A Timely Vision

It wasn’t the first time my inborn abilities had frustrated me. It would’ve been nice if I’d been able to really see everything instead of bits and pieces. I’d wished for a long time that I’d be able to solve important, world-shattering problems with my psychic gift. But it was more finding missing earrings than helping hungry children. I tried to be grateful for what I had. My mother had taught me that.

By the time I reached town hall, a large group of searchers was there. Chief Michaels was coordinating the effort. He’d called up all of Duck’s police force, including our part-time officer.

“We’ve already searched Miss Elizabeth’s house and grounds,” the chief explained. “We’ve searched the downtown area. That leaves the rest of the residential areas and the beaches. Obviously, the beaches are going to be dangerous for a while. All of you better be extra careful out there. We want to find her, but we don’t want to lose any of you either.”

I looked at the faces of the men and women I knew so well. Cailey Fargo, the fire chief, was there with her men. She’d taught fifth grade when I was in school. Carter Hatley ran Game World, the skeet ball and video game place down at the other end of town. I’d gone to school with his daughter. She married a musician she’d met in Manteo one summer and moved to New York.

My gaze snagged on Kevin Brickman, who was wearing a black poncho, his hood still pulled up on his head. He’d either been staring at me first or caught me looking at him and decided to look back. I couldn’t be sure which. He nodded and I nodded back. Shayla was going to be very disappointed when she finally met him. I didn’t see him as a tea-leaf, palm-reading kind of person. He reminded me of Chief Michaels in a strange sort of way. Maybe he’d been involved with law enforcement, and that’s why they’d bonded so quickly.

“We’ll divide up into three teams to search the beaches and the neighborhoods. Remember to keep in constant contact with this office. Mayor O’Donnell will be here taking those calls.” The chief looked around at his task force. “Any questions?”

“I don’t want to stay here and answer the phone,” I complained, surprised he’d thought of it. “I want to help look for Miss Elizabeth.”

“That’s not a question, Your Honor,” the chief responded. “We need you here to coordinate everything. Besides, we have to keep our mayor safe.”

He sort of smiled and patted me on the head. I felt sure that if he’d had a lollipop, he’d have given it to me. The group started breaking up and heading for the door as though it were all decided. With Chief Michaels leading the pack, I had no one to complain to about it.

“Think you can handle the excitement?” Kevin asked.

“I didn’t mean it would be less exciting. I want to do something more than answering the phone.”

“You’re the mayor.” He shrugged. “Delegate.”

He was right, of course. I saw Nancy Boidyn, our town clerk, at her computer. She looked up with terror written on her pretty features. We’d spoken before about her dislike of storms. Many times I’d wondered why she lived on the coast where we were famous for our violent weather.

“Nancy, would you mind staying here and answering the phone?”

“I’d love to, Dae. Thanks.”

I’d already taken a breath to qualify why I thought she should stay, but it wasn’t necessary. She grabbed on to the life preserver of coordinating the search and clung with both hands. “Great! Thanks. I’m going out to look for Miss Elizabeth.”

“What will I tell the chief if he asks where you are?”

“Tell him I needed some fresh air. I’ll call if I find anything.”

I walked out of town hall feeling guilty for not doing what was expected of me. But I felt even more responsible for trying to find Miss Elizabeth, despite the chief seeming to think I wasn’t up to the task. Just because I was mayor didn’t mean I couldn’t do the important things. Two of the men who’d gone out to search were on the town council. No one had tried to stop them.

The wind was gusting hard, blowing sheets of rain down the street. The sky had turned so dark it looked more like midnight than midafternoon. I turned to go toward the new housing development, a short walk from Miss Elizabeth’s house, and almost walked into Kevin. He seemed to be waiting for me.

“Where are you going to look first?”

“Why? Are you afraid I can’t take care of myself too?”

“No. Remember me? I’m the one who suggested your little rebellion.”

“Why are you here then?”

“You know your way around. You were the first to report that Miss Elizabeth was gone. I thought you might be the one to find her.”

His idea had some merit. “I thought I’d try looking around those new houses being built close to where you live. Maybe the storm came up, and she ducked inside one of those for shelter.”

“Sounds like a plan.”