Still Water Read Free

a night like this, with the weather clear and calm, she was safe, but even so she was aware of the muted crash and roar of the ocean as it pounded the reef and the distant cliffs. A memory of her father’s boat flashed in her mind, wrecked on the rocks here six months ago during a storm. It had broken up, battered by ferocious seas. She gripped the wheel tightly, and bit down on her lower lip, shoving the memory of that night from her mind.
    Once clear of the cove she picked up speed. She watched the lights of a fishing boat briefly, but it appeared to be heading away from her. The looming mass of the island receded, though when she looked Ella could see a faint yellow glow from a house on the point. Maybe it was Kate Little’s house. When she was a quarter-mile out from the island, over the channel, Ella cut the engine and the night settled into silence. Her eye fell to the shape lying in the dark shadow of the railing, and dismissing all thoughts of Kate, Ella went to work.
    It was some time before she became aware of the sound of an engine. She snapped to, aware she’d been lost in thought. A dragger with its running lights on approached out of the darkness off her bow. She wiped away tears that had run silently across her cheeks.
    The note of the dragger’s engine changed pitch and slowed and Ella knew that she’d been seen. As it came closer she recognized the Osprey, and she could even see the silhouette of Carl Johnson in the wheel-house. In her own wheel-house the radio crackled.
    Ella hesitated, then ducked inside and switched on her mast light. She picked up her radio mike.
    She took a breath and hoped her voice wouldn’t sound shaky. “Hi Carl. Is that you there?”
    “Yeah, Ella. Everything okay with you?”
    “Sure, no problem.”
    There was a pause. “You weren’t showing any lights. Thought something might have happened.”
    His curiosity was edged with concern, and she did her best to lighten her tone. “It was just a loose connection. I fixed it. Everything’s fine now.” She clicked off the mike, watching the Osprey drifting closer. She glanced towards the davit and the hauler, and waited to see what Carl would do. A couple of seconds went by and then she made a decision and clicked on her mike.
    “See you later Carl.” She started up the engine and turning the wheel brought the Santorini about as if she was heading back towards the harbour. Carl held his course for a couple more seconds, then the pitch of his engine altered and the Osprey turned eastward.
    “Have a good night,” Carl said.
    “You too.” She clicked off the mike and released her breath, her heart thumping. Only when she was sure that the Osprey was well away did she cut back her engine.
    This time she worked quickly. She took a knife and severed the line that ran to the hauler, and there followed a splash, and then silence, and the water was black and still again.

CHAPTER TWO
    The smell of wood smoke drifted over the fence. Henry came out on his porch, and called over. “You there Matt?”
    Henry was Matt’s neighbour. He was around seventy, a little dark-skinned guy with Portuguese roots. The day Matt had moved into his house three months earlier, Henry had come over with a present of a bluefish he’d caught from the little fifteen-foot crabber he went out in most days, and ever since he’d been convinced Matt liked fish as much as he did himself. “Got some mackerel smokin’. You want one for your breakfast? They’re good eating.”
    “I already ate,” Matt said from his porch. The two houses occupied a clearing on a steep part of the hill overlooking the town. Henry appeared where the fence ended. A strip of grass separated the two properties. A dusty road led down between the trees and eventually came out on to Valley Hill which was the main route into town. “I’ll save a couple of fat ones for your supper.” “Thanks Henry. You want anything from town today?” “Maybe some tobacco if you’ve got a