Beyond the Mast

When Tom Galley, a successful career thief, befriends the lovely computer savvy Kate Kincaid, he feels he has found the perfect accomplice for a heist he has planned. Kates technical expertise as a securities analyst does not exempt her from his charm and a smile that could sell things. She agrees to a summer sail with Tom and his best friend Nathan Gage. They are joined by the witty, upbeat Gretchen Tillane who is only too willing to escape a vindictive ex-husband. Beyond The Mast is one part romance adventure, one part sophisticated heist and one part murder. On a cruise to the stark, exotic beauty of the Sea of Cortez the two couples develop a closeness and familiarity that can only be found in sailing. Along the way they encounter a host of unexpected characters from adventurers and knock abouts to bandits and expatriates. The action turns sinister when the group is forced to execute two young Indian pirates, an act which follows them back to California. Only upon the return voyage do they learn graphically, the value of a single life. The book concludes with a murder investigation in San Diego and an intriguing cat and mouse game in the financial centers of Atlanta. Ultimately, the characters must determine at which point loyalty compromises ones sense of integrity and when does trust override personal ambition.