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Kennedy's seven minutes: After surfacing, he immediately began to formulate the plan that would result in his going back (with the help of Markham and Gargan, his two henchmen who rowed him over -- I do not recall any salt water laden clothing ever being made available to back up his story of a night time swim)to the bigger island and his motel room. Then after 2:00 AM, he went to the motel desk clerk to ask the time. He said that he was asleep, had been awakened by some noise and couldn't find his watch. He was attempting to establish an alibi that he had returned to the bigger island (before Mary Jo went into the water), and, actually, had left Markham and Gargan and Mary Jo at the ferry dock. He would have said that he impulsively dove into the water and swam back because he could not remain at the party all night. The henchmen would have taken the "fall" for Mary Jo's death. What actually happened is that the henchmen rowed him over (so, they knew he had safely made it there and did not have to "check" on him). When the alibi started falling apart (he was on the phone all morning with advisors who did not think the alibi would work, as there were too many people - 12 - at the party to ensure the alibi would stick), he then developed the canard that after looking for Mary Jo with the henchmen (who he had gone back to the party to get), he impulsively jumped into the water and swam back --after all, now he had to explain why he was in his motel talking to the clerk, etc. He was, and remains, the ultimate liberal politician whose credo is protect your political viability at all cost.