number’s nine,” he called back. “And I’m giving you that for free.”
Perplexed, she remained in mid-crouch for an easy ten seconds, watching us skip along the water’s edge among the baby waves in the fading light. Finally she stood and faced Charlie. “Is it me or has my life gone totally strange all of a sudden?”
“Option C,” he answered evenly. “All of the above.”
They made their way back to the Inn. The sun was setting and a fine mist had swept in from the ocean. Someone somewhere was eating popcorn; its carnival smell drifted in with the slight breeze. Charlie paused on the Inn’s front steps and held out his hand. Raindrops dotted his skin. He said morosely, “Rain’s gonna spoil the party.”
Rain looked at him. He said, “And, yes, I do mean you.” She stuck out her tongue.
Smiling, they entered the lobby, and Rain’s smile froze. Callahan was checking out, settling his tab with Rain’s mother. Rain’s entire body stiffened. She glowered at him as hard as she could. He glanced her way, grunted dismissively and turned back to Iris. “Hi,” Rain said to her mom, while trying to put just the right amount of challenge into the word for Callahan. “Hi” was a tough word to make challenging.
Nevertheless, Iris noticed the glowering and the tone and said pointedly, “Good news, honey. I found this in the laundry.” And lo and behold, she held out the armband!
Rain’s eyes went wide. A huge grin leapt onto her face. Joyously, she rushed forward, saying, “Mom, you’re terrific!” But before she could reach the prize, Callahan snagged it out of Iris’ hand.
He held the armband aloft, out of Rain’s reach. “Someone owes someone an apology,” he said.
Rain seethed. But she looked around the room. Charlie did one of his eyebrow shrug things. Iris clearly didn’t like Callahan’s style, but she wasn’t defending Rain either. That meant Rain would have to apologize. So Rain took a deep breath and begrudgingly, painfully spoke: “I’m sorry I accused you.”
Callahan smugly handed the armband to Rain. “Better,” he said. He picked up his duffel and headed for the front door. Dripping with sarcasm, he said, “Thanks for the hospitality.” Then he stepped outside and let the door close behind him.
Rain shook her head. He didn’t take the armband. She could barely believe it. But I know he was up to something. As she slid the cold metal of the armband onto her left biceps, she moved to the bay window overlooking the street. Outside it was dark and raining. Callahan paused to adjust his collar. The streetlight clicked on above him. He hefted his duffel onto his shoulder and started down the street.
Rain watched him pass from beneath the lamp. Yet there was another source of light.… The duffel itself was faintly glowing! Rain inhaled quickly as the Dark Man—as ’Bastian’s ghost—materialized from inside the duffel bag!
Rain put her hands up to the window. She made eye contact with her semitransparent grandfather. He reached out to her. And then suddenly, he was yanked away. Rain’s eyes ping-ponged between Callahan and ’Bastian. Callahan continued down Goodfellow Lane, seemingly unaware that he was somehow dragging ’Bastian behind him as if on an invisible chain.
Without looking, Rain reached back and grabbed a handful of Charlie’s t-shirt. “C’mon,” she whispered and pulled him toward the door.
It was still raining back at the docks. Callahan walked down the gangplank to a large modified cabin cruiser with the words B OOTSTRAP and S YDNEY , A USTRALIA stenciled aft. Thirty yards away, Rain and Charlie watched, crouching behind a bus bench.
Rain stared as ’Bastian was drawn along behind Callahan. All Charlie saw was Callahan hefting his duffel onto the deck.
Callahan boarded. He unlocked a hatch, picked up the duffel and carried it below. The hatch shut behind him. Rain watched as ’Bastian’s ghost was pulled beneath, melting down through the
Perplexed, she remained in mid-crouch for an easy ten seconds, watching us skip along the water’s edge among the baby waves in the fading light. Finally she stood and faced Charlie. “Is it me or has my life gone totally strange all of a sudden?”
“Option C,” he answered evenly. “All of the above.”
They made their way back to the Inn. The sun was setting and a fine mist had swept in from the ocean. Someone somewhere was eating popcorn; its carnival smell drifted in with the slight breeze. Charlie paused on the Inn’s front steps and held out his hand. Raindrops dotted his skin. He said morosely, “Rain’s gonna spoil the party.”
Rain looked at him. He said, “And, yes, I do mean you.” She stuck out her tongue.
Smiling, they entered the lobby, and Rain’s smile froze. Callahan was checking out, settling his tab with Rain’s mother. Rain’s entire body stiffened. She glowered at him as hard as she could. He glanced her way, grunted dismissively and turned back to Iris. “Hi,” Rain said to her mom, while trying to put just the right amount of challenge into the word for Callahan. “Hi” was a tough word to make challenging.
Nevertheless, Iris noticed the glowering and the tone and said pointedly, “Good news, honey. I found this in the laundry.” And lo and behold, she held out the armband!
Rain’s eyes went wide. A huge grin leapt onto her face. Joyously, she rushed forward, saying, “Mom, you’re terrific!” But before she could reach the prize, Callahan snagged it out of Iris’ hand.
He held the armband aloft, out of Rain’s reach. “Someone owes someone an apology,” he said.
Rain seethed. But she looked around the room. Charlie did one of his eyebrow shrug things. Iris clearly didn’t like Callahan’s style, but she wasn’t defending Rain either. That meant Rain would have to apologize. So Rain took a deep breath and begrudgingly, painfully spoke: “I’m sorry I accused you.”
Callahan smugly handed the armband to Rain. “Better,” he said. He picked up his duffel and headed for the front door. Dripping with sarcasm, he said, “Thanks for the hospitality.” Then he stepped outside and let the door close behind him.
Rain shook her head. He didn’t take the armband. She could barely believe it. But I know he was up to something. As she slid the cold metal of the armband onto her left biceps, she moved to the bay window overlooking the street. Outside it was dark and raining. Callahan paused to adjust his collar. The streetlight clicked on above him. He hefted his duffel onto his shoulder and started down the street.
Rain watched him pass from beneath the lamp. Yet there was another source of light.… The duffel itself was faintly glowing! Rain inhaled quickly as the Dark Man—as ’Bastian’s ghost—materialized from inside the duffel bag!
Rain put her hands up to the window. She made eye contact with her semitransparent grandfather. He reached out to her. And then suddenly, he was yanked away. Rain’s eyes ping-ponged between Callahan and ’Bastian. Callahan continued down Goodfellow Lane, seemingly unaware that he was somehow dragging ’Bastian behind him as if on an invisible chain.
Without looking, Rain reached back and grabbed a handful of Charlie’s t-shirt. “C’mon,” she whispered and pulled him toward the door.
It was still raining back at the docks. Callahan walked down the gangplank to a large modified cabin cruiser with the words B OOTSTRAP and S YDNEY , A USTRALIA stenciled aft. Thirty yards away, Rain and Charlie watched, crouching behind a bus bench.
Rain stared as ’Bastian was drawn along behind Callahan. All Charlie saw was Callahan hefting his duffel onto the deck.
Callahan boarded. He unlocked a hatch, picked up the duffel and carried it below. The hatch shut behind him. Rain watched as ’Bastian’s ghost was pulled beneath, melting down through the
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