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Coming up, gasping for air, he heard, “Help me, Gaston.” Gamache’s voice was weak.

“I won’t leave—”

“Chips?”

“Huh?”

The flight attendant was holding out a basket with snacks.

“Non, merci.”

“Your father, maybe?” She pointed to Gamache.

“He’s not … going to say no. Can I take one for him?” He chose a bag of corn chips and placed them between Gamache and the seat.

Then he lay back and closed his eyes.

The water was up to the Captain’s chin. He strained, fought, to lift his head further. But he was trapped.

“I won’t leave you, patron.”

The ship heaved and fell over further. Captain Gamache, his eyes wide with terror, slipped below the surface.

With one final effort, Comeau dove under and yanked the whatever-it-was off the Captain’s legs, freeing him.

Grabbing the semiconscious man around the chest, he swam with him off the now almost submerged bridge and, in a superhuman effort, pulled him through the dark, freezing waters to the distant rescue ship.

“My God,” said the Captain of the other ship. “I’ve never seen anything so courageous.”

The other survivors lined the decks, applauding wildly as Comeau helped lift Captain Gamache to safety.

The shout woke Jean-Guy up.

He had a moment of disorientation as he looked around the tiny cabin.

Cabin. Ship. He smiled. Of course. They were on their way to London onboard the Empress of Ireland.

Still, something didn’t feel right. He rolled off his bunk and looked out the porthole. Then rubbed his eyes.

Was that a …

He just had time to take a half step back when the bow of the huge ship rammed the Empress. It threw him to the floor and woke up his cabinmates.

Freezing cold water began pouring in.

Fuck. Fuuuuck. The ship was tilting. Fucking hell! We’re sinking.

All around now there were shouts of panic.

Annie! The children. They were in a different section of the ship. Down the corridor to the left.

Gripping the life jacket, Jean-Guy scrambled out of his cabin, not looking back at the bobbing body of his cabinmate and the chair leg beside him …

He looked left. The water was already up to his thighs. People were clogging the corridor, rushing to the stairs, to his right. His right. To his right was safety.

To his left were Annie and Honoré and tiny Idola.

He paused. Staring. Then he turned to his right.