In the library, Kellen picked a thorn out of Luna’s foot and listened to Max quietly explain what he’d done with Dylan. “I washed him off with the hose, gave him coveralls and told him to get dressed.”

“How bad was it?” How much blood? she meant. Should we search for Jamie?

Max shook his head, his eyes both sorrowful and angry.

“There’s no way?” Kellen asked.

“It wasn’t just blood,” he muttered.

Jamie was dead, then. Kellen shook her head, too.

“When Dylan was dressed,” Max said, “I tied him up and left him in the garage. He’s quite docile; he didn’t seem to have any fight in him.”

“I never thought he had any in the first place.”

“No. He was so apathetic, I thought he would someday melt away and leave no mark on the world.” Max glanced at their daughter.

Since Rae had returned home from her Dylan encounter, she hadn’t let her parents out of her sight. The way she sat, close to Luna, and huddled over an encyclopedia, leafing through the pages… The child was in shock.

In a lower voice, Max said, “He says he doesn’t remember anything about last night.”

“Do you think that’s true?” Kellen lowered her voice to match his. It wasn’t as if they were trying to keep secrets from Rae; more that they felt as if they were at a sickbed, and didn’t want to disturb the patient.

“If he remembers anything,” Max said, “he’s not about to admit it. Maybe he doesn’t—he keeps blacking out, then coming back to consciousness. And vomiting while he’s conscious.”

“Moonshine. Probably lead poisoning.”

“Or he ate something or smoked something that sent him mad. I have to take him to the mainland, to a hospital.”

Rae shivered, a sudden violent shudder.

Max took a throw off the couch and wrapped it around her shoulders.

Kellen was sorry about Jamie, sorry for the violence and the waste, but underneath her compassion, she blazed with anger. Dylan and Jamie had created their own icy hell, and Rae didn’t deserve to be devoured by the cold. “Call the Coast Guard. Let them come and get him.”

“I tried. There was a collision between two excursion boats in San Francisco Bay, and they’ve got a team on a drug-smuggling operation. They’re overwhelmed. As long as we’re not feeling threatened, they say keep him confined and they’ll get him as soon as they can.” Max glanced at Rae. “But he’s not staying here.”

Right now, Kellen could herself have pushed Dylan into the ocean and dusted her hands afterward. “Then go as soon as you can. But…” She moved a few steps away from Rae. “I think it’s time to bring out one of the pistols from the gun safe.”