“He will.” Ryan was calm. “And if by chance he makes it as far as the bridge, he’ll probably take a swim.”

“He’s going to be calling for help,” Anna said happily, and Ryan smiled back.

“He’ll try. There is no cell phone coverage by the pond. He’s going to have a long, tiring walk back down to the road.”

Emily wasn’t so easily reassured. “He knows about Castaway Cottage. He must have gotten the details from the hospital.” She was sickened by it. “What if someone tells him where it is?”

“How can they, when none of us has ever heard of Castaway Cottage?” Ryan winked at her and then called Kirsti over. “Is it done?”

“It was done twenty seconds after you gave me the nod. Check your phone. And for those who don’t text, we’ve been calling around leaving messages.”

Ryan pulled his phone out of his pocket, smiled and handed it to Emily. There on the screen was a text warning the islanders about the journalist, complete with a photograph.

“How did you take that without him noticing?”

Kirsti smiled. “I’m sneaky.”

Emily couldn’t relax that easily. “What if he comes back?”

“I guarantee you by the time he leaves the island, he won’t want to come back in a hurry.” Ryan dropped to his haunches and grinned at Lizzy. “Hi there, tiger. Time to come out.”

“Ryan!” Lizzy wriggled through legs and backpacks and launched herself into his arms. “It was him.”

“I know, honey, but he’ll be leaving again soon. In the meantime, how do you feel about spending the day at Harbor House with Agnes? She really needs your help with Cocoa while she packs boxes.” He stroked her back gently, and Lizzy wrapped her arms and legs around him like a monkey.

“Will you be there, too?”

Across the top of Lizzy’s head, Ryan’s gaze met Emily’s. She saw something flicker in the depths of his eyes, and then he set the child down, peeling her arms from around his neck.

“Later.” His voice was husky. “First, I’m going to make sure Mr. Photographer never bothers you again.” He turned to Emily. “Don’t leave until I text you. John Harris is going to let me know as soon as he’s safely on the ferry.”

She nodded. Without his quick thinking, Lizzy’s presence would have been exposed, and she wanted to express her gratitude. She wanted to pull back all the things she’d said, but then she saw Lizzy slide her arms around his legs and cling, and knew she had to stand firm.