The Cove Read Online Free

hands clasped over her chest like she was at prayer. It looked like a weak current of electricity was tingling through her body, making her vibrate. Her sister, Nancy, was snapping pictures with a digital camera.
    Ben smiled wryly at the irony of it all, relieved that the attention was no longer focused on him. Everyone was acting like this was the most wonderful thing in the world when, in fact, within a few days, the deck would be sloshing with bilge water and bait, and Wally would no doubt be piloting his prize through the narrows out to sea with a “ skinful ” of rum. And if things hadn’t changed in the time Ben had been in Iraq, lobsters wouldn’t be the only cargo Capt’n Wally would be hauling. Occasional bales of weed from offshore trawlers would be the most likely first cargo to make him any real money. After all, Wally may own the family home free and clear, since it had been in the family for over a hundred years, but he would have huge payments to make on this dandy new boat.
    The crowd shifted down toward the water’s edge, surrounding the truck and boat trailer. Many of them were taking pictures with cameras and cell phones. Matt “Animal” Costello had a hand-held video camera the size of his fist. Ben realized he hadn’t seen his sister Louise anywhere. A wave of concern washed through him because of a few comments his father and brother had made last night about how Louise’s marriage wasn’t going so well. He scanned the crowd, hoping to catch a glimpse of her, but she was nowhere in sight.
    “Fuck it all,” he muttered as he patted his pants pocket, feeling for his cell phone. He was considering giving her a call when someone tapped him on the shoulder.
    “Hey there, bro,” a pleasant, light-sounding voice said. “Good to see yah.”
    “Lou-Lou Belle,” he said.
    He was smiling as he turned to her, but his heart sank when he saw her. Her eyes were bloodshot, and in the direct sunlight, the heavy makeup that covered her cheeks didn’t quite hide the purple bruise under her left eye. She angled her head to the left as though shielding it from him as she hugged him and kissed him on the cheek.
    “Don’t call me that,” she said with a resignation in her voice that indicated she knew he wouldn’t stop.
    “What? Lou-Lou Belle? What else am I gonna call my little sis?”
    “My real name. I’ve always hated Lou-Lou Belle.”
    Ben was about to tell her that’s why he called her that, to tease her, but instead asked, “So … how’s things?” He tried to inject a note of happiness into his voice and hoped Louise hadn’t seen his reaction to her face.
    “I’m hanging in there,” she said with a wan smile.
    “Thanks so much for coming by last night to see me,” Ben said sarcastically.
    “Well thank you for not showing up until almost midnight. Some people sleep, you know. Any call after ten o’clock, and all anyone’s gonna think is someone died.”
    “Sorry … I wasn’t thinking. I’ve crossed so many time zones, I’m all screwed up.”
    Before he could say more, Louise reached into her purse and pulled out a compact digital camera. She raised it and aimed it at the truck and boat, snapping a few pictures in quick succession. The lens made soft whirring sounds as she adjusted the telephoto in and out.
    “I’ll catch up with’cha later,” Louise said as she moved away, heading toward the truck. “If I don’t get some good shots, Pops’ll be pissed.”
    Screw him , Ben wanted to say but didn’t. They both knew how angry their father could get, and Louise was being careful not to do anything to set Wally off … not on his special day.
    “Later,” Ben said, but she was already too far away to hear. She headed down to the water’s edge so she could get some close-ups when the boat went in.
    Ben remained where he was, letting the crowd stream around him as if he were a rock in the middle of a river. He considered leaving now before anyone else spoke to him. Louise