The Rising Read Online Free PDF

Not the ideal location for anyone trying to sneak on board. Just as we were thinking we might need to just make a run for it, a school bus pulled in and disgorged a couple dozen students.
    â€œPlease tell me they’re walk-ons,” Corey said.
    â€œEven if they’re taking the bus, we might be able to sneak on with them,” I said.
    Daniel made a noise deep in his throat. Disagreeing. He was right. Kids on Galiano Island would be a lot like kids from Salmon Creek, where you’d known your classmates forever.
    When the first group headed for the pier, we breathed a collective sigh of relief. They were indeed walking on.
    â€œWe’ll split up,” I said. “Daniel, you go first. Corey, you’re next. I’ll bring up the rear and keep my ears open for trouble.”
    We joined them in the parking lot. Merging with the group wasn’t easy. When Daniel cut in, they noticed. The girls did, anyway. They always do. It’s the blond wavy hair, the friendly smile . . . the wrestling and boxing champion physique.
    When Corey joined, he took some of the attention, but that hardly helped us pass unnoticed. And when I slid in, they all noticed, because I was the only brown face in the group.
    â€œHey,” one of the guys said to me. “You going to the mainland?”
    â€œI am.”
    He started telling me about their trip and I struggled to pretend I was listening while my attention was attuned to the parking lot behind us. I hoped an overly polite nod or two would stop him, but he continued chattering away.
    I glanced back. All the cars were on the ferry now, the gate closing.
    â€œLooking for someone?” he said.
    â€œNo, I—”
    â€œRight here.” Corey appeared and slung his arm around my shoulders. “I thought you were already on board, baby.”
    The guy grumbled and walked faster as we reached the pier.
    â€œBaby?” I said.
    â€œYou can thank me later.” He glanced back. “I don’t see anyone, but other than Antone and Moreno, I don’t know who I’m looking for.”
    Daniel overheard, having slowed to let us catch up. “Just watch for anyone acting like they’re looking for somebody.”
    â€œLike that woman running toward the gate?”
    Corey didn’t wait for an answer, just tightened his grip on my shoulders and started propelling me through the crowd.
    â€œSlow down,” I hissed. “Running will only make it worse.”
    Damn it, we shouldn’t have attempted this. As soon as we set foot on the ferry, we were trapped. I looked up and down the pier, but there was no place to hide. We were being funneled toward the boat and—
    â€œJimmy!” the woman shouted. “Jimmy! You forgot your EpiPen!”
    A few of the kids laughed. A red-faced boy grumbled something and stomped back.
    â€œBullet dodged,” Corey said. “Now let’s get on the boat.”
    We stayed with the school group until we were on. The ferry was the Queen of Nanaimo . It wasn’t a little ship. It had room for a couple hundred cars and close to a thousand passengers.
    We headed straight upstairs to the top deck. Some of the kids were already there for the best vantage point. We stayed behind them as we strained to look out. My night vision is better than average, but my regular sight is about the same. There were a few people on the pier as the ship prepared to depart, but no sign—
    Daniel gripped my arm and whispered. “Don’t move. It’s Antone.” He didn’t say “your father.” He knew how I felt—my father was Rick Delaney. “To the left. Back at the ticket counter.”
    He was right. Even from so far away I recognized Antone, and if I had any doubts, they evaporated when Moreno walked up beside him.
    Antone was showing something to the cashier.
    â€œOh no,” I whispered. “Photos. He’s showing her . . .”
    But Antone