Page 18 of Spotted at Lighthouse Bay
“Oh, hi. I’m Joey, Russell’s pilot.” He stopped and smiled a half smile. “Are you the bodyguard?”
“I am.” He lowered his shoulders and stepped back.
“Sorry. I forgot to mention,” Russell said, clearing his throat. “Joey has the other bedroom upstairs. He flies a seaplane for me. We have a project on Stuart Island.”
“Have you heard about Lottie the whale?” Sheila asked.
Rick shook his head.
“She’s an orca who was captured in these waters decades ago. It’s a long story, but we’re bringing her back.”
Rick stared at her. “To live with you?”
Maybe Russell wasn’t as down to earth as he seemed, wanting a whale as a pet.
Russell laughed, a bit of cheese flying from his mouth. He wiped it away, coughing. “Adelaide will have to catch you up. We’ve got a sea pen built for her to retire into. To let her step away from her life performing.”
Rick grunted. “Lucky whale.”
“It shouldn’t cause any problems for you,” Russell said, then stopped. “Just keep in mind there might be contractors or veterinarians looking for me.”
“Don’t shoot anyone,” Sheila added, smiling.
“I won’t.” Rick walked back to the coffee pot and finished filling his mug.
Joey grabbed a bagel and ate it while chatting. Rick finished his coffee and got the plates into the dishwasher.
“You don’t need to clean up,” Adelaide hissed, trying to beat him to the last empty mug.
“You cooked. It’s only fair.”
She stopped trying to pull the mug from his hand and sighed. “Fine.”
They grabbed their coats and Joey led them down to the beach. The seaplane floated at the end of the dock, white paint blinding in the sun.
Another plus to being a star. Convenience.
“Thanks for taking us, Joey,” Adelaide said. “Have things been busy?”
“Very. Not to complain,” he said, stooping to untie the plane. “I like it. But I’ll have to pick you up about an hour or two after I drop you off. Is that okay?”
“Of course! I appreciate it.” She turned to Rick. “Do you want to sit up front?”
“No, I’m all right.”
“I insist! You have to get the best views on your first flight over the islands.”
Before he could protest, she had climbed into the back seat of the plane.
She wasn’t one for listening, that Adelaide. He got up front, put on a headset, and within minutes, they were in the air, soaring over the little green islands dotting the deep waters.
Joey was another talker. Was that a requirement for living on the island? Blabbing your life story?
Rick still liked it here, but he’d have to move to one of the less populated islands. Get a few acres. It would be just him and the water every night. Maybe a few dogs. He could go weeks without seeing another person.
He wasn’t supposed to isolate like that, though. It made the nightmares worse. Among other things…
Maybe a cat, too.
