“What?”
“We’ve talk about this.”
Elsie waved him off.“Have you seen that monstrosity up there?”
“I haven’t.”
“That place will bankrupt this island if it doesn’t sink into the earth first.”
“Grandma, enough.”
“And how are you liking the island?”she asked, finally taking the hint and changing the subject.Barry would love a few minutes alone with Elsie, without her grandson shushing her all the time.
“It’s incredible,” he replied honestly.
“And Mac?”she inquired with a coy smile.
“Incredible as well.”He wasn’t about to go into detail with this sweet woman he hardly knew.
Elsie smiled knowingly.“She is a special girl.Many people care for her here.”
“I can see why.She’s very passionate about the people and wanting to save the sharks here.”
“Has she taken you out on her boat yet?”
“No, it hasn’t come up.”Nor had he thought about asking.Maybe he should give it a try.When he saw her later, he’d ask her about it.He wanted to see firsthand what she did.
“You should ask her,” Elsie suggested as if reading his mind.
“Have you been?”
Elsie’s eyes widened in fear.“Goodness no, I prefer my feet on land and not with those creatures.”
“Fair enough,” Barry chuckled because at one point, he’d had the same opinion.Mac had changed that though.He didn’t think of sharks as just mindless killers now, even though he had never seen one.
“Can I interest you in a conch salad or something else?”She waved around at the array of food she already had prepared for customers today.
It was tempting.It looked and smelled delicious.“I’d love to, but I’m actually on my way to see Jacques about a boat.Maybe next time.”Barry stepped away from the hut.“Have a good day.”
“Bye, Barry.”She waved him off excitedly while Jalen glared daggers at him.
Barry continued down the path to Jacques, not at all surprised to find the man asleep in his chair with his feet on the bucket.“Jacques,” Barry called out to him as he came down the slope.
Jacques didn’t move.
“Jacques,” Barry called out again, this time louder.
Jacques snorted awake and lifted his hat to squint at him as if he couldn’t see his face clearly.“Ah, you again.What do you want?”
“I need to ask you a question.”
Jacques settled back into his seat and put his hat over his face.“Mac hasn’t taken a boat out,” he said, interlacing his fingers over his belly.
“That’s not what I was going to ask.”
Jacques pushed his hat back up with one finger, giving him the stink eye as if upset he was disturbing his sleep.“Then what do you want?”
Barry squatted down next to Jacques’ side.“Do you know what’s happening on the southeast coast where Mac was yesterday?”
