The Blue Divide

Chapter 17

Alec came home late. "I was out there all day and hardly caught a thing. Can't see how all those sawbellies from yesterday could just take off overnight." He threw himself in his armchair and closed his eyes. His face seemed more worn and wrinkled than before, and there were dark circles under his eyes.

"Are you all right grandpa?" asked Lainey, who was sitting on the couch doing her homework.

His eyes opened a crack. "Oh, I'm fine. Just tired. I was really hoping I'd be able to add something to your college fund after the luck we had yesterday, but I must not have said my prayers right this morning."

Eko felt sorry for the old man. If only he had been there to call the fish. "When can I go out with you again?"

Alec smiled. "I don't know how long it'll take for your cough to go away, but I wouldn't risk you going out until it's good and gone. Would go away a lot faster if you took your medicine."

Eko's stomach clenched at the thought of the disgusting red fluid. How could that improve anything?

The old man groaned as he stood back up and made his way over to the record player. He took a large disk from the shelf and placed it on the device. Music erupted into the room and he sat back down.

"This probably isn't the best time to tell you that we were attacked today," said Lainey.

Her grandfather's eyelids snapped open and he sat upright. "What? By whom?"

She looked at the floor. "It was Mr. Kerring, and that other man, Frank, who's always hanging around him. I think it's his brother in law. They were drunk and I think they mistook Eko for someone else."

Alec turned and looked at Eko as if seeing him for the first time. He leaned forward and touched Eko's cheek where a dark purple bruise had formed. "What were you doing out of the house?"

"I was walking Lainey home."

The old man's face was white. "Did you call the police?"

"Mr. Wimberley did," said Lainey. "He showed up just in time and put a stop to the whole thing and then drove us home."

"Thank God." He leaned back in his chair and rubbed his temples. "The Aeolus wasn't at the dock when I came home. They must have sailed off, the bastards. I'm just glad you kids are ok. Remind me to call Donald, and thank him for picking you up. Second time he's come to the rescue."

Eko looked at Lainey for an explanation.

"Mr. Wimberley drove you to the hospital when I found you on the beach," she said.

Alec wiped his brow and sighed. "Donald's a good man. I'm glad it was him. I've never liked Kerring. Did you know he was once arrested for piracy? Then two years ago he made some claim that mermaids sunk his old ship, The Shanty." Alec chuckled. "He musta been after the media exposure. Once the news did a story on him he got a rich sponsor, that Mr. Leventis on the hill. Now he's cleaning out with The Aeolus." His eyelids fluttered closed again and after a while his breathing became steady. Lainey brought over a blanket and draped it over him.

"He barely makes it to his bed anymore," she said. "He's wearing himself out fishing all day. If he didn't have to look out for me he'd be retired by now."

"I wish I could help him," said Eko, gazing at the old man's sad face.

"He was really pleased you went out with him yesterday. I was too. I worry about him out there all alone, with his condition."