Stone clicked on the TV and went to the Weather Channel just in time to see the national radar displayed. “All right. I’ll be there,” he said. “But I don’t know what I can do to placate them at this point.”

“Just being there will let them know that you’re not afraid to show your face. That’ll mean something.”

“All right, Ed. I’ll see you this afternoon.” Stone hung up and called Holly.

“Hello?” She didn’t sound sleepy.

“Good morning. It’s Stone.”

“Good morning.”

“I just got a call from Ed Rawls. He thinks I’d better get back up there today, before the merry villagers torch my house and slay my cattle.”

“What?”

Stone explained as best he could what he didn’t understand himself. “Can you be ready to go at, say, one o’clock?”

“I’m sure I can. I’ll talk to Lance.”

“Pick you up at one?”

“I’ll come to your house.”

“Okay, bye.” Stone hung up and called Dino.

“I’ve got to go back to Maine this afternoon.” He explained the situation. “You want to go?”

“Can’t do it; a couple of big cases landed on my desk while I was gone, and I have to deal with them. Maybe later.”

“Go back to sleep.” Stone hung up and struggled out of bed.

THE MIRAGE TOUCHED down on the Islesboro airfield at 3:30 that afternoon, and he was surprised to find not a single airplane parked on the ramp. When he had departed the day before, there had been at least half a dozen there.

Seth Hotchkiss met them in the station wagon. “Glad you’re back,” he said, and that was all he said.

The drive through Dark Harbor was a little spooky; no cars were on the street or parked in front of the shop. He and Holly parked, went inside and found Jimmy Hotchkiss at his desk in the back office. He was wearing a gun on his belt.

“Hi, Jimmy,” Stone said.

“Hello, Stone. I thought you’d left the island.”

“I just flew Dino down to the city and brought back another friend.” He introduced Holly.

Jimmy stood up and shook her hand. “I’m glad you’re back, Stone,” he said. “You know about the meeting this afternoon?”

“Yes. Ed Rawls called me.”

“I think you should be there.”

“I will be. Where is everybody? The village is deserted, and there are no airplanes at the airport.”

“A lot of folks ended their summer yesterday,” Jimmy said. “We’ve got a couple of state cops due in this afternoon. I found them a rental, so they’re going to stay on the island for the rest of the summer. They’ll be at the meeting.”

“See you there,” Stone said, and left.

SETH PUT STONE’S BAGS in the master bedroom and Holly’s in Esme’s room; Stone didn’t correct him. The phone rang.