Lord of the Deep by Graham Salisbury

Author:Graham Salisbury
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fiction
ISBN: 9780307433558
Publisher: Random House Children's Books
Published: 2007-12-18T05:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 10

THE CRYSTAL-C RUMBLED ON.

Alison took her sketchbook and climbed back up onto the flying bridge. Mikey went in and sat in the seat across from Bill. He gazed out over the ocean as they crossed, and crossed again, the great Hawaiian marlin grounds, the seas of massive yellowfin tuna and monster swordfish that some called the best game fish in the world. One of which was lost by Mikey Donovan.

Mikey frowned.

Bill glanced over and winked at him.

Ernie blew his nose, a loud honk. Mikey turned to see him wiping his nostrils with a crumpled handkerchief, pushing his nose to its limits. Mikey turned away.

“Hey, Billyboy,” Ernie said, stuffing the handkerchief back into his pocket.

Bill looked his way.

“How do you make a blonde laugh on Monday morning?”

Bill grinned and looked back toward the sea.

“Tell him, Cal,” Ernie said.

Cal turned around, big grin on his face. “Tell her a joke on Friday.” They both laughed.

Bill shook his head.

Mikey didn’t get it. Were blondes supposed to be dumb, or something? Alison was a blonde, and she wasn’t dumb. These guys were weird.

They trolled parallel to the island, crossing south to north, then south again in long hopeful meanderings. The relentless rumbling engines numbed Mikey’s brain. This was the hardest part, the boredom, the waiting, the endless crawling over waters warmed by a sun that often gave up nothing but scorching burns, salt-cracked lips, and slivers of shade.

Mikey got up and went out onto the stern deck. He leaned against the transom, watching the rods nodding silently to the tug and pull of the lures working in the wake.

As far as Mikey was concerned, the ocean was asleep.

Something hit his back, a wadded-up piece of paper. He turned and picked it up, then glanced at the flying bridge.

Alison waved at him. “Open it,” she mouthed.

Mikey unwadded the paper. How are you doing? He looked up at her.

She shrugged and raised her eyebrows.

He gave her a thumbs-up. He was doing fine. Except for thinking about the marlin.

He looked into the cabin.

Cal and Ernie were staring absently out the window. The cards and beer sat untouched on the tabletop between them. Bill held the wheel in loose fingers.

They trolled on.

Mikey was hungry, but since no one else was scrambling for their lunches, he didn’t either.

A while later the sky slowly began to lose its blue to the inevitable afternoon clouding, a blanket of gray white overcast that crept out over the sea from the island. Some parts of the ocean were silver and glary.

Mikey fished a root beer out of the cooler and went back in and stood in the aisle near the wheel. He handed the ice-cold can to Bill.

Bill took it, nodded thanks. He sat with one foot up on the seat, his arm hanging over his knee.

Mikey slid onto the seat across the companionway. He scooted up against the window and sat with his arm on the sill, like you would in a car.

The mountaintops on the island were obscured by clouds now.

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