A Spirited Gift

“Call me if you need me,” he whispered. “I’m good at reinforcing ‘no’ if that’s what you decide.”

“I will.” I kissed him one last time. “It’ll be okay, Kevin. However it works out.”

Gramps met me on the way into the house. I didn’t even make it to the stairs. “Dae, we need to talk.”

“Not right now, if you don’t mind. Maybe tomorrow.”

“This is important, honey. Chief Michaels needs your help.”

“I know. But I’m tired, and I don’t think I can make a decision about the gun tonight.”

He raised his eyebrows, his only sign of surprise. “Are you reading minds now?”

“Gramps, I knew when I heard the three of you talking in the kitchen. Kevin knew too. You aren’t very good at keeping secrets.”

He sat down in his chair, ignoring his favorite dancing show on TV. “But you’ll do it?”

“I think so. But not because it’s my duty. I’d like to know who killed Sandi. And this might be the best way to find out.”

“I understand.”

“And while we’re talking”—I squared my shoulders like a prizefighter preparing for a bout—“I’ve been spending time with Danny—my father. He doesn’t know yet that I’m his daughter. But I plan to tell him.”

“I think that’s a mistake.” He shook his head. “But you’ll have to make that call—and live with the consequences.”

“I know. I really think he’s changed, Gramps. And I’d like to have him over for dinner one night.”

“I suppose you would.” He stroked his white beard. “But I don’t think I’m ready for that yet. Maybe someday.”

“It’s been thirty-six years, Gramps. That’s a long time to hold a grudge.”

“You didn’t see the look on your mother’s face when he abandoned her. Or know that he killed your grandmother as sure as if he’d held a gun to her head. I know I had my part in all this too. God knows I’m no saint, and maybe I was wrong about what I did. But he could’ve stayed. I wouldn’t have left you because someone threatened me. Or he could’ve led a decent life that was fit for your mother and you. I don’t know if I can ever forgive him for taking your mother’s innocence and leaving her to suffer. Not even for you, Dae.”

Well, I’d wanted the truth out between us. I realized Gramps had his own truth about things too. Just because I wanted to know Danny—as my father—didn’t mean Gramps wanted to know him at all. I had to respect that.

I hugged him to let him know it was okay. “You took that news way too well, you know. You’d already heard about me and Danny, right?”

He shrugged. “Duck is a small town, honey. A lot of people around here have long memories.”

I knew that was true—and had no doubt that Chief Michaels had told Gramps what was going on, for my own good. “Good night. Have someone bring the gun to Missing Pieces tomorrow. I’ll look at it there.”

“Thanks, Dae. I love you, honey.”

I went up to bed, but my dreams were restless. I was again that cabin boy who had been ordered to swim for his life.

He was lying on a beach—washed up after so long that he wasn’t sure he was going to make it. He opened his eyes and looked around, surprised to find that he was alive and that he had managed to escape Rafe.

He had no idea where he was or where he would go. His parents were long dead. There was no one to care if he lived or died. That was what had taken him to the pirates in the first place. He sat on the sand, his clothes crackling with dried saltwater, his skin puckered like a briny pickle.

The sun was hot overhead. He knew he had to find shelter, something to eat and drink if he wanted to stay alive. He already felt sick and weak. If he was going to survive to get his revenge on Rafe Masterson, he had to get up and find somewhere to recover.

He stumbled to his feet, and as he did, a huge black horse raced past him, knocking him down. He coughed into the sand, not knowing if he could get up again.

To his surprise, the horse turned around and a woman dressed in a lavish blue velvet riding habit with flowing white lace at her throat and wrists jumped down to check on him.