Page 35 of Dauntless

My brain definitely could have put it together a little sooner.

I didn’t care about the diary, not really, or at least not in any passionate way.I cared that it mattered to Eddie and his thesis, but that it called Josiah Nesmith a murderer and a rapist?

I’d been raised on stories of Josiah Nesmith’s heroism, and it was mad to think it might all be lies, but it didn’tmatter.I thought of what Eddie had yelled at John Coldwell at the museum on Friday morning:“It was two hundred years ago!”

Yes and no.Yes and no.

I was Red Joe Nesmith.The expectation was that I would be mayor after Short Clarry retired, and that I’d become the leader of the community, the way my father Tall Joe had been before he’d died.And, as Josiah Nesmith’s direct descendant, I had a responsibility to the community as well, and to those who visited the island.

My actions mattered, and so did my opinions.

I couldn’t just ignore the fact that someone had assaulted Eddie, and now stolen the diary.Clearly putting the word out that I wasn’t happy about the assault hadn’t been enough.

I would have to do something I’d never done before.

I’d have to call a village meeting and lay it out straight.

I wanted the diary returned, and the attacker unmasked.And I would demand it, with all the authority of Josiah’s Nesmith’s name.

It was my birthright, and my responsibility.And, more than that, I wanted to prove to Eddie that I’d never lied to him and stolen from him, and that I never would.

* * *

Iwalked down into the village late in the afternoon and headed straight for the second biggest gossip on Dauntless.

The bells on the shop door jingled as I stepped inside.

“Mavis,” I said in greeting.

“Red Joe,” she responded, folding her arms over her bosom.

“I’m calling a village meeting.In regards to this whole situation with Eddie Hawthorne.”

Mavis lifted her brows.

“I’m informing the police as well.Something was stolen from my house last night, and I want it returned.”

“Stolen!”Mavis exclaimed with a gasp.“Fromyou?”

“From my house.”I didn’t miss that fact that she wanted clarification—as though Eddie being attacked and having his laptop destroyed wasn’t anywhere near as exciting or scandalous as someone daring to steal from Red Joe Nesmith.

“Oh, the police though?”she asked, her brow furrowing.“Is that necessary, do you think, Red Joe?”

“I do,” I said.“A man was attacked, and now we’ve had another theft on top of the first.I think it’s very necessary, and I’m sure the police will agree.”

Mavis didn’t look entirely convinced.“A village meeting, though?You know there’s not a meeting scheduled until next month.Short Clarry is bringing over some hotel fellow from the mainland.”

“It can’t wait until next month.I’m calling one now, for tomorrow.Noon at the church.Put the word out.”

She looked me up and down for a moment, as though she was seeing something new in me.My father maybe, or all of my forefathers together.Her mouth quirked at last.“I’ll do that then, Red Joe.Noon, at the church.”

“Thank you.”I turned to leave, and then turned back again.“Have you seen Eddie today?”

“Yes.”She huffed.“He came in earlier, asking about passage off the island.I told him there is none until Young Harry Barnes goes over to the mainland on Wednesday, and he asked me about the fishing boats.Well, I told him, those are forfishing.If we used those as taxis, nobody would eat, would they?”She sniffed.“He didn’t like that much.”

I could imagine.

“Well, then he asked where he was allowed to camp,” Mavis said.“And I told him I’m not tourist information, am I, and he said he knew that, but tourist information was closed.”