So. Nothing more to do here. But I didn’t want to leave. It felt good being surrounded by his ambiance, without having to deal with the man himself. I picked up the book, but its weight was intimidating. Besides, I was too tired to read. My feet were leaden, the cozy cabin more welcoming than my claustrophobic bunk. Yawning, I sat on the edge of the berth, the famous tome like a stone in my lap, holding me in place. The bed stretched out invitingly. A few days, Daniel had said. I could catnap, say, till it was light, and be gone before he was due to return.

I’d always slept well on a boat.

—

I woke listening, sure I’d felt the boat rock, like someone had boarded. Quiet as I could, I raised up on one arm. No pale rays of dawn seeping through the bow shutters. But for the contained glow of the bed lamp beside my head, the cabin was dark as a well.

“Sorry to wake you, den rat.”

“What’re you . . . !” Somehow, I managed not to shriek.

“Calm down.” The intruder was close by. The intonation was oddly Julian’s, but the voice was deeper, and a woman’s. My own voice deserted me, but my face in the lamplight must’ve said enough.

“Nervous little thing, aren’t you?”

The lamp spread to the edges of the berth, just dusting the knees of the shadow sitting in the desk chair. A stranger, since no local would call me den rat. A deliberate provocation. I grabbed for a snappy comeback but lost my grip. “What do you want?”

“Does Danny know you’ve moved onto his boat?”

“Haven’t!” I squeaked, hugging my knees up tight like a six-year-old. But wait! I was in my rights here. She was the break-in. Still, she called him Danny. I cleared my clumsy throat. “He gave me the keys, to keep an eye on it. Who the fuck are you?”

“Oh, now we get brave.” The shadow rose and moved into the light, settling on the far end of the berth, eyebrows raised. “Remember me?”

Blond hair, blunt cut, square jaw. All that, I remembered, but not quite like I remembered. She was . . . older, and with less of a glow. More like a hard shine. But it had to be her.

“Ninja girl!”

The woman snorted. “How’s that?”