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Chapter One

Key West, Florida

1942

JT Montgo his injured calf against one of the crates in the bottoenerations of remarkably handsome people His dark hair had been cut too short by the navy but that did not detract froood looks: brilliant blue eyes, lips that could be as cold ashiht cleft in his chin, and a nose that on a se His omery nose and said it was God’s attempt to protect their faces froomery hardheadedness

“It still doesn’tas hecontrast to JT Bill was six inches shorter, hair already thinning at age twenty-three, and built like a stack of concrete blocks Bill was grateful to have JT as a friend because, wherever JT went, the chicks followed Six o, Bill had married the pick of the bunch

JT didn’t bother answering his friend, but just closed his eyes for a moment and set away from the smell of oil, from the noise ofcare of others, of answering questions, of—

“If I were a bachelor like you,” Bill was saying, “I’d be down on Duval Street having the ti to spend tiodforsaken islands”

JT opened one eye at Bill then turned and looked out over the ocean at severaltherown up in a city JT had grown up in Maine, away from the noise and confusion of people and their machines And there had always been the sea When other boys had bought their first cars at sixteen, JT had received a sailboat By eighteen he had been sailing three-day trips alone He had even drea around the world alone But then the Japanese boan and—

“Hey!” Bill was calling “Don’t leave this world yet Are you sure that’s enough provisions? Don’t look like much to eat to me Dolly says you’re too skinny as it is”

JT sh,” he said, and closed his eyes again City people were never able to look at the sea as one long banquet table He had brought a net, a fishing pole and hooks, a couple of pots, a setables, and hisfor the next few days The thought of the silence, the solitude, and the lack of responsibility made him shift on the hard seat

Bill laughed, his very ordinary face crinkling He was a man ould have made an excellent spy since he could have faded into any crowd “All right, point taken But I still think you’re crazy Anyway, it’s your life The commander wants you back next Monday and I’ll be here to pick you up And Dolly said to tell you that if you don’t swear you’ll use that burn salve she’ll be out here tomorrow to apply it herself”

Bill snorted when JT’s eyes flew open with a look of horror on his face “Now that would be my idea of a visit to a island,” Bill said “I’d lay in a ha oes”

“No wo “No women, please”

Bill laughed again “What happened with that little WAVE was your own fault Anybody could see e was in her eyes And why didn’t you hly recommend the state”

“That’sBill’s coe

“Beats me how you can tell one island fro is you’ll be so lonely out here you’ll be glad to get back to work”

JT griht, that’s all he wanted Nothing but the sound of the wind and the rain beating down on his tarp And the food! No more navy chow, just fish, lobster, shrimp, conch, and—“Cut yourto hit the beach”

Bill obeyed and eased the motorboat onto the narrohite sand beach

Holding his left leg stiff in order to led his six-foot-long body and stepped out of the boat and into the shalloater The heavy navy boots felt aard on the slippery bottoone so he could get out of the stiff uniform