Under a storm jib and a lowering sky, you and Terry stand on a shuddering deck and regard the hole where a chainplate used to be.

"The Elliotts are going to be furious," you say. Jerry and Jennifer Elliott own the Celeste, the yacht you and Terry are sailing back to Auckland.

Terry grunts. "The Elliotts are lucky we didn't lose the whole shootin' match," he says, eyes sweeping over the mast and rigging, then out once again to the storm-dark horizon.

You follow his gaze and see what he sees: a smudge of color - a boat.