An influential shipping firm, Goldwaters, pays Eric Ward a large retainer to work for them, much to his surprise. Then one of the Goldwaters fleet, the Sierra Nova, is "arrested" and is unable to leave port.
The reason?
A crew member, Edwards, has been caught in possession of drugs and is accused of smugglingbut now he's been removed from the ship, why can't the voyage go ahead?
Then Edwards is murdered on his way to the courtroom.
Ward soon finds himself sinking into the dangerous world of international conspiracy and modern-day piracy.