Dark Beach - By Lauren Ash Page 0,3
that phone call. Would you mind if we stopped quickly?”
“Okay.”
They all piled into the cluttered quickie mart, Jenny refereeing Kip, who tried to pull everything off the shelves while Ron paid for his candy and chips.
“God, I love junk food; that’s one of my favorite parts about vacation.”
Beyond Ron’s chatter with the disinterested teenaged cashier, Jenny could hear a quiet, distant barking. Outside, a lanky man stood peering into the back of their car.
“What the...? Ron!”
Ron was still chatting—something about coastal weather patterns and La Niña.
The man just stood there, turning to stare into the quickie mart, right at Jenny. His face was shrunken, serious, and unshaven. In the back of the car, Charlie was going mental.
“Charlie!” Ron noticed the barking when it increased in volume. With a wave to the teen, he walked out to the SUV. Jenny bent down to pick up Kip, but stayed in the store.
“Who’s Daddy talking to?”
“I don’t know, honey.” She gazed at the man again, watching him gesture to the dog, and decided to go investigate.
“I used to have one just like him when I was a boy...” Jenny heard the man say in a hoarse voice as she approached.
“Well, we’ve had him a few years now. He’s a good dog.” Ron reached in through the back window to pat the dachshund.
Charlie barked.
“Come on. We must get going,” Jenny said, the noise getting to her.
The man just stared at the dog. “It was a sad day when we lost him.”
“Ron?” Jenny moved into his line of sight and raised her eyebrows.
“Yes, well, I’m sorry to hear that. We must get along now.” Ron followed Jenny around to her side and held the door open.
“He was a good dog… yes he was…” the man said again, shaking his head.
“Excuse me.” Jenny stooped and climbed into the passenger seat.
“Well, you folks enjoy Rocky Shores.” Leaning forward, the stranger put a hand on the roof and closed Jenny’s car door for her.
“Sure will,” Ron said, revving the engine. The man pulled his hand off the car as Ron let out the clutch and accelerated away.
“You told that guy our plans?” Jenny could barely contain her fury.
“No! Of course I didn’t”
“Mamma, man?” said Kip, pointing out the window.
“How did he know, then?”
“He probably saw our suitcases in the trunk. I mean, come on. There’s beach stuff back there and this is the main road out to the coast. Anyone can tell we’re on vacation.”
“He was looking in our trunk? He looked totally psycho. How do you know he isn’t going to follow us?”
“He was just curious about Charlie. He didn’t mean any harm.”
“How do you know that? I have a bad feeling.”
“No, you don’t. Don’t be silly. I’ve been checking the rearview mirror. He’s not following us. People ask about Charlie all the time when we’re out, and you don’t bother with them.”
“Can we please not stop again? I just want to get there.” Jenny put her sunglasses back on and turned to check the mirror on her side.
“Yes. I’ll speed the whole way.”
She frowned at him. “Not with Kip in the car.”
“Okay, okay! Hey, can you open my candy bar for me? I’m driving here.” Ron tossed her a Milky Way bar.
“Sure, may I have a bite?”
He laughed. “Now you want a bite?”
“Just a little one, please?”
“Okay.”
One bite turned into two.
“Come on! Come on!” Ron snatched it back.
* * *
They neared the ocean, billboards pointing the way to The Blue Sky Motel or recommending a spot for ice cream or kayaking. Under the cloudy sky, nothing looked appealing.
“You don’t think it’ll rain, do you?” She pulled her sunglasses off, folded the arms in, and placed them in the glove box.
“No. The forecast yesterday said partly cloudy and sunny.”
“Weathermen,” Jenny scoffed, “you know they’re only right half the time.”
“He’s half right. There are clouds.”
The billboards became even more worn as they drove on. WHALE WATCHING blared at her. The bad image flashed again—a huge mouth opened, lined with pointed spears of teeth which formed around the road ahead, fading in and out even as Jenny shuddered and closed her eyes to avoid entering the malevolent maw.
“What?” Ron asked.
“Uh … just relaxing.” She fought the image away. One of her hands crept to her belly.
“Look!” Ron pointed ahead to a sign that read ROCKY SHORES. “We’re here!”
“About time.” Jenny perked up. “I’m hungry again. I wouldn’t mind another smoothie. Can we drive-thru some place?”
“Sure.”
There was no line this time. Jenny gulped down the thick strawberry ice. “This is