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Because honestly, people in town are real y rattled and are
cal ing it magic.” She snorted. “And some are afraid to
even go in a boat now, claiming Bottomless is cursed or
something.”
“Sorry, we’re as baffled as anyone.” He picked up his
laptop and fol owed her out of the cabin. “The geologists
can’t figure it out, either, swearing there wasn’t one warning
sign of an impending earthquake. But what has us
oceanographers real y baffled is that the subterranean river
actual y became a navigable passageway from the Gulf of
Maine to the St. Lawrence Seaway. The underground river
surfaced in seven lakes; six here in Maine and one in
Canada.” He stopped at the bottom of the stairs to face
her. “Each of them appearing almost deliberately spaced
so that ocean mammals can come up for air.”
“Does that mean there real y could be whales in
Bottomless?”
He nodded, gesturing toward the lake. “One of our crew
swears he spotted the biggest sperm whale he’s ever seen
the very first day we were here, and yesterday a pod of
harbor porpoises thought our submersible was a fun little
toy to play with. A wide variety of saltwater creatures are
already cal ing Bottomless home, including crustaceans
that got sucked in with the river’s initial surge.” He gri
“Tel your kids to keep an eye on that new fiord ru
your house and they’l probably spot anything from whales
to harbor seals to sharks, and your flooded pit wil probably
become a sheltered cove for al sorts of tiny sea creatures.”
“Sharks! Does that mean we can’t swim in Bottomless
anymore?”
He shrugged away her concern. “They shouldn’t bother
you any more than they would ocean swimmers. But I’d
keep your kids in the protected coves.”
Peg turned away to hide her shudder. “Thanks for the
heads-up,” she said with a wave over her shoulder.
“Hey, what’s your name?”
She turned and walked back to him with a sheepish
smile. “Sorry about that. It’s Peg.” She held out her hand.
“But I also answer to Peggy or Margaret or Mommm.”
“Steve,” he said, shaking her hand. He looked toward the
beach then back at her. “So, Peg, how about I give your
kids a tour of the submersible the next time Claude goes to
town … say, in exchange for more towels?” he added with
a grin.
“Deal. And as an added bonus for being such a nice guy,
I’l even steal some towels from the geologists for you.”
He stepped closer. “Hel , for more towels I’l sneak your
kids a ride. Claude said something about driving down to
Turtleback Station this afternoon.”
“Sorry,” Peg said with a shake of her head. “I’m making
sure my friend gets married this afternoon.” She waved
toward the main lodge. “I don’t know if you happened to
notice al of the fuss, but there’s a wedding going on here
today.”
“Oh yeah, that’s right. I heard something about the new
owners getting married. Don’t worry, then. Claude’s
supposed to meet some oceanographers at the airport in
Bangor on Tuesday, and I’l round up a couple of buddies
and we’l at least get your kids out on our boat. They can
watch the screen of our unma
subterranean river north.” Steve paused, canting his head.
“You sure you don’t date? Because it just so happens I like
kids.”
Peg laughed and started walking backward. “Are you
trying to get me arrested for compromising a minor?”
“Hey, I swear I’m legal.” He sighed and waved her away.
“Never mind. I just final y moved out of my parents’ house,
so I’m real y not up to dealing with another bossy mother. I’l
see you around, then,” he ended, turning and jogging down
the path toward the beach.
Peg headed for Olivia’s cottage, a tad disturbed at how
bummed she was that Steve had given up so easily.
Chapter Two
Peg rounded a curve in the peninsula’s winding lane and
gasped in surprise when she spotted the strange man
striding across the parking lot with Jacob thrown over his
shoulder. Even from this distance she could see the sheer
terror in her son’s eyes as Isabel skipped backward in front
of them, trying to get the man to stop. Peg started ru
even as she sized up her adversary: tal , athletic build, short
dark hair. Yeah, wel , instead of traumatizing defenseless
little children, Claude the mad scientist was about to find
himself on the receiving end of a healthy dose of fear.
“I swear I’l kick you if you don’t put him down, mister,”
Peg heard Isabel threaten. “He wasn’t hurting your stupid
machine none. He’s just a baby!” And then the six-year-old
actual y did kick out when the guy didn’t stop, only to
stumble backward as he merely sidestepped around her.
“Charlotte! Peter!” Isabel screamed as she scrambled in
front of him again. “Come help me save Jacob from the
scary man!”
Alarmed that the guy would go after her daughter when
she saw him hesitate, Peg didn’t even stop to think and
lunged onto his back. “Put him down!” she shouted,
wrapping her arm around the bastard’s neck as she tried to
pul Jacob off his shoulder with her other hand. “Or I swear
I’l rip out your eyes!”
The guy gave his own shout of surprise and suddenly
dropped like a stone when Peter slammed into his right
knee. “You leave my brother alone, you scary bastard!”
Peter shouted as he rol ed out of the way, dragging Jacob
with him.
Peg reared up to avoid Charlotte’s foot swinging toward
the guy’s ribs, although she didn’t dare loosen her grip or
take her weight off him, fearing he’d lash out at her children.
He suddenly curled into the fetal position with a grunt when
Peter landed on him beside her.
“Get away from him!” she screamed over her
shouting children, trying to push them off when they al
started pummeling him. “Run to the—” Peg gave a startled
yelp when an arm came around her waist and suddenly
lifted her away.
“Sweet Zeus,” Mac muttered, dragging her up against his
chest as he took several steps back. “You wil calm down,
Peg, and control your children,” he quietly commanded
even as he tightened his grip against her struggles.
“Ohmigod, Jacob, come here!” she cried, holding out her
arms. Jacob and Isabel threw themselves at her, actual y
making Mac step back when he didn’t let her go. “You’re
okay, Jacob. You’re safe now,” she whispered, squeezing
both trembling children. “You’re a brave girl, Isabel, and a
good sister.”
Charlotte cal ed out, and Peg saw the girl pul away from
Mac’s father just as he also released Peter. Both children
ran to her, giving the bastard rising to his hands and knees
a wide berth. Peg took a shuddering breath, trying to get
her emotions under control. “You can let me go,” she told
Mac over the pounding in her chest. Holy hel , she couldn’t
believe they’d al just attacked the giant!
Mac hesitated, then relaxed his hold, letting her slip free
to protectively hug al four of her children. “Mind tel ing me
what incited this little riot?” he asked the man who was now
standing and wiping his bleeding cheek with the back of his
hand.
The guy gestured toward the lower parking lot. “I was
taking the boy to find his parents, because I caught him
inside my excavator not five minutes after I’d just pul ed him
off it and told him to go play someplace else.” He shrugged.