Son of a Mermaid (22 page)

Shea caught sight of Gregor in the crowd and waved him over. “Gregor! We did it! We saved the King!”

“You did indeed, Sire,” Gregor said, bowing his head.

Shea laughed and shook his head. “No, Gregor,
we
did it. That includes you, too. Kae and I would never have escaped without your help. Thank you. And please call me Shea.”

Gregor stared at him, his eyebrows raised high on his forehead. “You’re welcome…Shea.” He smiled and started to fade back into the crowd of guests.

Kae’s hand shot out and encircled his wrist. “Oh no you don’t! You must come join us for the feast!”

“Yes,” Shea nodded, “I insist.”

“But I’m an Adluo,” Gregor reminded them. “Isn’t it best if I sit with my own clan?”

Shea shook his head. “Didn’t you hear my grandfather back there? We’re all in this together, Adluo and Aequorean alike. Besides, I’m part Adluo, too.”

Gregor chuckled. “I guess you are, Sire. I guess you are.”

“Really, Leslie, there’s nothing strange going on in the neighborhood,” Martha insisted, setting a fresh cup of tea in front of the police officer. “My grandson should be home soon, and I’m sure Gregor is simply off visiting family. No one is actually
missing,
no matter what Ann McFadden has told you.” She patted Hailey on the shoulder. “Right, Hailey?”

Hailey looked up at Martha, her mouth full of pancakes, her fork poised to shovel more into her mouth. “MmHmmf,” she nodded.

“Well, Mrs. MacNamara, I’d really like to believe you, truly I would…” Officer Tandy pulled the sugar bowl toward him and put two heaping spoonfuls into his mug.

The doorbell rang. “That must be Shea!” Martha exclaimed, jumping out of her seat. She hurried down the hall to the front door and opened it. Chip Thompson stood on the doorstep, holding onto Lucky’s collar. The Lab wagged his tail and barked a greeting to Martha.

“He was down by the dock barking this morning,” Chip explained. “I saw him out the window, and thought I should bring him home. Why is there a police car out front?” He released his hold on the dog, who ran into the house, tail wagging. Lucky stopped abruptly in the kitchen doorway and started to growl menacingly.

“Oh dear!” exclaimed Martha as she hurried after the dog, Chip following. When they reached the kitchen, they saw Lucky had pinned Officer Tandy against the wall, one large paw on either side of his head.

“Would someone…please…call off…the dog…” Officer Tandy whispered. “I don’t think…he likes me…”

“Lucky!” Martha said sharply. The dog stopped growling and turned to look at her. He dropped to the floor, and went to sit at her feet, tail sweeping the floor as it wagged. “I’m sorry, Leslie, I don’t know what could have gotten into him!”

“Maybe it’s the ‘no dogs on the beach’ rule,” Hailey said, smiling as she poured more syrup onto her pancakes.

Chip glanced at his sister and sniffed the sweet scent of the syrup. “Did I already miss breakfast?”

“Of course not, dear,” Martha assured him, reaching for the apron draped over the kitchen chair. “Anything you want.”

“Those pancakes look awesome,” Chip admitted. “If it wouldn’t be too much trouble.” He slid into the empty chair and turned to Officer Tandy. “So, did you figure out what happened to the crazy old man that went missing?”

“You mean Gregor Guenther? We’re working on it, I can assure you,” Officer Tandy told him, trying to sound official as he wiped the copious amounts of dog drool from the front of his uniform shirt.

“I hope he didn’t run off with your grandson, Mrs. MacNamara,” Chip added.

“Oh, I doubt that,” Martha said quietly as the doorbell sounded again. “Who could that be now?” She turned toward the hallway as Shea and his mother entered the kitchen. Both wore matching stone medallions around their necks, and matching smiles on their faces.

“Shea!” Martha cried, dropping her apron and throwing her arms around the boy’s neck. “You’re home!”

“Hi, Gramma,” he said, grinning sheepishly. “I’m sorry if you were worried.” He hugged her back, burying his face in the familiar scent of bleach.

“It’s my fault, Martha,” Brynn said, putting a hand on the older woman’s shoulder. She looked at the three people seated at the kitchen table, her eyes sparkling as they caught the light. “He spent the night at my…house. We would’ve called…but the phones weren’t working.”

Martha released him and gave Brynn a hug as well. “I’m so happy to see you both,” she said. “It’s been too long, Brynneliana.”

“I’ve missed you, too, Martha,” she said, her voice cracking.

Martha finally let go and gestured to the policeman standing by the kitchen table, as if suddenly remembering he was there. “Leslie? You remember Tom’s wife, Brynn, don’t you?”

“A pleasure to see you again, ma’am,” Officer Tandy said formally. “I heard you and Tom divorced?”

Brynn shook her head sharply. “No,” she said, smile gone.

Officer Tandy looked down and scuffed his polished black shoe along Martha’s kitchen floor. “Sorry to hear about your husband’s death.”

“Thanks, Leslie. I appreciate it.” She took Shea’s hand in her own, as if unwilling to let him get too far from her side.

Officer Tandy pressed his lips together into a thin line before speaking again. “I thought you were gone. Knew you weren’t in Oklahoma with Tom, but haven’t see you…around.”

“Oh, my family is still around,” Brynn said, the sparkle returning to her eyes.

“Yes, well, I guess I’d better be going,” Officer Tandy said, obviously uncomfortable. “There are missing persons to be found.” He picked up his mirrored glasses from the table, and slipped them up his pointy nose. “Ma’am,” he said, nodding at Martha before heading out toward the front door.

There was silence in the kitchen as they listened to the screen door slam shut. The police car’s engine roared to life. As the car drove down the street, Martha and Brynn seemed to both breath sighs of relief. Martha patted Brynn’s arm. “Let’s go sit in the living room for a minute to catch up, shall we?” She led the way down the hall, placing a fresh pile of steaming hot pancakes on the kitchen table as she walked by.

Shea turned to follow his mother, but Hailey grabbed him by the arm and punched his shoulder. “So what happened to you? We were worried.”

He looked at his friend and smiled. “Kae took me to find my mother,” he explained cryptically.

Hailey released her grip on him and crossed her arms over her chest. “And I couldn’t come along? I thought I was your friend, too.”

“You are. It’s just…”

Hailey leaned closer, cupping her hand against his ear. “I saw you and Kae in the river, Shea. You had a tail. You want to tell me something real?”

He shot a quick glance at Chip who was scarfing down the pancakes Martha had placed in front of him. He looked back at Hailey. “Is that going to be a problem?”

She was silent for long moments as she stared back at him. Finally, she shook her head, grinning. “Windmill Point is much weirder than New York City ever was!”

Shea laughed. “It certainly can be. Come on, you’ve got to meet my mom.” They followed the others to the living room.

Shea wasn’t sure how much information about his recent adventures or his new undersea life he should really share with Hailey, for her own safety if nothing else. After all, Demyan was still out there somewhere. But in a way it was a relief to not have to hide who he was from his friend.

He was the son of a mermaid.

That she could accept that fact, and still want him as a friend, made Shea feel like he’d won the lottery or something. He wondered briefly if John would have the same positive reaction when he came to visit Cape Cod later in the summer. After all, John hadn’t grown up in a big city like New York and wasn’t used to weirdness. Shea sighed, realizing that the dual life ahead of him wouldn’t be easy. But as he watched his mother laugh at something Martha said, he knew he wouldn’t trade his new reality for anything.

He started to introduce Hailey to Brynn, who said, “Oh, you must be Hailey. My son has told me all about you! It’s a pleasure to meet one of his friends.”

“He told you about me? Really?” Hailey’s cheeks turned bright red.

“And the young man in the kitchen must be your brother?”

Hailey nodded. “Yes, ma’am. We moved to Cape Cod recently, too.” She turned to Shea. “I can’t believe you told your mom about me!”

“Of course I told her about you, you dolt,” Shea said, laughing. “You’re like my best friend on Cape Cod.”

“I’m like your only friend,” Hailey said, punching his shoulder again. “I mean, who else do you even know? Kae? That creepy Mr. Guenther guy?”

“Which reminds me,” Brynn said. She reached into the bag hanging over her shoulder and withdrew two notes, handing both of them to Martha. “Gregor wanted you to give one of these to a woman named Ann?”

Martha nodded. “Ann McFadden, up the street. Is Gregor okay? Isn’t he coming back?”

“He’s received a new assignment,” Brynn explained, glancing over at Hailey. “I’ve asked him to come work for me, down South, at least until I get things organized. My son seems to think Gregor is the best…man for the job.”

Which reminded Shea of something Gregor had said. “Gramma, Gregor said he made a promise to you? Does that mean you knew…why he was in Windmill Point?”

She shook her head. “Not when he first moved here, certainly. But I’ve had my suspicions over the years.”

“But…” Shea paused, frowning. “You knew all about Mom and her…family stuff. Do lots of people…you know,
know
about…us?” He gestured at himself and his mother.

“Some do,” Martha answered. “Some know and choose to ignore the truth. Some think it’s all fairy tales.” She seemed to think that was a sufficient answer, and opened the note from Gregor and started to read.

“Kae says all tales have some truth to them,” Shea mumbled, an image of her smiling face dancing in his mind. He wondered when he would have a chance to see her again. He felt like there were so many things left unspoken between them. They really needed to talk before they all traveled to the Southern Court. If they were going to be living in the same castle, he didn’t want there to be any strangeness tainting their friendship.

“So Gregor is moving south,” Martha said, as she refolded the note. “He didn’t have time to come say his good-byes in person?”

Brynn shook her head. “I sent him on ahead with others he deemed trustworthy, to get things started along the right path. I’ll be joining him near the beginning of August.”

“What? You’re not staying?” Martha slapped her hand on her knee. “But you just got here! What all happened last night?” She looked from Brynn to Shea.

Shea laughed. “You wouldn’t believe it if we told you, Gramma. But Mom is now totally…in charge…down South, so we have to move down there.”

“Not
we
,” Brynn said quietly, a sad smile on her face as she watched him. She turned back to Martha. “I must leave my son yet again, and was hoping he could stay here with you on Cape Cod a while longer? He’ll be safer here than with me. At least until I can see what’s what.”

“Wait a minute!” Shea jumped to his feet. “But I thought…?”

“Remember what your grandfather said? Until the ones who caused the death of your father, and so many others, are brought to justice, you won’t be safe. Not in my world.”

“But I just met you…” Shea started. “And I just learned how to swim…”

“It won’t be like before,” Brynn said with a gentle smile. “You can visit me for the Winter Solstice in December, and we can be in contact anytime you need me.” She touched the
transmutare
at her neck, as if to remind him of its powers. “You’re in my life for good this time, and I don’t intend to let you go ever again. Besides, soon enough it’ll be time for you to head off to the University.”

“University?” Hailey asked, interrupting. “But you’re not eighteen yet.”

“It’s kind of like boarding school,” Shea explained. “Like high school and college rolled up into one. Kae was telling me all about it last night at the banquet…”

“Banquet?” Hailey asked, and her stomach rumbled. Martha and Shea both laughed. Hailey smiled. “Have I mentioned my mother can’t cook? All of a sudden I’m hungry again!”

“But you already had pancakes,” Shea pointed out. “There’s still syrup on your chin. He reached over to wipe it off with his finger and smiled. “Wait until you meet my friend John. He’s the only other person I know who can eat as much as you.”

“Can I help it if I have a fast metabolism?” She jutted her lower lip in an exaggerated pout.