Chapter Eleven
Two days later, Lee Crane sat in his apartment nursing a beer and watching the news disinterestedly. Seaview had just returned from one of the research cruises the admiral had set up last year: one that he had been quite excited about. Although the cruise had gone fine, he found it hard to be excited about what he was doing without the admiral onboard. It irked him that Nelson had left, disappeared. He had no idea where he was or what he was doing as it had been several days since they had heard any word from him and he worried something had happened to his friend.
He was lost in thought, wondering where Nelson was and if he was all right, when a face on the television screen caught his eye and he sat up in shock. It looked a lot like the admiral and he turned the sound on to hear what was being said.
It seems this unidentified man seen leaving the dock of the Coast Guard base was the one that may have rescued the Swenson family from their sinking sailboat two days ago off the coast of Astoria, Oregon. Attempts to reach the family to ask who the man is were unreturned by the family. The only statement they had on reaching the base was that the man wished to remain anonymous. Anyone knowing the identity of this mystery savior should contact your nearest Coast Guard base.
Lee popped a tape into his VCR and tried to find another station with the same broadcast. Finally he found one and he quickly began to tape, excitement building as the series of photographs went across the screen. The man with his auburn hair and beard looked a lot like Nelson. His hair was longer and curlier than he had ever seen it but the brief glimpse of the man's eyes before he had put his sunglasses on screamed Harriman Nelson.
Quickly he called Chip and told him to come over. When he got there he excitedly showed him the tape.
"Well, is it him?" he asked Chip.
"It could be but it could be someone else, too. Any name of the boat visible?"
"No. There seem to be towels or something over anything that would identify the boat. It's the right make but the sails and trim are wrong.'"
"Well we knew he would probably change the name and the sails could be switched out easily enough and the trim covered with a little paint. Question now is, what do we do?"
Lee sighed heavily. "I don't know. We could track this Swenson guy down and talk to him."
"And?"
"If the admiral is the one that saved them they must have spent some time together because it was awhile until they got to the base. They may know where he's headed."
"And?"
"What do you mean and? And we go after him, find him and bring him back."
"Do you have an address for this Swenson?"
"No, but it shouldn't take much."
"Why don't we go to Starke and ask him if he's heard from the admiral. Or ask him to find out if he was the one that saved this family."
"You think he'll say yes? Not the admiral."
"For Starke he might."
Lee sighed heavily. "All right. Let's go visit Starke. He's working in the office today isn't he?"
"Yep. Said he and Admiral Park were going over the results of the cruise."
The two men jumped into Lee's car and headed off to the Institute and headed quickly up to the admiral's office, surprising Angie who was disinterestedly typing up reports.
"What brings you two here on your day off?"
"We saw something on TV we thought the admirals might be interested in. You too. Are they in?'
"Yes," she said rising to walk to the office, knocking loudly and opening the door. "Sirs, Captain Crane and Commander Morton to see you?'
"Tell them to come in," Starke said grumpily.
"Sir, have you heard from Admiral Nelson lately?" Crane asked quickly.
"No, Crane I haven't. I told you that yesterday when you asked. He doesn't have a schedule of when he calls in."
"Well, I think I may know where he is…or was," he said as he put the tape into the tape machine and started it, letting it run for the others to see the pictures of the bearded, curly headed man with blue eyes sail off. When it stopped, he turned to them.
"Well? Was that Admiral Nelson?"
"It could be, Lee," Angie said excitedly. "Admiral Nelson's eyes are very distinctive. At least to me they are."
"Or any woman," Starke grumbled to himself.
"And it is something Harry would do. Risk his life for someone he doesn't know and sail off wanting no recognition," Park agreed. "Question is, what are you going to do?"
"First off, Angie can you try to contact the Swensons? Call the Coast Guard base in Oregon and see if they'll give you their number."
"Right. I'll be right back."
"What are you going to do if you find out this was Harriman?" Starke asked. "Just because he was in Oregon a few days ago doesn't mean he's still there."
"No, but the Swensons may know where he's headed."
"You're not going to let him go, are you? Even though it's what he wants?" Starke asked bleakly.
"No. He's wrong. We all know it. He's in danger out there by himself."
Silence filled the office as Lee began to pace, waiting for Angie to track down the Swenson family. Finally, she got through to the number the Coast Guard had given her and handed the phone to Lee as it rang.
"Hello?"
"Mister Swenson, this is Captain Lee Crane from the Nelson Institute of Marine Research. I was wondering if you could answer a question for me."
"I…I'll try. If I can," he said slowly.
"There was a news broadcast of the man that rescued you and your family. It looked a lot like our boss…Admiral Harriman Nelson. Could you tell us…was it him and do you know where he's headed?"
George was silent for a long time. "I…I'm really very sorry, Captain but I can't tell you anything."
"Can't or won't?"
"I promised the man that rescued us anonymity and privacy. That means I won't answer your questions. I'm really very sorry."
"He's in danger. You have to see that."
"It doesn't matter what I see. It matters what he sees, Captain. And what he wants. Whoever the man was, what he wants is to be left alone. Right or wrong…it's what he wants. He saved the lives of my wife and children. And me. I owe him more than I can ever repay and honoring his wishes is what I plan to do."
"Thank you anyway," Lee said sadly as he hung up.
"No luck?" Starke asked.
"No. He said the man that rescued him and his family wants anonymity. He won't go against that."
"Understandable," Park said.
"Admiral, maybe you could try calling the admiral and ask if he's all right. From what the reports I heard said, he risked a lot to get that man aboard," Lee said.
Starke drummed his fingers on the desk for awhile. "All right. If it will get you out of this office and back to whatever it is you should be doing, I'll try."
~O~
A few days after Harry had left the Swensons; he came up on deck to greet the new day, dressed in swim trunks, a light tee shirt and his ever-present safety vest. Taking a deep breath of the salt-tinged air, he smiled as he watched the ocean turn beautiful shades of purple, yellow and blue as the sun rose. The sea was like glass and he ached to slip into the water and explore for a bit. He was pleased to feel a gentle warmth to the air that promised to make the day a good one for a little snorkeling.
A cup of coffee in his hand, he yawned and stared out at the endless ocean before him, trying to wake up. He'd spent the days since he'd left Oregon and land behind, catnapping. An experienced sailor, he knew it was dangerous to sail singlehanded across vast miles of ocean. Sleep, although needed, was achieved usually in small chunks at a time. He employed a loud obnoxious alarm to wake him, telling him he needed to check his radar and scan the horizon for any ships nearby to avoid collisions before sleeping for a few more minutes. The times he spent resting were becoming a routine: set the alarms, sleep, wake, survey the horizon for other ships, plot his position, check the trim and sleep for a few more minutes. Although he had installed state of the art collision alarms, he didn't want to take any chances. He knew a few weeks of sailing across the ocean to whatever land awaited him was going to be exhausting but there was no turning back.
Taking another swallow of coffee, he stretched then peered off into the distance and spotted a pod of whales that had chosen the area near his boat to feed in and he smiled as he watched them, wishing he was out there with them. Dolphins, seals, whales, an occasional sea turtle and seabirds such as shearwaters had become his lone companions and a pang went through him at his choices.
Although lonely, Harry had begun to enjoy his time onboard as he sailed southward from Oregon, finally enjoying the rush of the wind as his boat sailed smoothly through the water. The days were bright and beautiful and the nights breathtaking with stars that seemed painted onto an inky canvas. He'd always enjoyed the stars, climbing to the bridge of Seaview when they ran on the surface to watch them overhead. The thought of his creation caused a pang in his chest as he wondered where she was and what she was doing. And what his friends were doing.
Turning his thoughts away from the path they had taken he sighed and decided he needed to feel the ocean on his body now and see what was in the water under his boat. Checking to make sure his parachute sea anchor was properly deployed; he unhooked his safety vest, laid it on the deck, pulled his shirt over his head and threw it on the deck behind him. Grabbing his mask and flippers from a storage locker, he sat on the dive platform and splashed water on his face and body, smiling as the cool water woke him up a bit better than the coffee had. As he gazed out at the endless ocean before him, a sense of sadness assaulted him once more as he thought of his friends but he pushed the thoughts away almost angrily. He was just about to slip into the cool water when he heard the radio below crackle to life.
"Harriman? You there? Come on answer! I don't have all day!" he heard Starke yell.
Afraid something was wrong at home, he rose quickly, laying his snorkeling gear on the deck and hurried below, water puddling at his feet.
"I'm here, Jiggs. What's wrong?" he asked in concern as he seated himself by the radio.
"What's wrong is you diving into 30 foot seas to rescue some man you don't know! That's what's wrong!" he blustered.
Nelson was quiet for a long time and Starke was afraid they had lost the connection. "You there, Harriman?"
"I'm here. Just trying to figure out what you're talking about."
"Come on. It was on the news, my friend."
"I don't know what you're talking about. I wasn't on any news."
"Yes, actually you were and don't blame that young family. They told the news people you were some anonymous savior, just as I suspect you asked them to do. However, someone took pictures of you at the dock and the news people are broadcasting it. People here want to know you're all right."
"People as in Lee and Chip?"
"And Angie," she yelled.
"Shit, Jiggs! Is everyone listening?"
"They're worried, Harriman. Me too."
Nelson was quiet for a long time, thinking. The winds had been good since he'd left the coast and he was pretty far south from where the wreck had happened. Thinking they might be persuaded that he was still heading north, he sighed heavily and said, "I'm fine. Stiff and a bit sore but fine. All right? I'm just glad I got there when I did. If I hadn't…"
"Do you know you could have died?" Lee yelled. "Jumping into heavy seas…"
"I had a harness on, Lee. I was fine," he said rubbing his sore shoulder.
"A…a harness! What if you had been hit by that sailboat and knocked unconscious or…?"
"Lee, breathe slowly. I said I was fine now could I get back to what I was doing?"
"Where are you?" Lee asked harshly.
"On my boat somewhere in the Pacific. That's all you need to know."
"Admiral…"
"Lee, please. I'm fine. Say I just remembered! How was the cruise? Did everything go well?" he asked trying to distract him.
"The cruise went fine. Would have been a lot better if you had gone along, sir. Uh…not that Admiral Park…I mean…"
"Stow it, Captain. I understand," Park said with a smile.
"That's good," Harry said a bit sadly.
After a few moments of silence, Jiggs said, "Look Harriman why don't you ease up on the no contact stuff? Give Lee your radio frequency. It's not like he can track you with it. And it would keep him out of my hair," he said gruffly.
"I guess it's not a problem. And it will be good to talk to someone every once in a while," Harry said with a smile. "Anything else?"
"Just another plea for you to come home, sir," Angie said quietly.
Nelson was silent for a bit. "I…I wish I could, Angie. But…I…I can't. I'm sorry. I…I'd better get back to steering this boat."
"Be safe, Admiral," Lee said softly.
"You, too, Lee."
"Good-bye, Admiral," Angie said softly.
"Good-bye, Angie. Nelson out."
Harry sat for a long time staring blankly into space feeling his friends calling him home. It wouldn't be hard to set a new course, one further south east to Santa Barbara. He'd be there in a few days. But he closed his eyes and saw the dead faces again and he knew he couldn't. Feeling his boat shudder, he went up on deck and spotted storm clouds off to the west. His plans for a quick swim forgotten, he grabbed the discarded life vest, buckling it on quickly and changed course to try to avoid the storm, doing his best to push the sadness that filled him away. Whether he was right or not in what he had chosen to do, this was his life now and he needed to get used to it.
~O~
The days passed slowly for Harry. Some days he spent watching whales as they breached in the distance or enjoyed the antics of the dolphins that rode his bow as he sailed. He filled notebooks with his observations or ideas that filled his head for inventions or improvements to Seaview, or the Institute or FS-1or questions he wanted the answers to. But the long days and longer nights alone were getting to him and he longed to reach shore soon. He looked forward to the conversations he had with Lee and Chip over the radio. Even Sharkey and Jamieson joined in sometimes. He kept abreast of what was going on with the Institute when Angie would join in or Roy Park or when Lucius could be pried from the lab. Edith still refused to let go of the hurt and was cool to him whenever she would talk to him. And whenever a call ended, he would endure the longing to be home.
Less than two days sail north of Hawaii, a storm came up that he found he could not navigate around. Big, black clouds framed the horizon and Nelson hopped to readying his boat for the coming blow. He checked his safety vest and made sure he was tethered to the boat securely then reefed his mainsail and deployed his sea anchor. Water began to spray over the bow, drenching him and he knew it was going to be a big blow. Feeling the waves begin to deepen and the wind pick up, he knew he needed to get below where it was safe. Going overboard was not something he wanted right now. Checking his boat once more, he was satisfied he had done all he could and after a quick scan of the horizon, went below and closed the hatch, settling himself down to ride out the storm.
The storm roared throughout most of the night and The Icarus was tossed about wildly by the huge waves but she, and Harry, seemed to ride it out well, although one of his forward hatches sprang a leak, drenching not only his bedroom but some of the instruments. When the seas slackened a bit and the wind died down to a level he felt it safe to move around the cabin in, he did a quick check of the damage the water had done, and found to his disgust his autopilot and his marine radio were inoperable. Although he had a spare radio which he quickly set to installing, sailing with only one radio wasn't something he wanted to attempt when sailing on open waters.
When the seas finally calmed enough, Harry went up on deck to assess the damage there and found his antenna lying on the deck and his storm sail in shreds. The damages done to The Icarus, although not devastating, needed to be repaired before he could continue on. Checking his position, he nodded in satisfaction as he saw how close he was to the Hawaiian Islands. Although his original intention had been to find a marina on the less populated island of Kauai to restock his supplies and rest for a few days before continuing on, he began to think he would have a better chance of finding someone to repair the damages to his boat on Oahu. He knew the risks of landing on an island that housed a large naval base such as Pearl Harbor, but he felt certain he would be able to remain incognito. Just a few days there for rest, repairs and restocking and he would be off.
Verifying his position once more, he set a course for Oahu, intending to find a small marina away from the naval base and prayed he wasn't making a mistake. Going below, he grabbed his wet bedding and hauled it topside, laying it out in the now beautiful tropical sun to dry. Glancing about at the horizon, he was satisfied the storm was headed off to his southeast and he relaxed a bit. With luck he would be safe and sound in a marina by late tomorrow, earlier if the winds that were blowing now continued. Lee's face flashed before him and he frowned as he felt sure his friend would worry when he didn't maintain contact.
~O~
Late the next day, Harry motored into a small marina on Oahu, hopefully far enough away from Pearl Harbor. He knew he was taking a chance on being recognized but he was tired of only himself for company and he needed to make repairs and restock his supplies before leaving again. Plus, he was just plain exhausted from the minimal sleep he had been getting. He knew eventually he was going to make a serious miscalculation that might cost him his life if he didn't sleep for longer than a few minutes at a time soon.
His hair had grown longer over the weeks he had been gone and was usually wind swept, not the carefully combed hair Admiral Nelson sported. That along with a beard he had started growing the day he had left Santa Barbara and dark sunglasses were hopefully adequate to hiding his identity from anyone that may know him. Tying up at the slip he'd chosen and paying the mooring fees quickly, Harry looked about the area and found a phone nearby. Figuring he should call Lee in case he was worried, he pushed his exhaustion away, grabbed some money from his pocket and hurried to the phone.
The phone rang a few times before he heard Lee's brusque, "What?"
"You really need to work on your phone etiquette, Lee," Harry said, laughing.
"Admiral! Where have you been? We've been calling you for the past two days! What the hell happened?"
"Calm down, Lee! I ran into a storm that took my antenna and radio out. I made port just now and called you because I knew you would be worried. I'm fine. Boat's almost fine. How are you?"
"Better now that I know you aren't lying on the bottom of the sea. What port are you in?"
"Ha, you don't give up do you? It's a fairly nice port from what I've seen. Not sure of the name just yet. I'm hoping they have food because I'm tired of my own cooking."
"You could solve that by coming home, sir."
"Yes, yes I could, Lee. But I won't. If this is what I have to do to keep you and others safe, then that's what I'll do. So tell me what's going on? Any missions? I seem to have lost track of time."
The two friends talked for awhile until the growling in Harry's stomach forced him to end the call with a promise that he would call again tomorrow.
Turning, Harry spotted a restaurant and headed for it, hoping they had steak on the menu as he was more than ready for one.
~O~
The next day Harry awoke to the sounds of seagulls that called raucously and the roar of boat motors. Glancing at his watch he was surprised to see he had slept for almost fourteen hours straight! The past weeks with little sleep had caught up to him. Rising slowly, he set about making a quick breakfast with lots of coffee before he headed out to see about getting his antenna and hatch repaired, his sail replaced and a new autopilot and radio purchased.
One filling breakfast, three cups of coffee and several hours later, he had discovered that everyone seemed to be quite busy and didn't have the time to look over what he needed repaired but would let him know when some time freed up for them to check his boat out. Disgusted that he would have to wait for the repairs to be done, he walked along the marina watching in amusement at some children that were trying to fish from the dock. He continued his exploration, stopping for lunch at a little restaurant before walking on, turning around shortly after that and heading back to his boat.
The rest of the day wore on slowly. He'd taken the time to restock some of his food supplies as well as other items he was running low on and was sitting on the deck, attempting to read but found it hard to concentrate, his thoughts drifting home.
Later that night, he'd had enough of solitude and decided a good stiff drink and some company was what he needed. Remembering a bar he'd seen earlier in the day, he headed off.
The bar was a rather nondescript, dingy place, commonly called a hole in the wall in some places, but it seemed to have the necessary requirement and that was booze. Harry entered slowly, his eyes flitting about, categorizing all the occupants quickly before making his way inside and climbing up on a barstool and ordering a bourbon. Taking a long swallow, he glanced about him at the people that surrounded him. Luckily he saw no one he knew and no uniforms and he relaxed a bit. He hadn't wanted to come to Oahu but with the damage done by the storm he couldn't risk going farther than the marina he had finally found a slip at—one that was way too close to Pearl Harbor and any one of a number of people that might recognize him.
Scanning the crowd again, his eyes settled on an attractive woman in her mid-forties seated across from him. One hand was curled protectively about a long necked bottle of local beer and the other held open what looked to be a textbook of some sort. Glancing at her quickly, he felt a flare of attraction for the woman envelop him and he leaned back in his seat as if he had been hit, surprised at his reaction. It had been a few years since his Maria had died and he had yet to find a woman that triggered the response he'd just had…not that he had been looking for one. His surprise mingled with a flash of guilt and he studiously avoided looking at the woman. But out of curiosity, he raised his eyes to her again and was filled with a sense of familiarity and he frowned. For some reason he felt sure he had seen the woman before and he studied her for a bit, trying to figure out where he knew her from. Her light brown hair fell to her shoulders in wispy curls and she absently pulled a strand behind her ear as she read attentively whatever tome lay before her. Where did he know her from? The dimness in the bar hindered his scrutiny and he decided he should stop his perusal before she noticed.
A few swallows of his drink later, he noticed a rather tall man with a sneer on his face approaching her from the side and tensed as he interpreted the man's intentions. Leaning close he whispered something in the woman's ear, something that caused her to go rigid. Harry was just debating whether to intervene when the man suddenly stiffened and fell to the ground. A small satisfied smile graced the woman's lips as she looked down at the man at her feet and said something he couldn't hear. She looked up and noticed Harry watching her with a small smile which she returned, shrugging her shoulders.
It was a few minutes before the man stood, hunched over, glared at her and wobbled out the door.
So, the woman knew how to take care of herself. Good for her he thought before returning to his drink. But where did he know her from? It bothered him that she was familiar but he couldn't seem to place her. It wasn't as though he had seen many people lately, he thought ruefully. Ah, and whose fault was that, Harry?
The bartender at that point approached and she smiled at him, talking animatedly with him. Harry was surprised at the flicker of jealousy he felt shoot through him and he lowered his head. A lot had happened in the time since he'd lost his Maria, and he felt as though he had moved on, or had tried to. In the years since her death, he'd gone on a few dates and while most had gone well, they hadn't gone well enough for a second. He found it hard to stop thinking of Maria's face, her smile, her laughter and unfairly compared every woman he saw to her. So it was with surprise, coupled with guilt, that he felt attraction and now jealousy for the woman across from him as he watched her give the man that must be half her age a quick hug and stood. Grabbing her book and a bag he hadn't noticed, she walked out the door.
Sitting still on the barstool, he tried hard to ignore the voice in his head that urged him to follow her, uncertain why he should. But finally he listened, gulped the rest of his drink, paid for it and slipped from his seat quickly. Hoping to catch up to her, uncertain what he would do if he did, he looked around the outside of the bar, and was sad to discover the lady had disappeared. Shrugging, he thought it was for the best as she might have recognized him even in the dim light and started back towards his boat taking his time as he didn't relish another long night alone. He hadn't gone far when he heard a muffled scream and he hurried in the direction he thought it came from.
Turning the corner in a darkened alley, he saw the woman from the bar being held tightly from behind by a man he had noticed earlier leave the bar and the man that had crumbled at the woman's feet was standing in front of her, leaning close and gripping her shirt in his hands.
"Hey! Back off and leave the lady alone!" he yelled hoping they would indeed back off. But they didn't and the man in front stalked towards him his fists clenched.
"What's it to you old man?"
"Old man? That's a bit harsh and rather inaccurate," Harry said circling the man and keeping the other man in his sights. "Let the woman go."
"And if we don't?"
"Well, then this old man is going to make you wish you had done what I asked," he said quietly.
The thug laughed and turned to his friend. "You hear that, Ben? He's gonna make us wish we'd listened. Pretty funny, huh?" he said just before he launched himself at Harry who sidestepped him easily, throwing a quick punch to the back of his head. Putting out a foot, he tripped the man who fell heavily to the ground. He glanced quickly to the man that held the woman in front of him, satisfied he hadn't moved, then looked back to the first man who had jumped to his feet with a knife in his hand. Harry waited, on the balls of his feet watching the man as he circled him, waving the knife at him. When the man suddenly thrust, Harry took a few steps back and kicked out trying to catch the knife but the blade, slid along his leg and opened a wound. Grimacing in pain, Harry regained his balance and waited until the man came at him again. This time he sidestepped him again, grabbed the hand the man held the knife in and brought it down forcefully on his leg and elbowed him in the face, smiling as he fell to the ground and lay still.
Looking about he saw the woman bring her foot up into the crotch of her captor, who groaned loudly. She slipped easily from his grasp and Harry smiled as her attacker slid to the ground with his knees drawn up. Staring up into his eyes, she picked up her bag, grabbed his hand and dragged him down the alley and towards a well lit area.
When they had reached the main street, they stopped and looked behind them.
"I don't think they'll follow. They aren't the brightest but they eventually learn," she said with a smile as she looked up into his face. "I'm sorry they dragged you into our little disagreement."
"Disagreement? Is that what that was?" he laughed, turning his eyes to hers and noticing with pleasure, the woman by his side was a few inches shorter than he was.
"Jimmy hasn't learned that I am not his girlfriend. Not now not ever. Usually I wait until my nephew is off work to leave and we head out together but I got bored tonight and decided I'd had enough of watching people get drunk."
"Nephew?" Harry asked.
"The bartender is my brother's son. He's working his way through U of H," she said, laughing. "He has classes during the day and works at the bar nights so I don't see much of him. I wanted to spend some time with him tonight to see how his classes were going, so I went to the bar."
"Ah," Harry said with a smile. "And the book?"
"Defense against boredom but tonight neither of the books I brought held my interest," she said patting the bag that held her weapons of choice.
"Don't you think we should call the police?" Harry asked.
"Involving the police…well, I'd rather not. Jimmy and his friend aren't worth it and after tonight, I think he may have finally gotten the message. Thanks to you."
"Glad I could help."
They continued walking down the street when the woman noticed Harry limping. "You're hurt! Why didn't you say something?"
"It's nothing," Harry said looking down at the blood on his pant leg. "Well, mostly nothing. I guess he nicked me a bit."
"Come on," she said grabbing his elbow. "My apartment is right around the corner."
Harry thought about protesting as he would with Jamie, but there was something about the woman that made him want to follow. If he could ever see her in better light, he might be able to figure out where he knew her from; hopefully without her recognizing him.
They reached an apartment building shortly and walked inside, taking the elevator to the third floor and heading down the short hall.
"Here," she said opening the door and walking in. "Sit down there and I'll get some bandages."
"You know, Miss…"
"Cara. My name is Cara Myers," she said as she came back in the room with a first aid kit.
"You really haven't learned your lesson about trusting people have you? You don't know me at all and yet here I am sitting in your apartment."
"If you were the kind of man that likes to hurt women, you wouldn't have intervened back there. You would have joined in."
"I can't help but feel that's faulty reasoning," he said with a frown.
"Nevertheless, you're here so let me look at your leg and clean it up at least," she said pursing her lips as she looked at the long cut.
Nelson studied the woman that knelt at his feet cleaning the cut on his leg and tried not to flinch when she dabbed antiseptic on it. He was positive he knew her but from where?
"Well, it's not too bad. You don't need stitches," she said as she finished cleaning the wound and wrapped gauze around it.
"Thank you. I could have told you that," Harry said softly as he lowered his pant leg.
She looked up in amusement. "Don't like being taken care of?"
"Not usually," he said looking at her closely, taking in her pale blue eyes and deeply sun-tanned skin. Hers was a rather attractive face and Nelson felt drawn to her. He frowned a bit as guilt whispered in his ear.
"So, fairs fair, you know my name. What's yours?"
"Harry," he said simply.
"Harry huh? Just Harry?"
"Yep. Just Harry."
"So what do you do, just Harry?"
"Right now, not much. Just sailing across the Pacific."
"From?"
"Santa…San Diego. What about you? What do you do" he asked turning the attention away from him and to her.
"I work at the Puna Kula Marine Lab in Oahu as a marine biologist. I've been there for a few years now," she said without looking up as she put the first aid supplies away.
"Oh? You're a marine biologist?" he asked uneasily, struggling to remember if NIMR had had any contracts with Puna Kula.
"Yep."
"What…uh what area of research?"
"Coral reefs and their decline, right now. Ever since I earned my doctorate from the University of Hawaii, I've spent most of my time diving, examining our coral and coral around the world that are dying off."
"That's interesting research," he said glancing at her quickly. She smiled and stared at him closely until Harry looked away. "What theories are you positing to the decline?"
"Theories? You sound like more than just a sea tramp," she said laughing.
"I like to read. Marine biology is a…hobby," he finished lamely. He knew he was treading dangerous waters here but she was becoming very interesting to him. The attraction he felt for her coupled with her love of the sea was very appealing. The knowledge it had been a long time since he had talked with someone of theories and marine life eased his defenses and he relaxed.
The two scientists talked for awhile about coral reefs and the peril the world oceans were in until Harry realized it was late.
"I'm sorry to keep you up talking so long. I should go but it was a pleasure to have met you, Doctor Myers. I wish you luck in your research."
"Thank you. And please call me Cara," she said softly staring at him in question again. "You know, I keep thinking I know you but I don't know from where."
"I guess I have that kind of face," he said turning away quickly and opening the door.
"No, I don't think you do. But I do thank you for intervening in my disagreement with Jimmy."
"My pleasure," Harry said softly. "Good night."
Cara closed the door behind Harry and stared at it for a few minutes. "I know I know you, Harry but from where?" Shaking her head, she turned away and headed for her bed, knowing her alarm would be going off way too soon.
Harry walked slowly back to his boat, not relishing the idea of the long night ahead. It had been so good to talk to someone about the things he was passionate about. Dr. Myers' research was interesting and if he were still the head of NIMR he would have welcomed her to do some studies under NIMR sponsorship. But, he wasn't and he couldn't offer her anything right now. Maybe once he left the Islands he could put her in touch with Lucius.
Reaching his boat, he sighed and climbed aboard. Another long night stretched out in front of him. He only hoped the nightmares stayed away tonight. Going below, he grabbed a bottle of Scotch and poured some into a glass, climbed back up on the deck and seated himself wearily, vainly trying to see the stars through the lights that outlined the piers.
He sipped the drink as he thought over the past weeks. The long sail had been rather uneventful save for a few storms, one that had threatened to derail his plans, and a period of a few days with no winds that had sorely tried his patience as he waited for the wind to freshen. He'd thought that by now he would be adjusting to the situation…the loneliness…but found his heart ached just as much as it did when he'd first left. Finishing his drink, he sighed as he thought of his friends, wondering what the day ahead held for them. And him.
"Good night, Lee, Chip," he whispered as he looked in the general direction of California, rose and went below, not looking forward to what the new day might bring.
~O~
The next day, Harry, to his disgust, awoke rather late again and after a quick meal, hurried out, looking for someone to make the repairs he needed to his boat as soon as possible. Finally after a few hours wandering around and asking for suggestions from some of the other boat owners at the marina, he headed for a small repair shop called KLK Marine Services.
Rounding a corner he saw the shop ahead and headed for it with a small smile.
"Hello?" he called as he entered the shop, looking about at the array of parts and equipment.
"Hey! You need somethin'?" a tall Hawaiian man with long black hair pulled back into a pony tail, called out from behind Harry.
"Yeah, I do. I got caught in a storm a few days ago. Lost my antenna and my storm sail. I also sprung a leak in one of my forward hatches that soaked my electronics. I need a new autopilot and radio if you have one as well as someone to fix my hatch, sail and antenna," Harry said. "Is there any chance I could get repairs done soon?"
"Well, that storm did a lotta damage to a lotta boats. I'm kinda busy," he said with a grimace as he looked about at the work that needed doing.
Harry frowned as it was the same answer he'd gotten from the other places he'd been to. Being this close to Pearl was making him very itchy to be away.
"How about if I throw in a bonus?" he asked, trying a new tactic. "You get the repairs done by the end of the week and I'll give you an extra $500?"
The Hawaiian looked at Harry in speculation for a moment, taking in the quality of the clothes the man wore and, deciding he was good for the money, agreed. "Well, that might help. Give me your info and I'll see what I can do. What marina you at?"
"Lanikai. Over on…"
"I know the place. I can head over there…late this afternoon? Say…4:00? Check things out? See what you need and what I got."
"That sounds great. I'll be there. Here's my boat slip number and my boat's name," Harry said with a relieved smile as he wrote the slip number and the boat name down on a piece of paper and handed it to the man, assuring him he'd be around and left.
Pleased he'd found someone at least interested in helping him get back to sea and his journey, he walked aimlessly down the street gazing in storefronts when he felt the first pangs of hunger. Glancing about for a place to eat, he spotted a little restaurant not far from the marina he was docked at called Keilani's Café and headed for it.
Entering, he pulled his ever-present sunglasses from his face and was surprised to find the place packed with diners. He was just about to turn around and head back out when he felt someone bump him from behind.
"Oh I'm sorry!" a familiar voice said. "So many people in here today. I…Harry? Is that you?"
Turning to the woman who had bumped into him, he smiled weakly at her. "Dr. Myers, I…what a surprise."
"It's Cara and yes it is. I see you found one of the best cheap eats on the island!" she said with a big smile.
"Ah…if you say so. Looks like I won't be trying any of their offerings today," he said with a weak grin, gesturing to the crowd.
"Yes, it is crowded. Usually is around this time of the day though."
"Yes, well, I think I'll head out and look for a slightly less crowded place. It…it was good to see you again," he said, nodding to Cara and turning away.
"Harry! I…I have a table already if you'd like to share," Cara called to him before he got to the door. "I was just getting some mustard."
"I wouldn't want to intrude," he said trying to head out the door.
"You aren't. I'm all alone actually. Kind of makes me feel…like people are feeling sorry for me. You know? You're…you're welcome to join me," she said softly as she began to walk backwards towards her table, bumping into a few more people on the way.
A little voice inside Harry's head told him to run and he glanced at the door quickly. Another voice, a bit louder than the other, told him to stay. After a few seconds debate, and one large growl from his stomach, he chose the latter and followed her to a small table by a window. "I…I'd like that. Thank you."
"No problem. I'll enjoy the company."
"No friends or family to share your meal with?" Harry asked quietly as he looked over the menu.
"Oh, of course. But today's my day off and most of my friends are working right now. And my family…well, I don't need a lecture from my brothers about how I should find a man and settle down," she said in a disgusted tone and waving an interesting looking sandwich in the air. "Not that my social life, or any part of my life, is any of their concern."
"So, Jimmy isn't a viable dinner companion?" Harry asked in amusement.
Cara nearly choked on her food at his question. "Um…no. If my brothers knew about Jimmy's…let's say attentions…they'd be here in a flash to protect me."
"So not datable material. I would have to agree. Where did you meet him anyway?"
"Jimmy runs scuba tours out of Waikiki. I went there a few weeks ago with some friends to take a dive tour out to Turtle Canyon to watch sea turtles. Jimmy fixated on me it seems. He shows up in a disturbing number of places that I find it hard to believe are a coincidence."
"Sounds like a stalker," Harry said with a scowl after he'd ordered a cheeseburger and fries. "I still say you should contact the police."
"Yes. I suppose. Hopefully he got the message last night."
"Hopefully," Harry said quietly as he tried to avoid looking at the woman across from him who seemed to study him closely.
"Uh, so there isn't a special man in your life?" Harry asked, immediately kicking himself at the question. What are you doing, Nelson? You need to go. Now. Before she figures out who you are. Stop sitting here asking her questions about her social life.
"Not right now," Cara said quietly, apparently not bothered by the question. "I…was engaged. A few years ago. Luckily, I saw him for what he was and dumped him. My work usually keeps me pretty busy. And happy. What about you? Anyone special?"
"No. No, there's no one special," he said softly as Maria's face floated in front of him again, unwilling to talk to the woman across from him about his loss.
At that point, Harry's meal came and he began to wolf it down, deciding he needed to get out of there and away from Cara's probing 'I know I know you' gaze.
Their meals devoured, Harry took the check before Cara could grab it and stood. "My treat. Payment for allowing me to share your table. And for your first aid skills," he said with a smile, gesturing to his leg.
"Thank you but that's not necessary."
"Ah but it is," he said in "a don't argue" voice.
"Well, thank you," she said softly as Harry paid and they left the small restaurant, walking down the street.
"So what's on today's exciting agenda?" she asked after a few moments.
"Not much. I've been oversleeping lately and got a late start to the day. But I finally found someone that may be able to make repairs on my boat quickly so that, coupled with a lunch spent with a beautiful woman, makes the day a pretty good one already."
Cara shook her head and smiled. "You always such a flatterer?"
"I've been told that a few times, yes," he said with a bark of laugh. "But it's only flattery if it's not true and not given to further one's own interests."
"So no hidden agenda with you?" she asked with a mischievous smile.
Harry was silent for a moment then said, "No, Cara. No hidden agenda."
Cara watched him out of the corner of her eye as they walked down the street, feeling once again a strong sense of familiarity coupled with a deep attraction for the enigma that walked beside her. Intelligent, educated, handsome and well off, he was definitely not the humble transient sailor who dabbled in marine biology that he wanted her to think he was.
"Well, I should head back to the marina. I have someone coming shortly to look over my boat. Hopefully start repairs on it today," he said when they had reached the marina. "It…it was a pleasure to see you again. Thank you again for sharing your table."
"It was my pleasure, Harry. I…I hope to see you again."
"Yes, well…I don't know how long I'll be here but it was good to meet you. Good luck in your research," he said as he started to back away down the pier.
"Thank you," she said softly as he turned and walked away. She watched him for a time as he headed out to the outermost pier of the marina and frowned. "Who are you really, Harry? I know I know you. There's just something about those eyes of yours when you don't have those blasted sunglasses on. So frustrating," she said as she turned and walked off, fuming at the fact she could not place how she knew him.
Harry watched from his boat as Cara walked away. "You're flirting with discovery, Nelson. Keep this up and she'll figure it out," he said to himself.
"You talking to me?" a voice from the bow of his boat asked.
Startled, Harry walked down the deck to find the man from the repair shop sitting on the deck, the broken hatch beside him.
"I thought you said 4:00?" Harry said glancing at his watch and wondering how long he had been at lunch with Cara.
Giving an inelegant shrug, the man said, "I had some free time. So…I come check your problems. Autopilot easy fix. I got a spare in my shop. Radio I can get tomorrow maybe. Hatch and antenna…not so easy to fix. Have to order both. I don't see many boats like this one so I don't have the spares. Sail…I have someone that will fix you up with that. Be here tomorrow morning. Or the next."
Harry sighed and ran a hand over his face. "How long to get the parts for the antenna and hatch?"
If I put the order in now…day after tomorrow or day after that. Depends if the place has them in stock. Might be longer."
"Not sooner?"
"Nope. You want me to order them?"
"Yes. Yes please," Harry said, trying to tamp down his impatience as the repairman put the broken hatch back on and stood.
"I'll let you know when the parts come in. My sail guy can be here tomorrow. Probably. No need for you to be here. You can pay me and I'll pay him."
"Thank you. I do appreciate you taking the time to come down," he said as he escorted the repairman off the boat and watched him walk slowly up the pier.
"Looks like I'm here for the duration. What am I going to do for the next few days stranded here?" he said out loud. Smiling, he thought that there were probably more than a few people that would love to be stranded in paradise.
But Harry felt as if his forced beaching was going to cost him. He was too close to a major naval base. And too close to a woman that knew him but hadn't figured out how yet. A woman that he found himself strangely attracted to. "All I have to do is stay out of her way. Easy on an island this size," he said with a shrug. Sighing he went below. "You really need to stop talking to yourself, Nelson before they put you away."