Kraken by M. Caspian Read Free Book Online

where they treat me like a chocolate: delicate and requiring air conditioning. I don’t have grandparents. You’re confusing me with someone else.”
     
    “Oh, I don’t think so, lad. You paid by credit card for your ferry ticket, hmm? And it was all just the other day, for me. I’m an old man, it seems. I don’t know where the years went. Time doesn’t go as quickly for me as it does for you.”
     
    Will felt a sick weight descend on him, hot and heavy. “No.” He shook his head. “Not me.” It was never him. He had no family connections, no childhood buddies to bump into at ball games. It had always been just him and his mom. And then just him. The old guy was touched in the head. He might look pretty damn spry, but he was clearly losing his mind. And Will had more important things to worry about.
     
    “Mr. Falconer, I have to get back to the mainland. As soon as possible. Now. When’s the next ferry?”
     
    The old man looked at Cyrus, his face unreadable. “Already? I’m surprised our Mr. Keller is letting you get away quite so soon. Well, that’s a shame. But you’ll have to wait till tomorrow, I’m afraid. No more ferries today.”
     
    Will stared at him. He could feel the incomprehension crawl across his face.
     
    “Mechanical problems, I believe. A bent propeller shaft.”
     
    “But I— “
     
    “It’s no problem, Will. You’ll stay with me, of course,” said Cyrus.
     
    “Of course he will,” said Mr. Falconer.
     
    Will felt adrift. “I have to go now . Is there a private yacht I could get a lift on?”
     
    Mr. Falconer scratched his chin. “None that I can think of. It’s the beginning of the weekend, you see. Everyone is just heading out. It’ll be quicker to wait until you can take a ferry tomorrow.”
     
    “I see. Thank you.”
     
    As if coming here hadn’t been disaster enough, now it looked like not even leaving was going to go right. Will was about to ask Cyrus if they were ready to leave, when he remembered the black armband, and gestured to it, more from politeness than any pressing desire to know. “Someone pass away?”
     
    Mr. Falconer nodded his head. “Oh yes. The Christie boy, Cameron. A dreadful accident. Very sad. Not a young man, any more, of course. But still a loss. Isn’t that right, Mr. Keller?”
     
    Cyrus shrugged. “He shouldn’t have tried to leave. He was needed here.” His arm tightened across Will’s shoulders. “But not any more.”
     
    Will bit back an apology. He nearly told them he’d been there, seen it all, but he quailed at the idea of explaining the details. Cyrus mistook his silence.
     
    “It will be quite all right, Will. Better, even,” said Cyrus. “You’ll see. C’mon, let’s go.”
     
    Cyrus took hold of Will’s arm and steered him towards the door.
     
    “Goodbye, gentlemen,” called out Mr. Falconer. “I’m sure I’ll be seeing you, Mr. MacKenzie.”
     

Chapter Five
     
    Cyrus walked Will back to the boat ramp in silence, keeping two steps ahead of him the whole way. The tension in his shoulders bled through his t-shirt. When Cyrus started to untie the dinghy painter Will realized he was expected to get back into the boat.
     
    Oh no. There was no fucking way. “You are out of your mind if you think I am getting back in that thing.”
     
    Cyrus turned, and for a moment Will thought he was going to actually lash out at him in anger. Then Cyrus’s eyes softened, and he stroked Will’s bicep, as if settling a skittish pony. “You already did it once. Why are you making such a big deal out of this? You know nothing will hurt you.”
     
    “That’s not the point.” In the last eighteen hours nothing had been in Will’s control, but this was. And he was not doing it. “I’ll walk.” He stalked off.
     
    He heard Cyrus’s exasperated voice behind him. “You don’t even know where you’re going.”
     
    “Don’t care!” Will called over his shoulder. He knew it was petty and pathetic and