Page 11 of Found

She nodded, trying to picture a map in her head.

"I have nae car just the boat, but I can get ye to Wick and ye can catch the train."

"I don't have any money," she said.

"Nor shoes from the looks of it." He stood up, smiling. "Wait here a wee minute. I'll be back."

Charlie stuck her head out the entranceway and watched as he went to his house. She knew they needed to hurry. Sinclair would be back. The storm had given way to bright blue skies with fluffy white clouds. Though, the air was considerably cooler, and a thin sheet of frost covered the dock and the lines on the boat. She removed the bandage from her arm. The swelling had gone down and it was no longer as tender. She made a fist then straightened her fingers out, stretching the tight tendons. Jock returned with a pair of thick wool socks and wellies. "They belonged to my Annie, God rest her soul."

"Thank you," Charlie said, putting them on.

"Do you ken how to sail, lassie?" he asked.

She nodded.

"Aye, it's best if we get moving." He gave her a smile. "Will you cast us off? My auld bones are nae as limber as they once were."

He started the engine as she stepped over the lifelines and jumped down to the dock, being careful not to slip.

"Ready," she called to him. She was putting her trust in a complete stranger and she hoped she wouldn't regret it.

"Cast off," Jock said.

She undid the stern and bow lines, throwing them onto the deck of the boat. "All clear," she shouted as she jumped back on while Jock shifted the boat from idle to forward. Charlie coiled the ropes and pulled in the fenders before returning to the cockpit.

"We'll put the sails up when we get past the wall," he said, steering them out of the makeshift harbor. She kept looking back at the shore, expecting to see Sinclair standing there.

"Stand by." He slowed the boat down.

Charlie went to the deck and checked the shackle and halyard. "Everything's clear. Ready."

Jock passed the rock sea wall and headed into the wind, loosening the mainsheet. "Raise the main."

She wrapped the halyard around a winch on the mast and started cranking it as the sail hoisted until the luff was tight and she tied off the line on a cleat. "Main sail made."

"Stand by to unfurl the jib," Jock shouted over the wind.

"Ready."

"Unfurl."

She released the jib sheet and eased out the line until the sheet was loaded and cleated it off." Jib made." She made her way back to the cockpit. The simple act of doing something so familiar to her, began to ease her mind.

"You can sail," Jock said with newfound respect in his eyes. "A lassie of the sea."

"I grew up on the water." She looked around, taking in the scenery for a moment. It was the first chance she had to take a deep breath. She had been running on adrenaline for over twenty-four hours. The bone numbing fear finally dissipated, the farther they moved away from shore. Still, she couldn't let her guard down.

"There's more tea in the cabin. Can ye bring it up, lassie?"

She went down and poured them both cups, handing him one. He took the mug, keeping one hand on the ship's wheel. She scanned the horizon, making sure they weren't followed. "Have you always sailed?" she asked.

"Nae, I had a trawler before this. Made my living fishing. When my Annie died, I wanted something simpler."

She sipped at her tea. She could see the cove and Sinclair's house in the distance.

Jock followed her line of sight. "He said ye were in danger."

"I don't know him." She still didn't know how much to say. Jock seemed willing to help her, but what if they were working together?

---