Page 131 of The Company

Chapter Fifty-Three - Harper

“Where are we?”

“The harbor, Harp. You hungry?”

“What time is it?”

“Seven thirty.”

“Where are we?” I’m so confused. “We’re at the beach?”

“Yeah, the beach. To eat. I know you’re hungry.” He unbuckles my seatbelt and grabs me by the arm. Not roughly, but securely.

“I do not feel good.”

“I know, baby. But it’s OK. You’re gonna be OK.”

“Where’s Sasha?”

“I’m here,” she says. I look over and there she is. Her face is nothing but a frown. I smile at her but she does not shoot one back for me.

“Why are you wearing a life vest?”

Something is wrong.

“We’re going on a boat, Harper. Kids have to have vests.”

“I’m so confused. We’re eating on a boat?” And sure enough, when I look around, we’re in a marina. Have we always been in this marina?

“It’s the drugs, Harp. They’re still wearing off. I had to give you two more doses of antagonist.”

He helps me down from the Hummer and I’ve never noticed how high up it was before. My legs are not working right, my head is all fuzzy, and my whole body is hot. I look around. “There’s a lot of boats on the water.”

“There’s a boat race going on in the harbor.”

“Which harbor?”

“Newport. You ready?” James smiles at me. I smile back. “We’re gonna walk this way, OK?”

But Newport rings a bell for me for some reason. I’ve never been here, but I’ve heard of it. Where? Why? Why have I heard of it? I rack my brain as James leads me along a dock and stops at a charter. He helps me get in and I have to admit, I like this trip. “Are we gonna watch the sunset tonight?”

“You bet, babe.”

I’m irritated with his answers and now that I’m coming out of my drugged-up stupor, none of this is making sense. James is not manning the boat. He’s facing me and Sasha is sitting up near the bow, in front of the captain. It’s a little boat, only seats four, so we’ve filled it all up.

We are going very slow because of the boat races. There must be a hundred sailboats in the harbor, all following their pattern. We weave in and out between them and the salty air refreshes me and starts to lift the confusion.

God, I’ve missed being on a boat. I smile and then laugh a little when we pick up speed and I get splashed with saltwater. I am hungry. I open my eyes and spot a nice-sized yacht anchored off to the side. “Where are we going again?”

But just as the words are out of my mouth I remember why I know of this harbor.

Megayachts.

Megayachts can anchor here if they get permission.

I look at James and he’s staring at me intently. He’s got hold of my wrists and he reads the understanding on my face and squeezes them tightly. “Don’t fight me, Harper. I won’t put up with it.” His face is deathly serious.

I stand up and he stands with me. My head turns, looking. And there she is. It’s pretty hard to miss a two-hundred-twenty-foot sailing yacht. “You sold me out.” I don’t scream it or get hysterical. It sorta comes out matter-of-factly. Like it was inevitable. Like I’ve always known I was nothing to him but a mission.