The sudden appearance through the fog of another boat creeping toward them was a relief. The two men in fishing gear waved as they went by. Haley could see no sign of where they'd come from. The thick fog was sticking like a mist to her skin and she felt cold creeping down her back. She looked at the bag that contained her sweatshirt. Naturally, it was buried under everything else.
"Do you know where you're going?" she asked her husband quietly.
"Of course," Neil answered, obviously trying to sound cheerful. "Trust me, will you?"
Well, they weren't the only ones crazy enough to be on the water, she told herself.
Trouble stood up, shook himself, and then sat again against Haley's leg. The dog plunked his head on her lap and looked up at her almost mournfully. She shook her head and petted him, glancing at the shore of another island they were passing. There was something familiar about the boathouse.
"We aren't too far away, are we?" she asked. "I recognize that place."
Neil nodded. "We'll go past one more island, and then you'll see our place."
Haley felt relief wash through her. "You hear that?" she said to the dog, scratching behind his ears. "Daddy led us straight to the cottage. He's a regular Daniel Boone."
"Very funny," Neil said.
Haley called to the boys. "We're almost there."
"What are we going to do first when we dock?" Stevie asked, turning in his seat.
"Are we going fishing?" Bobby chimed in.
The dog sensed the boys' excitement from the pitch of their voices. He stood up and looked around, ready to jump in the lake. Haley had to hold on tight to his collar.
"We'll unload the boat first. No one goes anywhere until we've taken everything out and put it in the cottage," Neil told them. He smiled at Haley. "That doesn't include you, honey. You do whatever you want."
She leaned over and gave him a peck on the cheek. Just getting close to their vacation cottage was making a noticeable difference in everyone's mood. Haley looked around. Even the fog seemed to be lightening. If Judd was right, in another hour the sun would be shining.
Hopefully.
Haley considered that her best move would be to introduce herself to their neighbors first. Only the east side of the island was approachable by boat. The west side was rocky and heavily wooded. Because of that, both cottages had been built on the same side of the island, only a hundred yards or so of grass and pine groves separating them. They'd share the boat dock, as there was only one.
Suddenly, as they rounded the last island, the boat engine sputtered and threatened to go out. She had confidence that Neil would know what to do, though. He revved the gas, gently at first, and the motor responded. Speeding up a little, they again moved smoothly across the water.
Haley looked ahead, peering through the fog. She didn't have long to wait. The southern end of the island abruptly appeared through the mist, then the dark outline of the other cottage. No sign of life there. She looked ahead as the beach and floating wooden dock next to it came into view. Trouble started barking.
"He's never been here, and still he's excited," Neil said, petting the dog's head.
Haley noticed the other power boat tied to the dock. There were water skis piled on the dock, and a canoe and two kayaks on the beach. Their neighbors were definitely on the island. Trouble's barks were becoming more forceful. Haley held on to his collar, wrapping the leash around her hand.
"Quiet, Trouble," she said.
"He's just ready to run," Neil said.
"Judd mentioned that the family in the other cottage has a dog, too," Haley reminded her husband.
Neil shrugged. "You should let him off the leash. The dogs get along much better that way."
"We don't want to startle the neighbors. Especially since they must not have seen us coming. If I let him go and—"
"There'll be a lot of tail wagging and butt sniffing, but that's all," Neil said confidently, glancing up at the other cottage. "And they'll have to hear us coming in."
She had a hard time holding on to him. The dog was ready to jump in the water. Waiting until the boat pulled near the dock, she unclipped the leash. With one graceful leap, Trouble left the boat and landed on the wooden planks at a full run. Nose to the ground, he dashed off into the fog.
She shook her head at the disappearing animal and looked up at their own cottage. Haley couldn't even see it, but she knew it would be in good condition. That's the way Judd always operated.
"Where's Trouble going?" Stevie asked, standing up as his older brother jumped out onto the dock and quickly tied the bowline to a nearby cleat.
"I think he's looking for a buddy," Neil answered.
Immediately, there were a dozen questions from the teenagers about the other family on the island. Haley pointed to her husband. "Help your dad. I'll give you the entire scoop in a minute."
She couldn't see or hear the dog. While the boys helped to secure the boat, Haley stepped onto the dock and walked toward the stretch of sand-and-rock beach. The familiar outline of their cottage broke through the fog. The rocking chairs on the porch, the two kayaks lying upside down on the path leading from the beach, the canoe next to it, the outside shower on the side of the cottage, the tire swing hanging from the ancient oak tree in the front yard… these were all familiar sights. She remembered exploring all over the island that first year. The oak was the only non-pine tree on the property. Looking at it always made her smile for some reason.
She looked back at the other cottage through the haze. There was still no one outside, but she noticed now the front door was open, and it looked like the screen door had been propped open, as well.
"Trouble!" she called out, hoping the dog hadn't decided to visit on his own. "Come on, good puppy."
There was no barking, no sound. She shook her head. Haley kicked herself for not asking Judd the other family's name. She guessed they must have gone off fishing, and Trouble had gone off after them.
The island was about half a mile wide and maybe a little bit longer. Neil and the boys liked to fish on the rocks on the west side. That was probably where the other family was. Well, they were in for a surprise when Trouble found them.
She walked up the path toward their own cottage. There were no locks on these houses. There was no crime, no one to intrude on people. Judd boarded the places up for nine months, and mostly the same people came back year after year during the summer. The people before them always left a dozen new paperbacks for the collection on the shelf by the stove. She was glad Judd had never put up more cottages out here.
She stepped on the porch and looked back. The fog was lifting. She could see that the boys had already unloaded everything on the pier. She opened the front door. The faintly musty smell, mingled with lemon wax, brought back more memories. Inside everything looked the same. The rustic furniture, the wood bunk beds in the nook off the sitting area, the little kitchenette with the lime-green fridge, the bedroom that was no bigger than a closet off the living area with the creaky double bed and the tiny bathroom off of that.
"Come over here. Right now. Come here, Trouble."
Neil's shouts brought Haley back out onto the porch. Her husband, juggling a suitcase and two bags of groceries, was standing on the path and looking up at the other cottage.
Trouble was on the neighbors' porch.
"Great," she whispered.
"Come on, good boy," Neil called again.
With a little yelp, the dog ran back inside the place.