Me, I already know the answer.
I’m just not a reckless enough jackass to say it to her face. Not today and not yet when we were hanging by a thread.
“I have an idea,” Dan announces as we’re finishing our plates of pancakes, scrambled eggs, and bacon.
“More drumming? You’re going to learn every ballad from 1812 and put on a show for us?” Margot asks teasingly.
“No! Uh, I mean, not yet. It’s sunny outside!”
Sophie looks out the window at the shimmering lake, breaking into a grin. “Bet you five bucks I can read your mind.”
“Of courseyoucan,” Dan huffs. “Dad, are you in?”
“Depends what it is, Bud. Let’s hear it.”
“It’s such a nice day and we were already out in town, so… I think we should go canoeing again.” There’s a sly look in his eyes.
He knows I usually banish them after breakfast to get some schoolwork done. Even on vacation, they’re building good habits. Duty first, then leave the rest of the day free.
“Dad, he’s got a point,” Sophie joins in. “If we wait too long, it might not stay sunny like this. It’s Maine and you never know with the fall weather.”
I bite back a smile as Margot looks at me. There’s a happy question dancing in her eyes.
“What do you think, Dad?”
“Hmmm.” I take my sweet time, playing it up and leaving them in suspense as I look at their hopeful faces. “I suppose we should take advantage of this weather.”
The kids whoop, and Margot starts clearing the table.
“You guys head out,” she tells me. “I’ll catch up, after I’ve finished tidying up.”
“You don’t have to—”
“Go!” she insists, giving me a playful push. “It won’t take long to throw these in the dishwasher and wipe down the table.”
I reluctantly give up because the kids are already running for the door.
“Guys, get changed first,” I yell after them.
They skid down the hall, stopping just short of colliding with the wall.
“Ugh, really?” Dan says, but he turns and races upstairs with Sophie behind him.
Outside, the lake ripples in the breeze, one large mirror spinning the light overhead into gold.
It’s painfully gorgeous, but I wonder if we should expand our horizons. This could be the last good day for the water.
After a quick Google search, I settle on the other side of the lake down the road, the part we haven’t seen. I bump into Margot on her way out of the kitchen.
“Are we ready?”
“Yeah. There’s a place with boat rentals a little ways down the road. Thought we could explore a different part of the lake in something more durable than the canoe we brought.”
“Oh yeah, I know the place. Good idea.” She glances upstairs and then looks back at me. “You’re not scared something will happen while we’re gone?”
“That’s why we have the cameras. They’re still watching like hawks, last I checked,” I say grimly.
It’s not my main reason for choosing somewhere away from the house, but if anybody’s watching and waiting for us to leave, this could be an opportunity to find out who’s behind this shit.
