He might not have spoken. “Put me on top of a five-thousand-foot peak in the White Mountains when the weather gets bad, and I’d know what to do.” She shifted back to the weather report. “I can’t say I’d know what to do in a hurricane.”

Hank wasn’t following her, but checked his impatience. “Are you worried about Hope?”

“Not for my sake. I’m not as exposed here as you all are on the Cape and the islands. Your family’s on the Cape, right?”

“Brewster. We’ve done lots of storms.” His family owned a popular marina on Cape Cod Bay. He spoke warily, uncertain of the ground he was on now—he didn’t want to miss any signals, veer off in the wrong direction and lose her completely. “People have learned to pay attention to watches and warnings. They heed evacuation orders. They don’t fool around.”

“That’s because they know their coastal storms, and they have access to the warnings, weather reports, evacuation orders. If someone didn’t—” Carine licked her lips, staring up at the small screen. “Let’s say you don’t know storms, plus you’ve got other things on your mind. You’re alone on an isolated island, and Hurricane Hope doesn’t turn out to sea—you could be in a mess real fast, couldn’t you?”

“You could. But that’s theoretical. I don’t know how you could be alone on an island off the Cape—”

“It could happen. Even these days.”

Hank narrowed his eyes on her, aware of her intensity of emotion—her ambivalence about what she was doing. “Carine, are you saying Antonia is alone on an island, without access to storm reports and evacuation orders?”

“I’m not saying anything.”

But her breathing was more shallow and rapid as she shifted back to him, as if she was waiting for him to figure out what she was saying and do what she already knew he would do.

He fished out his cell phone and dialed Tyler North’s cell number. Ty was stationed at Hurlburt Field Air Force Base in the Florida panhandle, where he was assigned to the 16th Special Operations Wing as the Team Leader of a Special Tactics Team. God only knew where he’d be. Hank expected to have to leave a message, but Ty picked up on the second ring. “North.”

“Where are you?”

“Florida. Drinking a beer. You?”

“Cambridge. I’m with Carine.”

Ty was silent.

“Something’s up with Antonia. She must have sworn Carine to secrecy, so I can’t get any straight answers.”

“Good luck, pal. She’s not talking unless she wants to talk.”