“My name’s Kelly Fienman. I’m an FBI agent. I know your name is Matt Connor. I was initially assigned to the case surrounding the kidnapping of Amy’s child. But I’m no longer working on that case, not officially. This might be hard to believe but I’m here as a friend. I know what you’ve gone through and I want to help you.”

He did not feel merely disoriented. It was as if his head had suddenly detached from his neck and fallen on the floor. He was afraid to move, afraid he might kick himself in the face. He had to strain to speak.

“You’re FBI. You cannot be here to help me.”

“I’m a renegade. No one at the Bureau knows about you and Jimmy. They think you’re dead and I’m perfectly happy to leave them in their ignorance. You have to believe me. I’ve risked a great deal to help you. What I’m doing now could destroy my career. I could go to jail. But I’ve done this for you because I care about you. I can’t let you kill David.”

“I have no intention of killing David.”

“Matt, I bugged your apartment. I know your plot in detail.”

“You bugged my apartment? When?”

“On Monday, when you were out walking Jimmy.”

“Wow.”

“Matt,” she began.

“No,” he interrupted. “You only heard what I told Amy. I’m not going to kill David. I’m not a murderer. I’m not a kidnapper. Jimmy’s my child. I’m his rightful father.”

“I know that about Jimmy. But if you’re not going to kill David, why are you secretly stowed aboard his boat in the middle of the night?”

“I’m here to test Amy. To see if she loves me.”

“She doesn’t love you! It’s what I tried to tell you the other night. When you love someone, you don’t keep betraying them.”

“No. You don’t understand Amy. The two of us spoke a few minutes ago. I have set it up so we can disappear without a trace. She only has to trust me and everything will be all right.”

“Did she say she will trust you?”

“Not exactly. I just sprung it on her. She has to think about it. But I know she wants to be with me.”

“Matt, you’re a brilliant man. You’re a good man. But when it comes to Amy, you’re a complete idiot. Also, you’ve compromised everything you believe in to stay with that bitch. No decent woman plots to murder her husband.”

“David is an asshole.”

“The world is full of assholes. Amy is one of them. They don’t deserve to die. Matt, listen to me. You have to get off that ship.”

“I’m going to get off. In about twenty minutes.”

“How?”