Out Of His Depth, page 18
“No,” said Jordan, standing up and walking over to the door, and twisting the lock once more to the left. “Done.”
Lucy stood up and pulled back the full-height net curtain across the siding glass doors to the balcony. She slowly but firmly grabbed the handle, turned it anti-clockwise, and slid the heavy door to her left just enough for her to squeeze out through it. As she did so, she became aware that she might be visible from either side if she stepped any further forward. The solid partitions gave privacy until you stood right at the handrail looking over the side, which most people would normally do. But then you can be seen by other passengers, or kidnappers, looking down the side of the ship.
She stood still and looked out over the Caribbean sea, with land on the horizon and a dozen or more white and orange plastic boats chugging hopefully towards it. She could just about make out a small flotilla of boats coming from the land out towards Starlight, in case there was anyone left on board. There was some debris floating off to one side not far from the ship, and a dozen or so inflatable lifeboats bobbing around without engines, waiting for help to arrive.
A tap on her shoulder made Lucy jump out of her daydream.
“Lucy, there’s a knock at the door. It might be John but can you check? You know him better than I do,” said Jordan.
Lucy walked back through the balcony door, around the bed, and up to the spyglass in the stateroom door. Sure enough, Barker was stood outside, looking nervously from side to side to see if he had been noticed. Lucy opened the door quickly, stood back, and let him in. They stood face-to-face for a split second, both wishing they were alone. Barker then turned and walked into the room next to Sam and Jordan. Lucy followed and grabbed a miniature bottle of brandy and gave it to Barker, who smiled and opened it.
“I don’t think anyone saw me,” he said after gulping down half the bottle.
“Where’s Marcus?” said Sam.
“Doing me a favour,” Barker replied. “He’s safe.”
“John we can’t leave those other people in that room. They’re in danger.”
“We’re unarmed Lucy, what can we do? And we don’t know what’s gone on in that room.”
“I heard a gunshot,” said Sam. Lucy and Barker both looked at her. “As we were running out. I don’t know if anyone got hurt.”
“John, we should find out.”
“OK. But just us. You two stay here. There’s no need for you to be in danger.”
A ping from a cell phone made them all stop and look at one another.
“That was you,” said Sam, pointing at Barker.
Barker patted his pockets and realised his phone was still there. He fished it out and saw that the screen was badly cracked from the fall into the table. But the text was legible, just.
Margaret Gibson – Emporium
Barker frowned then looked up at Lucy. “I thought this was you.”
“It was. Not anymore though,” said Lucy, smiling.
“Who…?”
“Jasmine. I slipped Margaret’s Sea Star into her pocket when she picked me up off the floor. Looks like they’re on the move.”
“Or she’s escaped,” said Jordan. “She was looking pretty twitchy when it all kicked off.”
“Too long a delay. They must be together,” said Barker.
“They’re about level with us, just a few decks below,” said Lucy.
“Let’s go.”
“We’re coming with you,” said Sam.
“No. There’s no point,” replied Barker.
“You need us. We’ll go down one side of the ship, you two go the other side.”
Barker sighed, “OK. But just look for them. Don’t do anything unless we give you the nod OK?”
Sam and Jordan both nodded and Barker and Lucy walked to the stateroom door and opened it.
Chapter 103
Jasmine walked at the front of the line of three people out through the door of the Adriatic Suite and headed left and straight into the starboard corridor away from the front of the ship. A couple of feet behind her was Michael, hobbling from his fall, having cracked the back of his head and twisted his knee. Maria was a good three metres behind him, giving herself the chance to fire if he decided to try his luck and turn on her. She would see that happen and have a couple of seconds. Plenty of time to pull the trigger. And she would barely have to even aim.
“What are you going to do with all that money?” said Michael.
“Disappear, probably. Wouldn’t you?” Maria replied.
“No, actually. I mean I’d hide the money, obviously, but I’d pretend like I’d never seen it. Hide in plain sight if you like. Disappearing makes you look guilty.”
“Guilty of what? I didn’t steal it. You gave it to me.”
“At the wrong end of a gun. And anyway Aidan gave it to you. It bypassed me.”
“Same thing.”
“And how are you going to get away from here? By the time you get off the ship the passengers will be ashore and the coastguard will be on their way here.”
“And how will they know? I don’t have a big bag of money. I’m just another passenger, who missed the lifeboats. The ship isn’t sinking. How do you know I’m not going to just sit here and wait to be rescued?”
Michael stopped suddenly. So did Maria.
“STOP!” Maria shouted at Jasmine who had walked a few feet further ahead. Jasmine stopped and slowly turned her head. “Move Michael.”
“You haven’t really thought about what you’re going to do with me have you?” Michael said without turning around. You didn’t imagine you’d get this far did you? You just thought you’d come and find me and scare me and see what happened. Did you even know about the money?”
Maria silently stepped forward and pressed the muzzle of the gun into the back of Michael’s head. Michael flinched and straightened and felt a cold shiver all over his scalp.
Maria whispered into his ear, “Michael. This is your gun. You gave it to me in our home for me to protect myself and our children. You taught me how to use it. And you’ve seen me use it today. I managed to bring it through security onto this ship, which means I’m not as naive as you seem to think. I have contacts too. Don’t make the mistake of thinking I’m working alone. And I will have no hesitation in shooting you in the back if you even speak again unless I tell you to. Now walk. Both of you.”
Maria stood still for a gap to open up again as the other two moved ahead, into the Emporium at the end of the corridor.
“Keep straight. No messing around, no stopping. At the end of the shops go left around the Atrium.
Chapter 104
In the port side corridor on Deck Seven Barker and Lucy closed the door of room 7218, having given Sam and Jordan instructions to wait five minutes before leaving, so at least they wouldn’t risk being caught together. They walked hesitantly at first but sped up as they realised they were sitting ducks in the long, straight corridor with nowhere to hide if they were spotted.
“I don’t know what we’re going to do if we see anyone Lucy,” said Barker.
“Watch them? Distract them? Throw a chair?” replied Lucy, “I’ll think of something.”
“Well, we’re not going to see anything walking down a corridor of staterooms.”
“What’s your plan?”
Barker turned sharp left into the opening for the staircases and right down the first steps.
“Down to the Atrium. They must be heading that way. Be careful now, they could be close.”
After one flight of stairs they stepped out onto Deck Six and into a corridor that led around a corner into the top floor of the Atrium. Barker kept close to the walls and hugged any alcoves they passed, to keep as inconspicuous as possible. Lucy was barely a step behind him.
The ship was deserted. They’d never seen the Atrium this quiet in the daytime. The piano bar ahead of them on their right was strewn with abandoned drinks and chairs from the passengers who had left in a hurry. Barker continued around the circular Atrium until they were halfway around it and facing back the way they had come. Two large glass elevator shafts were prominent features at the opposite end, perfect for making an entrance into the busiest place on the ship on gala nights, or any other night for that matter.
“Voices!” Lucy whispered, pointing down to Deck Five. “Down there!”
Barker hunched down and crept over to the railings overlooking Deck Five. Lucy followed and crouched down alongside him. The voices faded and Barker was about to dismiss them when he noticed the cables in one of the elevator shafts moving. The lift itself came up from the deck below, stopped at Deck Five and the doors opened. Through the glass walls he could see the back of a man waiting to step out when the doors opened.
At the same moment, to the right of the elevators, a figure walked out of the end of the starboard corridor coming from the Emporium.
“Jasmine!” shouted Lucy, standing up at the railings.
Jasmine looked up at Lucy and instinctively decided to make a run for it, swerved to her right and ran across the middle of the Atrium disappearing underneath the floor Lucy was stood on. There was a shriek and a scuffle directly below. Barker looked at the lift again but the man had gone. He must’ve heard the commotion and captured Jasmine.
A sharp crack sounded from the corridor followed by breaking glass, as Michael fell into the Atrium, grasping his right arm with his left.
“My fucking arm!” yelled Michael.
“I told you not to run,” Maria replied.
“I’m going to bleed to death.”
“If you’re lucky. Stand up. Walk over there. Move!”
Maria pointed her gun at Michael and at the same time waved it towards where Jasmine was being wrestled to her feet after being foiled in her escape attempt.
Lucy crouched down again next to Barker and looked at him apologetically, having given themselves away. Barker looked at her and cupped his ear with his hand as if to say, “Listen.” They could hear muttered voices below but by now Maria and Michael had joined Jasmine and the new stranger underneath them on Deck Five and they couldn’t make out what was being said.
Half a minute later the talking stopped abruptly. Lucy and Barker looked at each other and slowly began to stand up and look over the edge of the balcony railing. A click from behind them both was followed by a voice, “Stand up. Both of you, and turn around slowly.”
Barker felt the blood drain from his face and he struggled as he got to his feet. Lucy got up a little quicker and helped him by grabbing his arm. They both turned to face the voice and Barker stumbled backwards and hit the railing, with Lucy trying to keep him upright. Facing them was a man pointing a gun. Barker said nothing, but just stared.
“Surprise,” said the man calmly.
“Rob?” replied Barker.
Chapter 105
“What?!” said Lucy, looking at Rob, then back to Barker.
“I told you you needed to find a woman John. She’s not the one I meant, but still. Good job.”
“You bastard,” mumbled Barker, steadying himself with his right arm on the railing behind him and Lucy still holding his left. “What have you done?” Barker was shaking with rage and looked like he was ready to launch himself at Rob.
“Steady John, don’t do anything stupid and make the situation worse,” Rob said, lifting the gun up to face level to make sure Barker didn’t forget it was there.
“Worse, how can it get worse?! I lost my world and now you’ve brought me here to rub my face in it? Why?”
“Loose ends John. I have to tie up loose ends. You kept asking questions. You were supposed to let it go.”
“Let it go? A policeman loses his wife and you expect him not to ask questions? If I find out you hurt…”
“I didn’t hurt anyone John. But don’t push me.”
“So what now?” Barker said, “you’re just going to kill us?”
“Ideally not John, no. We needed you here until we got the money and made plans to disappear. Then we can let you go.”
“You expect me to believe that crap? We know too much. I don’t trust you.”
“Suit yourself John. Makes no difference to me. Go down that staircase,” said Rob, nodding in the direction of the Atrium staircase in front of them.
Lucy grabbed Barker’s hand and squeezed it, “You can trust me.” she whispered.
They moved away from the railings and she encouraged Barker to come alongside her. Barker was like an old man, struggling to walk. His brain was too busy trying to process the last five minutes to be of any use moving his legs. Lucy got him on her right side and held his hand. She could feel John’s body shaking. His face was clamped in determined anger. He looked like a man who could blow at any time, but also like a man who might not last that long.
When they reached the floor of the Atrium on Deck Five Maria, Michael and Jasmine were stood waiting. Barker stared hard at Maria, who ignored him and said, “Time to go.”
Chapter 106
Outside, Starlight was almost alone again on the water and the noise levels created by evacuating nearly four thousand people had mostly died away. The lifeboats had all been lowered and were heading towards the shore. The only people remaining were those bobbing gently around in inflatable lifeboats, some of which had been thrown lines and were being towed slowly away from the ship by the last few powered craft. A growing stream of all kinds of small vessels was coming out from the port. Tourist catamarans, tenders, a few fishing boats: all were heading out to see if help was needed. The weather could not have been kinder. The sea was calm and the wind was just a gentle breeze.
One bright orange and white lifeboat appeared around Starlight’s bow, moving in the opposite direction to the others, and chugged its way back towards the starboard gangway door.
Chapter 107
It wasn’t easy leading four hostages through corridors, down stairs, around corners and through doorways, even with two armed people in charge. Rob walked at the back in case any of them decided to try turning around and making a run for it. Immediately in front of him were Barker and Lucy. Maria was next, with Michael and Jasmine ahead of her. At each bottleneck - a corridor corner or staircase, Maria and Rob would take turns to wait with their two hostages and let the others pass before following behind.
Barker cursed his lack of fitness and strength. He’d never been athletic but he’d let himself go since he left his job, and was not in good shape. Even so he felt he should be able to overpower one of them if he had a chance. He could barely contain his anger towards Rob and was tempted to just lash out, but had just enough control left to realise that, whilst he might be able to do some damage, he’d probably make the overall situation worse for the others even if he didn’t care about himself.
Lucy kept a tight hold on Barker’s hand, not for her own reassurance, but to be able to keep a check on how he was feeling and to hold him back from doing anything stupid. They’d got out of a situation in the Adriatic Suite, but then they’d had the element of surprise and the weapons weren’t pointed at them. Now they were being marched at gunpoint through confined spaces to who knows where. She racked her brains to work out her options, including what to do if Barker flipped out. His hand was gripping hers tightly and he barely acknowledged her as they walked. She knew it wasn’t about her. It was about Rob.
Michael was holding his shoulder and limping as he walked. He’d not had a good last hour. He was almost as angry and confused as Barker. The ex-wife he thought he’d disposed of had returned to haunt him and stolen twenty million dollars. He’d been screwed over by Savenas Seaways at the drop-off years ago, and now his plan to get it all back had been smashed at the death. He too mulled over his chances of escape on this short walk that seemed to be lasting forever. Normally he wouldn’t hesitate to have a go, but the fall over the table inflicted by that that dumb cop Barker had cracked a couple of ribs, and given him a concussion, and Maria had added a bullet graze to his arm that meant he was very likely to be killed if he tried anything. But weren’t they all going to end up feeding the fishes in a few minutes anyway?
In the end it was Jasmine that was first to react.
Rob, Lucy and Barker rounded the final corner before the gangway on Deck Four and stopped to wait for Maria, Michael and Jasmine to pass, swapping positions. The door in the side of the ship was huge. You could probably drive a car through it on a big enough ramp. Barker recognised it as the one he had entered through when he’d boarded all those days ago. The sunlight was blinding and the ship’s air conditioning failed to stop the heat of the sun entering and beckoning them outside.
Barker’s heart raced as he wondered whether this was the point at which Rob and Maria would decide it was all over for them and dump them in the sea. There was a bright orange and white lifeboat tied up outside, blocking the view of the water and the horizon. A figure was moving around inside, but before Barker could see any more, Jasmine made her move. Seeing an opportunity, she stopped suddenly at the front of the line-up and jerked herself backwards into Michael, who let out a loud “Ooof!” and stumbled back towards Maria. Maria had left enough room to react but only if one of them made a move, not both. She couldn’t deal with two of them and was unsighted now by Michael stumbling toward her. Jasmine meanwhile had reset herself and started sprinting for the door, attracted by the hope of freedom. She took four or five long strides and jumped up onto the right-hand side of the lifeboat, but sprung immediately off it into the sea below, diving like an Olympic swimmer, and disappeared.
Barker and Lucy saw most of what happened over Maria’s shoulder and turned to each other.
“It’s always the quiet ones,” said Lucy.
Barker allowed himself to crack a tiny smile as he looked at Lucy and said, “Good for her”, but as he turned to look back at the lifeboat his smile disappeared. The figure in the lifeboat emerged slowly and carefully into the daylight and down the steps onto Starlight’s deck and looked up.
