Real Mermaids 2 - Don't Hold Their Breath by Helene Boudreau Read Free Book Online Page B

this stuff? I picked out an ID wallet and wondered what poor sap had lost it. Bridget Lavoie according to the expired driver’s license. Bridget’s Diner–Bridget? I stifled another laugh. I bet my boss would never guess her ID had been stolen by an underwater kleptomaniac.
    Reese took the wallet back from me and stashed it in his satchel. He hesitated for a moment, looking like he wondered whether he could trust me. Beach. From tides, he said carefully.
    I said, who’s there? Renata said once again, this time more forcefully.
    You stay here, Reese whispered to me and pulled out one of the flip-flops. She likes these.
    Renata turned as Reese slipped out from our hiding spot. Stay hidden! she hissed, glancing over her shoulder to the culvert to make sure no one was looking.
    Reese swam slickly to another clump of kelp nearby while Renata busied herself, packing items into her cart, keeping her back to the culvert.
    You can’t be here, she said in a low ring.
    What is this place? Reese asked from his new hiding place. Is this the tidal pool?
    Renata stared at the clump of kelp and quickly turned back to her work. You do not know what you are asking.
    I stayed behind my rock, quite sure I didn’t want anyone popping out of the culvert and skewering us with their spears, but I had to know.
    How do we get through there? I called out to her.
    Renata scanned the waters around her. Who have you brought with you?
    Reese slipped out from his hiding place and looked my way, shaking his head slightly to signal me to stay hidden.
    A friend. He took the flip-flop and tied it onto Renata’s cart. That’s when I noticed all the other ocean-weathered flip-flops adorning the cart’s side like a string of colorful banners. A friend looking for her mother.
    Renata touched Reese’s arm for a moment and sighed. She looked back at the culvert. Tell your friend no one gets through there. Last one who tried now has to pick his nose with his thumbs. I can’t even come close, that’s why I have to shoot barnacles from this far away to signal I’m here. Don’t stay here, Renata continued. The shift changes soon, then you’ll have four sentries to fend off instead of two. She stored the slingshot in her cart, then turned to pick up the cart’s handles so she could drag it behind her.
    Before Renata could swim away, her prediction came true and two other sentries blasted onto the scene, screeching like a couple of riot police.
    What is your business here?
    Very serious breach!
    Under arrest!
    One grabbed Reese around the neck in a headlock while the other held Renata’s hands behind her back. I almost hurtled out of my hiding spot to help them, but Reese caught my eye and mouthed no, urging me to stay put. I slipped back down, afraid of what the sentries might do to Reese and Renata and wishing I could do something to help.
    But by then, Grizzly and Omarlin had slipped out of the culvert to see what the commotion was all about.
    Take your posts at the entry, Grizzly ordered to the new sentries as he swam to meet them. The newcomers handed Renata and Reese off to Omarlin and Grizzly before disappearing through the mouth of the culvert. Reese winced as Grizzly tied long strands of twine-like seaweed around his wrists. As for you two, we’ll let the Mermish Council decide what to do with you.
    My heart broke in a million pieces as they dragged Renata and Reese away.

It took me twice as long to swim back to Toulouse Point without Reese as my guide. It didn’t help that I was completely paranoid and had to dart from one hiding place to another to keep from getting spotted. By the time I’d snuck past the mouth of the canal, I was so exhausted I could barely move my tail.
    I wanted to cry when I thought of everything that had just happened. What would happen to Renata? Or Reese? They’d both sacrificed so much to help me, only to find the tidal pool locked up tighter than