“I hope we don’t give anyone a heart attack,” Evie agreed as she shucked off her sandals too.
Penny had stayed behind at the top of the beach and waved to them from a distance.
“There’s no way I’m running anywhere. But I’ll drive if you need it,” Penny had said with one hand on her belly before the rest of them leapt down to the sand to follow the group.
Bea removed her shoes as well and brushed the sand from them. Then she waited her turn to read the next clue. Charmaine had written the clues, and Beatrice had no idea where any of it would lead them. Her heart pounded against her ribcage — partly from the mad dash across the sand, and the rest was excitement. Aidan, Rowan, David, and Brent stood nearby.
Aidan shot her a wink. “You’re going down, Bumble Bea.”
She laughed. “Not a chance, Whitlock.”
The clue was on a piece of cardboard. With black writing and gilded in gold, it was a poem about a fair maiden being captured by a dreaded pirate.
Bea tipped her head to one side and studied the cardboard. “How did Chaz come up with these challenges? I have no idea what this is.”
“Let me see,” Taya said.
“A pirate? On Coral Island?” Evie’s nose wrinkled. “I should’ve paid more attention in history class. Of course, it was thirty years ago, so I don’t remember a thing from that class other than the lesson that writing who you’ll love forever on your folder won’t make it so.”
Bea laughed. “Very educational, then.”
“I know what it is!” Taya shouted. Then she lowered her voice to a whisper. “The statue at the end of the pier. It’s of a woman who was one of the early settlers. Her husband founded Blue Shoal. Remember, she disappeared and was never seen again? People said she was kidnapped from off the dock.”
The three of them headed for the shore where Penny stood patiently waiting. The next two hours, each of the high school teams darted here and there all over, following clues — some cryptic, others simple. There were hoots of laughter, shrieks, shouts, and squeals emitted all over town. From what Bea could tell, everyone was having a fantastic time — learning about each other and the history of the Blue Shoal and the island. Some of the clues harked back to their high school years — like naming the valedictorian or the captain of the football team. Bea had fed Charmaine the details behind the answers, so she had the advantage at times, but she kept them to herself and let the others figure it out.
She savoured each moment, took photographs, and laughed out loud more times than she could count. It was far more fun than she’d thought it could be. There was even a mousse-eating challenge in the middle of the game that had everyone covered in chocolate and the entire town resounding with gales of laughter.
The final clue was a difficult one. Bea wasn’t sure what Charmaine was thinking when she wrote it. It wasn’t based on any of the information she’d given her. By this time, they’d driven all over Blue Shoal. Penny’s car was small and cramped, and they’d been thrown against the windows more times than Bea could count as Penny careened around the tight corners in the small hamlet.
“Are you sure we’re going in the right direction?” Taya asked from the front passenger seat as she held on to the handle above her head for dear life.
“What did the clue say again?” Evie asked.
Bea squeezed her eyes shut as she remembered. “‘The road with the view; there are only two. Take the fork with the stork—you’ll see what he can do.” Bea’s eyes blinked open.
“The only roads with a view are up here on the hill, so we’re definitely headed in the right direction. As for the rest, I have no idea.” Evie peered out the window into the darkness.
“We could be completely wrong,” Bea said. “I haven’t seen anyone else for at least ten minutes.”
“We’re either winning big or losing horribly,” Taya replied with a giggle.
Bea hadn’t seen Taya this happy in a long time. It was nice to witness her almost giddy with excitement. She was her old self again, but with fewer inhibitions. Having the four of them back together was everything Bea had hoped for.
“Turn left,” she said.
Penny slowed the car and turned. They were on a dark lane. Trees lined either side and blocked out the light of the moon. They crept along the road.
“I think this is the street with the best view,” Taya said, squinting through the darkness.
“There’s a stork!” Penny squealed.
They coasted past a painted metal bird next to a long driveway.
“We’re going to win this for sure,” Evie chirruped, clapping her hands together.
“I don’t see any of the other groups,” Bea added. “We could definitely win.”
“Would that look bad, though?” Penny asked. “We did plan the entire reunion.”
