Cabin on the Coast Question

Dave Tallman · 28 May 2008, 19:44 · from 2008-May.txt.gz

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From: davetallman at msn.com (Dave Tallman)
Date: Wed, 28 May 2008 13:44:40 -0600
Subject: (urth) Cabin on the Coast Question
Message-ID: <1bf4dd40805281244p15c4bf12l393322e29b4f5471 at mail.gmail.com>

Roy C. Lackey wrote:

> I should probably just leave this alone, but there is one nagging detail
that I can't explain or ignore.
> It's that damn "already damp and a trifle sandy" towel Tim used after he
showered upon returning
> from his early-morning swim on the morning *before* Lissy disappeared, on
the second
> page of the story. Who had used the towel before Tim?

Good clue-spotting. All right, let's pursue this. There are some other
interesting details:

1) Lissy was awake and sitting up when Tim entered on the day of the damp
towel.

2) There are five wooden steps leading up to the beach cottage, and they
creak.

3) The cottage has two windows, opposite each other (early morning light
from one enters the other).

4) Tim and Lissy apparently went straight to bed the night before without a
swim. Lissy's clothes were kicked under the bed. No bags were unpacked from
the car.

5) Lissy didn't swim herself that morning. Her swimsuit was still in the
car.

It looks like Lissy received another visitor while Tim was swimming. That
person came from the sea and dried off, leaving the towel damp and sandy. He
could have left by the back window when he heard the creaking steps.

That visitor was not Big Tim, because Lissy says "You did come" at the end.

Who else could it be? Why not Daniel O'Donoghue himself? He can take any
form and might well have seduced Lissy, a preliminary move before her
abduction. He's not immune to the urge if one of his forms is a satyr. The
reference to "unwillin' girls" is deceptive.

Daniel of Domdaniel has a motive for what he did to Tim beyond mere fey
trickiness. He's getting his rival out of the way.
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