a fish!”
“You sure did,” Dusty replied and crouched down next to the dancing boy.
Cooper grabbed Dusty by the face and kissed him on the cheek. Trisha didn’t know who was more surprised, herself or Dusty. He looked up at her with a stunned expression and then quickly gazed back down at the flopping fish on the dock.
“Ah, it’s just a baby,” Cooper said with disappointment. “It wouldn’t even make one fish stick, so I guess we’d better put it back and let it grow bigger.”
“I think that’s a good idea,” Trisha said.
“Now I wanna catch a bigger one,” Cooper said once the fish had been returned to the water and his hook was once again baited and ready.
For the next half an hour nobody got any bites and Cooper showed all indications of becoming bored. Trisha had been surprised by how attentive he’d been throughout the day, but now that focus had been lost.
A glance at her wristwatch let her know it was almost seven. She was surprised by how quickly the hours had flown by. She was just about to tell Dusty that it was probably time for them to head back to the motel when he ripped up his pole and his line went taut.
“You got a fish, Dusty?” Cooper asked excitedly.
“I think so.” Dusty began to reel in with effort. Trisha couldn’t help but notice how his biceps popped with his exertion. Sunlight danced in his hair and she wondered how those golden strands would feel against her fingers.
Get a grip, she told herself even as the memory of their kiss played provocatively in her head once again. They were still early in their courtship—or whatever they were doing together.
“Is it big, Dusty? Is it a big fish?” Cooper asked.
“I’ve changed my mind. I don’t think it’s a fish after all,” Dusty said with a frown. “It feels like I’m reeling in a tree branch or a big stick.” He continued to reel in a little more easily.
Ripples appeared in the water and suddenly something bobbed to the surface. Smooth and covered with algae, the object shot a wave of horror through her. Was it...was it really...?
“Trisha, take Cooper over to the blanket.” Dusty’s voice registered a terse alarm.
“But I wanna see the big stick,” Cooper protested.
“Come on, son,” she said and grabbed him by his shoulder. “You’ve seen plenty of sticks before.” She hurried him away from the dock.
It wasn’t until they were seated on the blanket that she fully processed what had been on the end of Dusty’s line...a human skull.
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