Ten minutes later he slid a plate on the table, scrambled eggs and toast, and next to it a pot of coffee. He gave her the lion’s share, only to watch her spin her fork aimlessly in the center of the plate.

He said, “Yesterday we were talking about options. Aside from staying here, you asked what else we could do.”

“And?”

“I’ve had some time to think. There may be a way out. To begin with, we can’t sit here. Sooner or later we’ll be found.”

Her eyes cast down. “I know.”

“There might be a way to make everything work—but I can only do it from Geneva.”

Her gaze snapped up. “Geneva?”

He hesitated. “If I go there, if I start that process … maybe I can find an opening, some other way. But it has to begin there. And I’ll need your help to pull it off.”

“My help?” She cocked her head uneasily. “What do you want me to do?”

He gave her what was essentially a mission briefing, details he’d nailed down in the silent hours as he’d laid awake and held her. “It probably won’t work exactly as I’ve said, but do what you can, improvise. None of it should be dangerous, but if you see something you don’t like, anything at all, just go to the authorities.”

“Is a wife protected from testifying against her husband in Sweden?”

“Probably. But it doesn’t matter. Go ahead and tell them the truth. There’s only one thing I need you to hold back—tell them you don’t know where I’ve gone. The rest is in your favor. They’ll threaten to prosecute if you don’t cooperate, but that’s only a bluff. The worst thing you’ve done is take this boat, and your reasons were justifiable.”

“How encouraging.” She locked her eyes to his. “But you haven’t told me what you’re going to do.”

“It’s probably better you don’t know.”

“I don’t think you even know.”

“Not exactly.”

There was a pause as she weighed it all. “All right. Once again I will trust you, David. But you have to promise me one thing in return. Tell me you will not go through with this assassination. Tell me you’re only going through the motions in order to find a better way.”

“It’s not that simple to—”

“Yes, it is! It’s just that simple—don’t kill anyone!”

He let out a deep breath. “I can only promise one thing. I will do whatever it takes for you to be safe. I will get you and our child out of the mess I’ve created.”

After a long stare, Christine turned away in silence.

*   *   *