watching them. Biding its time. Waiting.
• • •
Lauren’s impatient pacing was getting on Camilla’s nerves. She yawned and pulled herself to her feet. The air was damp, chilling her skin. According to her phone, there were still a couple of hours to go until dawn. Jordan lay fast asleep on the boards next to her, curled on her side with her blond hair pillowed on one arm.
Next to Jordan, Veronica looked up. “Do you really think this will help your little orphan cause?” she asked.
“It’ll be light soon,” Camilla said. What is your problem, lady?
Lauren was back. “As soon as it’s light,” she said, “I’m gonna go hunt that goddamn thing down. Find out what the hell it was.” She shifted from foot to foot, shaking her arms and fingers like she was loosening them up. “Who’s with me? JT?”
“Hell yeah. Sucker was big. Fast, too. But if it’s still around come morning, it’s gonna be one sorry motherfucker.”
Brent laid a hand on JT’s shoulder. “I didn’t see it, but I don’t think it makes sense to go challenging some wild animal. This may be its home. What do you think it was?”
“Don’t know.” JT shook his head. “Don’t care. Walrus maybe, some shit like that.”
“As far as I know,” Camilla said, “walruses live up in the Arctic. Alaska, Northern Canada. Why would a walrus be down here on the California coast?”
“Because of all that global warming shit.”
Lauren pushed her way between them. “It wasn’t any walrus—I saw one at Marine World up in Vallejo a couple years ago. This thing was kind of similar, but different. A lot bigger and uglier.” Camilla caught a flicker of fear on Lauren’s face. “Like a goddamn dinosaur.”
Day 2
Saturday: December 22, 2012
CHAPTER 22
D awn broke slowly. A faint rosy hue spread behind the low, oppressive cover of pewter clouds, and what lay all around them gradually took shape in the dim gray light. Camilla rubbed the chill from her arms and joined Jordan and Veronica where they stood nearby. Seagulls swirled overhead and landed on the seaweed-draped rocks that stretched away to either side of the dock. The air was noisy with their cries.
Lauren and JT were pacing at the edge of a sloping rocky breakwater that blocked the view of what lay inland.
Lauren waved impatiently. “Let’s move out, people.”
“Be careful,” Brent said. “We should all stay close together.” He stood with the others at the edge of the dock, where it met land. The shore was rough here—a maze of small projections and inlets that curved out of sight in the morning mist. In the light, their surroundings no longer seemed scary. But they did look wild and desolate.
Jordan pointed a group of small seals out to Camilla. “Just look how cute they are!” she said. “Like puppies.” The seals stirred lazily on the rocks and slipped into the water with barely a splash.
Veronica sniffed. “Filthy animals.” She stepped off the dock to join the others. But Camilla was surprised to see her smile at Jordan, laying a hand on her arm as she went by. Unbelievable. Jordan had charmed even her .
Jordan grinned at Camilla. “I was wondering when you were going to wake up, sister.” She clapped her hands together. “This is so crazy. Let’s get rolling before the gung-ho types steal all the glory.”
Camilla looked down at Jordan’s feet, wobbly in stiletto-heeled pumps.
“Manolo Blahniks,” Jordan said. “I’ve got some flats in my bag, wherever that is.”
“In the meantime,” Camilla said, “those are going to get destroyed.”
“Whatever. I don’t care about that.” Jordan started toward the breakwater, then looked back over her shoulder. “Besides, after I win I’ll be able to buy myself a whole closetful.”
Not if I can stop you. Camilla swallowed. Teams and collaboration were more her thing than head-to-head competition, but in the end there could be only one winner here. All Jordan’s “OMG, guys” and
• • •
Lauren’s impatient pacing was getting on Camilla’s nerves. She yawned and pulled herself to her feet. The air was damp, chilling her skin. According to her phone, there were still a couple of hours to go until dawn. Jordan lay fast asleep on the boards next to her, curled on her side with her blond hair pillowed on one arm.
Next to Jordan, Veronica looked up. “Do you really think this will help your little orphan cause?” she asked.
“It’ll be light soon,” Camilla said. What is your problem, lady?
Lauren was back. “As soon as it’s light,” she said, “I’m gonna go hunt that goddamn thing down. Find out what the hell it was.” She shifted from foot to foot, shaking her arms and fingers like she was loosening them up. “Who’s with me? JT?”
“Hell yeah. Sucker was big. Fast, too. But if it’s still around come morning, it’s gonna be one sorry motherfucker.”
Brent laid a hand on JT’s shoulder. “I didn’t see it, but I don’t think it makes sense to go challenging some wild animal. This may be its home. What do you think it was?”
“Don’t know.” JT shook his head. “Don’t care. Walrus maybe, some shit like that.”
“As far as I know,” Camilla said, “walruses live up in the Arctic. Alaska, Northern Canada. Why would a walrus be down here on the California coast?”
“Because of all that global warming shit.”
Lauren pushed her way between them. “It wasn’t any walrus—I saw one at Marine World up in Vallejo a couple years ago. This thing was kind of similar, but different. A lot bigger and uglier.” Camilla caught a flicker of fear on Lauren’s face. “Like a goddamn dinosaur.”
Day 2
Saturday: December 22, 2012
CHAPTER 22
D awn broke slowly. A faint rosy hue spread behind the low, oppressive cover of pewter clouds, and what lay all around them gradually took shape in the dim gray light. Camilla rubbed the chill from her arms and joined Jordan and Veronica where they stood nearby. Seagulls swirled overhead and landed on the seaweed-draped rocks that stretched away to either side of the dock. The air was noisy with their cries.
Lauren and JT were pacing at the edge of a sloping rocky breakwater that blocked the view of what lay inland.
Lauren waved impatiently. “Let’s move out, people.”
“Be careful,” Brent said. “We should all stay close together.” He stood with the others at the edge of the dock, where it met land. The shore was rough here—a maze of small projections and inlets that curved out of sight in the morning mist. In the light, their surroundings no longer seemed scary. But they did look wild and desolate.
Jordan pointed a group of small seals out to Camilla. “Just look how cute they are!” she said. “Like puppies.” The seals stirred lazily on the rocks and slipped into the water with barely a splash.
Veronica sniffed. “Filthy animals.” She stepped off the dock to join the others. But Camilla was surprised to see her smile at Jordan, laying a hand on her arm as she went by. Unbelievable. Jordan had charmed even her .
Jordan grinned at Camilla. “I was wondering when you were going to wake up, sister.” She clapped her hands together. “This is so crazy. Let’s get rolling before the gung-ho types steal all the glory.”
Camilla looked down at Jordan’s feet, wobbly in stiletto-heeled pumps.
“Manolo Blahniks,” Jordan said. “I’ve got some flats in my bag, wherever that is.”
“In the meantime,” Camilla said, “those are going to get destroyed.”
“Whatever. I don’t care about that.” Jordan started toward the breakwater, then looked back over her shoulder. “Besides, after I win I’ll be able to buy myself a whole closetful.”
Not if I can stop you. Camilla swallowed. Teams and collaboration were more her thing than head-to-head competition, but in the end there could be only one winner here. All Jordan’s “OMG, guys” and
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