"I understand."

"This way the Zodiac will be back at the dock for Buddy to use if he shows up."

"If?"

"He isn't always that reliable. At least that is what Terry said."

"And if he doesn't show up, what do I do?"

"Oh, just flag down a water taxi. They come by about every fifteen minutes. You won't have a problem. You can just bill me. Which reminds me, we haven't talked about what I'll be paying you."

It was something she had to bring up to make sure, but she knew and I knew that this wasn't a job for pay.

"That won't be necessary," I said. "If I do this, there is only one thing I'd like in return."

"What's that?"

"Terry once told me about your daughter. He said you two named her Cielo Azul."

"That's right. He picked the name."

"Did he ever tell you why?"

"He just said he liked it. He said he knew a girl named Cielo Azul once."

I nodded.

"What I would like for payment for doing this is to meet her someday-when this is all over, I mean."

That gave Graciela a moment of pause. Then she nodded her agreement.

"She's a sweetheart. You'll like meeting her."

"I'm sure I will." "Harry, did you know her? The girl Terry named our daughter after?"

I looked at her a moment and nodded.

"Yes, you could say I knew her. Someday if you'd like I'll tell you about her."

She nodded and started to push the Zodiac off the fantail. I helped with my foot.

"The little key opens the salon door," she said. "The rest you should be able to figure out. I hope you find something that helps."

I nodded and held up the keys as if they would open every door I would ever encounter. I watched her head back to the dock and then I climbed over the stern and into the cockpit.

Some sort of sense of duty made me climb the ladder to the upper helm before I went inside the boat. I pulled the canvas cover off the control station and stood for a moment next to the wheel and the seat and envisioned the story Buddy Lockridge had told me of Terry collapsing here.