“Fog, dark, water. It’s a tricky kind of situation, especially on a couple bottles of beer. You’re going to feel a lot better when you give Carl that forty dollars. In fact, why don’t we go get you cleaned up, get your wallet, and go by his place now? You’ll sleep better for it.”

“Yeah. Sure. Right. Okay.”

“That’s fine.” Zack helped him to his feet. “I’ll take care of getting the boat back, don’t you worry.”

That Mia, Zack thought as he led the unprotesting boy away from the water. You had to give her credit for creativity.

It took a while to calm the boy down, then to calm four boys down once he’d taken Steve back to the rental. Then there was Carl to deal with, and the boat. Which was probably why Zack ended up nodding off at the station house just before three A.M.

He woke two hours later, stiff as a board and annoyed with himself. Ripley, he decided as he stumbled out to his cruiser, was taking the first shift.

He meant to drive straight home, but he’d gotten into the habit of swinging past the yellow cottage at the end of his shift. Just to make sure everything was as it should be.

He made the turn before he realized it, and saw the lights in her windows. Concern as much as curiosity made him pull over and get out of the car.

Because the kitchen light was on, he went to the back door. He was lifting his hand to knock when he saw her standing on the other side of the screen, a long, smooth-bladed knife gripped in both hands.

“If I tell you I was just in the neighborhood, you won’t gut me with that, will you?”

Her hands began to tremble, and her breath exploded out of her as she dropped the knife on the table with a clatter.

“I’m sorry I scared you. I saw your light as I was . . . hey, hey.” When she swayed, he bolted through the door, gripping both her arms and lowering her into a chair. “Sit. Breathe. Head down. Jesus, Nell. I’m sorry.” He stroked her hair, patted her back, and wondered whether she would just keel over on the floor if he jumped up to get her a glass of water.

“It’s all right. I’m all right. I heard the footsteps. In the dark. It’s so quiet here, you can hear everything, and I heard you coming toward the house.”

She’d wanted to run like a rabbit in the other direction and keep going. She didn’t remember picking up the knife, hadn’t known she could.

“I’m going to get you some water.”

“No, I’m all right.” Mortified now, she realized, but all right. “I just wasn’t expecting anyone to come to the door.”