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talking mermaid here.”
    Kate and Hawk laughed at the same time.
    “Granted, she’s a beautiful girl,” Kate said, thinking it should be Micah having this conversation with Hawk. “But don’t underestimate yourself. You’re handsome, inside and out. Smart. Creative. Hardworking. Polite. And, I dare say, a tad romantic like your father.”
    Hawk grinned and put on his sunglasses. “I’ve really gotta run, Mama. I’ll be home in time for dinner.”
    “Be safe,” Kate said, painfully aware that those were the words she had withheld from Micah before he and Riley Jo vanished.

Chapter 3
    Abby left Flutter’s Café and went down one flight of stairs to the outdoor cedar deck that ran along the entire length of Angel View Lodge. Guests sat at round tables, shaded by colorful green-and-white striped umbrellas, enjoying a postcard view of Beaver Lake and the rolling Ozark Mountains. The fog had burned off, and the lake sparkled in the noonday sun like a million blue sapphires. She only wished her spirits matched the brilliance of the day.
    She descended another flight of stairs to the ground level, not surprised to see her friend Jay Rogers waiting for her, his smile warmer than the cedar railing, her gray-and-white cat perched on his shoulder.
    “I see Halo thumbed a ride again,” Abby said, running her hand across the ring of white fur on the cat’s head.
    “I never mind giving her a lift,” Jay said. “So are you done for the day?”
    “No. I’m working the dinner shift. It’s catfish night, and the place will be hopping. But I’m off until five.”
    “I’m not scheduled in at Tutty’s till four.” Jay stroked Halo’s tail. “You wanna take the paddleboat out? I know this is a hard day for you. We don’t have to talk about it or anything.”
    “Thanks. I’d love to get my mind on something else.” Abby held out her pale arms. “And I’d like to get a tan before the weather turns hot. I need to change clothes and grab something to eat first.”
    “Why don’t I go get sub sandwiches and meet you at the dock?” Jay set the cat down. “You want your usual turkey, lettuce-and-tomato, black olives, and jalapenos on whole wheat?”
    Abby smiled. “Don’t forget the chocolate chip cookies.”
    “Or the Sun Chips?” Jay laughed, and Abby felt her burden lighten. Being with her best friend would help her get through the rest of the day.
    Jay looked at his watch. “See you on the pier in about fifteen minutes?”
    “I’ll be there.” Abby walked toward the log house and glanced over her shoulder. “Remember to have them put hot mustard on my half.”
    “Yes, ma’am. I’ll make sure it’s exactly as you ordered. I’ll even get you the Coke you forgot to mention.”
    Abby grinned and kept walking.

    Abby followed half a dozen guests down the earthen path that led to Angel View Pier, a habit she had adopted five years earlier when her mother insisted there was safety in numbers, and it was unnecessary to walk it alone when there were dozens of guests coming and going all the time. Though her mother never said so, Abby knew she was afraid that whatever had happened to Daddy and Riley Jo could happen to any of them.
    She spotted Jay standing on the pier and waved. She politely squeezed past the guests, skipped down the stone steps at the end of the path, and hurried over to him.
    Jay held up a sack with the Sammie’s Subs logo on the front. “I’ve got lunch. The paddleboat’s ready.”
    Abby climbed in, and Jay settled into the seat next to hers. They pedaled in reverse until they were away from the dock, and then turned toward Egret Island and pedaled at a relaxed pace.
    Jay’s sandy hair blew gently in the breeze, his shadowy beard just visible enough to make him seem older than seventeen. “The lake’s tame today.”
    “That can change on a dime.”
    Jay looked up at the bluebird sky, a silly grin stretching his cheeks. “Oh, I’m sure there could be a thunderhead out there