Officer Discreetly Follows Lost Boy, Then Breaks Down When He Discovers the Truth

The marina repair yard was loud even in the rain. Metal rang against metal. Generators hummed. Welding sparks flared blue-white near the water. Boats sat propped on blocks, their hulls scraped and half-painted, ropes coiled in dark piles between them. Leo moved through the maze of pallets and equipment more slowly now. Sean followed a few steps behind, his pulse still high from the truck, no longer thinking about writing a report or calling ahead. He was thinking only about keeping the child safe until this ended—whatever "this" turned out to be.