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“—by reason of insanity of murdering his family with an axe.”

“With. An. Axe.” Ellery swallowed. “He murdered his family? With an axe!”

Jack made a smothered sound that could have been a laugh. “One in a million, remember?”

“Apparently the cops were all over Point Judith looking for Dolph, sosomeonethinks he’s coming our way.”

“Unless he’s got wings, he’s going to find the crossing challenging.”

“Where there’s a will there’s a way.”

In an obvious attempt to change the subject, Jack asked, “Are you back at Captain’s Seat?”

“No. We’re at the Crow’s Nest. Everybody wanted to see the bookshop. I think we’ll grab a late lunch at the Salty Dog and then head out to the house.”

“Okay. Be safe.”

“With a homicidal maniac on the loose, you know it.”

“I was thinking more of the muddy roads, but okay. I’ll see you this evening.”

“Be careful, Jack.”

Jack said reassuringly, “I’m always careful. Have fun with your friends. I love you.”

“I love you, too.”

Jack clicked off. Ellery sighed.

From the book floor he could hear Nora in full island historian mode. “The most dangerous of the three escaped patients was thirty-year-old Frank Weeden. Due to his violent criminal history, the papers of the day referred to him as ahomicidal maniac.”

Chelsea’s voice carried even more clearly. “They grow on trees around here!”

Nora said tartly, “That was in 1907, so we enjoy a relatively long harvesting period.”

“Uh oh,” Ellery murmured, and left his office. “Who wants lunch?”

Tosh, already balancing a short stack of books, was browsing the What’s New? shelf. Chelsea stood at the counter with Nora and Kingston, his other employee. Flip knelt in the center aisle, playing with Watson. He sent Watson’s ball spinning across the open space, and glanced up. “I could eat something.”

“Pass.” Lenny still seemed to be suffering the effects of the rough ferry crossing. She sat, well,drooped, on the library bench near the front windows.

“A little ginger tea will set you right,” Nora told her.

Lenny shuddered.

“Witches can’t cross water,” Tosh pronounced, rather bafflingly. She set the stack of books on the counter for Nora to ring up.

“No, no,” Ellery intervened. “On the house.”

Tosh frowned. “Is this a bookstore or a library? You have to make money, Ellery.”

“I don’t need to make money off my friends.”

Tosh turned to Nora. Nora said briskly, “All customers welcome here,” and began to ring up the books.

Chelsea cut off Ellery’s objections. “Ell, guess what? Homicidal maniacs are a regular thing around here.”

Judging by Nora’s expression, that comment did not sit well. Kingston cleared his throat. “Not aregularthing, no.”