That Certain Summer

As usual she was up at five the next morning, but instead of working on the book she found herself creeping quietly out of the house, making her way down to the dock. There was no sign of the mysterious boat of the night before, which didn't really surprise her; she had half-way expected it to be gone. Certainly if those shadowy figures she'd seen in the moonlight had been doing something illegal, as Hy Wilkins suspected, they wouldn't hang around after the job was completed, waiting for someone to find them. If she had any sense she'd leave now, too, she told herself, return to the house. But some strange pull seemed to draw her to the boathouse.

She went up to the side door, expecting it to be locked. But, to her surprise, when she turned the handle the door opened. Glancing over her shoulder, she quickly slipped inside and found herself in a large dank space with a high roof. A narrow wooden platform, set above the water, ran along three sides. Right away she noticed the Cap Estel, the graceful old sailboat Ricardo had taken her and the twins out in several times that summer, tied to one side. But on the other side was the speedboat, or what looked like the speedboat, that she'd seen the night before. She couldn't be certain, but she walked over to it and, after a moment's hesitation, stepped aboard. Quickly she glanced around, but there was nothing to see, just two leather seats in front, with two larger seats, also leather, in back.

    The floor was covered in square of green carpet of the indoor-outdoor variety, and as she took a step forward her foot caught in a loose edge of a square, pulling it up. Automatically she bent down to push the square back into place and discovered, to her surprise, that as she wiggled her fingers back and forth, trying to get the square angled in correctly, another square came up in her hands, revealing bare floor boards underneath.

    Glancing closer she noticed there were grooves cut into the sides of the boards, like handles. That's funny, she thought. She was just starting to pull up another square of carpeting, to get a better look, when suddenly she heard a voice. "Lookin' for somethin', girlie?"   

    She jerked her head around, but not before she'd hastily pushed the carpet squares back into place. Moments later a bright overhead light flashed on, almost blinding her. Putting a hand to her eyes she sat back on her haunches, telling herself to stay calm, for she had recognized the voice--even before she saw that awful Tonio standing in the doorway.

   "Why, hello," she said, in her best Girl Scout manner. "Yes, I was--looking for something, as a matter of fact."

    "What?" he snapped, coming closer.

    Now you've done it! Think of something before it's too late! she told herself, dismayed to find her teeth were chattering. She clenched them hard, then standing up jumped out of the boat onto the wooden platform. If she had to face the feral Tonio, with those beady black eyes, better to do it with her feet on something solid. She started inching toward the door.  But he moved forward, blocking her path.

    "I was looking for one of the children's balls," she said, lifting her chin. "They were down here playing the other day, poking around by the boathouse. I thought, well, it just occurred to me, that they might have come in here with the ball and tossed it in one of the boats by mistake."

    The excuse sounded pretty phony, even to her, and Tonio plainly wasn't buying. "Yeah?" he snarled. "You expect me to believe that shit? You were snoopin' around here, stickin' your nose in where it don't belong again, admit it! I warned you to stop that before; remember? Now mebbe it's time somebody taught you a lesson."

    He started toward her and got so close she could actually feel his fetid breath on her cheek. He thrust out his arms, as if to grab her, but before he could touch her she lifted her own arms and slammed them down hard on his wrists. The blow, catching him by  surprise, caused him to drop his arms and stagger back momentarily. Sensing his confusion, she was quick to press her advantage.

    "Don't you dare lay a hand on me, you bully! Who do you think you are? I could have you arrested. If I want to come in here, I'll come in here--and you can't stop me. Get that?"

    She glared at  him, bolding refusing to let herself be put down by this brute. And it worked! She saw him hesitate, then she was high-tailing it out the side door, her stomach clenched with fear. She half-way expected him to come after her, as she ran across the sand and up the steps, and she didn't stop shaking until she reached the house. Weak with relief she dashed inside, went up to her room.