Katherine Page - The Body in the Kelp

Two large ships lobbed fiery shots at each other on the ground. Then, just as they were disappearing, the sky above was filled with tiers of brilliantly colored light. Huge chrysanthemums that looked as if they were made of gold dust exploded and drifted lazily down toward the sea.

The whole fair was frozen in intense light.

And every time he heard an explosion, Ben crowed with delight and clapped his hands.

Catherine wheels spun at eye level and an immense American flag rose and fell. Silvery fish darted across the sky accompanied by piercing whistles. Niagara Falls stretched from a trickle to full force across the field, the magnesium illuminating the workers who were darting from one side to another. There was something familiar about the tallest of them, Faith realized. In the intense light, his red hair and beard glowed like sparks from one of the aerial shells.

“Why, that's John," she exclaimed.

“It's a hobby of his. Told me once he'd been doing it since he was a boy. He works for the fireworks company when they need him," Elliot told her.

John Eggleston looked supremely happy, happier than Faith had ever seen him. Soon his image faded back into the night as the set pieces were extinguished and a hushed crowd waited an instant in total darkness for the end of the show.

The finale was orgasmic and a chorus of ohs echoed across the field as volley after volley rocketed into the sky, sending trails of red, gold, white, blue, and green light shimmering across the darkness. Just when everyone thought it was over, another series would begin. It was perfect.

Faith and Tom were nestled close together, Ben wedged between them.

“I love you, darling," Tom whispered.

“I love you, too.”

The fireworks continued to tumble across the sky. Tom gazed up, then put his hand on Faith's cheek and gently but firmly turned her face toward his.

“I've been so worried about you these last weeks. I had no idea what was going on. Please, please promise me you won't ever get involved like this again.”

That was easy. Faith put her hand over his, looked him straight in the eye, and swore solemnly, "I promise you I will never find a body in the kelp again.”

After all, how much kelp did one normally run across in a lifetime?

Epilogue

From The Ellsworth American

Thursday, Sept. 14

MASSACHUSETTS MINISTER FINDS KING'S RANSOM IN AUCTION BOX LOT

Aleford, Mass.—Monday night, the Rev. Thomas Fairchild of the Aleford First Parish Church was surprised to discover a cache of gold coins disguised as checkers in a box lot of old games his wife had purchased for him at the August 17th Matilda Prescott estate auction held in Sanpere Village.

The coins have been the object of much speculation for years. Said to have belonged to Darnell Prescott, who died in 1960, the coins also figured in the recent arrest and arraignment of Eric Ashley. Mr. Ashley is alleged to have held several people at gunpoint, Mrs. Fairchild included, in the belief that a different box in their possession held the coins. He is also charged in three separate murders.

The coins, uncirculated 1913 and 1920 Eagles and Double Eagles, had been painted black and red and mixed in with an odd assortment of old checkers pieces. The Rev. Fairchild came upon them as he was sorting out the games.

When reached for comment, the Rev. Fairchild said he was "completely stunned," especially as he had believed the story of the gold coins to be "a bit of island lore." When asked what he planned to do with the coins, valued at roughly half a million dollars, he answered, "That's no problem. My wife and I believe the money belongs to the island, and we are returning it by purchasing the Point for The Island Heritage Trust, saving a small part for a summer house of our own.”

“The Point" refers to a parcel of land on Sanpere recently offered for sale.

Faith stopped reading aloud and threw the paper down with a gesture of irritation. Who spotted the box? Who bought it? And what about all that work on the quilt? By all rights the coins were hers. And Pix's. Though of course Pix was delighted with Tom's plan.

“Now, Faith, you know you agree with me."

“So what if I do? It would have been nice to dream for a few days. You didn't have to be so definite. We could have let it run through our fingers a while.”

The gold was in a safe deposit box at the Shawmut Bank, and Tom had breathed an enormous sigh of relief when it got there. It was volatile enough having Faith in the house.

Faith picked up the paper again, the bold headline stretched across four columns and even farther in her mind. She looked at Tom, who was obviously not enjoying the rain on his parade, and felt a twinge, a very small twinge, of guilt. "Well," she reluctantly conceded, "it's all turned out neatly. The Prescotts have their money, the island has its land, and we have a summer house in Maine. I suppose I'll get used to it, darling just so long as we go to the Hamptons first for a vacation.”