They’d linked Bernd Frisch through his passport to the Ingersstrom. The ship was on lockdown in the harbor. The feds and Interpol would be asking questions, and hopefully, the answers would blow open a European crime syndicate and save more lives overseas.

Strange fate.

Cat stared at Stride and Serena. ‘Can I ask you two a question?’

‘Of course,’ they said together.

She played with her fingers and then placed both hands over her stomach. ‘Am I really ready to be a mother?’

Stride looked at Serena, not sure which of them should answer. Finally, he said: ‘That’s your call, Cat, not ours.’

‘I want your opinion,’ she said. ‘And I want you to be honest with me.’

Serena leaned forward and put her hand on top of Cat’s. ‘Honestly?’ she said. ‘No, you’re not.’

‘I knew you’d say that. You’re right.’

‘Not because you’re a bad person,’ Serena went on, ‘and definitely not because I think you would be a bad mother. It’s just that you’re too young to take on that kind of responsibility. It will cheat you and cheat your son.’

Cat suddenly looked older than her years. ‘I’m thinking now that maybe adoption would be a better way for me to go. Are there ways to adopt where he can know who I am?’

‘Yes, open adoption is becoming more common,’ Serena said.

‘What about you two? Would you two consider adopting him?’

Stride and Serena both stared at her, wondering what to say. ‘Cat, that’s a sweet thing to suggest,’ he began, ‘but we can’t—’

‘I mean, you two are going to get married, aren’t you?’ Cat continued, as if she hadn’t already taken away enough of their emotional hiding places.

Serena waited. And watched him. As if she were very interested in the answer he would give. She could have let him off the hook. She could have smiled or made a joke. But no. They’d left the subject of marriage off the table ever since getting back together, but sooner or later, they would have to decide what this relationship was.

In the end, Cat gave him an out.

‘I’m sorry,’ she said. ‘I know it’s none of my business.’

He hadn’t said a word, and he felt the faintest cool breeze of disappointment blowing toward him from Serena. He got up and went to the hospital window. Behind him, he heard Cat whisper: ‘Did I say something wrong?’

He heard Serena’s reply. ‘No, he’s just not ready.’

Stride let their hushed conversation go unanswered, even though he wanted to turn around and gather both of them up in his arms. All he could think about was how much he hated hospitals.

‘Can I see Al?’ Cat asked suddenly.

‘Maybe a little later,’ Serena told her. ‘You should get some rest.’