Эд Макбейн - Last Summer

“Is she on the student council?”

“No, I don’t think so. Are you?”

“Yes, I’m my class representative.”

“You’re both putting me to sleep,” Sandy said, and yawned.

“What’s going on up there?” David shouted.

“They’re swapping biographies,” Sandy shouted.

“Did you tell her you’re on the swimming team?” David shouted.

I shrugged and said, “I’m on the swimming team.”

“Really?”

“Mmm.”

“You look like a swimmer.”

“How does a swimmer look?” I said, and grinned.

“Oh, I don’t know.”

“We were undefeated last year,” I said.

“He was the only soph on the varsity team, too,” Sandy said.

“You must be very good.”

“Well, I’m okay, I guess.”

“He’s the best swimmer I know,” Sandy said.

“Will you be teaching me?” Rhoda asked.

“We’ll all teach you,” Sandy said, and sat up. Turning her back to Rhoda, she said, “Would you fasten me, please, Rhoda?” and then said, over her shoulder, “Why do you wear such creepy bathing suits?”

“Me?” Rhoda said, tying the bra top.

“Mmm.”

“I don’t know.” She raised her eyebrows, pulled a small grimace, and then looked down at her suit. “ Is it creepy?”

“Well, sure it is.”

“Really?”

“Let’s say it’s not exactly what they’re showing in Seventeen. ”

“I’m not sure I’m interested in what they’re showing in Seventeen, ” Rhoda said. She looked down at the suit again. “ Is it creepy, Peter?”

“It’s pretty creepy,” I said.

“In what way?”

“It’s too mature for you.”

“It covers too much,” Sandy said.

“Well, I have a fair complexion.”

“Like Snow White,” Sandy said.

“Snow...?”

“The famous Pine Street lawyer.”

“What?”

“Skip it.”

“I don’t understand.”

“You should get a bikini,” Sandy said.

“All the kids are wearing them,” I said.

“Well...” Rhoda said, and blushed.

“Yes?” Sandy said.

“Well...”

“Say it.”

“Nothing.”

“You’d look marvelous in one,” Sandy said.

“I’d be embarrassed.”

“That’s ridiculous. Wouldn’t she look marvelous, Peter?”

“Sure. All the kids are wearing them, Rhoda.”

“Well, I don’t think my father would like me wearing a bikini.”

“What’s he got to do with it?”

“I just don’t think he’d like it. He’s sort of stuffy about things like that.”

“He looks at girls in bikinis, doesn’t he?”

“Yes, but...”

“So?”

“I’m his daughter.”

“Everybody’s somebody’s daughter.”

“Except me, ” I said.

“Yok yok.”

“What was that?” David yelled. “Somebody come take this damn tiller.”

“Do you want the tiller, Peter?”

“Come on,” I said to Rhoda, “I’ll teach you how to steer.”

“You go do it alone,” Sandy said. “Rhoda and I have to discuss her bikini.”

I went back to the stern and said, “They’re discussing Rhoda’s bikini.”

“That sounds like an interesting discussion,” David said. “Do you want another beer?”

“I would very much like to have another beer,” I said. “What’s our course, quartermaster?”

“Three-four-zero,” David said, “sighting on the fishing boat out there.”

“Isn’t she underway?”

“Not for the past ten minutes.”

“Roger.”

“Wilco.”

“Over.”

“Under.”

“Out,” David said, and went to get me a bottle of beer.

I felt very good. David uncapped the bottle for me and brought it back to the tiller, and I sat with the polished wood under my right arm, my legs stretched out, the bottle to my lips. From the bow, I heard David laugh and saw Sandy drawing a set of curves in the air with her hands. Rhoda laughed, too, her lips pulling back over her teeth, the metal bands glinting in the sunshine. I studied her carefully and decided she would look pretty good in a bikini, Sandy was right. After a while, the fishing boat began moving slowly east, so I sighted on the Coast Guard light marking the shoal, keeping it just off the starboard bow, until Violet’s island came into view.

“There she is,” I yelled.

“Where?” Rhoda said.

“Dead ahead.”

“See her?” David said.

“Yes, now I do.”

“Should be there in twenty minutes or so,” I said. “Sandy, why don’t you get one of those life preservers from under the berths?”

“What for?”

“So we can get Rhoda into the shallow water.”

“Good idea,” Sandy said, and went below.

There was another boat in the cove when we reached Violet’s island.

“We’ve got company,” Sandy said.

“Nuts,” I said.

“Do you see anybody?”

“No.”

“Where do you suppose they are?”

“Who knows?” David said. “The hell with them. Let’s go ashore, anyway?”

“Is it deep here?” Rhoda asked, peering fearfully over the side.

“We can’t go in any closer,” David said.

“I’m just afraid it’ll be too deep.”

“Put this on,” I said, handing her the life jacket. “You can’t possibly sink with this on.”

“Are you sure?”

“Positive. And we’ll guide you into the shallow water. No, tie it across the front there, that’s right.”

“I still don’t see anybody,” Sandy said. “Where are the binoculars?”

“I’ll get them,” David said, and went aft.

“Do I tie all of them?”

“Here you go,” David said, handing the binoculars to Sandy, who put them immediately to her eyes. “See anything?”

“No.”

“They’re probably walking the island.”

“Do you think we should go ashore?” Sandy asked.

“Why not?”

“I was thinking of our narrow escape on the mainland.”

“What narrow escape?” Rhoda asked, looking up.

“Privileged information,” David said. He took the binoculars from Sandy and scanned the beach. “There’s a woman’s beach bag on the blanket there,” he said. “I don’t think we have anything to worry about.”

“So let’s go,” I said.

“Do I have to jump in?” Rhoda asked.

“It’s really not deep at all,” I said. “Just put your left hand on top of the jacket here, to hold it down...”

“Why?”

“So it won’t hit you under the chin when you jump in.”

“Oh. All right. Like this?”

“That’s right. And then hold your nose with your right hand. Cross it over your other arm. That’s the way.”

“Shall I go now?” Rhoda asked, holding her nose between her thumb and forefinger.

“I’ll go in first,” I said.

“Okay,” she said, still holding her nose.

“You can let go of your nose until you’re ready to jump.”

“Okay,” she said.

I went to the side and dove in. The water was clear and cold. I swam underwater some ten feet from the boat, my eyes open, pulling with my arms, keeping my legs tightly together and not kicking, just seeing how much speed I could get up using my arms alone. I surfaced then and pushed the hair out of my eyes and waved to Rhoda where she stood poised on the starboard side amidships.

“Okay,” I said, “come on in.”

“You’re too far away,” she shouted.

“Okay, just a second,” I said, and breast stroked to about four feet away from the boat. “Okay.”

“Will you stay with me when I’m in?” she asked.

“Sure.”

“Okay,” she said.

“Okay, so come on.”

She hesitated a moment longer and then grasped the top of the jacket with one hand, crossed her other arm over it, held her nose, and jumped in. She sank below the surface for only an instant, until the jacket popped her out of the water. I was at her side immediately.