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today?” Zoey asked, sounding suddenly frustrated.
    Aisha shrugged. “I have to help my mom get the roomsready. We’re booked for the weekend.”
    â€œI thought about taking the boat out, maybe do the barbecue thing up at the pond if anyone’s up for it,” Jake said. He looked questioningly at Zoey, then shot a glance at Claire.
    â€œJust so I know,” Claire said, turning to meet Jake’s gaze, “since I got here last and all. Did you already deal with the question of Lucas, or are we going to pretend he doesn’t exist?”
    Jake’s expression turned instantly stony. Zoey looked relieved.
    â€œI don’t know what there is to talk about,” Jake said, almost daring anyone to say anything else.
    Claire rolled her eyes. “This is Chatham Island, not Manhattan Island,” she said. “It’s not like Lucas is going to be invisible. We’re going to be running into him, don’t you think?”
    Jake kicked at a tuft of grass. “This is such crap,” he said. “This shouldn’t be happening. I mean, what the hell does he think he’s doing, coming back here? What does he think we’re going to do? As far as I’m concerned, two lousy years in juvy is nothing.”
    â€œThey gave him the maximum for a juvenile,” Zoey said quietly.
    â€œOnly because he already had a record,” Jake said. “I don’t think the judge gave a damn that my brother—” He lost his voice for a moment, and Claire looked away. “He didn’t carethat Wade was dead. I mean, if Lucas hadn’t had a record, the judge probably would have let him off with a reprimand.”
    â€œThat’s not true,” Zoey said, but Claire could see that Jake was beyond listening.
    â€œVehicular manslaughter,” Jake said, sneering at the words. “You get faced and you go tearing down Coast Road in the middle of the night . . . It’s not like it’s an accident. I mean, it’s not like you have to be a genius to figure out that you can’t drive stinking drunk without someone getting hurt. His lawyer made it sound like it was all just this unfortunate accident. Son of a bitch should have gone to prison, not juvy. See how big a man he is in prison. See how he likes that.”
    Jake seemed to run out of steam. He slumped down on the grass, resting his elbows on his knees and holding his head in both hands. Claire had heard it all before. They’d all heard it before.
    â€œWe all miss Wade,” Aisha said at last, breaking the silence.
    Claire nodded. She rubbed her wrist. It had been in a cast for two months. The doctor said her being drunk might have accounted for the mildness of her injuries. Evidently it was better to feel relaxed when you stopped very suddenly. Except that theory hadn’t worked for Wade.
    Lucas had been unhurt.
    â€œSo what do we do?” Zoey asked.
    â€œWell, it’s not like we can get revenge,” Aisha said firmly. “If that’s what you’re thinking, Jake, then stop thinking it.”
    Jake shook his head. “I’m not going to touch him. My dad said we’re just going to have to live with it. He says he thinks Mr. Cabral will get rid of Lucas eventually.”
    â€œHis own dad is going to kick him out?” Nina asked skeptically. “I don’t think so.”
    â€œMr. Cabral is a proud guy,” Jake said. “You know how these old Portuguese fishermen are. Son or not, Lucas humiliated him. My dad thinks sooner or later the old man will force him out.”
    â€œJeez, that’s cold, isn’t it?” Nina said.
    â€œCold is what he deserves,” Jake said sharply. “You weren’t hurt, all right, Ninny? I was. Wade was my brother. And your sister was hurt, too. Don’t tell either of us about what’s cold.”
    â€œAll right, get a grip,” Nina said. She made a face but fell silent.
    â€œIf Jake’s