Marty dreamed he was lost on Demon Island, pursued by creatures he couldn’t identify. He woke before dawn, sheathed in sweat. He showered, shaved, dressed, then went to the dry lab to check on the preliminary data from the hydrophones.

An hour later, he went to the kitchen to make a coffee and was surprised to find Elsa there, scrambling eggs in a skillet on the stove.

“Good morning, Elsa,” he said. “Smells good.”

“Good morning, Marty. I hope you don’t mind that I raided your cupboards. I’m making enough for everyone.” She removed a tray filled with crispy bacon from the oven and set it on the counter.”

“Is that coffee freshly brewed?”

“Indeed.” She filled two mugs from the coffee pot. “Milk? Sugar?”

“Black for me, thank you.”

She handed him a mug and took the other for herself. “You’re up early.”

“I can say the same about you. But, yes, I’ve been in the dry lab for about an hour already. We have a curious pod of dolphins hanging around the ship. I suppose they don’t get many people out this way.”

To the east, the sun crept above the horizon, orange and yellow rays of light fanning out against the waking sky. Marty and Elsa watched the sunrise in silence for several long moments.

“It’s beautiful,” Elsa said finally.

“Do you get out on the ocean often?”

“I used to. Not so much anymore.”

“What made you and your husband relocate to Sri Lanka, if I may ask? Or did you meet him here?”

“Excuse me? Oh.” She glanced down at the diamond on her ring finger. “My husband isn’t with us anymore.”

“I’m terribly sorry. I had no idea—”

“No idea about what?” Rad asked, entering the kitchen dressed in a pair of blue silk pajamas.

Elsa cleared her throat. “Coffee, Miss Fernandez?”

“Yes, please.” She accepted a mug of coffee and filled it to the rim with milk. “Have you guys eaten?”

“Not yet,” said Marty, “but help yourself.”

“I believe I will.” Rad retrieved a stack of plates from a cupboard and filled one with two scoops of scrambled eggs and three pieces of bacon. “Have to fill up for my big day.”

“Lounging in the sun sure does burn a lot of calories.”

“Actually, Jacky and I are going to explore the island.”

Marty blinked. “What are you talking about?”

“Just what I said. We planned everything last night.”

Believing it would have been inappropriate for Rad to sleep in the master stateroom with him while there were other guests onboard, Marty had suggested she sleep in the second bed in Jacky’s cabin.

Apparently they’d done more than sleep.

“It’s a wildlife sanctuary,” he reminded her. “Tourists aren’t permitted.”

“Do you see any cops around, Marty?”

“There’s a ranger on the island.”

“You say it’s a ranger. We think it’s a castaway. We’re going to try to find him.”

He chuffed. “Oh, no, you’re not.”

“Why not?”

“You have no idea who it might be.”