Matt stood beside the slippery rocks and cold water where he had completed his scuba lessons. The spot was next to an old casino that had been famous in the twenties and thirties as one of the West Coast’s hot celebrity clubs. In those good old days—that had probably been more intolerable than history remembered—the casino had offered a sampling of vices society had voted to forbid: gambling, wine, women.

But now the casino was shut, and lay as dark and silent as the surrounding night. He was thankful for the solitude the place had to offer. Catalina’s main harbor lay off to his right—its dozens of boats gathered like so many white whales peering through the dark—and distant sounds of partying echoed over the black water.

The Stardust itself was anchored more than a quarter of a mile offshore, almost lost in the night. But he had binoculars, and he knew that Captain Gilbert had departed for shore less than fifteen minutes ago. The Stardust was a powerful and well-maintained ship. Empty now, though, it was as vulnerable as the rest of them. He planned to board her soon.

But not for the purpose Amy imagined.

The time was close to midnight. A fitting moment to start on a course of action that would affect him and Jimmy for the rest of their lives. Yet his torment was less than he would have imagined. He had come to a painful decision, but pain was always relative and any decision was better than the wasteland he had lived in since he had reunited with Amy. He had refined his murderous plan with her over the last few days, while he had privately devised a more profound scheme. One that would prove to him once and for all if she loved him. A plan that both solved their dilemma and gave them a reason to solve it. Everything was set—she only had to choose.

He honestly didn’t know what she would do.

It didn’t matter. Either way there would be relief.

At exactly midnight, Amy called.

“Where are you?” she asked.

“Near the harbor. Where are you?”

“In a stall in the restroom at Rosie’s.”

“That’s the club?” he asked.

“Yeah. I’m alone. Can you see the boat? Did Gilbert leave?”

“He left a few minutes ago. How long will he be gone?”

“Until I go fetch him. He should be in a bar down the street. By chance, I met a few friends of his and I called him to come over and see them.”

“That wasn’t part of our plan.”

“I can improvise, Matt. The excuse was better than the one we had. Don’t jump all over me.”

“I’m not.”