Page 91 of Hate Wrecked

I nod in agreement. We need to get it out of the water and store it somewhere safe because we need to alert the authorities about what we found when we leave this island, and wewillleave.

Gerald Extroix was here for years and he never saw this? Perhaps his presence and nightly radio calls to the mainland meant whoever did this would likely not return. And maybe they didn’t want to. Perhaps they assumed the ocean would devour the body.

But the islands are alone now, unguarded. It is just us, secret visitors.

I pray the government shows up soon. They should have been here by now, right?

Day after day we’ve waited on Falcon Island, wondering when they’ll arrive. It’s draining.

It’s drained us of something hopeful.

All that is left is to cling together.

Riley and I walk back to the trunk. We each grab a handle and lift. Slowly, we shuffle the coffin—because isn’t that what it is? The resting place of someone who came to paradise, and never got to leave? Someone who didn’t choose to go to the depths?

“I think we should move it to one of the bunkers,” I say. It’s a huge ask, a tiring job. The trunk is heavy, but I don’t want to remove the remains. I want them to stay as we found them for the authorities.

Riley nods. “Okay,” she says. “Let’s do it now. We can, I don’t know, maybe adjust the chain there. Secure it.”

“We have to leave it how we found it.”

Riley wipes at her eyes. “Yeah, you’re right. Okay.”

Silently, we secure the fishing poles and our supplies for the day trip in the trees. Then we walk to the trunk. With heavy steps, we walk in the direction of the next island. We take breaks, wiping at our brows, stretching our arms. Riley won’t look at the trunk when we change sides, giving our arms rest.

She is silent, far away as we load it onto the lifeboat, inching toward our destination—another dark resting place.

THEN

ROWAN

I showedup at the agency the next morning, freshly showered and ready to be completely fucked.

The receptionist greeted me with a smile. I guess she didn’t know that my possible firing was on the agenda for the day.

My heart ached at how pretty she was, because no matter what, she couldn’t be Riley. And maybe that was okay. Maybe it was time to take her on a date.

“Good morningCammy,” I said, waving at her.

“Good morning, Alastair,” she said. Everyone at the office called me by my first name. Only the people I cared for called me Rowan. I didn’t know if I could let her be someone who cared for me.

I walked down the hallway to the small conference room. My boss, Nigel, waited for me with paperwork spread across the table and a grim look on his face.

“Alastair, sit. I wasn’t sure you would even come in.”

I pulled the seat out. “I’m not the kind of man to run from what he’s done.”

Nigel stood, shutting the door. Shutting out prying ears. “And what exactly have you done? Because, to be honest, I was not expecting this.”

“I…” I hesitated, thinking of my father. How could he have not expected this? The apple doesn’t fall far. “I let myself become friendly, close, with the daughter, Glenne.” I cleared my throat. I didn’t know what else to say. I didn’t want to damage her reputation with mine.

“That’s what she said.”

“Ril—I mean…what did Glenne say?”

“You two were just friends. And there was no grounds to fire you. She actually battled with her stepfather to make sure I knew that, and it was put on official record. Just friends. Too close to continue to work there, but nothing untoward. It’s time to reassign you.”

“I’m not fired?”

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