May 23

ALLIX

I almost didn't show up for brunch on Saturday morning. I didn't need to look at my phone to know that I was already late or that a plethora of unanswered text messages from Syd and Maud occupied my notifications. It wasn't that I didn't want to reply, but rather that it was suffocating to feel as if there were always people needing to know where I was and what I was doing at all times.

Admittedly, the events of May 16th had rattled me to the bone. I'd needed to take a step back, talk with my therapist, and reconsider my priorities before I could commit myself to this so-called investigation.

The streets of downtown Friday Island were relatively quiet due to the dreary weather, and I parallel-parked two blocks away from the quaint luncheonette. I decided to forgo flipping up the hood of my rain jacket for the short walk, enjoying the feeling of soft rain sprinkling on my skin.

I was fully prepared to be the last one to arrive, so seeing Dakota standing outside was a relief.
He held his phone up to one ear with his brow pulled together, nodding along to whatever the person on the other line was saying. His features brightened when he saw me approaching, and I threw him a delicate wave.

After issuing a quick goodbye, Dakota greeted me with a relaxed grin. "Hey, stranger."

I wrinkled my nose. "There's no need to be dramatic. It's only been one week."

"Well, for the record, I'm happy you're here." He ran a hand through his mess of curly hair that was visibly damp from the rain. "Syd shouldn't have to be the only mediator at the table."

I didn't recognize the emotion swelling like a wave inside my chest or why my stomach twisted in a way that had little to do with it being empty. Before I could dissect the reason responsible for my reaction, I remembered that damn photo of us in the tabloids.

"Thanks, I'm honored." I secured a damp lock of hair behind my ear. "Anyway, I'm thinking of framing that photo of us from the ferry. The back of my head has never attracted so much attention before."

My sarcasm triggered Dakota's shoulders to slouch as he exhaled a hard breath. "I should've seen that one coming," he said, guilt twisting his voice. "If I buy you the frame, will you cut me some slack?"

I hid my smile by turning towards the entrance. "Deal. Let's get this over with."

Ever the gentleman, Dakota held the door open for me. The fleeting touch of his hand on the small of my back was an unexpected comfort.

We located the rest of the group at a table in the back of the busy dining room. I was grateful that it was relatively out of view, hoping that would prevent us from receiving any unwanted attention. We were already at a disadvantage due to the presence of Dakota and Brenna, and our involvement on May 16th certainly didn't help.

After taking a seat between Syd and Dakota, I watched Brenna's lips twist into a satisfied smirk. "I'm so happy that everyone could make it, but I doubt you had anything better to do."

"I can think of a few things," Maud retorted, and I fought the urge to roll my eyes.

Maud sat with her elbows on the table and her chin resting on top of her hands. But despite her outwardly casual demeanor, she exuded an untamable sort of confidence that no one could ever overlook. It had made her borderline invincible in high school, and us as a group by extension. But we weren't in high school anymore. That much was obvious.

The productiveness of our brunch hinged on civility and Maud could be anything but civil when her ego found a worthy opponent. Today, that opponent was Brenna.

Syd tapped the side of his mug with a fork, securing our collective attention. "I thought we could all benefit from a good meal and airing out any dirty laundry that may meddle with the cohesiveness of our new wolf pack."

"In that case, I submitted the photos of the Black Swan to both the police department and The Seattle Chronicle," Maud announced, and I nearly choked on my coffee.

Syd had left me a dramatic yet thorough voicemail to tell me what happened at Providence Point, and I considered myself lucky to have not been a part of it. I wouldn't have gotten away with staying in the car with Syd, and I doubted I could've mediated any tension between Dakota and Maud. If anything, I might've amplified it.

"The person responsible is more likely to crack under pressure," Maud continued, drumming her fingers on the table. She was acting as though she hadn't just dropped an information bomb on us. "We can use the attention created by the press to our advantage. It's for the best."

The tension hovering over the table was nearly palpable, and I wouldn't be surprised if the roof suddenly caved in. I preferred to stay neutral; it kept my hands clean, but sometimes not taking a stand was just as detrimental as fighting for the wrong side.

Dakota's laugh was frigid as he looked at Maud with steady brown eyes. "Because whatever you do and say always is."

"And you only ever meant well, right?" Maud countered. "Going off to be this big star with this big new fancy TV show, but then expecting everything to be the same when you come back."

"We can't change the circumstances," I intervened before Dakota could respond to Maud. Both Nicki and Syd shot me an appreciative look. "If we want to find a way to work together, we'll just need to adapt."

"Well put," Brenna chirped and opened her menu with a flourish. "But can the airing of any other dirty laundry wait for, like, five minutes? I'm starving."

Thankfully, we all seemed to agree. Soft chatter from other tables drifted over to fill the tentative silence.

I exhaled a quiet sigh, wondering why teenagers consistently believed that they were better equipped to solve a mystery than trained professionals. I saw the appeal of hunting down the bad guys and appreciated the adrenaline rushes associated with taking risks, but it just wasn't rational. Why should we risk jeopardizing the success of the investigation or our reputations?

A waitress was quick to drop by the table and started with Nicki at the opposite end. I hadn't bothered to flip through the menu and listened as Syd negotiated with Brenna on why she should split another side of hashbrowns with him. Apparently, one wasn't enough.

"Are you ordering anything?" Dakota asked, his tone so casual that I almost didn't read into what I suspected he was really asking me. It had been the million-dollar question for nearly half a decade: are you going to eat?

I schooled my expression to be carefully neutral. "The vegetarian omelet."

He offered me a brief half-smile and opened his mouth to say something when the waitress politely interrupted to take his order along with my own. I doubted we would revisit the conversation. At least not today.

We suspended our discussion on Apex until the waitress returned with our food. I stabbed at my omelet, concentrating on not calculating the calories for all of the obvious reasons. I was desperate to uphold my belief that I was finally in control again.

"We should discuss the screenplay," Nicki started, pausing as he glanced between Dakota and Brenna. "I'm aware of the legal reasons why you shouldn't share the details, but we need to consider the possibility of another...incident."

"Preparing for the worst case scenario isn't a crime," Syd added, shoveling another bite of pancake into his mouth. "Not like doomsday cult prepared, but we should be aware of what could happen."

I stole a glance at Dakota, whose jaw was wired shut, and I hoped he would maintain a level head. I imagined that this conversation was difficult for him because we were challenging the integrity of his project. His first instinct was likely to defend it, but I wanted to believe that he could set his pride aside. I'd seen him do it before.

"That's fair," Brenna said, calm and collected. "There are a few big events. Two orcas turn up dead, a girl is kidnapped and almost drowns, and the friends of that girl try to figure out who's responsible."

I didn't realize that I was holding my breath until Syd gently elbowed me in the ribs. My lungs delated like balloons punctured by needles.

"You were turning blue," he informed me and returned his attention to Brenna. "Are you going to tell us who that person is?"

I saw Brenna's features seize with hesitation and her eyes darted over to Dakota. She was giving him an opportunity to take the reins.

"Listen," Dakota began, rubbing the side of his neck. "Apex is a work of fiction. There are elements of it that are inspired by places and people in my life, but it's still fiction." He took a breath. "The person who kills the orcas is the owner of one of the local whale watching companies. His motive is to create more publicity and increase profit."

I impressed myself by keeping my shock at bay.
It wasn't in my nature to be impulsive, but that hadn't prevented me from making questionable decisions in the past. However, I'd started to adapt to my new hostile environment, making me equipped to survive the changes.

When Syd exhaled a long sigh, I knew he was about to say what we were all already thinking. "So basically, the bad guy in Apex is a fictional Mr. Nakamura?"

"No," Dakota defended fiercely. "He's a fictional character who shares the same profession."

"I can't believe you," Maud seethed, her voice hauntingly low. "I can't believe you would do that to Sofu. You know he adores you."

Dakota had no problem looking Maud in the eye. "It's not personal, Maud. There aren't any other similarities. But for what it's worth, I got his approval months ago."

She shook her head. "Even if that's the case, I know he would have objected if he knew that keeping Apex entirely fictional wasn't on the agenda!"

"Apex isn't the problem," Brenna snapped, glaring at Maud like it was her one true passion in life. "The show is raising awareness for orcas, not sponsoring poaching."

I lifted an eyebrow, realizing that this was the first time I'd heard Brenna raise her voice. It was void of hesitation and laced with conviction. It also appeared to make Maud even angrier.

"We've been protecting them just fine without you here!" Maud exclaimed, clutching her butter knife.

"Maud," I said, trying and failing to catch her attention. I decided I hated being the mediator, and resigned myself to the sidelines. This wasn't my fight, not really.

"Also," Maud continued, oblivious to the warning looks that both Nicki and Syd were giving her. "You couldn't possibly understand the sacrifices that real people have made to protect not just the orcas, but literally any other endangered species."

I didn't know how much Dakota had told Brenna about Maud's past, but her complexion paled considerably. If the circumstances were different, I would consider defending Brenna because she hadn't done anything to deserve Maud's hostility. But Maud had just played her ace and I doubted any of my friends dared to cross her when it came to conversations like this one. It wouldn't matter if the Endangered Species Act suddenly became all-powerful because Maud's parents would always be the victims of poachers. They would still be dead.

That was the kind of scar that would never fade. I had enough to know.

"Criticizing Brenna will solve nothing," Syd said, and I felt the oxygen vacuuming out of our corner of the dining room. In all of the years that I'd been friends with Syd, I never saw him argue with Maud. They were always outwardly on the same team, always had each other's backs. "If we want to accomplish anything, we need to respect each other."

"So that's it then?" Maud questioned, her eyes suddenly shining. "You're going to defend her instead of me?"

Syd slammed his utensils down on the table, rattling all of the dishes and mugs. "This isn't just about you, Maud. Maybe, if you stopped being so self-centered for one goddamn minute, you'd see that."

Our table went deathly quiet.

My heartbeat threatened to escape my rib cage as I tried to think of a way to diffuse the tension before all hell broke loose. The idea of drawing unnecessary attention to us made my anxiety skyrocket.

Dakota leaned in closer to me. "That's my cue to leave," he said, his voice low.

My expression hardened. "Are you serious? You can't just bail on us."

"I'm bailing on her."

Before I could protest, Dakota slammed money on the table and left without another word.

Nicki abruptly stood up, the legs of his chair screeching against the wooden floorboards. "I have to go pick up my parents from the ferry," he said in a clipped voice, and I swore I saw his blue eyes darken as he added money to Dakota's on the table. "See you guys later."

Maud jumped up to follow him, but she accidentally knocked over her mug. Coffee sloshed across the table, and she cursed under her breath. After hastily wiping up the mess with her napkin, she turned to leave.

"Wait," Brenna blurted out, and to my surprise, Maud did.

"What?"

"I want to help," Brenna stated firmly. "I hope you'll let me."

I shared a sideways look with Syd. A faint blush occupied his dark skin, and I hoped he wasn't regretting his decision to stand up to Maud. Blind loyalty only went so far when honesty was on the line.

Maud shifted her weight, clearly impatient. "Fine, but I need to go. I'm supposed to meet Nicki's parents."

With an apologetic smile, Maud passed her money to Syd and sped out of sight.

I sighed and glanced between the two remaining people at the table. "That went well. Thanks for the invite, Brenna."

*

We left a large tip.

Outside, the rain had stopped, but the humidity weighed down on me like a burden. The brunch wasn't much of a success, and I feared that we were wandering into uncharted territory. There was a lot at stake, and we were stranded in limbo until the next bad thing happened. That was how I saw it, at least.

After one block, Syd peeled off for his shift at the theater. He was in a slightly better mood thanks to Brenna saying that she'd downloaded an astrology app he'd recommended, but I knew he wouldn't return to his high-energy self until he made amends with Maud.

"What's your take?" Brenna asked as we approached a crosswalk.

I huffed, dodging a large puddle. "We're in way over our heads."

I was about to step into the road when a red Chevy pickup truck sped by in a great whoosh of air. The stench of cigarettes lingered, and I coughed pathetically. I wouldn't dismiss the legitimacy of nicotine addictions, but I didn't understand how Dakota could stand smoking cigarettes. He hadn't smoked half as much in high school, and I wondered what triggered the increase in Los Angeles.

"What an asshole, that guy just totally blew through a red," Brenna exclaimed as we safely started across the crosswalk. "Anyway, do you have a minute to talk? I need your help."

"Depends," I said, sending the actress a sideways glance. Helping Brenna Quinn was nowhere on my list of priorities today or any other day.

"Dakota told me that you own a sailboat."

We arrived on the opposite curb, and I stopped walking to hold up a hand. "Let me spare you the ask. You can't borrow it."

Even though Galway's Treasure wasn't technically my sailboat, I had my own set of keys. I also sailed a lot, meaning that it wouldn't be unusual for me to take her out on the weekend. But Brenna didn't need to know that.

"I don't want to borrow it," Brenna revealed, rolling her eyes as though I'd said something incredibly idiotic. "I need you to be the captain or whatever."

I tilted my head to one side as I considered her odd request. "And why would I do that?"

"Because I have a very good reason to believe that the Black Swan wasn't anywhere near Cape Blue on May 16th."

I scoffed and resumed walking. This couldn't be anything other than a waste of my time. "I'm definitely not the person you should be telling this to."

Brenna was quick to catch up to me. "But I know you can be trusted, and this is sensitive," she countered, lowering her voice to a whisper. There was no one around to overhear our conversation, but it seemed she knew that there was no such thing as being too careful. "I think I'm the only one who knows."

I refrained from asking how Brenna came to learn of my supposed trustworthiness, or better yet, why she believed it to be true. However, my curiosity eclipsed my trepidation for the first time since I'd returned to Friday Island.

Above our heads, the grey sky threatened to unleash another downpour. I knew if we stayed outside, we'd be soaked in a matter of minutes.

"Fine," I decided, straightening my shoulders and Brenna's mouth split into a relieved smile. "But if we're doing this, we're doing this today. You're also going to need to tell me everything and I mean everything."

"Everything," she confirmed with a nod.

Once we took shelter from the impending rainstorm in a tiny coffee shop, Brenna paid for two cappuccinos and we sat down at a corner table. I didn't need the extra caffeine, but I wanted to avoid being rude.

"You should cut to the chase," I recommended, wrapping my fingers around the warm cup. "If you lie, I'll know."

In a perfect world, I'd tell her that I had a track record for telling successful lies, and that I'd developed a sixth sense for knowing when other people were lying too. However, I figured that would be counterproductive and undercut this whole trustworthiness thing I apparently had going for me.

"Conrad Kane is secretly dating Gretchen England," Brenna said. When she registered my blank expression, she elaborated, "Gretchen is one of the higher-ups at Global Broadcasting Company. She used to be just a producer, and was wicked successful. She visited Conrad last weekend, and I know this because she told me."

"Wow," I drawled, and took a sip of my cappuccino to buy myself another moment to mull over the information. "That's not what I was expecting you to say."

"Gretchen is my role model the way Conrad is Dakota's. Hollywood is ruthless, even more so for young women, and she's always looked out for me." Brenna exhaled a shaky breath and folded her hands on top of the table. "Her reason for telling me was that she didn't want to make a similar mistake. Never let the truth become a weapon that can be used against you. That's what she told me."

Silently cursing the universe, I nodded for Brenna to continue.

"Objectively speaking, the relationship is a conflict of interest. I mean, the budget for Apex is massive compared to some of the other shows on the network, and while Gretchen doesn't call all of the shots financially, she gets a pretty big say." Brenna swallowed hard. "If this got leaked, her reputation would get dragged through the mud. I'm aware it's unfair and completely sexist, but the company would likely force her to step down."

I bit down on the inside of my cheek. "How does any of this prove that Conrad wasn't at Cape Blue? Besides, Maud would've noticed that Conrad was with someone when she went through the footage at Providence Point."

Brenna was quick to shake her head. "Maud wouldn't know to look for Gretchen in the first place. Also, if I'm right, she wouldn't have stepped foot on the Black Swan."

It didn't matter to me whether Brenna thought she was right. For starters, I'd only just met her and didn't know her well enough to even think about trusting her. Secondly, what she was asking wasn't just about trust; what she wanted would require me to jump into action.

I arched an eyebrow and leaned forward a bit to ask my final question. "So, why do you need me and my boat?"

"The hotel Gretchen stayed at is on San Juan Island," Brenna explained, referencing a nearby island in the archipelago. "That's where Conrad went. He's the one who is staying there, actually. I think he rented a cottage or some small house to escape Friday Island."

"Conrad would've been able to go between San Juan Island and Friday Island that night," I said, thinking out loud. "Sailing one way is barely forty-five minutes, but your boss owns a yacht...it would've taken him less than thirty minutes."

"Does this mean you're in?"

"Do you have a plan?"

Brenna unleashed a devilish smile. "I'm the plan. Playing dumb is worth it, especially if it protects Gretchen."

"Well I hope you're right," I grumbled. "For everyone's sake."

✘ ✘ ✘

for anyone who watched Gossip Girl — the brunch scene in this chapter is loosely inspired by the Thanksgiving dinner in 3.11 with Jason Derulo's Whatcha Say. it's my all time favorite scene from the show (mostly because of my broadway loml Aaron Tveit) but it's also just pretty darn iconic.