It would destroy everything Evelyn had sacrificed her life to protect.

I had to get that laptop.

It was my only leverage left.

I took the turnoff for the harbor, the tires screeching slightly on the wet road.

The shipping containers rose up like metal giants in the dark.

I parked the SUV behind a stack of rusted pallets and turned off the lights.

The rain was coming down harder now, blurring the windshield.

I grabbed my flashlight from the glove compartment and stepped out into the storm.

The air smelled of salt, diesel, and rotting wood.

I walked quickly toward Pier 4, keeping close to the shadows.

A single yacht was tied to the dock, its white hull gleaming under the security lights.

The name *Sea Star* was painted in gold letters on the stern.

The engine rumbled, a deep vibration that shook the wooden planks beneath my feet.

I saw a figure moving on the deck.

It was Gavin.

He was wearing a dark raincoat, carrying a silver briefcase in one hand.

He stopped near the boarding ramp, looking back toward the parking lot.