Page 55 of Refuge for Ailsa

“The important things.”

“I know the important things about you too. And I love you.”

“I love you too.” She sat up, then straddled his legs, her hands on his shoulders. “Sure you’re exhausted?”

Tavish laughed. “Well, I was!”

* * *

The alarm clockwent off at four the next morning, and Tavish dragged himself out of bed. He’d promised Conor and Morris that he’d meet them at the GwinnIsland boat ramp. He knew a good fishing area there where he’d caught a lot of catfish the prior summer. There hadn’t been time so far that summer to go, but all of that was about to change in an hour.

By the time he got to the boat ramp, they were already there and had the bass boat they’d rented in the water. It was really pleasant out for mid-July, and the three men set about casting their lines and waiting. That’s all fishing really was?a huge waiting game. They’d all agreed on catch and release, and by the time ten o’clock rolled around, they’d each caught at least two good-sized catfish. They made short videos of each with the guy who’d caught it and the weight before they tossed it back. There would be no need for lying. They made sure of it.

By eleven, it was starting to get pretty warm. “I really don’t think we’ll get much action for the rest of the day. They lay low when it’s hot out.”

“Yeah, I figured that too,” Conor said as he reeled in his line. “It’s getting toasty out anyway. Morris?”

“Yeah, I’m done,” the stocky, dark-haired officer said.

Conor was steering the boat around to head back to the ramp when Tavish’s phone rang. It was a number he didn’t quite recognize, but it looked local. “Stewart.”

“Tav, it’s Donovan. Is Ailsa sick?”

That was a weird question. “No. Not that I know of.”

“One of the slip renters just called me from the boat store. He said there’s nobody there. The door was unlocked, the computer turned on, and the lights on, but nobody was there. And that’s not like Ailsa. She usually puts a note on the door when she goes out.”

“Did you try to call her?”

“The guy called from her phone. He said it was lying on the counter.”

A white-hot frisson of panic shot through Tavish’s chest. “I’m on the water out at Gwinn Island, but I’ll be there as fast as I can get there.”

“I’ll meet you there.”

“See you then.” His hands were shaking as he ended the call, and he missed his pocket and dropped his phone in the boat’s keel.

“You okay?” Conor asked.

“No. Guy who rents a slip called Donovan to ask where Ailsa is. Everything was open and on, but she’s not there. And he called Donovan from her phone?it was lying on the counter.”

“Shit. Shit, shit, shit. Hang on.” Conor throttled up the big Mercury outboard and the boat flew across the water, bumping and bottoming out as it went. When they got to the ramp, Tavish scrambled out. “We’ll be over there as soon as we get this thing trailered,” Conor announced.

“Thanks.” Tavish bolted to the truck, threw open the door, turned the key, and spun out of the parking area. Where was Ailsa? Something else occurred to him, and he spoke into his hands-free, “Call Maureen.”

His little sister’s voice was bright. “Hi! What’s up?”

“Maur, I need you to call Mom and Dad and then the MacDougals. Find out if any of them have seen or talked to Ailsa this morning.”

There was a pause. “Tav, what’s going on?”

“Just do it, please! I don’t have time to explain, but I’m sure Donovan will when we get there.”

“Get where?”

“Just make the calls, Maur. Please. Just do it.” He hit the END button on the steering wheel as he rocketed down the highway. Every little doubt or fear he’d had was coalescing in his stomach, and he felt positively nauseous.

He slid to a stop in the marina parking lot. As he ran toward the building, he couldn’t help but notice her car sitting there near the boat. When he threw open the door, a gentleman of about seventy turned, his eyes wide. “Ummm…”

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