As night fell, Liam worked at his desk, collating reports from oceanographers in the field. Rose was out on the screen porch, reading The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. It was her favorite book, reminding her of her best friend, Jessica, and she never got tired of it. Liam knew that the familiar story probably comforted her, and it made him feel good to think of how often Lily had probably read it to her.

His laptop was open, the screen filled with a picture of Nanny sent to him by Patrick Murphy. The picture was a silver blur, with one clear dark eye. Patrick's message read:

Look who dropped by to see the Malone girls. Too bad only one of them is here. Why don't you pack up Rose and bring her home? It's a mistake to stay apart from the people you love—take it from one who knows. Lily really needs you.

Liam stared and stared. All day he'd been amassing data on the Ghost Hills phenomenon—cataloguing all the tagged sharks and whales he and John had been able to identify—but right now he had another project under way.

More than anything, he wanted to take Patrick's suggestion. He couldn't sleep, because all he could think of was Lily. She had been right here, in this house, in his bed. When he lay down on the sheet where she had been, he felt on fire. The pillow smelled like her. Every day the scent faded a little more.

Was Patrick right? Should Liam and Rose return to Hubbard's Point? He needed Lily as much as Patrick said she needed him. But he had to really think this over—he didn't want to underestimate Edward. And Patrick didn't know Lily the way Liam did.

Liam had been there when Lily had given birth to Rose. He had showed up at her cabin in the woods, far down a logging road from anything close to civilization. She had run nearly a thousand miles to get away from her husband, and she was so scared of being found, she would rather give birth in the middle of nowhere than risk going to a hospital.

Liam had boiled water and gotten towels, just like in the movies. Lily was lying on her kitchen floor, bathed in sweat and tears. Liam was little more than a stranger, but he was all she'd had. He remembered how she'd squeezed his hand with every contraction, crying with anguish.

Somehow he'd known that her pain was deeper even than childbirth. She howled, and he heard echoes of terror. He knew he'd never seen a person more alone, and he knew that someone had scared her half to death. She was without a husband, without family, and even before Liam knew her whole story, he knew that he would love her forever.