Out of the Deep (6 page)

Time crawled. The waves seemed colder now, turning Jack's feet into blocks of ice and the skin on his bare arms a deep red. He saw but did not feel a strand of kelp wind around his leg. Pulling it free, he flung it away from him like a snake. Where were they? Mentally, he calculated how long it would take Bindy to get to his dad. Ten minutes max for Bindy to get back to the trail. If Steven had gone very far chasing the eagle, it was possible Bindy wouldn't find him easily. Those pine trees were thick, with a tangle of foliage underneath that made walking difficult. No, if she couldn't see him, Bindy would be sure to call out, and Steven would drop everything to come running. The most he should add would be five minutes. That would leave another seven minutes for them to get to the car, followed by another ten to reach a phone. Would he go straight to the Visitor Center, or stop anyone he could find to ask for a cell phone?

Thirty-two minutes there and at least as many back. With a sinking feeling, Jack realized this wouldn't be over any time soon. Another thought, unbidden, crept into the corners of his mind.
If
Bindy even went for help. What if she just took off and left them all? She was acting so strange, nothing seemed impossible. The color of Ashley's lips was deepening at the edges, as if she'd sucked a blue Popsicle, and he could see her teeth chattering. She had to get out of the water.

“Go to the shore and get warm, Ashley. Then I'll go, and we'll switch places.”

“N-n-no. It takes both of us to get water on S-Spud.”

“He won't dry out that fast. Listen to me, you're turning blue. You can't help Spud if you freeze to death.”

“I'm OK.”

“I'm telling you to do it!”

“But—”

“Ash-ley! Ja-ack,” a faint voice cried. “We're coming.”

Even from a distance Jack could recognize his mother's voice. Soon his father and a group of five rangers swarmed onto the beach like ants, some carrying coolers while others had blankets and buckets.

“They're here!” Jack yelled. “They got to the beach pretty darn quick.”

Relief flooded Ashley's face. “I knew Bindy would pull through.”

“Yeah,” Jack agreed. “I've got to admit I wasn't sure. She was acting so weird, I didn't know what she'd do.”

The two of them barely got to shore before they were shrouded with blankets that felt as warm as toast to Jack. His mother hugged him tight for just a moment, whispering how proud she was into his ear before reaching over to give Ashley a squeeze and saying, “You guys stay here and warm up. I've got to see about saving that baby humpback.”

“Sp-Spud,” Ashley chattered. “J-Jack named him.”

“I'm sure Spud is very grateful. The humpbacks are endangered. We need every single one of them.”

“Where's Dad?” Jack asked.

“He and Bindy followed me in his car. I couldn't believe it—the two of them burst into my meeting at the Visitor Center, and then the rangers jumped up and got gear while I called Allied Whale to tell them to send their rescue team. Then we raced down here. The rescue team should be here any minute.”

“There's another whale out there, Mom,” Jack told her. “I'm afraid it might beach, too.”

Olivia peered into the ocean, then shook her head in disbelief. “What is going on? Not once before this has there been an incident of a whale beaching in Acadia National Park. This is nothing short of disaster. I just don't understand any of it!”

She was zipping herself into a wet suit when the eight-member Whale Rescue Team arrived. In minutes every one of them had put on wet suits, too—blue or red or black. Each person on the beach seemed intent on only one mission now, to save the baby humpback.

Special blankets for keeping his back wet were dipped in water and applied to Spud's hide. Olivia quietly waded in with a long needle to take a blood sample, which would be analyzed at the local hospital. Someone smeared zinc oxide on Spud's blowholes to keep them from drying out, while two other team members used a suction cup to fasten a platelike device onto the baby whale's back.

“That's a TDR—a time-depth recorder,” Olivia explained. “When we get Spud back into the ocean, that will let us know whether or not he's swimming out to where he's supposed to be. It'll fall off after a couple of days.”

“How are you going to get him back into the ocean?” Jack asked.

“Look over there.” Steven, who'd been taking pictures nonstop, pointed to a man and a woman. The two rescue-team members were carrying a huge harness toward Spud. By the time they dropped it onto the rocks next to him, the tide had begun to come in a bit stronger. Jack could hear the rescue-team workers talking about what they planned: As soon as the tidewaters became deep enough, the eight of them would work together to refloat Spud, gently wrapping the harness around his pecs and tail to guide him back to the water. It wouldn't be easy.

Even though Jack felt cold and wet, one sight he didn't want to miss was Spud being returned to the ocean where the mamma whale waited for him. He felt excited for Steven, too, because photographing this whale rescue would be the chance of a lifetime for his father. His photos might be printed in
USA Today,
or even—and this was Steven's dream—in
National Geographic!

As Jack wrapped the blanket tighter around himself, he noticed Ashley shivering. “Pretend you're not cold,” he whispered to her. “I don't want Mom or Dad to send us up to the Visitor Center, because then we wouldn't get to see everything. Anyway, I'm not that cold.” And that was true. He'd felt the blood return to his feet and then his hands. At first the tingles hurt, but soon they subsided, and he felt as if he could last for as long as the rescue took—hours, if necessary.

“I'm cold, but I can stand it. What about Bindy, though?” Ashley asked. “You know how she complains about everything.”

Jack turned all the way around, searching as far as he could see across the crescent of Sand Beach. “I don't see Bindy. Where is she, Dad?”

“She should be around here somewhere. She said she'd be driving down from the Visitor Center with your mother.”

“Well, I can't see her.”

At that moment, Olivia waded out of the surf, looking pleased by the progress being made by the rescue team. “Mom, where's Bindy?” Ashley asked.

“Your father brought her,” Olivia answered.

“No I didn't. She told me she was going to ride with you,” Steven said. “You mean she wasn't with—”

“No!”

“Then where—”

Jack dropped the blanket and looked wildly around the beach. Every single person milling about was a park ranger or wore a jacket marked “Allied Whale Rescue Team.”

Bindy was gone. Again.

“I
'm sorry, Dad,” was all Jack could think to say.

“It's not your fault. It's mine.” The sun streamed into the interior of the car, shadowing the deep frown lines between Steven's eyebrows. “I should never have believed Bindy when she told me she was going with your mother,” he said. “I should have put her in the back seat of the car myself and buckled her in with my own hands. Or I should have made sure Olivia knew I was leaving Bindy with her. She told me she wanted to watch the rescue squad save the whale, but, then again, Bindy is not to be trusted. Obviously.” He slammed the heel of his palm into the steering wheel. “Now I'll have to go back to the police and tell them she got away from us again. This time they might take her away from us for good.”

“Not if we find her first,” Ashley said.

“I hope we do, kids. I surely hope we do.”

The scratchy gray blanket the rangers had given Jack rubbed damply against the backs of his legs. The park rangers had said both he and Ashley could return the blankets tomorrow, which was a relief, since standing on the shoreline had chilled him thoroughly, and their car was parked a distance away. Sniffing, he realized they'd have to wash his blanket before returning it. It smelled dank, like seaweed mixed with salt. He licked his lips, tasting salt on them, too.

Ashley, who had her blanket wrapped around her papoose style, leaned as far forward as her seat belt would allow to announce, “I think Bindy's gone after the conspiracy people.”

They'd already told Steven the story about the government cover-up, which he didn't believe any more than Jack did. “That's just too ridiculous to even consider,” he said now. “Bindy just made up another tall tale to impress you.”

“Then where do you think she went?” Jack asked.

“My guess? She's probably trying to get back to her aunt. Maybe she thinks running away from us will prove to her family how much she wants to stay with them. Who knows what goes on in that girl's mind?”

“I don't even care why she ran away,” Ashley fumed. “It's just plain selfish—she never thinks about anyone but herself. Now you can't take pictures of Spud, Dad, all because of her.”

Steven drew a sharp breath. “And I'll have to contact Ms. Lopez. Boy, I'm not looking forward to making that call. How do I explain to her that I lost the girl—twice? Ms. Lopez will have to let Bindy's family know, of course. This could get ugly.”

For as long as Jack could remember, his father had lectured him about obeying the posted speed limit, but this time Steven was pushing it a lot faster than he should. Oak trees and pines streaked by in a silver-green blur. Jack could feel centrifugal force pressing him against the side of the door as Steven sailed around a bend. Ashley shot Jack a worried look; Jack shrugged in reply.

“Dad,” Ashley cried, “slow down.”

When Steven hit the brakes, Jack snapped forward. “Kids, I want you both to look for Bindy while I drive,” he said. “It's a long shot, but it's possible she decided for some strange reason to walk back to our motel. Although she doesn't have a key to the room. But then again, the lady at the front desk would probably let her in if she asked.”

“We're watching for her, Dad,” Jack assured him. “Ashley's taking the left side, and I'm looking out the right. If she's out there on the road, we'll spot her.”

Not that checking the roadside would do much good. Bindy would never have made it this far, at least not under her own steam. A few cars passed by as visitors entered the park, but not many cars were leaving. Jack saw a biker in an apple-green helmet whizzing along on razor-thin tires, plus one woman on a motorcycle, then another trickle of cars and a Hummer. But no Bindy. She'd just vanished.

Pressing his forehead against the glass, Jack watched the spruce and oak trees fly by. Acadia was breathtaking. The whole park seemed to have been gilded with yellow-gold, not the autumn kind that meant the approach of winter, but the bright sun gold of early summer. Boulders appeared every now and then, like large stone turtles, and every so often the trees would part to reveal a slice of coastline. The ocean looked more gentle from a distance, with tiny whitecaps that laced the ocean like bits of frosting, but Jack wasn't fooled by its benign appearance. His skin was still cold from standing in the 50-degree waves that had chilled him to the bone. Tightening the blanket underneath his chin, he pictured a hot shower, dreaming of how amazingly good it would feel to steam himself half raw. That was the first thing he'd do. The second thing would be to wash out his running shoes, since they were beginning to smell like fish.

“Kids, I know you're cold and wet, but could you bear with me while I take a quick check of the town? The chances are pretty slim that we'll spot Bindy on the streets, but I'd like to give it one last shot before I have to—” His voice turned grim. “To go to the police.”

“No problem, Dad,” Jack and Ashley both agreed.

Moments later, Steven turned down a road that led him to the main street of Bar Harbor, their first chance to see the town in daylight. Brick storefronts were shaded by scalloped awnings, wedged between small wooden buildings that had been painted the colors of gourmet jelly beans.

“Wow, this town is so cool! When can we come back for a real visit?” Ashley asked.

“I have no idea,” Steven told her. “This trip has turned into a nightmare. You'd better take it all in now.”

Knots of tourists milled along the sidewalks, peering into windows or walking hand in hand, some with peppermint-striped paper bags from the candy shop, others carrying shopping bags filled to overflowing. Wooden signs with all kinds of pictures decked the shops: One had a blue fish, another a lobster, and a third showed a family of bears carved into wood. There was no sign of Bindy, and no way, Jack decided, they could find her by driving aimlessly. Steven must have figured it out, too; without a word, he headed for the Seaside Motel. After he dropped them off, he'd go to the police.

“You have your key, Ashley?” Steven asked as they pulled into the parking lot.

She held it up. “I've got it.”

“Good. Would you please run up to the room and check and see if by some wild chance Bindy is there?”

“Sure, Dad.” Ashley unbuckled her seat belt, saying, “Be right back.”

Since the steps leading to the upstairs rooms were outside the building, Jack could see his sister quickly scramble up and run to her door, which was only three down from where the steps ended. A moment later she disappeared into the room.

Steven sighed and pushed a lock of blond hair off his face. He seemed in no hurry to move, and Jack didn't want to rush him, so he sat perfectly still and waited. Glancing at his father's profile, Jack noticed that Steven looked different than he had just a few days before.

His jawline had softened, and there were pouches under his eyes that seemed smudged with gray. Bindy was wearing him out.

Ashley appeared at the door and shrugged her shoulders, hands spread apart, palms up.

“Well, as I suspected, she's not there,” Steven said, his voice tense. “All right, Jack, you're in charge. I want you two to
stay put
in the room until I get back. If Bindy shows up or phones the room or you hear from her in any way, I want you to immediately call your mother's cell phone. Mine's still with Bindy. It's not working, of course. Seawater will do that. I tried to dial the number countless times, just in case it started working again and she'd perhaps answer, but…nothing.” Raising his sunglasses, he rubbed the bridge of his nose. “Remember, I'll be checking with your mother every 15 minutes to pick up messages.”

“We'll call if we see or hear anything. Promise.”

“Good.” He gave a quick wave as Jack scrambled out of the car, and then, tires squealing, he drove away.

Ashley was already using the shower in the connecting room when Jack arrived. He turned on his own shower, standing in the hot steam until his skin turned the color of the lobster he'd seen on the Bar Harbor sign. Lathering up his hair, he rinsed, then lathered again, letting the bubbles run down him in foaming sheets. He could think in here.

The Landons had lost Bindy twice, which meant his family could be in legal trouble—being a foster parent involved a lot of responsibility. The Bar Harbor police already had a record of Bindy escaping once, which could be bad. Two times might make them think of negligence. What if Marian, Bindy's adoptive mother, decided to sue them? Even if she herself didn't want Bindy, she might be the type to cause trouble if she thought the Landons hadn't done their job properly.

Jack stuck his head under the water to wash away the thought. He was most likely borrowing trouble. No one would go after his parents, not when they were trying so hard to help. His dad had been a foster child himself, shuttled from one family to another before living his teen years on a ranch for boys. Over and over again, Steven had told Jack to reach out to those who weren't as fortunate.

“The easiest thing in the world is to slip-slide into an attitude of entitlement, especially living in this country,” his father had told him. “I want you to see real heroes—kids who've been knocked around by life, yet still rise up to take on the world. I want you to see what it is to have grit. Your mother and I want to make a difference in the lives of unfortunate kids.” Now it was Bindy who was making a difference in the Landons' lives. Except it wasn't for the better.

When he came out of the bathroom, he found Ashley spread-eagled on one of the beds, her wet hair spiraling onto the comforter.

“Took you long enough. I was out ten minutes ago, and I'm a girl.”

“I didn't know we were racing.”

“Doesn't matter,” she said, grinning. “I still won.”

“Yeah, right.”

“Jack?”

Jack sat on the other bed, looking at his sister. “What?”

“I have an idea, but I don't know if it's an OK thing to do. Remember how I went through Lucky's stuff in Mesa Verde and everybody yelled at me for doing it? You said her things were private, and I was totally wrong for going through them.”

Jack nodded. He remembered. Lucky was one foster child he would
always
remember.

Winding a lock of hair around her finger, Ashley asked, “I was wondering if this time, with Bindy, I mean, if this time is different enough to check out her things.

We might be able to figure out where she's gone. It's just, Mom and Dad are totally freaking out, and—”

“I think it's a great idea,” Jack jumped in, mad that he hadn't thought of it first. “You look in her dresser drawer, and I'll see if there's anything in her suitcase.”

Ashley bounded off the bed, hurrying into the room she'd shared with Bindy, while Jack went to the corner where the suitcases were stacked. Bindy's battered blue one was at the very bottom of the pile. Pulling it free, he snapped open the locks and opened it. Nothing. Even the pockets were empty.

“Jack, come here!” Ashley cried. “Wait'll you see this!”

Rushing through the connecting door, Jack saw Ashley standing in the middle of the room, holding up a crumpled towel and rolled-up clothes. Bindy's clothes.

“These were in the bottom drawer. She was really here, Jack.”

“How? When?” Jack stammered.

“I don't know. But I'm positive this is the outfit she had on when we were with Spud. The clothes are wet, and they smell like seawater. So she got back here to the room somehow to change.” She held up the towel, as wilted as a lettuce leaf. “Looks like she showered, too.

I didn't see any of it before because I didn't look in her drawer. What a little sneak!”

“Is the rest of her stuff still here? Her other clothes? Toothbrush?”

Nodding vigorously, she said, “Yep, all of it—well, I don't actually know about her toothbrush.” She went to their bathroom and pushed open the door. “Her toothbrush's here, and her earrings, too. I don't get it—if she was actually running away, wouldn't she have packed up her stuff?”

“You'd think so,” Jack agreed.

“We need to call Mom.”

Jack crossed the room to the square table that held the phone. Once he had an outside line, he punched in the numbers and waited. After three rings, a message kicked in:

You have reached Dr. Olivia Landon at the Elk Refuge in Jackson Hole. If this is an emergency, please call the Jackson Hole Veterinary Hospital. Or, if you'd like to leave a message, please….

“She must be on the phone,” Jack mouthed to Ashley. When he heard the beep, he said, “Mom, it's me. Bindy was here, at the motel. We found her wet clothes and a towel stuffed into a drawer. Call me when you get this.”

He dropped the receiver into the cradle, then sat on the edge of Ashley's bed. So, Bindy had been here. What on Earth was she up to? If she'd been running away, it stood to reason she would have wanted her things—it would have taken only minutes to pack. Was she trying to fool them, keep them all off balance? Or was there something worse going on?

Ashley looked as confused as Jack felt. Sliding into one of the green corner chairs, she stared out the glass door that led to their balcony. Her fist rested on her cheek so that Jack could not see her face. “I don't get it,” she mumbled, more to herself than to Jack. “I just don't get it.”

Jack called his mom again, and got another recording. After trying again he said, “I'm going to go out on the balcony. Maybe the air will help me think.”

He opened the sliding glass door that led to the balcony, with its Astro-Turf carpeting and white plastic chairs. A four-foot-high metal railing, once painted white but speckled with rust, caged him in. Beneath him was a rolling lawn, green and trimmed, and then the rocky shoreline that led to the water's edge. To the left stood the long pier with its chain at midpoint.