of a fluorescent-orange life vest bobbing up and down in the water, quite a way back.
“Damn!” He ran to the Man Overboard emergency signal and set it off to notify the coast guard of their GPS location.
“Mayday, mayday, this is the skipper of the Retty fishing vessel. I have a man overboard. It’s just me left on the boat, requesting help.”
“Roger. Copy on your GPS signal. Sending help.”
“As soon as you can.” Faster than he’d ever moved in his life, Kurt turned the boat around and maneuvered near enough to get a life ring out to her. Jenny’s eyes were closed. She floated there in the waves as if she were dead.
The ring was no use, and he didn’t have much time. He switched off the engines and tossed a rope ladder over the side. I shouldn’t do this. I should wait.
Jenny drifted farther away.
“God dammit!” He jumped into the ocean. It was colder than cold; the shock of it stunned him. Ignoring it, he thought only of rescuing her.
“Jenny, it’s going to be all right,” he yelled as he swam, head up, toward her. “I’ve got you now. Just hold on there, hold on.”
One arm around her shivering body, he pedaled desperately with his legs and used the other arm to prop her head up above the water. The water was the killer. The force of the waves crashed against his face as he fought hard, kicked hard, and swam for their lives. He was well muscled and tough, but in all his years as a fisherman he’d never actually had to get in the water, despite practicing rescues many times. He’d witnessed his father rescue a mate once, but that was many years ago, and the guy had at least been conscious.
Was it too late? He was almost to the boat, but it seemed to be moving away from him as he swam. Kurt cried out in frustration.
Just go! Just get there. He was beginning to tire. His arms felt numb, his legs even number. Where they still even moving? Kick! Fight! said his brain, but even it couldn’t tell what his body was doing.
“Almost Kurt, almost,” he said aloud.
Reaching out, he grasped the rope ladder with one hand, holding Jenny by her life vest and barely able to keeping her upright. The rope ladder, flimsy beneath them, sagged against the side of the boat, making the challenge that much worse.
“Piece of ...” Kurt didn’t realize how useless it would be when he bought the damn thing. “Christ almighty.”
The mid-ship ledge was just within reach when his fingers gave way, and so did his feet. They both plunged back into the icy ocean. Jenny bobbed off again. Kurt just felt numb.
***
Molly settled Kip on the couch and flicked over to a children’s program on cable, and then hobbled over to examine the lantern on the counter.
“Quaint. Must be new.” She had certainly never noticed it in the house before.
Taking her time, she fixed them both a glass of milk. The beach house was always a nice spot to stay awhile. Since Gerry had moved to Busy Bee Meadows, Molly’s “quick” visits had often turned into hours whenever she wanted to watch a little news or a movie. She couldn’t afford cable at home. Sewing and knitting kept her busy enough, but they were both getting harder now, what with the arthritis. She took Kip’s glass over to her and set it down on the coffee table, and then stood there a moment, head cocked. There was something she was supposed to do, someone she should call. Making her way back to the kitchen bench, she ferreted in her handbag for a reminder. That’s right. She had written a note. Ring Ron, said her own spidery handwriting on a piece of pink notepaper.
She looked at the number carefully, holding the paper out away from her; her eyesight wasn’t that good anymore. “Is that a one? Or a seven? I think it’s a seven. My handwriting gets worse every day.” She looked around the beach house for the phone. She was sure there was one, but she couldn’t find it in any of the obvious places. She shrugged. Gerry had probably had the landline disconnected when she left. Since Gerry had been taken to Busy Bee Meadows, Molly had had no occasion to ring the house. Noticing a slim silver cell phone on the counter, she hobbled over and picked it up. She pressed a button. The screen flashed momentarily