“Can I trust you?” he asked after blowing his nose. “I mean . . . really trust you?”

“Ocean’s promise,” Marina said.

He had been holding the story of his mom inside for so long that it had begun to hurt. It was also a story he had never told anyone before, and he had no idea what to say.

“Start slowly and from the beginning,” Marina said, as if reading his mind.

Rio took a deep breath and exhaled slowly.

Then, falteringly, he told her about the time his mom had missed his school Christmas concert because, at the last minute, she’d had a panic attack. The times when he’d come home from school to find nothing in the fridge and her holed up in bed, under the covers. Even the time when they’d gone to the seaside and she’d started crying on the beach in front of everyone. He told Marina lots of other things too. Things he’d never ever told anyone before. Things that had been hidden for the longest of times.

It was digging under rocks into something dark and shadowy. A place where Rio had hardly dared venture lest he drown. And yet, as each word spilled from his lips, it was as if some huge burden was being lifted from his chest and brought up to the light.

All the time he spoke, he hadn’t been able to look at Marina. It was easier to fix his gaze on some distant point on the hazy blue horizon. But now he cast a quick sidelong glance at her face.

“Oh, Rio,” she murmured, and then she threw her arms around him. Rio, who hadn’t been hugged like that in a very long time, was startled. She smelled of sea salt, adventure, but, most of all, of friendship.

“Please?” he urged, his voice coming from somewhere very deep within him. “I have to find her.”

Marina thought a long time. Then she nodded. “I’ll help you.”

30

Escape

The plan was simple.

Birch often played pool with some friends on a Friday night. As soon as he left the boat, Marina would call Rio, and then they’d set off. It wouldn’t give them much time, but hopefully it would be enough.

Before then, she advised him which items of clothes to take with him, and with her help, he carefully sifted through his belongings.

On the boat, they already had some provisions, including maps, compasses, water, dried food, and lots of other things Rio had never even heard of, but that made him realize how unequipped he was for this journey.

“What have you got?” Marina asked.

Rio rummaged through his suitcase, pulling out various T-shirts and shorts that she frowned at. “You’ll need something long-sleeved for the boat. It can get cold out there on the water, especially if we’re going for a couple days. Sunscreen? Do you have that? Great. Rain boots? No? Okay, you can take my spare pair.” She narrowed her eyes and looked him up and down. “We’re about the same size.”