Knockdown (34 page)

When we were a safe distan
ce from the island, Dylan flipped off the engine. We drifted again and waited for the last of the fog to clear.

“Is this the California coast?” Nick asked.

“I don’t think so,” Takumi said. “The mainland should be miles to the east. I think we found the Channel Islands.”

“
Islands?” Nick frowned. He faced the direction Takumi had. There was nothing but ocean.

Jervis
left to get Makala and Boots. He sat her on his lap and fastened her lifejacket. “Okay. The fog is leaving. Take us to Santa Barbara. We’ll row Angelina to shore and find help.”

Dylan glanced at me.

“How’s she doing?” I asked Zoë.

Zoë
shrugged. “She woke a couple of times in the night. Her fever is down.”

I
nodded. “So the medicine’s helping? She’s better?”

“I’m not sure
.” Zoe hurried to where Dylan sat with his head in his hands.

“Look
, Jervis. Give me a few more hours,” I pleaded. “Let’s get the boat to Santa Cruz, the island Dylan showed you. Angelina might be lots better by then and not even need the mainland.”

Takumi came and wrapped his arm around me
for support. I breathed deep and waited for the guys to respond.

Jervis
glanced at Nick. They disagreed on everything, except the need to get help for Angelina.

Nick
huffed. “Fine, as long as Angelina doesn’t get worse. Then all promises off.”

Dylan
stood and took a step towards Nick. “You threatened to shoot me. You aimed a gun at my sister. I don’t even know why you’re up here. You have no say in anything. Got it?”

Nick
’s nostrils flared.

I stepped between the guys
. “There weren’t any bullets in the gun. Nick didn’t really plan to shoot anyone.”

“Is that true?” Dylan mo
tioned for me to take the wheel.

“Yeah.”
Nick hung his head.

“Well
, that’s good. But threats are still threats.” Dylan glared at Nick. “Go pull the sails back up.” He turned his back on Nick. “We found one of the Channel Islands.”
But which one?

Jervis
spotted a yellow triangle on top of the land mass. Takumi brought up the binoculars.

“San Miguel
,” Takumi yelled. “The sign says San Miguel. Who has the book?”

Jervis
pulled it out of a pocket in the canvas and quickly scanned a couple of pages. “Doesn’t have water. Navy used it for target practice.” He bolted upright. “It’s known for its dangerous off shore rocks and lack of protection from storms. We need to get out of here.”

The guys
went to help Nick with the jib. I headed the boat east, toward the mainland.

“Dylan, you were right about how far out we are. San Miguel is
forty-five miles offshore from Santa Barbara,” Jervis said as we began to pick up speed.

“Where’s Santa Cruz?” Dylan
leaned on Zoe and checked the water for rocks.

“Santa
Claus?” Makala’s eyes got bright.

Jervis
flipped through the pages. “Looks like about twenty miles away. Southeast.” He showed a map to me and then passed it around.

We had great wind and gentle seas. Soon we were far from the rugged rocks of San Miguel.

Makala and Boots sat next to Jervis on top of the cabin. A seal swam over to us, raised its head, and snorted. Water sprayed from its nose. Makala laughed. Boots yipped and the seal barked back, oblivious to the close call we’d just had.

“I’
m going to check on Angelina.” I handed the wheel over to Takumi. For a second our fingers touched.

“That was close,” he whispered
and squeezed my hand.

I
nodded and went below.

Angelina was
propped up on pillows. “What’s going on?”

“
We ran into a little fog. But everything’s okay now. We even know where the island we’re trying to find is.”

“The i
sland?” Angelina smiled. “Will you help me go up? I’d love to get some fresh air.”

I held on to her as
we climbed the stairs.

“Sissy!” Makala squealed when she spotted her sister.

“Angelina, what are you doing out of bed?” Nick sprang to his feet.

The boat rocked.
Angelina and I waited until it settled before taking another step.

Nick
brushed me aside, scooped her up, and sat her on the cockpit bench.

I
tucked a blanket around her.

“Si
ssy.” Makala bounced. “We’re going to Santa Claus Island. And see that seal? He was talking to Boots.”

I grinned. “
Makala, the island is Santa Cruz.”

Maka
la shook her head. “No! Dylan said Santa Claus.”

Angelina chuckled. It was the best sound I’d heard in a long time.

Chapter
Forty-Two

Island Time

Seagulls landed and flapped their wings on a floating bin. Another spotted seal raised its muzzle and barked at us. The day felt warmer, but the clouds were still thick. Makala skipped across the boat singing, “Santa Claus is coming to town.”

Boots chased after her, yipping excitedly.
Jervis’s eyebrows knitted together as he followed Makala around the boat.

Takumi and I snuggled on the bench across from Angelina and Nick. We
watched the sea off the left side. It had been a long night, but I didn’t want to miss the first view of our new home.

Dylan squinted. “Where are the binoculars? I think that’s it
…”

A small dot of land appeared in the distance.

“Tell me again what’s so great about this ‘Santa Claus Island’?” Zoë stood sandwiched between the wheel and Dylan.

Dylan chuckled. “Well, for one thing, it has fresh wa
ter. And it’s really big. Best of all, there are no cities.” He showed her a page in the book. “Look at all the little bays we can anchor in.”

“No towns
, means no doctors,” Nick mumbled.

“Stop it. I’m feeling better.” Angelina laid her head on his shoulder.

Steep rocky cliffs dotted with scruffy brush and small trees became visible. “There’s not a palm tree in sight,” I complained.

Dylan heard me. “Come on. Look at these pictures.” He passed around the tour book with photos of sandy beaches and calm water inlets. “We made it to the island. We might even want to stay here until things get back to normal.”

I wondered what normal was going to look like, but it was nice to see Dylan smile.

A seagull squawked on a floating log near us. Boo
ts barked and the bird took off. The little dog wagged his tail and almost seemed to grin.

We sailed by a narrow bay. The water was as still as glass. This was more like my vision, but without the palm tre
es. The next bay was wider and even more picturesque. A gentle incline rose from the beach and a few scruffy, piney trees dotted the skyline.

“You better watch out. You better not spout.” Makala danced around the deck
.

The song was getting old.

I searched the coastline. My parents might be here, somewhere, waiting. We were a few days late, but they’d stay around. I imagined running into their arms. I could almost see the smiles on their faces. I checked my cell, but there was still no service.

Then I remembered that they didn’t know abou
t Cole. Mom would be hysterical. She’d blame Dylan and me. I slid from Takumi, wrapped my arms around my knees, and rocked back and forth. What words could I say that might make her feel better?

Takumi tried to pull me back to his side, but
I needed to move, to stop thinking. I hurried to the wheel. “Let me drive.” I nudged Dylan aside. He glared, but went to sit with Zoë.

I pointed
back at the inlet we’d just passed. “What was wrong with that bay? It seemed perfect.”

Dylan held up the map. “
I wanted to check this out first. Prisoners Harbor. It’s the most popular spot on the island. Dad didn’t say where to meet, but I bet this is where he’d come first. And we need to ask someone where we can find fresh water. The book doesn’t say.”

Dylan
ran his fingers through his hair. “We need a way to check the depth before we drop anchor. Any ideas?”

Jervis
gave Makala to Angelina, dug down in the storage under his seat, and came up with a light nylon rope. “We could mark this and tie a weight on the end.”

“What about one of these
?” I picked up a loose brick from under the barbecue. A few broken ones had holes going clear through them.

The guys stretched the rope along the deck.
Zoë marked the line with nail polish every three feet until they had marked off thirty feet. Then they tied the brick to the end of the rope.

“Let me know when we’re
close to twenty feet,” I said. “We don’t want to worry about low tides.”

“Look.” Takumi handed the book back to Dylan. “Is that your bay?”

Dylan studied the picture in the book and then the shore line. “I think so. It’s hard to tell.”

I decided to check it out.
The once sandy beach was muddy, rocky, and littered with debris. But it was the same large sheltered bay. Dylan began pacing from one side of the boat to the other. Takumi climbed on top of the cabin then back to the rail. We were all ready to be there.

Makala
continued singing the Santa song, Makala version.

“Can’t we motor?”
Zoë stuck her fingers in her ears and glared at Makala.

“I don’t want anyone to know we have diesel. The boat’s enough of a target as it i
s.” I adjusted the wheel to miss a chunk of floating dock. “Dylan, will you get on the bow and watch for me?”

Dylan handed me the binoculars. I leaned on th
e wheel and aimed the glasses at a clearing on the shore. It was dotted with colorful and camouflaged tents. Scattered across the beach were kayaks, dinghies, and a small motor boat. A partially sunken sailboat floated a ways off the shore. At least a dozen people climbed out of their tent and started toward the beach.

My heart raced. Were my parents among these people? Would they become friends? We’d have to be cautious.

I checked their faces as best I could. None looked familiar. I willed the boat to go faster. I kept scanning the people gathering on shore, but didn’t find anyone that resembled Mom or Dad.

I asked Takumi to take the helm
and moved to the rail. Back and forth, across the beach and up on the shore I searched. There was no sign of them. After a while, I let the binoculars drop and hang around my neck. It was no use. My family wasn’t there. I handed the glasses to Takumi and took back the wheel. Makala bounced and waved at the people gathering.
Whistler
slowly glided along. There wasn’t even a ripple on the water.

“Hello!” Makala
yelled across the bay.

A
young boy waved back.

Jervis
and Nick tested the depth from the bow by dropping the brick and line off the side. When the brick hit bottom at twenty feet, they raised the anchor in the air.

“Drop it
!” I waited a few moments for the anchor to settle, then turned the boat into the wind. Takumi and Dylan lowered the main sail and brought in the jib.

We were anchored.

We’d made it. Jervis swung Makala up on his shoulders and cheered. Boots yipped and yipped. Takumi kissed me. Makala continued waving her arms and yelling hello to the group on shore. “Maybe they’ll throw us a welcome party?” Jervis winked.

I grinned
back. “Wouldn’t that be nice?”

Makala
called to Angelina. “Can I wear my pink dress to the party?”

Angelina shook her head.
“Jervis, stop teasing her.”

Jervis
, Takumi, and I chuckled.

I
glanced around at
Whistler
’s crew. When had they become so important to me? When had they become like family? Now we’d made it to the island, would we split up? Would we find our families? Who would stay on the boat? Who would go to the mainland? Tears welled in my eyes. Takumi pulled me into his arms. “Look at me!” He brought my face up to his and wiped my eyes. “We made it. We can get off the boat. Be happy.”

I took a deep breath.
He was right.

Takumi kissed
me again and for a moment there was only us. Then I felt everyone on deck watching.

“We might even find a place to be alone,” I whispered.