Chapter 4

After a long silence, Cyprian looked at Rainn in the rearview mirror. “How long have you been in Dominica?”

“About a month and a half. It’s so beautiful.”

“Mm, I hope it stays that way,” he said with a grim expression. “Hopefully, we can all be good friends and good to Dominica.” He looked at Roger as if expecting him to say something.

“Yes! Good friends,” Roger added. “We should learn all about you.”

Why were they acting strange? Sam seemed distracted, too, although he took Rainn’s hand and smiled.

It took over an hour, part of the way on dirt tracks through pitch blackness, to reach a place they called Cottage Bay. Roger was heavy, and the entrance to the cave was a tight squeeze. It opened into a high-ceilinged cavern strung with white Christmas lights connected to the beat-up generator Sam had mentioned. There were a few folding chairs and beach blankets. A DJ set up a laptop and small speakers on a card table while a bartender lifted coolers and paper cups onto another.