“Hey—” Skip’s hand came down, patting her head. “Don’t worry about it. We got three lifeguards here—one of us’ll save you, I promise.”

She ignored the remark. “Any bathrooms around here?”

“If you mean those wonderful little portable outhouses, they’re back there.” Skip pointed toward a cluster of dunes and added, “Need an escort?”

“Thanks, but I thought you came with someone else.”

She turned away, but his voice stopped her.

“Kelsey?”

She was surprised at the look on his face—gentle, almost embarrassed, and definitely un-Skiplike. “Look…about what happened back there. I shouldn’t have laughed, and I’m sorry. I know you’re only trying to help. You’ve been…well…good for Justin. For all of us. I’m real glad you’re here.”

She didn’t know what to say. She saw his shoulders squaring, as if adjusting himself back into his old personality, and he stood up and made a bow.

“The great one has spoken,” he said.

“I believe he has.” She smiled at him and turned back to the path.

She was glad there wasn’t a line at the bathroom, but it was scary back there so far from the light with no people around. When she started down the footpath again she tried to avoid the shadows, unsettled by the swaying palms and their deceptive patterns underfoot. She wished she knew where Donna had gone. She could hardly tell where the rocks ended and the darkness began…the rocks…so bulky and bowed…like nighttime creatures hulking there, waiting to step out and grab her.

And then one did.

Kelsey felt the sudden hold on her wrist, saw the black shape lunge between her and the sky, felt the scream rise in her throat and strangle her as relentless hands pressed hard over her mouth. She reeled backward, gagging as the sour stench of whiskey and vomit overwhelmed her.

“Won’t do you no good screaming, girl.” She felt his rancid breath in her ear, down her neck. “I’ll be gone so quick, they’ll think you’re crazy for sure.”

Kelsey’s whole body thudded, one giant, racing heartbeat.

“I seed you go in there, to my place. I knowed you looked around.” His voice exploded in a gleeful laugh, shrill and singsonglike. “’cause Isaac has eyes in the back of his head…’cause Isaac has eyes in the back of his head!” She groaned and struggled, but he slammed her hard against him. “You think I done her in, don’t you? I know what you think, and I know what I saw. And you better not waste your time barking after old Isaac, little girl—you’d best be worrying about yourself!”

Kelsey thought her neck would snap; he was bending her head back, slowly, slowly, till all at once she could see the greasy eye patch and the puckered ridges across his face. His breath hit her again, making her swoon.

“You know too much,” he hissed. “So have a care, girl. Why, I’m just likely to find you some fine mornin’, washed right up on that beach like all the others—”