His mouth went dry. He backed away from the edge of the boat, heart hammering. He grabbed the tiller with stiff fingers and yanked the starter cord. The engine sputtered, then roared to life. He didn’t wait.
He spun the bow and gunned it back toward shore, eyes flicking between the throttle and the things behind him. As he pulled into the harbor, he didn’t bother tying off neatly. He leapt from the boat, feet thudding on the dock, and hurried straight toward the nearest Coast Guard post.