The little boat tried to climb the mountain of water, went up, straight up, until it stood on its stern, then was tipped over like a domino and was buried by the wave deckside down. In the noisy dark water she could feel the boat rotating like a toy, everything that was loose pinwheeling away. She let go of the hailer and held onto Sam’s shirt with both hands. She opened her eyes to an insane sight: his eyes were open too, as if looking at an instant replay on a big screen TV in a sports bar.

Merrill was praying. He had never in his life wanted so much to live. To be spared. Slowly the water got brighter and they crashed to the surface again, right-side up, rocking back and forth. Water rained down from the rigging. He was down in the forward end of the cockpit and he didn’t know how he had gotten there.

He blinked.

“We’re still floating!” she shouted.

“For the time being. It happened too fast. Air was trapped in the cabin.”

“I saw him! Chino!”

He took her free hand and pulled himself up to a sitting position. “Where?”

“In the water —”

Now she screamed.

“Amy —” Something pushed him down, a black shadow rising behind him. Chino climbed over him. Amy screamed again. Chino was so badly burned he looked like charred meat. Merrill went for the gun in his pocket. Chino let out a cry like a wounded animal.

Amy pushed way from him. She backed up.

“Give me the gun, Sam!”

“It’s stuck. My pants are wet!”

“Can’t take you anywhere!” She swung her right fist at Chino, following it with a left hook that caught him flush in the mouth. Merrill got the gun free. Amy kicked Chino in the shin and pushed him back and punched him again. He went down hard against the gunwale. One-handed, Merrill struggled with the safety. Amy slapped his wrist to get his attention as Chino got to his feet behind her. Merrill gave her the gun and she turned and got the safety off. Chino was staring at her as if hypnotized. “You wanted to see this in my eyes! Take a good look, motherfucker!” Amy pulled the trigger five times. Chino fell backward. With her tip of her toe she pushed him into the water and watched him sink. She threw the gun in after him and turned to Merrill as his arm went around her.

“What the hell was he staring at? What was that you said to him?”

“I told you. He wanted me to give up my innocence. He wanted to see it happen. He did. Now I want to go home.”

“It’s going to be worse there. Everything I said, and Scott says the press is already calling.”