Of Sea and Cloud (16 page)

I'll get her, Virgil said.

Just leave her be, said Celeste. She'll come down when she's ready.

I should go, Jonah said. She don't want me around here and that's fine. I shouldn't be here anyhow.

He stood up and pushed his chair in.

You sit your highliner self back down, Virgil said. Celeste didn't make all these waffles for the two of us. Hell, we'd be fine with coffee.

Sit down, Jonah, Celeste said.

This Julius business, said Virgil. This ain't good.

You cool your jets, she said.

Virgil took a minute. He focused on Jonah. The price went up this morning. We got an extra quarter.

A quarter?

That's right. Now we're getting closer to half what it was last year.

I wonder how they'll do with them pounded lobsters.

They'll do fine on them. Jason Jackson's a mean bastard but he pays for what he wants.

Celeste put a plate of blueberry waffles and a glass pitcher of maple syrup and two sliced grapefruits on the table and she set out juice glasses and a carafe of orange juice. She forked thick slabs of bacon onto brown paper to drain and set it on the table and the smell of wood smoke and pepper and maple sugar filled the room.

Virgil stood up and said, I'm getting Charlotte.

Celeste and Jonah watched him hobble down the hallway and heard him slowly climb the stairs and heard his hard breathing and heard his feet make their way down the upstairs hallway.

• • •

Charlotte was dressed and sitting on her bed with a book. Virgil shut the door and sat on the bed next to her.

You okay, honey?

I'm fine.

The sun was bright on the snow through the window. There was a faint breeze on the cove and waves of sea smoke rose from the water. A dozen black ducks worked the currents and three gulls stood perched atop a rock. Sheets of yellowed tide ice lined the shore.

We have waffles ready downstairs.

I'm not hungry.

What's going on?

Nothing.

Look, Virgil said. I know this is because you and Jonah had something, but now you're impressed by Julius.

Charlotte turned away. She examined her fingers. All you want is for me to marry a lobsterman like Jonah and get pregnant.

We want you to be happy. But I want to talk about Julius and I'm not going to mess around. I don't like him because he's a bad human being. He scares me, Charlotte. He doesn't care about anything and if you think he's going to care for you then you're wrong.

How do you know so much about him? You just think you do.

I pay attention. Why don't you ask him why it is that little sister of his isn't right in the head?

I pay attention too, she said. And those are just rumors about his sister.

Fine, Virgil said. I said what I had to say and you can do what you want, okay? Be careful with him. But now it's breakfast time and Jonah's down there and he's family and in case you've forgotten his father just died. So get your ass down there.

Virgil put his hand on the back of her head and pulled her head into his stomach. She dropped the book and wrapped her arms around his torso.

I don't think Jonah wants to see me right now.

Why not?

I yelled at him last night. And I've been mean to him but can't help it. All of a sudden I just can't help it.

He's the Downcoast Highliner, Charlotte. He's a tough whoreson.

No he's not either. He's sensitive.

Either way, said Virgil. Come eat a waffle with him.

• • •

Bill drove down the long dirt road that followed the harbor line and parked on the end of the wharf. There wasn't anybody around. He got out and lit a cigarette. He peered down through the timbers at the swirling waters. Seaweed hung from the pylons and a red bushel onion bag of periwinkles rotted on bottom.

He sat on the wooden bench and leaned his forearms onto his thighs and let his head hang. He still felt the shape of his father's skull in his hands. The grainy texture and the salt-polished teeth and the single shining gold tooth. The flesh and cartilage and the brains eaten clean by swarms of lobsters so thick a man's hand wouldn't fit on bottom. That was his father.

The cold air carried the faint smell of bait. The wooden float below was slick with ice. The two trapdoors that opened to seawater storage for lobster crates were open and water swished and tossed in the empty compartments. Bill ran his hands over his head and felt the divots and roundings of his skull and wondered how similar it was to his father's.

He held his cigarette clenched in his teeth and puffed on it. The smoke rose out of his nose and burned his eyes. His boat and his brother's boat and his father's boat were all moored a hundred yards out. A boat made sense. A few weeks ago the whole world had made sense. He put bait in traps and put traps in the ocean and he caught lobsters and sold lobsters. That was it. Now he felt like his feet were tangled in a trap warp and the weight of the traps was slowly jerking him overboard. There was just no way in the world that his father's skull could end up in the pound without someone having put it there.

He gripped the cold bench with both hands as if to hold himself above water. He breathed slowly. He felt as if his brain had an itch. If he knew his father had been killed that would be one thing. If he knew who it was that killed his father that would be another thing and with both of those things together Bill would take his rifle and find the man and the man would be crow shit in under a week. But he didn't know either one and all that not knowing was enough to make him question a life that had previously been unquestionable.

After twenty minutes he got up and drove through the village to Virgil's house. Virgil's truck wasn't there and Bill turned around to leave but Jonah opened the door and waved at him and waited on the porch as Bill parked and got out. Bill tried to swallow but his mouth was too dry.

Jonah? Bill said as if not believing that it was really him.

What'n hell you doing? I seen Jason Jackson's truck go by.

We sold a load of bugs, Jonah.

Good. Celeste's got coffee on inside if you want some.

Hold on, Jonah. I got something we need to discuss.

You getting yourself a divorce?

It's about the old man, Jonah.

What about him?

Bill lit a cigarette and offered the pack to Jonah. We found him in the pound today, Jonah. Found his skull anyhow.

Jonah worked a cigarette out of Bill's pack. He held the cigarette loose in his fist and it took a moment for the fist to begin to tremble. You found his skull in the fucking pound? In the lobster pound?

Yeah, we found his skull in the pound, Jonah.

Jonah lit the cigarette. He watched the smoke ease out of his mouth. A shiver circled his torso and rose through his head and dissipated like vapor. He felt strangely calm as if entering some dream space and he was aware of this calmness and it worried him.

Ain't you gonna say something? Bill said.

What am I gonna say?

Bill blinked. I don't know.

Jonah thought of Virgil. It seemed that the last few weeks could not have happened. It seemed that his father must be out at his camp drinking beer and Charlotte must be inside writing a note that says,
I'll be over tonight
and it seemed that he was not about to be in the middle of a trap war with Osmond Randolph and Julius Wesley. But what did
seems
mean anyway? Everything
seemed
this way or that way. He remembered tumbling off his boat so far offshore and he wanted that again. He wanted again for the sea to open up and drag him into the world.

He blinked and said, How'd his boat end up offshore and him in the pound, Bill?

Hell if I know.

You tell Virgil?

That's why I'm here. To tell Virgil. Where's he gone to?

He's uptown running errands, Jonah said.

Bill blinked several times. He watched Jonah for a moment then said, Things ain't right, Jonah. I can't stop shaking.

I know it. I know it. Let's go on inside then.

Things ain't right, Bill repeated.

He followed Jonah into the house. Charlotte and Celeste were at the table.

Jonah avoided their eyes.

Celeste got up and poured a cup of coffee for Bill. How are you, Bill?

I'm good.

You don't look like you feel very good.

I don't feel good. No. I ain't good.

Are you okay? You and Osmond sold some lobsters out of the pound, didn't you?

Yeah. Ten thousand pounds this morning.

It must have been hard there without having your father with you.

Bill concentrated on the tabletop as he sipped his coffee.

We got leftover waffles if you're hungry, Bill.

Sure, said Bill. He looked defeated and repeated himself. Sure.

Celeste gave him a plate with waffles. She stood behind him and put her hand on his shoulder and squeezed the muscle. How's Erma Lee faring? Is she at home?

She's good, Celeste. Thanks for asking. Bill lifted his fork but didn't touch the waffles. He held the fork in front of himself as if examining its tines for trueness.

They heard a truck park and soon Virgil ambled down the hall and into the kitchen with Chowder following him. Captain Bill. You eating my waffles?

I guess I am, Virgil.

Good, said Virgil. Celeste still had her hand on Bill's shoulder and Virgil put his hand on the other shoulder and squeezed. A big happy family right here. He went to the cupboard and took out a bottle of coffee brandy and filled a glass with ice and poured the brandy. Celeste watched as he sloshed some milk into it.

Goddamn it, Virgil, she said.

Virgil didn't respond. He took a sip and put the drink in front of Bill. He mixed another drink and put it in front of Jonah then lit a cigarette. Jonah took a swallow and bent and lifted Chowder onto his lap and the dog licked at Jonah's mouth and ears.

Bill said, We found the old man today.

You found the old man, Virgil said and grunted and his big cheeks shook.

Celeste stared at her husband.

Yeah, Bill said. He held his drink with both hands as if the cold liquid would warm his fingers. On the third tow the drag come up with his skull in it.

The room dropped silent.

You found your father's skull? Charlotte said.

Bill nodded. Third tow.

How'd you know it was his?

Bill blinked several times. His gold tooth is how. But you could tell anyway.

Celeste stared at Virgil. Her face drained and when Virgil saw this he crossed the room and took her in his arms. His cheek brushed her cheek. Then his voice thick and warm as blood shot down her ear and she was the only one to hear him say
please trust me.
His voice was honest and urgent and his thumbs brushed her cheekbones and pressed the soft pockets of skin below her eyelids and she gave him a slight nod but said, We need to call the police.

He kissed her forehead and said, No. Not yet.

Virgil went to the cupboard and took out a third and fourth glass and mixed two drinks. He put one in front of Charlotte. He leaned against the counter with one palm down. He exhaled for a long time and when he spoke he spoke slow. Tell me, what'd Osmond do?

What'd he do? Bill said. He threw the skull over the dam into the harbor is what he did. Hell if I ever expected that. Threw it half a mile near and told me to keep it quiet. He don't want cops and such down there and I don't blame him for that.

He threw the skull. Virgil swirled the ice around his glass and sipped it and wiped the brandy and milk from his mustache. Good.

Good? Bill said. How's that good? How'n hell'd the old man get in there unless someone put him in there? He didn't go and jump in the pound and his boat somehow run itself half to France. It don't make a goddamn bit of sense.

Most likely not, Captain, said Virgil. Where's Erma Lee at?

She's home or over to her cousin's or something. I don't know. Why?

Just wondering.

I'm heading there now, said Bill. I'm getting my dive suit on and I'm going in that fucking pound and I'm seeing what I find and I'm bringing the Highliner with me too, whether he likes it or not.

Jonah looked around the room. He heard his brother and Virgil talking but the voices sounded like they came through intercoms. He held Chowder with both arms and the dog licked at his mouth and he didn't stop her and he didn't stop the image of his father's skeleton from occupying his mind. Other thoughts drifted by and he saw himself getting in his truck and driving through some desert landscape or shutting himself up at the camp for a very long time. Then he saw himself holding Julius by the throat.

One second, Virgil said. Tell me about Jason Jackson, Captain.

Jason? What the fuck for? Enough with the fucking questions, Virgil. I don't know nothing you don't know. I met his driver Daniel. They said Jason's over in godfuck Japan then he's going to Hawaii and then Osmond's visiting him is all I heard today. I asked Osmond if it was pound business but he said it was his business and his alone. Now I got to go.

Virgil dropped silent. His cheeks hung and his eyelids drooped.

Virgil? said Bill.

I'm thinking—Did he mention Benji?

No.

Okay, said Virgil. You go ahead and dive on him then. That'll work fine.

Work fine? Celeste said. She held her hands up at the sides of her head as if she would pull her own hair out. Her voice was angry and frantic. I've heard enough. This is absolutely ridiculous. It's frightening. I'm going to call the police and I don't give a shit what else.

She stepped to the wall and took the phone from the hook but before she could dial Virgil was at her side clicking the phone off with his finger. When he spoke his voice was kind and it was understanding. Celeste, he said. Think about this. If you call the police they are going to drain that pound out. It will be a total loss. Those lobsters in there were paid for on credit and Bill and Jonah and Osmond owe on them. And there's the mortgage on the pound itself. There's just no possible way to drain that pound and have these boys not go absolutely bankrupt. If it was just Osmond, that would be fine by me. But Bill and Jonah have a stake in this. If they lose those lobsters that are in there right now, the pound will be sold. They will lose everything they have. Houses and boats and all of it. Period. Maybe the buyer will use it as a lobster pound but chances are that we'll see a summer home put right there. Is that what we want? Is that what Nic would want?