Content Warning: This section of the guide includes discussion of death.

On a typical summer day in Boston, Theresa searches a news database for the phrase “message in a bottle” (67), resulting in three articles of particular interest. One contains paragraphs from a letter found washed up on Long Island, and Theresa recognizes the writing style. She contacts the article’s author, a Boston College professor, offering to pay a small sum for a copy of the letter and saying she needs it for a story. The next day, the professor faxes her the letter, dated September 25, 1995. It is, indeed, from Garrett to Catherine. 

When Theresa tells Deanna about it, Deanna realizes that Theresa is romantically interested in Garrett. She tells Theresa that she should go to North Carolina to find him, and they piece together what they know about him so far. He owns a boat, the Happenstance, and a scuba-diving shop. Deanna calls shops in the area and learns that Garrett Blake owns a shop called Island Diving. Next, Deanna calls the Wilmington ship registry to confirm that Garrett Blake is the right Garrett.