I Taught a Siren to Court... Then Became His Mate novel · Chapter 27 of 32

Chapter 27: Protected

I read it standing in Margie's skiff in my long underwear, with my drysuit over my arm.

"Read it out loud," Margie said. "I didn't bring my glasses."

"In light of the evidence broadcast last night, and the petition of the town of Gannet Island," I read, "the north cove is closed, effective immediately, to all netting, trapping and capture of any marine animal for research or sale."

Margie didn't say anything.

"Final designation as a protected marine area to follow on July 8," I read. "The data submitted by Ms. Colcord is unusual and deserves study. I look forward to reading it."

I lowered the phone.

Jet's head came up out of the water beside the skiff, wet and squinting in the sun.

"What does it say?"

"It says nobody can ever net this cove again," I said. "Not Barrows. Not anybody."

He looked at me for a long moment.

Then he went under, and came up ten feet away, and slapped his tail on the water so hard it soaked us both.

Margie wiped her face.

"I'm taking that as a thank you," she said.

There was a second message under the first.

It was from the young officer.

County's dropping the burglary. Hard to steal a specimen that doesn't exist. Bring the hose to Rockland Monday anyway. The DA wants it.

I sat down in the bottom of the skiff and laughed until I cried.

By six that night, the whole island was on the town dock.

Nobody organized it.

The store owner set up a table with coffee and the fire-truck jar.

The brothers' wives brought chowder in two lobster pots.

Somebody's kid brought a speaker and played the fiddler's records until the fiddler showed up and played them himself.

The loud lobsterman found me by the bait barrels with a bowl of chowder in each hand.

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