The cockpit lockers and hatch to the cabin were secured by cheap locks. He released the clip from the automatic and cleared the cylinder so he could hammer at the locks. The sound of the hammering echoed across the bay, but the hatch lock held. He used the gun as a lever and pried open the latches of both lockers.

Winch handle. Gas can. Coils of line. A tool kit. Even a hailer. Another guy he was going to owe. Amy cast off the bow line, and with her hand on the forestay, walked the boat out of the slip. No lie, she remembered. He watched her step up onto the bow, graceful, ghostlike, as the boat floated in silence out into the channel. He would correct her impression about who had saved what — before he started kissing the part she said he’d saved.

He freed the tiller and steered the boat westward, toward the bay. Amy peeled the cover off the mainsail and took the winch from him.

“Do you see our course?” Around the beacon and between the peninsula and the island. Two miles from here to the open ocean.”

“You like the boat?”

“A sweetheart. Perfect for any man’s old age.”

“Any pins and needles yet?”

“No.”

“You’ll tell me.”

She cranked up the mainsail and secured it and he let the boom swing out to catch the onshore breeze as she climbed down into the cockpit.

“The jib, right?”

“Right,” he said. “Pointiest end up. There might be a spinnaker down there, too. He’s got the pole for it. How are you doing?”

“I have to keep busy. Gregory knew you were coming. He turned off the lights.”

“I saw the light go out. Maybe he just saw me first.”

“Do it my way to be on the safe side. Do you hear me?”

“I hear you. Right. We’ll stay alert.”

She took the other automatic from the bag and pulled the slide and in the same motion shot the lock off the hatch to the cabin. “Are you going to be able to start that auxiliary?”

“If I can get the cover off and jump ignition. I’m not worried about the lock that’s keeping it out of the water. Not any more.”

He was trying to praise her marksmanship but she looked unhappy and went below. It was two clicks to the end of the peninsula where they could tack for the open sea. They were already making four knots.