Page 29

“I was the escaped maniac known as the Cat,” Flip chimed in. “And I think I wasveryconvincing.”

More laughter and jokey agreement. They continued to pass the photos around and reminisce as they finished their hot buttered rums.

Finally, Tosh smothered a yawn, and admitted, “I don’t think I can keep my eyes open much longer.”

“Same,” Lenny said. “I don’t want the night to end, but I’m going to be sleeping in Flip’s lap in another minute.”

“Time to call it a night,” Flip agreed. He placed the lid on the photo box. “Tosh, you should take these up with you. You don’t want Watson to accidentally knock the box over.”

Watson, sound asleep on the sofa next to Ellery, never so much as twitched an eyelash at this aspersion.

“Oh. Okay.” Tosh picked up the blue box. She smiled at Ellery. “This wassonice. Thanks for inviting us, Ell.”

Ellery and Jack rose, Ellery hugged Tosh, and everyone wished each other good nights. Ellery’s friends told Jack it wasgreat to finally meet him. Jack told Ellery’s friends it was great to finally meetthem. Watson slept peacefully through it all.

As their guests’ footsteps faded down the hall, Ellery and Jack smiled at each other.

“Why don’t you go on up,” Jack suggested. “I’m just going to make double sure everything’s locked up for the night.”

Ellery had taken care of that earlier in the evening, but he smiled. This was the way Jack was built. It was not about not trusting Ellery to protect his own hearth and home. It was about Jack not being able to relax until he was sure every “i” was dotted and every “t” crossed.

“Okay. Thanks, Jack.”

“And I’ll take Watson out.”

“Oh, I think Watson’s fine for the night,” Ellery said grimly.

At the sound of his name, Watson, raised his head, blinked sleepily, and thumped his tail at Ellery.

“Uh oh,” Jack said.

Ellery was sitting up in bed, absently stroking Watson’s head and mulling over the evening, when Jack came upstairs about half an hour later.

“That took a while.”

Jack nodded. “I know. I decided to check out the passageway.” He shook his head. “I don’t think anyone has been in there since the door was discovered. It’s wet outside. There would be mud and tracks.”

“Thanks for checking.” Ellery cocked his head. “I guess the extra precautions mean that Dolphison the island?”

Jack, stripping with speedy efficiency, grimaced. “A small craft was stolen from Point Judith this morning. It looks likeit wrecked on the rocks beneath Skull House. But no body has been recovered so far.”

Ellery blinked. “Could he have made it to shore?”

“It’s possible. It’s notlikely. That water is rough and some of those rocks are razor sharp. But, yes, it is possible.”

“Yikes.”

“You said it.” Jack stepped into a pair of sleep pants, pulled his navy LAPD sweatshirt over his head, and stepped into the bathroom.

“Possible but not likely,” Ellery said to Watson. “But that’s what they said about Dolph making it to the island at all.”

Watson sighed heavily as though Ellery had kept him up for hours with uneasy speculations.

Jack finished up in the bathroom, crossed the bedroom, and crawled into bed. “I’m beat.”

“It was a long day,” Ellery agreed, as they moved into each other’s arms.

“But a good day?” Jack kissed Ellery’s forehead.