Read Online Siren by Tricia Rayburn - Free Book Online
Authors: Tricia Rayburn
Tags: United States, Fiction, General, People & Places, Family, Horror, Juvenile Fiction, Fantasy & Magic, Children's Books - Young Adult Fiction, Maine, Children: Young Adult (Gr. 10-12), Social Issues, Interpersonal relations, supernatural, Horror & Ghost Stories, Siblings, Visionary & Metaphysical, Sisters, Ghost Stories (Young Adult), Family - Siblings, Sirens (Mythology)
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color's not half bad either, now that you mention it." Captain Monty folded his arms on the counter and leaned forward. "And who do we have here? She's a pretty one."
I shook my head slightly when Simon glanced at me. I'd met Captain Monty a few times over the years but clearly hadn't left much of an impression. Now wasn't the time to be remembered since I didn't want to answer questions about Justine.
"This is Vanessa. She's a friend from school."
"Brains and beauty, eh? You always were a smart one, my boy."
67
Captain Monty wiggled his eyebrows in a way that should've annoyed me but didn't, because he was Captain Monty.
"Anyway," Simon said, "I was actually hoping you might be able to help us out with something."
"You name it, it's yours. Except for the mighty Barbara Ann out there. She's mine."
I peered around Captain Monty through the window behind him. Barbara Ann , the ancient fishing boat that had been docked in the same spot for thirty years, still bobbed in the water not far from the office.
"Of course." Simon smiled as he glanced at the boat. "Captain Monty, we wondered if you knew anything about Caleb."
Captain Monty's furry white eyebrows dropped. He looked at Simon, like he couldn't believe he'd asked such a thing, then at me, like I had something to do with it. He took a pencil out from its resting place above his ear, slid a yellowing stack of charts on the counter in front of him, and examined them.
"I know he hasn't been around the past week or so--that can't be good for business, and I'm sorry he left you in the lurch right at the start of the season. But did he happen to say anything to you about where he was going?"
Captain Monty bent closer to the papers on the counter and made some notes. It seemed like he either didn't hear us or was going to ignore us until we gave up and left, but then he started chuckling. Softly at first, and then louder, until the sound spurt through his chapped lips and his shoulders shook.
Simon smiled. "Did I miss something?"
68
"I'm sorry--really. I don't mean to laugh." Captain Monty heaved a big sigh. "It's just, your brother's something else. I give him a job, decent pay, free gas, all the squid he can fit on a hook, and he just ups and leaves. I felt like a fool when he just stopped showing up without saying a thing to anyone. But obviously, I wasn't the last one to find out."
"Find out what?" Simon asked.
Captain Monty looked at Simon over the top of his glasses. "That he quit. That he left me for a pay raise I couldn't give him ten years from now and a couple of fancy polo shirts." He frowned. "Not telling me is one thing--but not to tell your own brother? You'd think that'd be a pretty good sign that something's wrong with the decision you're making."
"Captain Monty, I'm sorry ... you're saying Caleb quit? For a few extra bucks?"
"And some fancy polo shirts. You can get one yourself, if you want. I hear they sell them in the gift shop." He turned from us and pulled a yellow tackle box from the shelf above his small metal desk. "The fancy Lighthouse has fancy everything--gift shop, restaurant, manicures, massages."
"Caleb left here for the Lighthouse Marina Resort and Spa?" I asked. The Lighthouse had opened last summer and quickly gained a reputation as the most exclusive, expensive destination within a hundred miles of Winter Harbor. It had been resisted by locals but pushed by several powerful summer visitors, who got approval largely because the project created hundreds of new jobs.
69
"That doesn't make sense," Simon said. "He loved working here. He counted down the days from when you wrapped up the last boat for the season after Columbus Day until you unwrapped them again around Memorial Day."
Captain Monty poked through the tackle box compartments. "And I loved having him here. Your brother was a good boy, a hard worker. But listen, things change. Boys grow up. He did what he did for his own reasons, and I don't fault him for that. I just wish
I shook my head slightly when Simon glanced at me. I'd met Captain Monty a few times over the years but clearly hadn't left much of an impression. Now wasn't the time to be remembered since I didn't want to answer questions about Justine.
"This is Vanessa. She's a friend from school."
"Brains and beauty, eh? You always were a smart one, my boy."
67
Captain Monty wiggled his eyebrows in a way that should've annoyed me but didn't, because he was Captain Monty.
"Anyway," Simon said, "I was actually hoping you might be able to help us out with something."
"You name it, it's yours. Except for the mighty Barbara Ann out there. She's mine."
I peered around Captain Monty through the window behind him. Barbara Ann , the ancient fishing boat that had been docked in the same spot for thirty years, still bobbed in the water not far from the office.
"Of course." Simon smiled as he glanced at the boat. "Captain Monty, we wondered if you knew anything about Caleb."
Captain Monty's furry white eyebrows dropped. He looked at Simon, like he couldn't believe he'd asked such a thing, then at me, like I had something to do with it. He took a pencil out from its resting place above his ear, slid a yellowing stack of charts on the counter in front of him, and examined them.
"I know he hasn't been around the past week or so--that can't be good for business, and I'm sorry he left you in the lurch right at the start of the season. But did he happen to say anything to you about where he was going?"
Captain Monty bent closer to the papers on the counter and made some notes. It seemed like he either didn't hear us or was going to ignore us until we gave up and left, but then he started chuckling. Softly at first, and then louder, until the sound spurt through his chapped lips and his shoulders shook.
Simon smiled. "Did I miss something?"
68
"I'm sorry--really. I don't mean to laugh." Captain Monty heaved a big sigh. "It's just, your brother's something else. I give him a job, decent pay, free gas, all the squid he can fit on a hook, and he just ups and leaves. I felt like a fool when he just stopped showing up without saying a thing to anyone. But obviously, I wasn't the last one to find out."
"Find out what?" Simon asked.
Captain Monty looked at Simon over the top of his glasses. "That he quit. That he left me for a pay raise I couldn't give him ten years from now and a couple of fancy polo shirts." He frowned. "Not telling me is one thing--but not to tell your own brother? You'd think that'd be a pretty good sign that something's wrong with the decision you're making."
"Captain Monty, I'm sorry ... you're saying Caleb quit? For a few extra bucks?"
"And some fancy polo shirts. You can get one yourself, if you want. I hear they sell them in the gift shop." He turned from us and pulled a yellow tackle box from the shelf above his small metal desk. "The fancy Lighthouse has fancy everything--gift shop, restaurant, manicures, massages."
"Caleb left here for the Lighthouse Marina Resort and Spa?" I asked. The Lighthouse had opened last summer and quickly gained a reputation as the most exclusive, expensive destination within a hundred miles of Winter Harbor. It had been resisted by locals but pushed by several powerful summer visitors, who got approval largely because the project created hundreds of new jobs.
69
"That doesn't make sense," Simon said. "He loved working here. He counted down the days from when you wrapped up the last boat for the season after Columbus Day until you unwrapped them again around Memorial Day."
Captain Monty poked through the tackle box compartments. "And I loved having him here. Your brother was a good boy, a hard worker. But listen, things change. Boys grow up. He did what he did for his own reasons, and I don't fault him for that. I just wish
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