The Sisters McFadden

Chapter 30 - Rain Cloud

Warren McFadden dropped Ashley and Octavia off at the beach parking lot, usual spot, and instructed his daughters to be ready for pickup at three o'clock sharp. Warren and Aneke were planning a dinner party for that evening at the ranch house and attendance was mandatory for his three daughters. Since Dalton had to work that morning and afternoon, Ashley decided to take Octavia to the beach for the day. Eighty-six degree sunshine warmed the sand and water. Even though Octavia had a fear of the ocean, mostly due to sharks like the Great Whites that frequented the coasts of South Africa, she loved hanging out on the sand and watching Ashley surf. She worshipped her big sister.

            Ashley had not told her parents about the visit from the horseman. Her mother had already left for the market by the time she woke up. She feared that her father would make an abrupt decision to put her entire family on the first flight to Scotland and never come back to America. Ashley needed to see Dalton again. Ashley also needed answers. Octavia trusted her sister and agreed to stay silent. With her surfboard and kid sister in tow, Ashley walked down to Tower 19.

            It was still early and the masses had yet to arrive. Numerous LA County Lifeguard boats trolled the waters outside the surf break keeping an eye out for the sharks Rex and Kurt had reported the day before. There were no sightings close to shore and the decision had been made to keep the beaches open. All lifeguards along Redondo, Torrance and RAT Beaches were on edge.

            Ashley wore Dalton's water polo sweatshirt over her swimsuit, unsure if the weather would hold. In truth, she had worn the hoodie nonstop since he gave it to her. It smelled like him and she now took habitual sniffs. Unbeknownst to Octavia, Ashley planned a slight detour from the beach. She set her surfboard down under the lifeguard tower, she had many others from her sponsors, and told Octavia they were going for a walk down to RAT Beach. RAT was an acronym for Right After Torrance, the last stretch of sand before the cliffs of PV. Once they made the mile trek and reached the base of the cliffs, Ashley explained how they would ascend the trail and hike to the Malaga Cove Library.

            As the two girls walked along the sandy shore, Ashley looked out to Malaga Cove. It was there, in those kelp filled waters, that Dalton's father discovered not one, but two young girls around her age. She'd read a number of social media posts on various theories about the girls and what might have happened. Many of the posts online speculated the two were the victims of a serial killer who may strike again. Ashley had a different theory but she needed help to connect the dots. She needed the help of Dalton's grandfather. Time was of the essence. Hopefully, Jack Walker was at work that morning.

            Octavia held Ashley's hand as they walked. The first drops of rain were hardly felt. Dark clouds started to form overhead out of nowhere. As the rain clouds converged, heavy droplets pelted the beach and ocean. Ashley watched as the swells leveled out and faded away. Big circles in the water were created as the rain hit. All the seagulls started to disperse and take flight. Minutes later, the heavens opened up. Rain showered down and drenched everything around. Ashley tightened her grip on Octavia's hand but did not change course. Luckily, Octavia was wearing a sweatshirt as well and both girls slid their hoods on. The wet sand was like cake under their feet. For the second day in a row, the sunny forecast had been replaced by freakish weather. Ashley inferred from the weather that another threat loomed. A foreshadowing of the danger to come.

            By the time the two girls reached the library, their cotton sweatshirts were soaked through like wet towels. Ashley shivered as she approached the kind female librarian at the front counter named Anne.

            "Pardon me, is Mr. Walker here today, please?" asked Ashley, proper and polite.

            "Oh, my dear girls," said Anne with a worried look. "You are soaked to the bone."