Page 23 of Song of Lorelei

“That’s fucked up, babe,” Branson chimed in.

“Well, we can’t let that happen. What do we do?”

“We’ve got plan A and plan B. Plan A is I gather evidence of mistreatment and breach of ethical code and file a case against them. However, even with the signed consent papers, our legal system doesn’t include mermaids. The research center might be able to sweep it all under the rug.”

“What’s Plan B?”

“Plan B is we plan a jailbreak.”

Branson folded his hands on top of the picnic table. “What if we just don’t send Nireed back to the research center tonight?”

Walsh shook his head. “Lila still needs Nireed to develop the virophage, remember? There’s a whole community of merfolk out there who need that treatment. And a whole lot of people who might get eaten if we don’t get it to them.”

“Oh right. How close is your team to one?”

Lila sucked her teeth. “It’s hard to say. Usually virophages take years to develop, but this is a viral disease very much like marine morbillivirus and rabies, minus the fatal-to-its-host bit, so that gave our epidemiologists a head start. The last serum damaged the virus, so that’s promising. But even when we develop an effective virophage, there’s another question we got to answer. How long after Nireed stops having cravings do we still keep her at the research center for observation?”

Pushing away her bowl with a sigh, Lila leaned into her mother and placed her head on her shoulder. Marci wrapped her arms around her and rested her cheek on top of her tight curls. “I wish I had a good answer,” Lila continued, “but I think it’s going to depend on how much her mental and physical health can take.”

Marci hugged her daughter tighter. “If the research center gives you grief, honey, you let me know. Your father and I can write letters, make phone calls, and whatever else we can do to make sure your complaint gets heard.”

“Same here,” Killian added. “And I’m sure Jackie would be eager to help. She’s been chomping at the bit for another exposé. But in the meantime, can I get you some ice cream?”

Lila immediately perked up.

* * *

Killian had just pulled the ribs off the grill, and was wiping off his hands with a towel, when he heard another car coming up his driveway. Everyone got up from the picnic table to see who it was. “If it’s a tourist, I call ‘not-it’ on giving directions,” Branson joked, sweeping his long dishwater blonde hair into a low ponytail.

But when the car came into view, Killian saw red. With a hard snap of his arm, he threw the towel down on the table. What he really wanted to do was punch something. “Oh, you’ve got to be fucking kidding me.”

“It’s like she has as sixth sense or something.” Branson scratched his head, more amazed then upset. “Like mermaid radar.” He nudged Lila with his elbow. “Is that possible?”

She rolled her eyes. “No. That’s ridiculous.”

Walsh wrung his hands. “Do you think she’ll notice their clothes down by the water? Should one of us go down and move them?”

“It’s Carrie. Of course, she’ll notice.”

“I’m on it.” Marci hurried down the beach. She scooped up the clothes, and promptly chucked them into the forest before hurrying back.

They gathered at the top of the driveway, forming a line between the meddlesome Carrie Prior and the private cove where Lorelei and Nireed swam. Carrie parked her car behind the others, closer to the forest than his cottage, and exited with the car still running. Dressed in a fitted red suit, it looked like she’d just stepped out of an office in New York City.

She slammed the passenger door and marched right up to Killian. “Where’s the mermaid? Where’s Lorelei?” There was a crazed look in her eye, and she kept touching her right hip, like she thought she might rest her hand there. Or pull out her phone. But she never did, which Killian found odd.

Lila crossed her arms. “Carrie, what the hell are you talking about?”

Sidestepping, Carrie pointed a finger in Lila’s face. “Don’t pretend with me. I saw you in the parking lot at the research center.”

Marci placed her hands around Lila’s shoulders, her tone low, but hard. “You need to calm down, child. And get your finger out of my daughter’s face.”

“Carrie,” Will growled, “I don’t care that we’re family. Touch my wife, and you’re shark bait.”

Carrie flashed them both a dirty look but dropped her hand.

Frowning, Walsh stepped between them and motioned with his hands for her to back up. “All right now, take a few steps back and take a deep breath. You’ve got yourself all worked up. You’re not going to resolve anything like this. And Will, take it easy on the theatrics.”

Carrie glared at them all, angry tears glistening in her eyes, but she did take a couple steps back. “I don’t know why you’re sticking up for them. They’re liars.”

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