Catalina’s airport was located on the far side of the island. To an inexperienced pilot the landing strip was scary. Besides being short, it ended at the edge of a cliff that dropped straight down to the water. The area was famous for its dramatic upward and downward drafts. None of that concerned Matt. He could land a plane in a snowstorm. But today he put the Cessna down with a hard thump. He saw Greg waiting for him by the gate and waved. It was past two—he was forty minutes late. Before the sun set he had to complete two dives in order to earn his PADI certificate. It would look odd if he left before he qualified. His birthday party would not be excuse enough.

Greg Pander was twenty years old and more than sure of himself. He had beach-bum good looks and Matt thought it would be safe to say the kid had already had more sex in his short life than he ever would. But Greg was an excellent instructor. He was patient when necessary and was not easily flustered. Matt had chosen to meet with him privately rather than take a class because it allowed him to dictate their schedule. Without the diving lessons, there would be no reason for him to be on Catalina. Simply flying up the coast to see his mother would not have worked. He needed a good excuse to be far from shore when his plane crashed.

Matt left his gear locked in the plane and walked toward Greg. The hulky blond gave him a casual smile. “I was worried you wouldn’t show,” he said.

“I was working a job this morning in Orange County. Had to finish it to get paid.”

Greg gestured to a bus they could take to the harbor. This was the second time they had met on Catalina. Diving directly off the L.A. coast was miserable. You could see your hand in front of your face and that was it. At least here they had fifty feet of visibility and beautiful kelp forests.

“Our gear is stowed at the old casino,” Greg said. “We better get in the water quick. Hey, it’s your birthday today, right?”

“Yeah.”

“Cool. Having fun?”

“It’s been an interesting day,” Matt said.

They dove off the shore near the main harbor, beside the huge rocks that circled the old casino. Matt would have preferred diving from a boat but this way was quicker. With all the gear on his back he weighed a ton. Climbing down the slippery rocks was a challenge, but Greg saw it as part of the fun. He laughed when Matt slipped and almost broke his tailbone. They had on full wet suits, plus headcoverings and gloves. The water was only fifty degrees.