During a quiet evening at home, an old man and his grandson experience a violent home invasion after the grandson witnesses a drug-related murder. The thugs believe he has a large amount of "crack" cocaine, and threaten to kill them. Grandpa and Tim, however, escape with their lives. With the drug dealers and police on their trail, Tim and Grandpa flee in their sailboat. Together, they sail out of Tampa Bay and into the Straits of Florida. Along the way, they pick up Maresol Ortez, who is the lone survivor of a Cuban refugee raft escaping to Florida. She is near death from dehydration and exposure but Tim and Grandpa nurse her back to health. Without a family or even a country anymore, she joins them in their quest to start life anew somewhere else. Throughout the book, Tim, Grandpa, and Maresol long for the "quiet life" again, along the shores of Lake Michigan. But, can they escape the wrath of the Mafia drug lord John Scarlotti? A very exciting tale, with a nail biting finish of heroism, self-sacrifice, and love that is a must read for anyone who enjoys a good adventure tale. Welcome aboard The Rose!