Children of the Sea 01 - Sea Witch

agree with her.
     
    “I’m working on it,” Caleb said.
     
    “Hm. I heard you shut down half the island.”
     
    Caleb leaned back in his chair, refusing to be baited. “I limited access on Ocean View and Old Wharf Roads and the north hiking trail.
    Hardly half the island.”
     
    “I had some tourists from the ferry in the shop this morning complaining they couldn’t picnic on the point.”
     
    He raised his eyebrows. “It’s pouring rain. Sell them some breakfast and send them to the gift shop until it clears.”
     
    Antonia barked with laughter. “Already did.”
     
    101
    He stood again. “Then, if that’s all—”
     
    Antonia didn’t budge. “I like you,” she said unexpectedly. “Didn’t think I would. I don’t like your father, and I never had much use for that mother of yours. But at least you understand how we do things around here.”
     
    “I understand,” Caleb said dryly. Too well to take offense anymore at comments about his parents. “That doesn’t mean I’ll let it interfere with how I do my job.”
     
    “Fair enough. What are you going to do next?”
     
    Was she asking as mayor of World’s End, trying to stay apprised of a troublesome investigation? Or was she merely curious?
     
    “I need to canvass the houses in the area, ask if anybody saw or heard anything on the point last night.”
     
    “Last night everybody was at the school assembly.”
     
    Not everybody. Not Maggie.
     
    Not the son of a bitch who had attacked her either.
     
    “You could help me out,” Caleb suggested. “Make a list of who was there that you remember.”
     
    Antonia studied him. “I guess I could do that. You should come by the restaurant later. Talk to Regina.”
     
    He intended to. He intended to talk to a lot of people. “Did she see something? Say something?”
     
    Antonia snorted. “You think that girl talks to me?”
     
    “Then—”
     
    Antonia’s face turned an uncharacteristic red. “I just thought maybe you’d like to see her.”
     
    Was she matchmaking? The possibility left him amused and maybe a little flattered. Embarrassed.
     
    102
    “I do need to talk to her. To one of you,” he amended.
     
    “Are you still hiring for the summer?”
     
    “We’re always hiring. Kids around here can make more money fishing for lobster, and the ones from Away don’t know how to work.
    Lucy looking for a job now that school’s out?”
     
    “Not Lucy, Maggie. The woman who was attacked last night,” Caleb explained. “She might need something to tide her over for a while.”
     
    “She have any experience?”
     
    “I don’t know,” he admitted.
     
    He knew too damn little about her.
     
    “Hm.” Antonia got to her feet, gathering her jacket around her.
    “Well, bring her by. Reggie can talk to her.”
     
    Caleb wasn’t sure if Antonia was pushing off the new hire as a way of throwing him together with Regina or as a form of punishment.
    Antonia had never forgiven her only daughter for leaving the island and the restaurant. Or maybe she hadn’t forgiven her for coming back unmarried with a two-month-old son in tow. Either way, Maggie had a job interview. “Thanks.”
     
    “Don’t thank me, it’s business. Speaking of which, I need to get back to my kitchen.”
     
    “I’ll see you out,” Caleb said.
     
    Antonia waved him off. “Don’t bother. It’s raining.”
     
    “I’m going out anyway. Those calls,” he reminded her.
     
    At least the rain would keep people home, where he could find them.
     
    “You’ll get soaked,” Antonia predicted with dour anticipation.
     
    Caleb locked his office door. “I don’t mind a little rain.”
     
    103
    In Iraq, he’d lived with dust. Dust and heat. From May to September, the shamal blew from the northwest, kicking up clouds of sand that found their way through every chink into every crease and canteen. Each day he’d felt his soul dehydrating, bits of himself withering and blowing away like dust. At night he had dreamed of the rain. Of the rain and the sea.
     
    Caleb grimaced as he descended the town hall steps. So pulling twenty-four-hour shifts hadn’t been part of his dreams. He was back, wasn’t he? He was home, doing the job he was trained to do in the community he was sworn to protect.
     
    He just hoped it was enough.
     

     
    He wasn’t coming.
     
    Margred ran her hands over her hips, chafed by the elastic of her unfamiliar undergarment and an even more unfamiliar