“Oh, no, no tracking system on this boat,” said the old man. “No Wi-Fi. The master would never stand for that. He is leery of all GPS trackers. Very old-fashioned ideas on all that. Not even the big boat has any sort of tracking device built into it. As you said, the master is an eccentric man.”

Derek helped the woman with the groceries. The sight of the roast fowl in the plastic wrap was so delicious to his starved belly that it put him in pain. And the bananas and the fresh fruit, how did they manage all of this out here? He couldn’t wait for them to be gone so that he could devour something, anything, and feel his old companion starvation go away.

How sweet and considerate they were, both of them, Derek thought, and how angry the great Rhoshamandes would be with them this evening when he discovered how they’d been duped. Derek felt fear for both of them. But then the monster had his reputation to keep, did he not?

Dertu embraced them both and proffered his thanks.

Impulsively Derek put his arms around the old man. “You tell our gracious host we had to leave,” he said mimicking Dertu’s manner, “and we thank him for all your kindnesses, and that you never complained of a thing, that you and your wife were so good to us.” He realized this might not have the effect he wanted. But what other message could he send to that ruthless monster? Pray the fiend had no time to abuse his caretakers.

The old couple hurried ashore and started to untie the ropes to free the boat.

The great engines of the boat were thrumming; Dertu was on the bridge speaking through some sort of microphone, perhaps to a coastal agent. Derek couldn’t hear him.

It was happening. They were escaping. They would move away from the island of the prison.

Derek found blankets under the leather couches of the salon, and carried them up to the bridge.

“The weather isn’t as bad as it looks,” said Dertu. “We’ve plotted a course to Harris, though that’s not where we’re going. But there is something I want to do first. I want to follow my instinct.” He looked searchingly at Derek.

“You’re asking me?” Derek shrugged. “Do it, whatever it is, your instincts are far better than mine.”

Dertu quickly disembarked. He said a few words to the old couple, and then as they waited, he ran towards the boathouse, the wind blasting his long golden and black hair.