Page 48 of Dauntless
But something wasn’t nothing.The blood of Josiah Nesmith ran in my veins, and that carried weight on Dauntless Island, even two hundred years later.
I held Short Clarry’s gaze.
“Righto,” Short Clarry said at last, straightening his scarf.“Righto, you heard the man.Search for the murderer is off!I need some men to carry John Coldwell into the church!”
He shot me a worried look as he bustled away.
Mavis hummed, the sleeve of her puffer jacket brushing against my coat as she sidled up to me.“Calling off the search for a killer, hmm?”
“For a missing person,” I said evenly.
Her eyes narrowed.“Whatdoyou know, Red Joe?”
I shrugged.“Usually about half as much as any other man.”
Her thin mouth tugged up at the corners.“Oh, doubt that very much, Red Joe.I doubt that very much.”
She stomped away.
I waited at the jetty while the islanders slowly dispersed.
* * *
“Yes,” I said to Hiccup as I trudged my way back up the hill toward the point.“I’m a fucking idiot, probably, and they all think I’m a traitor for protecting a Hawthorne, which Iam— protecting him, I mean, not being a traitor—but only because I know he didn’t kill John Coldwell.”
Hiccup stopped to eat a bug.
“If you’ve got a better idea on how to handle it, I’m all ears,” I muttered.
Hiccup hacked up the bug, and then pawed at it excitedly.
I looked up at the lighthouse.A shaft of sunlight had pierced the clouds at last, and the flags I’d hung there last night fluttered in the light.
Your movements are not understood.
You are running into danger.
I hoped that Eddie saw them and understood the message.
I hoped even more that Eddie wassafe.There was a killer on Dauntless, after all.
I turned back and looked at the village, and saw a group of people setting out towards the north of the island.Towards Seal Beach, where Eddie had been seen last.
Fuck.
Apparently Josiah Nesmith’s name didn’t carry as much authority as I’d hoped.
I hurried home.Eddie’s tent was still lying in a bundle at the door to the lighthouse, and I figured I should take it inside or something.But I had more pressing concerns.
I unlatched my kitchen door and stepped into the cottage.Hiccup padded after me and collapsed in a heap on the floor, her tongue lolling.
I crossed to the radio.“Dauntless Island to Marine Area Command?”
“Dauntless Island, this is Marine Area Command.Go ahead.”
“I need the ETA of your police vessel, Marine Area Command.”
“Copy that.Marine Area Command to OPVBluefin, do you copy?”
