Chapter 14

The beach crowd has thinned,the remaining guests clustered in the tent, shouting and clapping. The bonfires have burned down to cinders.

I straggle behind Liam, who's already covered the distance. Three laughing girls, one of them the green-eyed sprite who danced with him, rush across the sand to greet him, drape flower garlands around his neck, and tug him back to the dance floor.

Liam doesn't even look back to see if I'm following.

I stand on the beach, freezing cold and close to tears, feeling used and discarded, and more confused than ever. I've been here only a few days, and after just losing my almost-boyfriend, now I've agreed to save another boy? Plus, according to Liam, there's something ominously wrong with my father, who's supposed to be dead.

I crouch by the glow of a dwindling bonfire and poke at the embers with a twig, trying to absorb some of its residual heat to warm myself. Shouts ring out in the distance and I peer over toward the dunes. Two figures—a guy and a girl—race down an incline and onto the beach. The male figure trips and rolls, catching the girl by the ankle and toppling her. She sprawls face-first in the sand.

Both of them stumble to their feet, the guy continuing to grab for the girl. She lashes out in a series of fierce kicks, one of which catches the guy on the jaw, causing him to stagger back. It's Liam's sister Aurora, her turquoise dress torn, and she is fighting for real.

I hurry across the sand to get a better look. Aurora kicks and punches her attacker, who, to my shock, is a lumbering and very drunk Brody Lambert. His face bloody, he doesn't seem quite the cheery shop clerk now.

Aurora has the upper hand. She doesn't need my help. But then Brody grabs a hunk of driftwood and swings it, catching her on the side of the head. She wobbles, then falls. Even from my vantage point, I can see the dark stain of her blood spreading on the sand.

To my disbelief and horror, Brody sits on top of her prone form and batters her face with hard punches. "Stop it!" I scream, running closer. I try to drag Brody off, but he collapses on top of her, trapping her beneath his weight. No one responds to my shouts or comes to our aid.

Brody blinks up at me, bleary eyes unfocused. Gone is the pleasant smile and in its place the leer of a mean drunk. "Stay out of it, Landsider," he says, voice slurred. "I've got a score to settle."

"Fuck you! Get off of her!"

I continue to pull and yank at him until finally, I succeed. He totters a few yards, empties the contents of his stomach, then staggers off into the dunes.

Aurora's face is a bruised and bleeding pulp. I check her pulse, relieved to find her breathing. Brody's gone, so I leave her and run to the pavilion to seek help. People are still dancing, oblivious to what's happened. I spot Dad swaying to a traditional waltz, his arms around Liam and Aurora's mother, Lila.

"There's been an attack on the beach!" I say, panting. "Aurora's hurt."

Dad lumbers after me into the night, followed by the crowd that spills out of the tent and encircles me and Aurora. She doesn't wake. Lila crouches beside her daughter. No one asks what happened or how she was hurt. Brody is nowhere to be found.

"Dad," I whisper. "Brody Lambert did this."

My father says nothing. Rage roars from the pit of my stomach. "Aren't any of you going to do anything?" I say, louder this time. "Her attacker was Brody Lambert!"

A gasp shudders through the crowd as Randy shoulders his way through packed bodies, reaches the clearing, and shakes his head. "Now, now. Everyone be on your way. A few teenagers had a bit too much to drink. Lila and I will handle this."

The crowd shuffles back a few steps. No one challenges Randy.

I remain standing where I am. "Mr. Lambert," I say, my voice trembling. "I saw the whole thing. Don't you want to know what happened? Can't we call that Coast Guard sergeant? Your son…he…"

The toothy smile broadens, his eyes crinkling with warmth. "It's Randy, sweetheart. And Godwin only gets involved when I tell him to." He strolls toward me, drapes his arm around my shoulder, and whispers into my ear. "Just go on home with your da. And try to stay out of island business from now on."

My jaws clench. What is wrong with these people? The frustrated scream I'm holding back is about to explode from my lungs when Liam pushes toward us.

"Who did this?" he asks, voice frigid.

"Go back to your tidal pool, Fish Boy," Randy says, laughing. The crowd chuckles nervously.

I frown, puzzled by the laughter and the odd insult. Liam sneers at Randy, then turns his gaze on me, eyes imploring. "Do you know?" he mouths.

I blink and mouth Brody. Liam's eyes blaze.

He stalks over to Randy. "Everyone knows your son is a sloppy drunk who's been dying to get into my sister's pants."

Lila springs to her feet and wedges herself between Randy and Liam. "Know your place, Liam," she says. "Please."

Muscles tensed, Liam stands his ground. The crowd edges backward.

"Your sister is a liar," Randy says, his grin fading. "No one on the island ever believes a word out of her mouth. Or yours. Do you see Brody? I don't."

Terrified, I scan the crowd. Dad looks at the ground. Lila ministers to her daughter. No one offers support or steps forward to help.

"She didn't do this to herself!" I shout. "Don't any of you want to punish the person who did?"

Liam's fists clench at his sides, and my heart pounds as the air crackles with tension. He charges Randy, but Wade and a group of other boys tackle him to the ground, pummeling him. Somehow, Liam scrambles free and races toward the water. The other boys give chase. They're going to kill him and no one is doing anything! I try to follow, to help, but a large woman blocks me and slaps me, hard. Someone yanks my hair, ripping strands from the roots, then claps a hand over my mouth. Shrieking, I struggle fruitlessly to get away. Out of the corner of my eye, I catch a glimpse of Dad. I beg him with my eyes to do something—anything—but he just shakes his head, face tight with fear.

The crowd encircles Aurora's motionless body as Lila rises to her feet, jaw set and white-blond hair streaming to mid-calf, her white dress stained with her daughter's blood. There's an unsettling quiet about her, as if the wind stills as it reaches her.

"Your abominations refuse to accept their inferior status," Randy says. "Are you going to teach them, or shall we?"

Abominations?I cut an alarmed look at my father but he's staring at the sand. Lila gazes hard at Randy, dark eyes implacable. Yet her hands are trembling. "This island belongs to all of us," she says softly. "What more do you want? We've given everything we can."

"You've given nothing," Randy says. "And you owe so much."

My heart races, and the hairs on the back of my neck prickle. I have no idea what's going on, but it definitely isn't good.

A flash of lightning rips through the clouds that block the moon. I watch, horrified, as the crowd remains silent as if holding their collective breath. Finally, Randy breaks from the circle and strides off into the night. It's as if a switch has been triggered. People spring into rapid action.

My captor shoves me away and I land on my knees in the sand. Shaking with rage, I stumble to my feet and rush over to my father. He stands, rigid, letting the scene unfold around him as men and women rush to steady Lila, who sways as if she's about to keel over. Others carry off Aurora, her blood leaving a crimson trail on the beach. Lila follows behind.

Reaching him, I demand, "How can you just stand there and let this happen?"

Dad blinks like he's just woken from a nap and takes me by the arm. His breath reeks. He is drunk. "We should go now."

I pull free of his grip. "Are you insane? Aren't there any laws on this island? That man and his son should be arrested."

Dad's face is ashen, eyes glittering oddly behind his glasses. "People here take care of themselves. We need to go home to the cottage. We'll walk."

I'm freezing in my wet dress. My old dad, the outspoken activist, the one I knew before he cut out on me, would never stand for a situation like this.

The partygoers disperse. It's only us on the beach—and Liam's attackers, who stand at the water's edge, peering out at the waves. "I need to check on Liam."

"Liam, of all people, absolutely knows how to take care of himself." Dad tries to grab my arm again, but I twist away and run for the shoreline.

"Wait!" he calls but doesn't follow.

Down by the shore, Wade Lambert and his companions stand in silence, as if waiting for something. I reach them, breathless. There's no sign of Liam. "What did you do to him, Wade?"

He pivots toward me. "Hasn't my da warned you to stay out of our business?"

I keep a safe distance. Given what I just witnessed, these boys can probably do what they want with me. "Tell me where he is."

Another boy steps forward. "Where do you think he is, Landsider?"

There's no sign of anyone bobbing on the waves. Liam's a good swimmer, but no one is that good. "Where is he?" I shout.

The boys howl with laughter. "Where he belongs!"

The boys form a V around me, Wade at its apex. "You better scram before you join your boyfriend out there. Doubt you're as good a swimmer."

I look behind me for a place to run. Maybe they drowned Liam and I'm next.

"Scat, you bums!" Dad calls, straggling up.

Wade glares, but he and his friends scatter, leaving the two of us alone on the beach. Beyond the waves, a pod of seals has gathered. There's no swimming boy out there.

These boys murdered Liam. And they're going to get away with it.

My teeth chattering, I say nothing as we hike along the beach back to the cottage. The clouds have parted, the moon's harsh spotlight shining down on us. I keep looking out at the water, hoping to see Liam's head bob above the surface, but it's fruitless. First the ocean took Tyler, and now him.

What was I thinking? That me and my science books and logic could unravel the strangeness of a place that defies all sense?

"Dad," I say, finally, "we need to get off this island. Now."

He walks on ahead, shoes off, pant legs rolled up unevenly, his footsteps glistening in the wet sand. I scurry to catch up with him. "Did you hear what I said? I want to leave, and you need to come with me."

"I heard you, Rosie." His speech is slurred, his glasses sitting lopsided on his face.

"Well?"

"I can arrange for you to get to your program in England. Your mother has already informed me that you're not to return to California. The house is closed up."

"Come with me then. Mom will help you. You can stay in a hotel in London. We don't belong here. Look what's happening to you."

He stops walking and turns to face me. "I'm a dead man, Rosie. Think what the press will do if I suddenly appear. Besides, I've never felt like I belonged anywhere more."

The denial knocks the wind from me. I wanted to believe my father was cleaning up his act. To believe I could find my true path here as well. But I've just seen a girl beaten, the locals terrorized into silence and submission. Liam's possibly been murdered and tossed into the sea.

What if we're next?

My voice rises above the crashing waves. "You watched as your so-called friend did nothing to punish a girl's attacker, and now it looks like those bastards killed Liam!"

"Trust me," Dad says. "It's not that easy to kill Liam O'Donnell."

I gape at him, horrified. For reasons I don't fully grasp, Dad is completely under Randy's Lambert's thrall.

He turns from me and I trail behind, wanting nothing more than to let the waves pull me out to sea. There's no sign of Liam out there. Irksome and enigmatic or not, I can't stomach the idea of another beautiful boy dying in the dark ocean.

At last, we reach the beach at the foot of the Bailey estate. The Midnight Lady Skirts glow softly, as if on a dimmer switch. Dread fills me as I wonder if the blossoms are somehow connected to Liam, like Evan said.

If so, it can't be a good thing when they flicker, then blink out.