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around my mother. She’s down in the
     galley bitching a blue streak at me.’ He shrugged, tossed the red blanket down. ‘I’m Danny.’
    ‘I suppose you need a tow?’ Ben sounded polite but unenthusiastic. Copano was ten miles up coast from Port Leo and Claudia
     knew giving a tow would mean no candlelit dinner in Port Aransas.
    ‘We’d be happy to take you in,’ Claudia said.
    ‘If I could just borrow your radio, I can summon my tow service.’ Danny gave Claudia another apologetic smile. ‘And maybe
     my mom can borrow your head.’
    Ben came down from the flying bridge, squeezed along the narrowness between the rail and the cabin on the deck. ‘Sure, not
     a problem.’ He tossed one end of a docking rope to Danny. ‘I’m Ben. This is Claudia.’
    ‘Thank you so much. Y’all are lifesavers. You’ve got a beautiful boat.’
    ‘Thanks,’ Ben said. ‘You fish today?’
    ‘Some ling.’ Danny shrugged toward the empty reel mount on his boat. ‘Sharks nabbed the tuna I got.’
    ‘Yeah, they’ll rob you,’ Claudia said.
    Danny gave her an agreeing grin. He slid bumpers over the edge of his boat, finished fastening the rope tethering
Jupiter
to
Miss Catherine,
vaulted lightly over both railings, and pulled a Sig Sauer pistol from under his T-shirt, from the band of his baggy shorts.
    The smile stayed in place, the gun aimed at Ben. ‘Sharks sure do rob, don’t they? Just be calm, and no one gets hurt.’
    Ben paled under his sunburn and took two steps back. ‘For God’s sake, man, you want cash? I’ve got maybe a hundred in my wallet
     …’
    ‘What I want,’ Danny said, ‘is for you to be cool and
hush.’
He blasted a sharp, two-fingered whistle and two men bolted out onto the deck of
Miss Catherine,
guns in hand, beading them on Claudia and Ben. Nylon stockings stretched over their faces, contorting their features into
     doughy lumps.
    ‘Jesus,’ Ben said.
    ‘Let’s just put those guns down,’ Claudia said, stern.
    Danny stared at her. ‘Don’t we have big balls for a—’ he began and Ben charged. Ben barreled into Danny and the Sig barked,
     splinters erupting from
Jupiter’s
deck as the two men slammed into the railing.
    The two other men from
Miss Catherine
jumped aboard
Jupiter.
Claudia swung at the first one, a thin rail of a guy, surprising him, her fist connecting with his cheek, knocking him down.
     But the other attacker, built big and brawny, hammered her on the jaw. She hit the deck, landing on her side, and the barrel
     of an automatic pistol gouged into her temple.
    ‘Cool it,’ the thin one – with what appeared to be electric-red hair underneath his nylon mask – screamed. ‘Stay the fuck
     still or we see if your brains match your pretty little outfit.’
    Ben was down, too, a gun pressed to the back of his head, eyes wide with shock.
    Don’t tell them I’m a cop,
she mouthed, unsure if he could read her lips.
    Ben barely nodded, the big bruiser frisking him with all the gentleness of a wrestler.
    ‘I got some cash, just take it. Okay?’ Ben’s voice steadied. ‘No need to get rough, okay? No need for trouble.’
    Danny came and knelt by Claudia. ‘You okay, miss?’ In a gentle tone, like he cared.
    ‘Yeah,’ Claudia said.
    The thin kid said, ‘Love boat’s over, babe.’
    Danny leaned over Ben. ‘Now where’s our buddy Stoney?’
    ‘What?’ Ben said. ‘He’s at home.’
    Danny stared down at him. He glanced at the bigger of the two thugs. ‘Gar, go below. Find Stoney. Don’t kill him.’
    ‘He’s not aboard. He canceled coming with us,’ Claudia said.
    The skinny redhead jabbed his gun barrel into the small of her neck. ‘Don’t contribute to class discussion unless you’re called
     upon, sweetness.’
    ‘Stoney’s not here,’ Ben said. ‘We’re not lying to you.’
    Danny didn’t look at him. They waited. Gar – the big guy – returned. ‘No one else is aboard, man.’
    ‘Well,’ said Danny. ‘Then I guess I better come up