We reach the area just before the mouth of the River Tiber around seven o’clock, having crept through the last two miles in darkness. Dinner is a simple yet satisfying affair—pasta with jarred sauce—eaten on deck beneath the night sky.
“Well, this seems as good a place as any,” James says, checking the depth gauge on the dashboard. “The team should be able to find a decent spot nearby.”
He moves to the front of the boat, dropping the anchor before pulling the satellite phone from his pocket to relay our exact coordinates to the security team. I peer into the darkness, spotting the cruiser in the distance, its lights faint but steady.
“Maybe it’s just me and my odd DNA, but it feels warmer tonight than last,” I remark, shrugging off my jacket. The air is still, barely a breeze.
“It is w
