NOT THIS TIME

By Enola Jones



Jim stood beside the truck, keeping an eye on the surface of Cascade Bay. Knowing talking was not possible underwater, he turned his radio to a previously agreed upon frequency and said simply into the mic, "Time to roll, you two. We've got a lead we need to check out."

He smiled as two sharp noises sounded. One of them had tapped the grille of the waterproofed radio twice – a prearranged "Acknowledged". He replaced the mic. Now all there was to do was to wait.

Mercifully, the wait was brief as first Megan, then Blair, broke the surface. Jim watched them swim to shore and pull on jeans and sweatshirts over their bathing suits. "Isn't the water cold?" he asked.

Blair finished tying his wet bandanna and shook his head. "Not once you get a few feet down. But then again, Merrows feel the cold differently."

Megan nodded as she arranged her wet hair over her scarf. "We're perfectly adapted to underwater living. You said we had a lead?"

Jim nodded. "Let's go."

As he watched the Merrow pair climb the small hill – the Sentinel of the Water and his Australian Guide regaining their land legs – Jim couldn't help but smile. Usually he was always the last to know these things.

But not this time. Anybody with eyes could see that the Merrows had fallen hard for each other.

Anybody but Blair and Megan themselves.

THE END




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