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“I knew.” Madison’s voice cracks as she snuggles in beside me.
I put my arm around her shoulders and scoot closer.
“I know you all thought the hand wasn’t his,” Madison says.
“We wanted to think that,” I say.
“I wanted to, too, but after a while, I couldn’t. I kept thinking what if you guys were wrong, what if someone did really kill him, and that was his hand and—”
She gulps, and I hug her. Kit crouches in front of me and motionsat my leg. I pull up the leg of my sweatpants. My calf is scraped, and it’ll bruise, but it’s fine.
Compared to Nate, I’m completely fine.
“Did you bring him back?” Madison asks.
“We can’t,” I say.
She twists. “What?”
“I’ll be the asshole here,” Garrett says, “since you already think I am, kiddo. It’s a crime scene. We can’t mess up the evidence more than we accidentally did.”
Madison is quiet for a moment. Then she nods, her voice small when she says, “You’re right.”
“He is,” Jayla says. “As soon as we’re back on shore, Garrett will contact the police. They’ll take it from there, and we’ll make sure Nate is treated right. A proper investigation and a proper burial.”
“So, do we wait for Sadie?” Madison says. “Stay here until she sends someone for us?”
“Shewillsend someone,” Garrett says. “But I’m not sure I want to wait for that. She’ll be embarrassed that she took off with the boat, so she’ll send someone else, which means waiting for business hours.”
“She has no reason to think we need rescue,” I say. “We’d spent the evening drinking beer and toasting marshmallows. There’s no rush to come get us.”
“It’ll be dawn soon,” Garrett says. “What are our options? You’ve got a canoe, right?”
I nod. “A canoe, kayak, and stand-up paddleboard.”
“A double kayak? Or can two people fit on the paddleboard?”
I shake my head. “The paddleboard is for one, and it’s not made for crossing Lake Superior. The kayak’s a single, and I wouldn’t cross on it either.”
“I could handle it,” Garrett says.
“It’s Lake Superior,” Madison says.
Garrett’s brow furrows, as if that was a non sequitur.
“One of the construction guys fell in and got pulled under,” shesays. “He nearly drowned. It’s nasty and it’s deep. Over athousand feetdeep. There are hundred-year-old wrecks with preserved bodies still on board.”
“Laney and Madison are right,” Kit says. “No one is heading for shore on the kayak or paddleboard. Laney and I can take the canoe.” He looks at me. “Is that okay?”
“I’ll go with you,” Garrett says.
“Kit and I have done it before,” I say. “That wind’s picking up, and the sooner we get out, the better. It’s a tough enough trek in calm water.”
“You’ll wear life vests?” Jayla says.
“They always do,” Madison says. “Even when I’m not here.”
“Safety first,” I quip.
