The Sound of Whales by Kerr Thomson Read Free Book Online

dolphin.’
    Why are you telling me? she thought.
    â€˜Is there a Ben’s dolphin?’ her mom asked.
    â€˜Not yet. Not until I discover a new species.’
    From around the headland there appeared a large yacht, its white hull gleaming in the sunlight, it sail billowing in a gentle breeze.
    â€˜Whose boat is that?’ Sarah asked.
    â€˜That’s Willie McGregor’s yacht,’ Ben said. ‘He’s a big man in Skulavaig. One of the old fishermen. My boat used to be Willie’s. As you can see, he’s upgraded.’
    Hayley looked down at the old boat tied to the sea wall where they stood. Compared with the yacht, it was a rather sorry-looking thing.
    â€˜There must have been money to be made in lobster fishing,’ Sarah said.
    â€˜Aye, indeed.’
    Hayley saw a gleam in her mother’s eye and she hoped it came from chasing a story, not from chasing Ben.
    â€˜I’m going for a sail round the island myself,’ Ben said. ‘Would you like to come?’ After a pause, too long for Hayley’s liking, he added, ‘Both of you.’
    â€˜I can’t today,’ Sarah said. ‘But definitely some other time. We would love that, wouldn’t we, Hayley?’
    â€˜Sure,’ she said again, as unconvincing as the first time.
    Ben said goodbye and climbed down a rusty metal ladder on to his boat. He moved to the wheelhouse and the engine spluttered and banged and came to life. He guided the boat gently away from the wall, spinning the wheel so the vessel turned to face the narrow harbour opening and the sea beyond. He eased forward on the throttle, the screw began to turn, the propeller churned water and the boat sailed out.
    Hayley and her mom watched the boat move away and then Hayley asked, ‘Why were you flirting with that man?’
    â€˜I wasn’t flirting with Ben. I’m researching my book.’
    â€˜ Ben , is it now?’
    â€˜Well, that’s his name.’
    â€˜Do you like him?’
    â€˜Hayley.’
    â€˜I think he liked you.’
    â€˜Hayley!’
    When she wanted to, Hayley could really twist the knife.
    â€˜What about Dad, what would he think?’
    â€˜Now that’s not fair.’
    â€˜You’re still married, after all.’
    Sarah took a large breath. ‘You know as well as I, honey, that your father couldn’t care less who I flirted with.’
    â€˜So you were flirting.’ Hayley gave a squeal of triumph.
    Her mom gave her a look of both scorn and disappointment, turned on her heel and walked up the jetty towards the cottage. Hayley stood on the stone wall and realized she had just chased away the only person she knew on the whole island. In the whole country. On the whole continent. She reached into her pocket and pulled out her phone. It was time for another photograph. A completely, totally, utterly by-my-selfie.

CHAPTER 7
    F raser thought again about Hayley’s tale of someone hiding in the cave. First a man in the water and now perhaps a man in the cave. They must be connected, he thought, as he watched the afternoon ferry come in. Two cars and two vans disembarked along with a crowd of foot passengers, most of whom were islanders. He gave a nod to a girl who was a year ahead of him at school. His one friend on the island, a boy called Malcolm, was away for five weeks in Lanzarote. He stayed until the ferry departed; there were six cars on it plus some passengers on foot. That gave a net loss, more people leaving than arriving. Thus was the story of the island.
    Fraser couldn’t shake the notion there was something interesting lurking in the dark recesses of the distant cliff face. It was either nothing or it was adventure, and he’d had an afternoon of nothing. He could at least try for adventure.
    A half-mile north of Skulavaig were deep caves that must once have harboured pirates and smugglers and shipwreckers. He had explored them often, had even camped for the