Two Weeks in August (12 page)

“I’ve heard of a lot of strange happenings in my time, and the islands are full of strange happenings, but I’ll admit this is a whole new one for me.”

“Well, just zip on home and give the local newspaper a call,” Nina snapped as she walked along, her stomping feet creating small dust clouds in the sand.

Hazy, rolling the bike slowly behind her, spoke softly. “I think it’d be best if we got you home first, don’t you?”

“Do you have a car?” she asked, finally stopping to catch her breath. Walking along in the thick sand of the shoulder in this heat was making her heart rate increase.

“Yes, a Jeep. Why?”

Her eyes widened in exasperation. “Would you consider going to get the car and then coming back to pick me up?”

“Why? I’ve got the bike right here. Hop on.”

Nina’s dark eyes roamed the sleek, streamlined machine. “There’s no room.”

“Don’t be silly,” she replied. “You’re a slip of a thing and will fit right nicely up here on the handlebars.”

Nina looked at the place she indicated, a small scooped-out area between the two handles, and shook her head. “Nope. Won’t work. You won’t be able to see.”

“Of course I can see. I’ll just look around you. It’s not but a few miles, gull.”

Nina stamped her foot. “I am not a girl. I’m just small because I’m Irish. Don’t call me a girl!”

Hazy spread both hands in defense. “All right, all right, I’m sorry. Don’t get your feathers riled.”

Nina glared at her. Hazy finally closed her eyes and sighed. “Look here, there’s no sense fighting about this thing. You need a ride and I am offering one. You’ll just have to trust me to know what I can and cannot handle on my own bike.”

Nina was tired and common sense told her what Hazy was saying was the truth. Nevertheless, her superior attitude annoyed Nina and her pride smarted at being forced to accept her largesse.

“Fine. If you think you can control it and not kill us both then I guess I’ll just have to take your word for it.”

“Right,” Hazy agreed. Throwing one smooth leg over the crossbar, she dismounted, handed Nina the bike and roughly pulled the pack from Nina’s shoulders.

“Ow, that hurts,” Nina cried, jerking her arm from the last loop. “Can’t you be a little more gentle?”

“Well, it’s not easy when you have to deal with women-shaped cacti who specialize in spitting you with spines every time you come near.”

Nina turned to face Hazy, her features drawn into a scowl. “I haven’t done a single, solitary thing to you. You just stay in a bad mood all the time and expect everyone to accept it as a matter of course. I personally don’t like being around bad-tempered people.”

“Then stay away from them. Besides, you’ve been pretty disagreeable today yourself.”

“I guess so! Here I am, minding my own business, taking a few photos and wham! A herd of stubby horses tramples and eats my bike, leaving me to walk in hundred degree heat. This is not something guaranteed to make you shout with joy.”

At the mention of the ponies Hazy’s lips began to quiver and laughter threatened.

“Don’t you dare!” Nina cautioned her.

Hazy ducked behind the bike and began deftly tying the pack onto it with elastic cords stowed in a compartment above the chain. When she stood, she was no longer laughing but her blue eyes were wet and gleeful. She buckled the straps of her sweaty helmet around the pack, apologizing for not having a dry one for Nina to wear.

“All right then, up with you,” she said as she took the handlebars from Nina’s hands. “I’ll hold it steady.”

Awkwardly, Nina hoisted herself onto the handlebars and settled her bottom into the middle. She fit well.

Hazy, with an alarming wobble, mounted and began rolling the bike forward slowly. She raised up and pushed hard on the right pedal and they were off.

Nina had ridden roller coasters. Nina had ridden sleds. Nina had even been skiing. But nothing could have prepared her for the reckless speeds Hazy Duncan attained on the trip home.

The small fresh- and salt-water ponds on either side of the road passed by in a frightening blur as she held on for dear life with both hands clenched around the handlebars at her sides and her hiking boots tucked back and around the bottom frame. Her hair felt as though it were being ripped from the top of her head and her eyes dried out as quickly as her eyelids could moisten them.

Though frightened to her wits’ end, Nina found the ride exhilarating, leaning with Hazy as they rounded curves and laughing out loud in spite of her terror.

Hazy didn’t slow appreciably until they started across the causeway onto Chincoteague where traffic was heavier.

“Wasn’t it fun?” Hazy asked against her ear. She was breathing heavily but Nina could sense she was smiling, though whether from sheer enjoyment of the ride or glee from scaring Nina half to death she couldn’t tell.

“I do this for exercise two days a week; spend half the day racing about the big island. Supposed to be good for me,” she panted as they rounded onto Church Street.

“Yeah,” Nina replied when she could catch her breath. “If you survive it.”

Hazy chuckled and Nina found herself smiling.

They were at Channel Haven. Hazy held the bike steady as Nina dismounted, her legs shaking.

“What will you do about your bike? Leave it for dessert?”

Nina was uselessly trying to straighten her windblown hair but the words caused her to turn and eye Hazy angrily.

“You’re making fun of me, aren’t you?” she challenged her. “I didn’t ask for any of this to happen and I think you’re pretty rude to make jokes about it.”

A familiar scowl darkened Hazy’s perspiring face as she loosened the pack and handed it to her. “I think I deserve a few laughs after rescuing you.”

“Rescuing me! You half-killed me. I thought I was dead when I saw you come within an inch of that red car making a turn.” She was still shaking with fear but it had changed to a trembling of indignation.

“Why, you scared little ninny! You act like I’ve been riding for only a few months. I’ve been riding since before you were born and haven’t had a spill yet.”

“It’s only a matter of time. Sooner or later your luck has got to run out. And you are careless about other people, you almost ran me down earlier today as well, on the main road.” She fixed her in an angry stare.

Hazy studied her, turned away. “Perhaps if I’d done so, I wouldn’t have had to waste the time bringing you back here.”

Hazy swung onto her bike and pedaled off, leaving Nina standing in the driveway, infuriated.

Chapter 15

When Nina went to the office to fetch her mail the next morning, she was pleasantly surprised to find an unfamiliar middle-aged woman sitting at the big metal desk.

The woman, who possessed long dark red hair and snapping blue eyes, was big in body and big in smile.

“Hello there,” she greeted Nina as she rose to shake her hand, “and who might you be?”

“Nina Christie,” Nina responded quickly. So this must be Hazy’s partner. “And you must be...”

“Carrie Newcomb, but everybody just calls me Mama New and you’re to be no exception, hear?” She touched one forefinger to her chin and rolled her eyes as if searching the ceiling. “Christie, Christie. Seems I ’member the name. Didna’ I talk to you on the phone once, some time ago?”

“Yes, this past week,” Nina supplied, feeling comforted by the woman’s island dialect. “I asked to rent a cottage while I waited for my house to be finished. I inherited Tom Burley’s old place over on the North Channel.”

“Oh, ta, I remember now,” Mama New said as she resumed her seat, all the while talking amiably. “Sorry I wasn’t here to tend to you and you had to deal with the madam Hazel. Ignore her right enough and you’ll be the better for it.”

She took a deep breath and jumped in again. “I suppose it could drive a body mad sitting here day after day dealing with the tourists and the business. So anyways, off I goes to get a little rest and relaxation at my sister’s house in Stafford and she stays here and minds the phone and the baby. So off she goes now for the day, just to get in a bit of fishing and I fill in for her. After all, it’s the least we can do, you know? The hardest part,” she lowered her voice and leaned forward conspiratorially, “is keepin’ the housekeepin’ staff in line. When they see she’s gone for the day, they like to be slack-abouts and not get their work done. The idiots should know her temper by now and how she’ll bellow when she comes in an’ sees the work left undone.”

Mama New took a deep breath but before she could start up again, Nina, totally bewildered by the whole monologue, spoke up.

“Has a courier come, Mama New?” she asked. “I’m expecting an important package.”

“Oh sure, honey, Lyle came by just a while ago.” Mama New moved over to the wooden boxes filling one wall. Nina smiled at the unaffected way she stopped and adjusted her long flowing dress over her ample hips before crossing the room.

“Let’s see, number eight, wasn’t it? Or number twelve? There’s something there too today.” She peered curiously into the wooden latticework of mailboxes.

“Number eight,” Nina replied, trying not to laugh at the woman’s endearing mannerisms.

“Well, here you go then; a small stack.” She handed it over to Nina then moved closer to read the return addresses as Nina leafed through them.

“Anything interesting?” she asked, curiosity emanating from her.

Nina groaned inwardly. Her days of freedom were over. A large white overnight delivery mailer from Jennings-Ryder Books was included and she knew herself well enough to know she would not be able to lay the manuscript aside. She’d have to read at least the first chapter to get the flavor of the novel before doing anything else.

A waybill copy was attached to the package and Nina touched it where Hazy’s large sweeping signature flashed across it.

Since Mama New was still watching, Nina pulled out the small box sent from her father and opened it.

“Oh, a book,” said Mama New. “Isn’t that sweet. From a boyfriend perhaps?”

“Oh no,” Nina answered quickly, “just my father. He always sends me stuff. I’m an only child and my parents tend to spoil me.”