She stood at the base of Mt. Misery staring at its peak. If Boreas was real, she wanted to confront him. That was Caroline – not only was she the smartest kid in Bayberry Cove, but probably the toughest. She demanded perfection of herself. Anything less would leave her vulnerable. Caroline made boys the enemy – slobbering idiots – so she wouldn’t feel the pain of their rejections. But the same arrogance that protected her fragile heart also made her feel very alone. She didn’t need Bobby, Mr. Tucker, the sheriff, the mayor, and she especially didn’t need Jed Rogers. Stupid…slobbering…idiot…boy.
“We are sick and tired of you terrorizing our town!” she screamed. “So let’s finish this!”
No response.
“Fine, if you won’t come down, then I’m coming up!”
Still nothing. Caroline looked to her left and right. Nothing. She turned to capture a panoramic view of Bayberry Cove. The town she grew up in suddenly seemed so different. Safety had always been an afterthought – a birthright more than a luxury. But now, everything was different. Caroline knew she could never go back to the way things were – that is, unless she could talk to Boreas and set him straight. It was a long shot, but a shot worth taking.
“Ok,” she said nervously, “here I come.” Caroline took her first step up the trail leading to Mt. Misery’s peak.
* * * * * * * * * *
“Ok, boys, we need to you think. Where would Caroline go? Does she have a special spot she visits? A friend she talks to? A boyfriend?” Larry asked.
The last question made Jed flinch. Caroline was a pain in the butt – always has been and always will be. Growing up, she was one of the guys. Sure, she was cute, but her personality drove Jed crazy. He had always been attracted to cheerleaders, not tomboys. All she ever did was make fun of him and his friends. So why couldn’t he stop thinking about her? And why did the thought of her having a boyfriend feel like a punch to the gut? And why in the heck didn’t he go with her when she asked with those big, brown eyes?
“Jed, where could she have gone?” repeated the sheriff.
“I honestly have no idea. I don’t think Caroline has many friends. And she definitely doesn’t have a boyfriend. I mean, we all hang out in the Harper’s Woods, but she could be anywhere.”
“That stubborn bitch probably went swimmin’ after that damn sea creature,” mumbled Bobby.
“Bobby, watch yer mouth before I smack it off yer face!” scolded Sam.
“Sorry, dad.” Bobby shrugged.
“Wait, Bobby’s right,” said Jed. “That is exactly what Caroline would have done. Remember when we told her about the beast? Her first reaction was to walk into the woods and pick a fight. She’s always causing trouble.”
“Jed’s right,” added Max. “I’ve lived across the street from that girl for thirteen years and she’s always gettin’ into some kind of trouble. Drives her mother crazy.”
“Ok, let’s get down to the cove,” said Larry, “and pray we’re not too late.”
* * * * * * * * * *
Anne Wamsley loved her husband, but she trusted her investigative instincts. He was the sheriff, so maybe he couldn’t be completely honest with her. If something strange was happening in Bayberry Cove, she would have to uncover the truth without his help.
“Afternoon, Anne!” shouted Tom Timmerman. “Ready for the big festival tonight?”
“Yeah, Tom. I’m sure it will be another exciting night for Bayberry Cove.”
He smiled and turned to walk away.
“Listen, Tom, can I talk to you for a second?”
“Sure, Anne, what’s goin’ on?” They both sat on a park bench in the center of Bayberry Square.
“I’m not sure, but have you noticed anything weird going on around here these past few days?”
“Not really. Well, I guess what happened to Charlie was weird, but what was he thinking, takin’ a swim that early in the morning? Such a tragic way to die,” his voiced trailed off.
“How did Charlie die, Tom? What did Dr. Mallory tell you?”
“Just that he went for a swim, got caught up in the tide, and drowned from too much water in his lungs.”
“And what about all of the cuts and bruises?”
“Hit some rocks while his body was bouncin’ around out there. Why, Anne? What’s this all about?”
“Larry and I were there when Charlie died, Tom. I couldn’t overhear their conversation, but Charlie had quite a few last words.”
“I’m sorry Anne, but I’m just not followin’ you. Are you sayin’ Charlie didn’t drown? Are you sayin’ it wasn’t an accident? Who would want to hurt Charlie? Everyone loved him. Hell, everyone loves everyone in this town.”
“I know, Tom. But something strange is going on, and I plan to figure out what it is. Larry is being too quiet – he knows something, but thinks he can’t tell me – either to protect me or for professional integrity. You and I are the only two people in this town that do any real investigating. Want to partner up on this one?”
“Geeze, Anne, I don’t know. We already have a big story to run tomorrow about the Pumpkin Festival. And if Larry is keeping something from you, maybe it’s for the best.”
“We have a responsibility to this town, Tom. People rely on us to bring them the news, and for once in our careers, we might actually have some real news to report. And all you can think about is some lame festival?”
Tom looked hurt by Anne’s classification of Bayberry Cove’s Pumpkin Festival. The town took their parties seriously, and many people had been planning the evening’s festivities for months.
“Ok, Anne. I’ll tag along for a few hours, but if we haven’t found anything by mid-afternoon, I need to get back to work on tomorrow’s paper.”
“That’s all I can ask, Tom.”
“So, where do we start?” he asked. “Any leads?”
“Just one so far. I saw Larry talking to Joe Tabor after Charlie passed away. Joe knows something, and we need to find him before anything else happens around here.”
“Well, that’s easy enough. I just saw Joe sittin’ on his front porch not ten minutes ago. I offered my condolences, but he still seemed pretty shaken up. You sure you want to bother that old man after he just lost his best friend?”
“Positive,” she replied.
Anne and Tom left Bayberry Square to visit Joe Tabor.
Larry, Sam, Max, Jed, and Bobby were already on their way to the shores of Bayberry Cove.
And Caroline continued her long hike up the side of Mt. Misery.
