Duma Key

Elizabeth’s condition has deteriorated, her lucid phases increasingly rare. Wireman worries he may not be around to take care of Elizabeth for long because of his own worsening symptoms. Though Wireman took the job with Elizabeth to atone for not being there when his wife and daughter died, he has come to love Elizabeth dearly. Wireman wants Edgar to promise he will act as Elizabeth’s temporary caretaker in case Wireman is incapacitated. Edgar thinks that if he can erase Candy Brown, he can also erase Wireman’s injury. He steals the X-ray of Wireman’s brain that Wireman had shown him earlier.

At Big Pink, Edgar studies the X-ray with the visible bullet, lets his mind wander, and paints a human brain floating on the Gulf of Mexico. Wireman calls to say that the constant headache he has experienced since the attempted suicide has miraculously stopped. Edgar tells Wireman he wants to paint his portrait. Wireman agrees. Edgar paints Wireman much younger. He also tells Wireman he is holding a solo show with the Scoto. However, he has marked the Girl and Ship series NFS (not for sale). A storm hits Duma, and Edgar is seized by an itch to finish the Wireman portrait.