She stopped after that, as if the cryptic remark explained everything. She was determined to make sure he never wanted to take a vacation again. “On what?”

“Who comes on and off that ferry.”

He followed her gaze to the empty pier but it didn’t help. The visual, the words, none of it made sense to him. “You’re going to make me ask.”

“I need to know who is on the island.”

Some of the tension ran out of him. Each muscle relaxed as he realized this was part of some ritual for her. Not completely relaxed because the idea that she thought she needed to keep that kind of watch on people made him ache for her. Only fear could push a person to those extremes.

“All two hundred nineteen people,” he said, keeping his voice neutral so that he didn’t upset her more than he already had.

“That’s a specific number.”

“It’s on the brochure in Ben’s office.”

“Speaking of Ben . . . Before the two of you insisted that I needed a babysitter, this is how I protected myself.”

He wanted to touch her, make it better somehow. He ignored the instinct and let her say what she needed to say with minimal interference from him. “And then you go to their cabins and hit them with sticks.”

“That only happened once.” She brushed the sole of her boot along the small stones lining the division between the grassy area and the start of the parking lot for the ferry. “You were quicker than I expected.”

The pieces still didn’t make sense but the picture cleared a bit. “You thought I came to Whitaker to hurt you and you wanted to, what, check out the cabin and maybe attack me before I could attack you?”

She shrugged. “I didn’t know who you were, and your visit was unexpected.”

“This is no way to live, Maddie.”

“It’s the way I’ve survived.” Her eyes widened. “So?”

That ended the conversation he thought they were having. “What are you asking?”

“Are you coming with me to get the ferry manifest or not?”

“No one has ever asked me that before, so yes. I’m intrigued.” And he guessed it took a lot for her to suggest he tag along. He vowed not to take that trust for granted.

“Try not to be too”—she looked him up and down—“you.”

She sure knew how to kill a mood. “I’m ignoring that snide comment.”

“People on Whitaker don’t trust strangers.”

“You’ve all made that clear.”

“I’m serious.”

“Trust me, Maddie. I am taking you very seriously.”

Chapter 14