Chapter 67
Daniel
Daniel hadn’t quite realised how encompassing his state of denial had been. That trick his mind was so good at, compartmentalising, had buried the fact of Ore’s departure so successfully that it hadn’t been until that morning that he’d actually come to believe it would happen.
How was he supposed to be with her for another night, now that the ache of loss had already started darkening his heart?
In the wheelhouse, he managed to distract himself for most of the day, plotting their way into the harbour, calling all the relevant officials to double and triple-check that their docking spot was reserved and ready. In the midst of his work, he revelled in the sense of order, the predictability of it all. He was in control, for what felt like the first time in days. When he was with Ore, sometimes the feelings were overwhelming, like he had lost mastery over his own mind.
He was deep in concentration when the radio cracked to life. ‘Captain Wilsons, do you copy?’ It was Vicky.
‘Hello, Vicky, yes, in the wheelhouse, copy.’
‘Roger that, on my way.’
It wasn’t a promising sign. Daniel wondered what crisis he might have to avert, what last-minute outlandish requestChuck had made now. They were so close to the end of the trip, Daniel found himself preparing his repudiations before Vicky had even walked through the door.
‘We’re on course, and I’m afraid there’s absolutely no changing it now,’ he said when she entered the room, not bothering to turn around.
‘What are you …?’ But she was only confused for a second. ‘I’m not here to relay some absurd message from Chuck. Don’t worry, Daniel.’ The tone of Vicky’s voice made Daniel turn around. It was strangely warm. That and the use of his first name made him sure this was not about to be the conversation he’d imagined.
‘Can I sit?’ Vicky gestured towards Dudley’s empty chair next to him.
‘Sure.’ Daniel turned so they were facing each other. He couldn’t help but feel like they were slightly too close to each other. ‘What did you want to discuss?’
Vicky took a deep breath. ‘I know that you and Ore are … seeing each other.’
Daniel felt his cheeks flush hot, but was grateful for Vicky’s wording at least. ‘Well … umm …’
‘There’s no point denying it, Daniel. Who do you think is dropping off the food every evening? And let me tell you that the walls are not as soundproof as you assume they are.’ Daniel’s embarrassment grew blistering. Vicky seemed to enjoy that, and she smirked before continuing.
‘And I also know that you and Carlos have been gossiping about the various … arrangements on board.’
Daniel had learnt enough from Ore to remember that he should fake cluelessness. ‘Arrangements?’
Vicky shifted in her seat. ‘I had Dudley come to me last night, in hysterics, asking if I knew about Annie signing an NDA. Information he sourced fromyou, Captain. I told him that I did, and that I encouraged her too and now he won’t speak to me. Apparently it’s allmyfault that Annie got banished from this boat. Honestly, Captain, I preferred it when you knew to stay out of this sort of thing,’ she said evenly.
‘And itwasn’tyour fault?’ It came out more accusatory than Daniel had intended.
Vicky scoffed. ‘You think that I did a bad thing to get Annie off this boat, away from a sexual predator with a huge payout?’ She shook her head. ‘Men never get it.’
‘And you also got a payout from Chuck though right? For the information you passed on?’ Daniel probed.
‘So what if I do? With men like Chuck, it pays to be on their good side, and it hurts, like really hurts not to be. Do you know what happened to the last girl Claude touched up? Chuck threatened to fire her, with immediate effect, and blackball her in the industry for making up lies about his “esteemed friend”. She had to beg and plead for her job, even after almost ten years of service and then she had to promise to be his eyes and ears, to get close to her staff and then betray them over and over again …’ Vicky’s voice cracked and she stopped abruptly.
Daniel knew the answer to the question he was about to ask, but he needed to be sure. ‘Who was that girl, Vicky?’
Vicky gave him a look, pleading with him not to make her say it out loud. Then she relented, slumped down in her chair as though the force of the confession had winded her. ‘It was me, Daniel, but I didn’t come here to tell you any of this, wellI didn’t think I had; I came to say be careful. I don’t know for sure that you’re doing all this digging around for Ore, but if you are, stop, for your sake and hers.’
She leant forward now, urgently. ‘Chuck is a cruel, dangerous and powerful man, and if you cross him, if she writes something he doesn’t like, she’s finished. He knows everyone, every other powerful man in New York for a start, and if Ore doesn’t want whatever story she’s writing to be the last thing she ever publishes, she needs to stop, leave this boat, forget everything she’s heard and write the puff piece he wants.’ She paused for a moment. ‘And as for you, I’ll just say that Elizabeth Hartford is a close family friend. She and her husband take Chuck’s … character references very seriously.
‘Is this threat coming from you, Vicky … or Chuck?’
‘Does it matter?’ she said, suddenly sounding exhausted. ‘It’s real. That’s all you need to know. Take it from someone who knows – he has no qualms about ruining people’s lives.’
Message delivered, Vicky stood up and headed for the door. Daniel grabbed her hand as she walked past. ‘I’m sorry, Vicky, you should never have been treated like that.’
Vicky snatched her hand back. ‘Just get Ore to drop it,’ she said without turning back.
