“And now you’re wondering if maybe it’s bothering Jerry, too?” Susan asked.

“I saw a television show on post-traumatic stress. It can appear years and years after the event. This show was about Vietnam vets, but losing your entire family the way that Jerry did certainly could be as stressful as a war.”

Susan didn’t respond immediately. She stared down into the water and remembered the night that Jerry had called to tell her that his wife and two daughters had died in a flaming pile of metal on the highway near Hancock. She had been nearly paralyzed with shock and grief, but Jerry had coped with his loss. He had organized the funeral, dealt with June’s family, and entertained the many friends and neighbors who had attended the funeral and then come to visit in the following weeks.

A few months later, Jerry had accepted Susan’s offer of help, clearing the house of June’s and the children’s possessions before he put it on the market and moved into a small condo downtown near the train station. At the time, Susan had wondered at Jerry’s lack of outward emotion, but Jed, who had known Jerry since college, had claimed that this was Jerry’s way of handling things, and in all honesty, Susan had been relieved. She and June had been good friends; her children and Susan’s children had been nearly the same ages. They’d gone to school, parties, swimming lessons, and dancing lessons together. They had been inseparable at the Hancock Field Club. They had gone to Disney World on family vacations, trick-or-treated together, joined Brownies and Cub Scouts. Susan and her children were in mourning, as well.

But time passed. An attractive professional and widower in his thirties, Jerry had been invited to numerous parties as the extra man and introduced to many potential mates, but no one had caught his eye until Susan and Jed introduced him to Kathleen, a young state police officer who had come to town to help solve a murder. Less than a year later they were married. Kathleen quit her job and they started a family. Two children later, Kathleen and Jerry seemed to be among the happiest couples Susan and Jed knew. And, more importantly, Susan claimed Kathleen among her best friends. She was having a difficult time accepting the thought that there were serious marital problems in Kathleen’s life and that she hadn’t known about them.

“Has Jerry talked more about June or the girls recently?” Susan asked.

“You mean since he’s seemed depressed?”

“Exactly.”

“No. Not that I’ve noticed. But you know what’s beginning to worry me?”

“No, what?”

“I’m beginning to act differently… and think differently about him.”

“What do you mean?”

“You know those annoying little habits that husbands have?”

“Like leaving socks on the bathroom floor even though there’s a hamper less than a foot away? Or putting dirty glasses into the sink instead of bothering to open the door of the dishwasher and plopping them inside?”

“For me it’s the toothpaste tube problem.”

“What toothpaste tube problem?”

“Jerry leaves the top off. Always. And when I pick it up and put it back on, there’s a little drip of toothpaste on the sink that I have to wipe up. It’s silly but it drives me nuts.”

“Have you tried those tubes that stand up?”

“Sure did. And they are an improvement. He doesn’t put the top on, but the toothpaste doesn’t drip out. Of course, we have a little travel tube with us here. I’ll bet anything that when I go into that bathroom, there will be a top on one side of the basin and the tube on the other. When we were first married, I thought it was sort of endearing-so help me.”

“Well, let’s face it, during those first few months of infatuation, everything seems endearing. My own theory is that too much sex destroys your judgment, and feeling kindly toward someone who can’t remember to put the top back on the toothpaste proves it.”

“I had gotten used to it, but recently it’s begun to drive me nuts again. I know it’s irrational, but…”

“But when you’re annoyed with one thing, everything else is exaggerated, as well,” Susan said.

“I guess. We probably should head back to shore,” Kathleen suggested. “James is down by the water with another couple. They may have reserved these boats for the next hour.”

“Sure.” Susan started to paddle a bit more enthusiastically. “Kathleen, if there’s anything I can do…”

“Susan, I don’t want to ruin your vacation. I don’t want to ruin my vacation. I’m glad you’re my friend and I know I can always come to you for help. But let’s just try to have fun while we’re here. Remember, in a week’s time we’ll probably be up to our knees in snow again.”

“Don’t remind me!” She put a bit more oomph into her stroke, and the little kayak zoomed across the water.

The movement of the waves pushed them into shore, and in moments they were stepping off their kayaks. That is, Kathleen stepped off. Susan, shifting her weight in the wrong direction, slipped right into the surf. James was in the water immediately, making sure she was okay, helping her get back on her feet.

“I’m fine,” Susan assured him, laughing. “I’m just getting to my morning swim a little earlier than I had planned.”

“Well, at least you waited an hour after eating,” Jed said, appearing on the beach with two large fluffy towels. “Here,” he continued, offering both to his wife. “I was planning on offering one to each of you, but your need appears to be greater than Kathleen’s.”

“There are extra towels piled on the chair out on the gazebo,” James informed them.

“We’re okay,” Kathleen assured him before turning to Jed. “Where’s Jerry?” she asked.

“To tell the truth, I have no idea. He went back to his room after breakfast, but when I knocked on the door a few minutes ago, he wasn’t there. There was a young woman cleaning, and she said that he had come in for a few minutes and then left almost immediately. But don’t worry. It won’t take any time at all to find him. This is a pretty small resort and there aren’t a whole lot of places to hide.”

“I could use something cool to drink,” Susan said.

“Why don’t you two go find a place to sit and I’ll get some juice,” Jed suggested. “Orange, tomato, cranberry, or pineapple?”

“Anything as long as it’s cold,” his wife replied.

“Cranberry mixed half and half with some Perrier if they have it,” Kathleen answered. “I’m going to find Jerry, so save me a seat. I’ll be back in just a few minutes.”

But Susan and Jed had emptied their glasses of juice by the time Kathleen returned, a worried expression on her face.

“I brought cranberry juice and Perrier, but I think it’s warm by now,” Jed said, standing up. “Why don’t I go get some more ice?”

“Don’t bother. I’m not really thirsty. I’m worried. I can’t find Jerry anywhere.”

FOUR

“He probably went for a walk.” That statement was repeated a few times as the Henshaws and Kathleen asked members of the Compass Bay staff if they had seen Jerry. But where? He could have gone for a walk on the beach that stretched out beyond the stone jetty that bounded the resort to the west. He could have strolled down the road in either direction, ending up at the tiny grocery store in the nearby community in one direction or into an enormous stand of palm trees in the other. They couldn’t find anyone who had seen him, so they had no way of knowing. Kathleen wanted to organize a search, but Jed and Susan talked her out of it.

“It isn’t like Kath to overreact like this,” Jed said to Susan as they headed back to their room for more sunscreen. “What’s going on?”

“She’s worried about Jerry. She says he’s been looking at photos of June and the kids.”

“Oh, but that might be because-” A loud knock on the door prevented Jed from finishing. He opened the door to discover that the wanderer had returned.