I parked the Escape and found my way to the east pier. There wasn’t anyone down by the boats, which nodded in the water. My shoes clapped on the wooden planks as I followed the signs to F-dock. When I turned at a yellow boathouse, I froze. Standing in my way was the man I’d seen at Rix’s house. He had a grill sizzling and was petting a few shrimp kebabs with marinade, drips hissing on the coals. A curved blade with a plastic handle sat beside his beer.

I cleared my throat and said, “Is Mr. Rix around?”

He gestured to the boat. The water lapped at Funny Valentine, which bumped against the dock. High above, a few gulls headed out to sea, and their cries gave me a strange, lonely chill.

I glanced at the blade. It occurred to me to just say thanks and get back in the Escape. You can write the story without this, I thought, also conscious that no one knew where I was. Through the smoke, the man was watching me.

But I stepped on board. The cabin door swung open and out came Sunshine Ray in his straw cowboy hat. I glanced back to the man at the grill, but he was busy with the shrimp.

Ray said, “Anyone follow you?”

“Follow me?”

“Come in.”

Not wanting to show hesitation, I ducked into the cabin and sat on one of the cramped leather couches. Ray opened two Coronas and offered me one. Normally I wouldn’t drink on the job, but I needed to level the hangover.

I took a gulp and said, “Cool boat.”

“Still needs a lot of work,” said Ray, “but she floats. Romeo does a lot of the heavy lifting. When she’s finally ready, we’re crossing to Mérida.”

He’d taken a seat by a table with a bowl of oranges. His veins bound his arms like ropes, all the hairs sun-bleached.

“We don’t love what this country’s becoming. Homeland Security, Patriot Act—just look at what they’re doing. They treat us like terrorists to catch the terrorists. Meanwhile, they won’t answer basic questions.”

“Like what?”

“Like how does jet fuel melt steel, that’s what I want to know. Are people asking these questions in New York?”

“Not really.”

“What else is there to talk about?” Ray peeled an orange and started pulling off sections. “Well,” he said, “Rubicon, I guess.”

“Yes.”

He asked how I’d heard about him, and I reminded him about the post on the Examiner forum.

“Romeo made me delete that.”

“Why?”

“We got a visit from Rainer. Have you met Rainer?”

“I don’t think so.”

“Austrian guy?”

“Maybe he got fired,” I said, thinking of Dr. Behniwal.

Ray laughed. “No way,” he said, “not Rainer. He came by the house to discuss my nondisclosure agreement. It was a real friendly discussion alright.”

I put the name in my notes.