Chapter 8

Evelyn took a deep breath, closed her eyes and walked into her fathers office. She knew how angry he would be because she had left the boat. Maybe if she explained to him he would understand, but she worried he wouldn't think her old enough to continue to be the Captain of the ship.

Her father, Troy, was pacing back and forth between his desk and the window. The window that looked out to the boat she had just been on. He stopped pacing as soon as he caught sight of her. Frantically he began signing.

"Where have you been?" He demanded, fire and fright in his eyes. "We were worried sick! Your sister saw you jump off the boat and then she didn't see you again!"

Evelyn signed in return, tears in her eyes. She hated to disappoint her father. "I'm so sorry father, the canners son Adam, he was in his boat and fell into the ocean. I had to help him father, I couldn't let him drown."

Troy took a deep breath and sank into a chair beside his desk. Evelyn had only grown up with her mother for a short time. In that time they had discovered her gift of singing. Her voice was haunting, sweet, able to stop someone in their tracks and make them listen. Her mother had always wanted to hone her daughters talent, to allow her to shine and share her voice with others.

For a few years Evelyn had done just that. Her voice that sounded like an angel, until the day her mother had died. Troy knew Evelyn couldn't remember her mother, that for some reason she had blocked out all of her past memories and the day her mother had died she stopped talking forever. Of course she talked, the doctors said that the shock had caused some sort of permanent vocal cord damage. Some said she could one day regain the ability to speak, while others said it was near to impossible.

He remembered that the last few moments before his beloved wife had died he held her hand and made a promise to make sure Evelyn was always taken care of. She was an old and delicate soul. That her father and sisters must take great care to continue her training in music and let her dream as she always had. After his wife had died and his daughter had gone mute, he was at an end.

Until just a couple of months ago and Evelyn began begging to work on the boats again, she had pleaded and begged. Telling her father all she wanted was to be on the sea. Remembering the promise he had made he allowed her, hoping that the sea would heal her wounds and bring the voice back to his daughter. But had always had had that fear that she would be taken away from him. So he made sure she stayed close.

"Its fine Evelyn, please, just call me if you have saved a mans life and are at the hospital with him," Troy sighed, looking at his daughter. She grinned from ear to ear. "Now go back to your beloved boat and find me my fish!"

Evelyn nodded and ran out the door.

The voice was calm and soothing, it whispered in his ear, setting him on fire. He fought to stay in his dreams as he watched her sing, sitting on a rock in the middle of the ocean. He stretched out his hand, trying to grasp the one she returned to him, their fingertips just met…

Adam cried out as his blue eyes flew open, he tried to sit up but was pushed back down. The Sheriff Emma was standing beside him. "Its okay!" Emma cried out. "You're in the hospital!"

"Where is she?" He gasped, looking around frantically. "Where's Evelyn?"

"She left," Emma said quietly. "She had to get back to her father, something about him being worried or something."

Adam nodded, his eyes far away as he laid back down on the hospital bed. "I have to find her necklace. I know I saw it in the water, I tried to reach for it. I tried to grab it but it was just out of reach. That's when I fell…"he babbled.

Emma nodded. "Its okay, I'll help you look for the necklace. We'll find it. But you need to rest right now."

Adam sat up again. "No, rest is the last thing I need. I've been resting for so long."

"What do you mean?" Emma asked, stepping aside as Adam swung his legs to one side of the bed.

"I was sick." Adam looked up at Emma. "I woke up a few months ago. My father and mother had me in their house and we're taking care of me. My father works with Evelyn's father, he owns the cannery."