Chương 5
When the Aster Vale entered the marina, conversation thinned naturally.
Guests gathered bags and jackets. People who ordinarily lingered for another drink suddenly remembered early flights, morning calls, children, dogs, headaches. No one mentioned what had happened.
That almost made it worse.
Daniel stood alone near the aft doors, reading something on his phone.
Vanessa sat at the end of a sofa with her hands clasped between her knees.
The red pendant lay against her dress like a drop of dark blood.
Evelyn hated herself for thinking it.
A crew member approached with two garment bags and a small hard-sided suitcase.
“Ms. Reed?”
Vanessa stood.
“Yes.”
“Your belongings, ma’am.”
“Thank you.”
Daniel looked up.
“Where’s mine?”
“Your luggage is being inventoried, sir. There are electronics and documents in the suite, so the chief steward is completing the list.”
Daniel’s expression hardened.
“No one touches my laptop.”
“The laptop has been placed in your carry-on. Two crew members were present.”
“Did anyone open it?”
“No, sir.”
“You’re sure?”
The steward’s face changed by less than a degree.
“Yes, sir.”
Evelyn noticed.
So did Vanessa.
Daniel took a step toward the interior.
Captain Russell appeared almost immediately.
“Mr. Cole.”
“I need to check my room.”
“The suite is secured.”
“It is my property in there.”
“Your property will be returned to you.”
“I’m going to verify that myself.”
Russell’s voice remained calm.
“You are not authorized to move through owner-restricted areas.”
“I’ve slept in that room for three years.”
“That does not alter your authorization tonight.”
Daniel looked at Evelyn.
“Are you enjoying this?”
“No.”
“Could’ve fooled me.”
That one almost worked too.
Almost.
Evelyn said, “Let the crew finish.”
He looked at her for several seconds.
Then he stepped back.
The yacht eased toward its berth.
Deckhands moved into position. Lines were prepared. The quiet professionalism of docking surrounded the private wreckage as if nothing unusual had happened.
Evelyn watched the crew.
She had known some of them for years.
They deserved better than this.
So did she.
Maybe even Vanessa.
Daniel’s luggage arrived ten minutes later.
The chief steward handed him a printed inventory.
“Please review the list before you disembark.”
Daniel scanned it.
“Where’s the blue drive?”
The steward frowned.
“Sir?”
“A small blue solid-state drive. It was beside my laptop.”
“I don’t recall seeing one.”
Daniel looked up sharply.
“It was there.”
“We can recheck the suite.”
“You need to.”
Russell said, “We’ll do that.”
Daniel turned to Evelyn.
“Did you take it?”
She stared at him.
Vanessa said, “Daniel.”
“What?”
“You sound insane.”
“There were confidential files on that drive.”
Evelyn felt something tighten in her chest.
“What files?”
He looked at her.
“Work.”
“Harbor North?”
“Among other things.”
The answer was too quick.
Captain Russell said, “No member of the crew will search electronic files. We’ll search physically for the device.”
Daniel nodded.
“Do that.”
Evelyn said, “And if they find it, it goes directly to him.”
Daniel’s eyes narrowed as if he had expected something else.
“Obviously.”
“No,” she said. “Apparently tonight we clarify obvious things.”
Vanessa looked down.
Russell disappeared inside with the chief steward.
The first guests began stepping onto the dock.
Some hugged Evelyn.
Some did not.
Robert Keene shook her hand.
“I’ll call you tomorrow.”
“Please do.”
His expression was formal now.
Not hostile.
That almost frightened her more.
He left with Ellen.
Daniel watched them go.
“You’re going to destroy this over a misunderstanding.”
Evelyn looked at him.
“What misunderstanding?”
“The fund.”
“I don’t know enough yet to destroy anything.”
“You already told Robert we had no backing.”
“You don’t.”
“We had discussed marina investments.”
“We discussed boats over dinner.”
“You told me your family office wanted more exposure to hospitality.”
“I also told you my mother wanted a dog. That did not authorize you to buy her a kennel.”
Vanessa covered her mouth.
Daniel looked at her.
“Seriously?”
She lowered her hand.
“Sorry.”
“You think this is funny?”
“No. That’s the problem.”
Russell returned.
“No drive was found in the suite.”
Daniel’s face changed.
“It was there.”
“The crew checked drawers, desk surfaces, luggage staging areas, the safe, and bedding.”
“Who entered the room?”
“Two interior staff after your clearance was changed.”
“Before that.”
Russell paused.
“Housekeeping serviced the suite this afternoon.”
“Who?”
“I can provide the duty log.”
Daniel turned toward Evelyn.
“I need the security footage.”
“The interior guest corridors aren’t continuously recorded,” Russell said. “There are cameras at access points and exterior common areas.”
Daniel swore.
Evelyn watched him.
He looked frightened now.
Not embarrassed.
Not caught.
Frightened.
She said, “What’s on the drive?”
He glared at her.
“Nothing that concerns you.”
“If you think someone stole it from my yacht, it concerns me.”
“It contains confidential client material.”
“Whose?”
“Mine.”
“That isn’t an answer.”
“It’s enough.”
Vanessa said, “Was that the drive from Palm Beach?”
Daniel turned.
“What are you talking about?”
“The blue one you used during the Keene meeting.”
His face went still.
Evelyn noticed.
Vanessa noticed too.
“What?” she said.
“Nothing.”
“You said the files were encrypted because there were subscription documents.”
Daniel’s voice sharpened.
“You have no idea what you saw.”
“I saw you plug in a blue drive.”
“Great. Thank you, forensic analyst.”
Vanessa’s mouth opened.
Then closed.
Evelyn said, “Russell, preserve the access logs and have operations make a note of the reported missing device. Nothing else.”
Daniel stared at her.
“You’re documenting this?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because you just accused my crew of losing or taking confidential material.”
“I didn’t accuse anyone.”
“You asked who entered the room.”
“That is not an accusation.”
“It becomes one very quickly.”
For the first time that night, Daniel seemed to understand that she was no longer arguing with him as his fiancée.
He was speaking to the owner of a vessel whose employees he had placed inside his problem.
His shoulders lowered slightly.
“I want my things.”
“You have them.”
“I want the drive.”
May you like
“If it’s found, you’ll get it.”
“And if it isn’t?”
