The Cursed Canoe

Chapter One

Emma Nakamura's crew was out near the breakwall, but even at that distance I could tell her canoe was moving fast. She'd promised us she'd finish paddling practice in time for sunset happy hour (half price drinks and free pupus) at the Pair-O-Dice Bar and Grill. But the sun had already sunk out of sight, and Emma's canoe continued to zip back and forth with no sign of slowing down.

It wouldn't be any use complaining to Patrick Flanagan, who was standing next to me on the black sand beach. Pat is indifferent to food and looks it.

"Emma's pushing them hard," I said.

"Probably trying to get in as many sprints as she can before it gets dark. Was that your stomach growling?"

"Ooh, Pat, I hope Emma doesn't end up giving someone a heart attack or anything."

"Careful what you wish for. You might get it."

"Okay, I guess I'm not actually wishing for anyone to have a heart attack. That wouldn't be nice."

"Lightning strike?" Pat suggested.

"Maybe a little one."

I imagined Zeus astride the dormant volcano that dominated the island (Mount Olympus being impractically far away), aiming a thunderbolt directly at seat five of Emma's canoe. Just enough voltage to knock Kathy Banks out of commission for a while.

It's not like me to wish someone ill. I try to get along with everyone, not always an easy task for a new department chair. But seeing the good in the officious and incurious Kathy Banks, my liaison in Mahina State's Student Retention Office, is beyond my ability. I squinted at the distant outline of the canoe.

"Why does Emma tolerate her?"

"Kathy's a strong paddler. That's why Emma keeps her on. You know, Emma doesn't like Kathy any more than you do, but she doesn't really have a good reason to kick her off the crew."

"Flirting with Yoshi doesn't count as a reason?"

"You know Emma will ignore that kind of stuff if it has anything to do with one of her big canoe races," Pat said. "Besides, I don't think Kathy's flirting is completely a one-way street."

"That's probably true. Emma told me her spineless husband, those were her words, doesn't initiate it, but he doesn't exactly try to—oh hi Yoshi, I didn't see you standing there!"

"Did they come in yet?" Yoshi shaded his eyes and peered out at the dark ocean. I wondered why he didn't simply turn the bill of his baseball cap around to face the front.

"It's getting a little dark to see them now," I said. "But Emma's canoe is out there."

"The sun sets so fast here. I'm still not used to that. It's so different from upstate New York. I feel like we're the only ones on the beach."

"We're not," I said.

A man leaned on the wall of the halau, the open-sided shed housing the crew's canoes and equipment. He was texting or playing a game on a handheld device, slouched against the halau's weathered siding as if he were doing a fashion shoot. His leather pants were so snug it looked like the lower half of his body had been dipped in black latex.

Pat followed my line of sight.

"Enjoying the view?"

"He's more your type than mine. Besides, I'm not looking."

"Careful, Molly. I think Gorgeous George there is with one of the ladies in Emma's crew. Does Donnie know about your roving eye?"

I tried to formulate a devastating comeback, but couldn't think of anything wittier than, "Shut up, Pat."

"I'm starving," Yoshi said. "I paddled for almost an hour today."

"I guess I could eat something," Pat agreed. "You think we should head over to the Pair-O-Dice and get a table? Emma can meet us there whenever she's done torturing her crew."

I was about to chime in with my support for Pat's idea when a distant voice yelled,

"Call 911!"

Pat was already on his phone to the emergency dispatcher before I could locate my own phone in my purse. I wondered if I should look into getting one of those bags that lights up when you open it, like a refrigerator.

"Yes, I'm sure we need an ambulance," Pat enunciated into his phone. "No, I can't tell you the exact nature of the emergency. Someone shouted, 'Call 911', so—Medical. Yes. I'm sure. Look, the boat's not on fire, and I'm pretty sure they didn't get attacked by pirates. Yes. No, I'm not trying to be...Okay, thank you."

Still on the phone, Pat touched my arm to get my attention and pointed at Emma's canoe. As it crept closer to shore, we saw what the problem was. Only three women were paddling. Behind the boat, three more shapes trailed in the black water. Two were swimming, holding up a limp figure between them. Yoshi, now waist-deep in the surf, gripped the side of the canoe and pushed it hard to point it up toward the shore. Emma and the two remaining paddlers hopped out of the canoe and pushed it until it rested on the sand. An ambulance pulled up, and two men in white hurried down to the water's edge.

Even with her blonde hair stringy and wet, I recognized her immediately. The men in white bundled Kathy Banks into the back of the ambulance and pulled away slowly. Yoshi stood and watched until the ambulance was out of sight.