Chapter 13 - The Threat

Maya showed Claire the message.

The captain read it once.

"They want you scared."

"It's working."

Claire handed the phone back. "Good. Fear keeps you alive. Panic doesn't."

Grant stared at the screen. "How did they get her number?"

Vivian looked away again.

Maya noticed everything now.

"You gave it to them."

"I gave Kessler your contact information for documents."

"You gave him my life."

The black tender came alongside but did not touch the yacht. Two men stood aboard. One raised a phone.

The bridge hailed them over marine radio.

No response.

Claire ordered the yacht to increase speed and alter course toward the Coast Guard intercept point.

The tender followed.

Guests had finally realized this was no longer rich-family drama. Phones appeared. Fear replaced gossip.

Maya stood beside Claire near the protected interior passage.

"If they board—"

"They won't."

"You don't know that."

"No. But I know this yacht better than they do."

Grant approached.

"Maya, I'm sorry."

She didn't look at him.

"Not now."

"I need you to know I didn't know how far this went."

"You knew enough to lie to me."

"I did."

She finally faced him.

"You slept with Brooke. You let your mother humiliate me. You handed me a release disguised as wedding paperwork. Which part am I supposed to separate from the rest?"

He had no answer.

The yacht rocked from a sudden wake.

An alarm beeped on Claire's radio.

"Captain, starboard service hatch has been opened."

Claire's eyes sharpened.

"From inside or outside?"

"Inside. Owner override."

Grant swore.

Claire ordered two crew members aft.

Maya looked toward Vivian.

She was gone.

"Where is she?"

Brooke pointed toward the corridor. "She was here a second ago."

Claire ran.

Maya followed before anyone could stop her.

They reached the starboard service deck just as the hatch swung open.

Vivian stood beside it.

A Northline man was climbing up from the tender below.

In Vivian's hand was the missing blue envelope.

She looked at Maya.

For the first time all day, she didn't look cruel.

She looked terrified.

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"You don't understand," Vivian said.

Then the man climbing aboard reached inside his jacket.