple of hours searching for her. She checked Blazes moms house and the diner, and though she didnt go inside, she peeked through the windows of the music shop, heart thumping, making sure the manager had his back turned. Blaze wasnt there, either.
Standing on the pier, she scanned up and down the beach, without luck. It was possible, of course, that Blaze had gone to Bowers Point; it was a favorite hangout of Marcuss gang. But she didnt want to go there alone. The last thing she wanted was to see him, let alone try to talk some sense into Blaze while he was around.
She was just about ready to give up and go home when she spotted Blaze emerging from between the dunes a little ways down the beach. She raced back to the steps, making sure not to lose sight of her, then hurried down to the beach. If Blaze noticed that Ronnie was walking toward her, she gave no sign of caring. Instead, as Ronnie got close she took a seat on the dune and stared out over the water.
You have to tell the police what you did, Ronnie said without preamble.
I didnt do anything. And youre the one who got caught.
Ronnie felt like shaking her. You put those forty-fives and CDs in my bag!
No, I didnt.
The CDs were the ones you were listening to!
And the last time I saw them, they were still by the headphones. Blaze refused to face her.
Ronnie felt the blood beginning to rush to her cheeks. This is serious, Blaze. This is my life. I can get convicted of a felony! And I told you what happened before!
Oh, well.
Ronnie pressed her lips together to keep from exploding. Why are you doing this to me?
Blaze got up from her spot, brushing the sand from her jeans. Im not doing anything to you, she said. Her voice was cold and flat. And thats exactly what I told the police this morning.
In disbelief, Ronnie watched Blaze walk off, acting almost as though she actually believed it.
Ronnie walked back to the pier.
She didnt want to return home, knowing that as soon as her dad talked to Officer Pete, hed learn what Blaze had said. Yeah, maybe hed still be cool about the whole thingbut what if he didnt believe her?
And why was Blaze doing this? Because of Marcus? Either Marcus talked her into it because he was mad about the way Ronnie had rejected him the other night, or Blaze believed that Ronnie was trying to steal her boyfriend. Right now, she was leaning toward the latter, but in the end, it didnt really matter. Whatever her motivation, Blaze was lying and more than willing to ruin Ronnies life.
She hadnt eaten since breakfast, but with her stomach in knots, she wasnt hungry. Instead, she sat on the pier until the sun went down, watching the water turn from blue to gray and then finally charcoal. She wasnt alone: Along the pier, people were fishing, though as far as she could tell, nothing much seemed to be biting. An hour ago, a young couple had shown up with sandwiches and a kite. She noticed the tender way they stared at each other. She figured they were in collegethey were only a couple of years older than herbut there was an easy affection between them that she had yet to experience in any of her own relationships. Yeah, shed had boyfriends, but shed never been in love, and sometimes she doubted whether she ever would be. After her parents divorced, shed been kind of cynical about the whole thing, as had most of her friends. Most of their parents were divorced as well, so maybe that had something to do with it.
When the last rays of the sun were fading from the sky, she started toward home. She wanted to be back at a decent hour tonight. It was the least she could do to show her dad that she appreciated how understanding hed been. And despite her earlier nap, she was still tired.
When she reached the head of the pier, she opted to walk through the business district instead of along the beach. As soon as she rounded the corner near the diner, she knew shed made the wrong decision. A shadowy figure leaned against the hood of a car, holding a fireball.
Marcus.
Only this time he was alone. She stopped, feeling her breath catch in her throat.
He pushed off the car and walked toward her, the play of streetlights casting his face half in shadow. He rolled the fireball over the back of his hand, watching her, before the ball ended up back in his fist. He squeezed his hand, extinguishing it, and started toward her.
Hi, Ronnie, he said. His smile made him seem even creepier.
She stayed in place, wanting him to see that she wasnt afraid of him. Even though she sort of was.
What do you want? she demanded, hating the slight quiver in her voice.
I saw you walking and thought Id say hello.
You did, she said. Bye.
She started to move past him, but he stepped in front of her.
I hear youre having troubles with Blaze, he whispered.
She leaned back, her skin crawling. What do you know about it?
I know enough not to trust her.
Im not in the mood for this.
Again she turned, making her way around him, and this time he let her pass before calling out to her.
Dont walk away. I came to find you because I wanted you to know that I might just be able to talk her out of what shes doing to you.
Despite herself, Ronnie hesitated. In the dim light, Marcus stared at her.
I should have warned you she gets pretty jealous.
Which is why you tried to make it worse, huh?
I was just making a joke that night. I thought it was funny. Do you think I had any idea what she would do to you?
Of course you did, Ronnie thought. And it was exactly what you wanted.
So fix it, she said. Talk to Blaze, do whatever you have to do.
He shook his head. You didnt hear me. I said I might be able to talk some sense into her.
If
If what?
He closed the gap between them. The streets, she noticed, were quiet. No one else around, no cars in the intersection.
I was thinking we could be friends.
She felt her cheeks flush again, and the word came out before she could stop it. What?
You heard me. And I can clear all this up.
She realized he was close enough to touch her, and she took a sudden step backward. Just stay away from me!
She turned and ran, knowing he would follow, conscious that he knew the area better than she did, terrified that he would catch her. She could feel her heart pounding, she could hear her own frantic breaths.
Her house wasnt far, but she wasnt in shape. Despite the fear and rush of adrenaline, she could feel her legs getting heavier. She knew she couldnt keep it up, and as she made a turn, she chanced a look back over her shoulder.
And realized that she was alone on the street, no one behind her at all.
Back at her house, Ronnie didnt go inside right away. The light was on in the living room, but she wanted to regain her composure before she faced her dad. For whatever reason, she didnt want him to see how scared shed been, so she took a seat on the steps of the front porch.
Above her, the stars were out in full, the moon floating near the horizon. The scent of salt and brine rode on the mist from the ocean, a vaguely primordial smell. In another context, she might have found something soothing about it; right now, it felt as foreign as everything else.
First Blaze. Then Marcus. She wondered if everyone was crazy down here.
Marcus certainly was. Well, maybe not technicallyhe was intelligent, cunning, and, as far as she could tell, completely without empathy, the kind of person who thought only about himself and what he wanted. Last fall, in her English class, shed had to read a novel by a contemporary author, and shed chosen The Silence of the Lambs. In the book, shed learned that the central character, Hannibal Lecter, wasnt psychopathic, he was sociopathic; it was the first time shed realized there was a difference between the two. Though Marcus wasnt a murdering cannibal, she had the feeling he and Hannibal were more similar than different, at least in the way they viewed the world and their role in it.
Blaze, though she was just
Ronnie wasnt sure exactly. Controlled by her emotions, certainly. Angry and jealous, too.
But in the day theyd spent together, shed never gotten the feeling that something was wrong with the girl, aside from being an emotional wreck, a tornado of hormones and immaturity that left destruction in her wake.
She sighed and ran a hand through her hair. She really didnt want to go inside. In her mind, she could already hear the conversation.
Hey, sweetie, how did it go?
Not too well. Blaze is completely under the spell of a manipulative sociopath and lied to the cops this morning, so Im going to jail. And by the way? The sociopath not only decided he wants to sleep with me, but he followed me and practically scared me to death. How did your day go?
Not exactly the pleasant after-dinner chitchat he probably wanted to have, even if it was the truth.
Which meant she would have to fake it. Sighing, she heaved herself up from the porch steps and headed for the door.
Inside, her dad sat on the couch, a dog-eared Bible open in front of him. He closed it as she walked in.
Hey, sweetie, how did it go?
Figured.
She forced a quick smile, trying to act as nonchalant as possible. I didnt have a chance to talk to her, she said.
* * *
It was hard to act normal, but somehow she pulled it off. As soon as she got inside, her dad had encouraged her to follow him to the kitchen, where he had made another pasta dishtomatoes, eggplant, squash, and zucchini over penne. They ate in the kitchen while Jonah put together a Lego
Star Wars
outpost, something that Pastor Harris had brought him when hed dropped by to say hello earlier.
Afterward, they settled in the living room, and sensing she wasnt in the mood to talk, her dad read his Bible while she read Anna Karenina, a book her mom had sworn she would love.
Though the book seemed okay, Ronnie couldnt concentrate on it. Not only because of Blaze and Marcus, but because her dad was reading the Bible. Thinking back, she realized shed never seen him do that before. Then again, she thought, maybe he had and shed just never noticed.