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number in Edgartown. Zee answered on the third ring. I told her I needed to get to the Vineyard tomorrow.
    â€œJeez, Brady,” she said. “With the ferries not running, it’s a zoo down here. A veritable monkey house. You sure you want to do this?”
    â€œI don’t have a choice. I’ve got to see a client. I was hoping J.W. might…”
    â€œHe’s outside playing in the tree house with the kids. Let me get him for you. Hang on.”
    I waited, and a few minutes later J.W. came on the line and said, “You serious?”
    â€œI’ve got a client in Menemsha,” I said. “He’s got some kind of emergency, wouldn’t tell me what it was. I told him I’d be there tomorrow.”
    â€œYou don’t want to be here,” he said. “Prices of everything are skyrocketing, tempers are flaring, and it’s gonna get worse before it gets better. It’s getting so bad I almost wish I was somewhere else.”
    â€œWell,” I said, “it can’t be helped. I was hoping…”
    â€œIt’s a long swim, brother.”
    â€œWhat would you do if you were in my situation?”
    â€œI guess I’d call me,” J.W. said. “I know some people with boats, assuming you’re willing to pay scalpers’ prices.”
    â€œMy client will pay,” I said. “Just tell me who to call.”
    â€œSit tight,” he said. “I’ll get back to you.”

    A couple hours later, just as Evie and I were finishing our take-out pizza—Vidalia onion and goat cheese for her, eggplant and sausage for me—J.W. called back.
    â€œI talked to Zee about it,” he said. “She agrees with me. Everybody who’s driving boats back and forth from here to America’s gonna charge you an arm and a leg. Except for me. So I’ll come and get you in the Shirley J . How’s that sound?”
    â€œThat’s a lot to ask,” I said. “I’m willing to pay.”
    â€œCome on,” said J.W. “It’ll give me an excuse to sail my catboat o’er the bounding main, you know?”
    â€œIn that case,” I said, “thank you.”
    â€œWe got a perfect morning tide,” he said. “I’ll meet you in Woods Hole around noon, okay?”
    â€œNoon is great,” I said. “I’ll shut down the office. Nothing much going on in Boston law offices and courtrooms on Fridays in August anyway. Julie will be thrilled to get away from the office for a long weekend.”
    â€œYou gonna need a car? What about a bed?”
    â€œI hadn’t gotten that far,” I said. “But, yes, I’ll definitely need a car. I suppose I’ll stay with Larry. I’ll figure that out when I get there, I guess.”
    â€œLarry being your client?”
    â€œLarry Bucyck. Know him?” J.W. didn’t say anything for a minute. “I’m sure I don’t know him, but the name definitely rings a bell. Lives in Menemsha, you said?”
    â€œHe used to pitch for the Red Sox.”
    â€œNot the guy who—?”
    â€œThat’s him. The ninety-one playoffs.”
    â€œLarry Bucyck,” said J.W. “Wow. A name to be reckoned with. Right up there with Bill Buckner and Bucky Dent. Haven’t heard that name in years. So Bucyck’s down here on the island, huh?”
    â€œHas been for the past fourteen or fifteen years. Lives pretty much like a hermit.”
    â€œDon’t blame him,” said J.W. “If I was him, I guess I’d want to crawl into a cave and never come out. So he’s your client?”
    â€œI negotiated his contract, and later on I did his divorce. I guess that makes me his lawyer. He seems to think so.”
    â€œSo what’s so important he’s dragging you down here in the middle of a damn ferry strike?”
    â€œI don’t know,” I said, “and if I did know, I couldn’t tell you. All I know is,