Chapter 11
Daniel
Daniel was feeling apprehensive. He was a man who liked a plan, and a man who liked when things went to plan, but ever since his meeting with Chuck last night he was trying to come to terms with just how far from the plan this charter was beginning to veer.
He found himself wandering aimlessly around the boat, considering his life decisions. Eventually he settled at the crew mess and busied himself making a coffee. He didn’t hear Vicky come in and take a seat at the table behind him, over the sound of the milk frother.
‘Can I get one of those too?’ He jumped and Vicky made a sound that could only be described as a cackle. ‘You’re never as alone as you think on this boat, remember?’ Vicky always had time for a teachable moment.
‘Hi, Vicky, yes of course – I brewed enough for two cups anyway.’
‘Expecting company, are you? Maybe with a certain lady journalist you’ve taken a fancy to?’
Daniel felt heat radiate from his beating heart up his neck to his cheeks. Externally though, he tried to look unfazed,turning around and handing Vicky her mug with what he hoped was a bemused yet serene smile on his face.
‘I have actually been tasked with chaperoning her, whilst she interviews the rest of the staff.’ It was a trick he had learnt a long time ago, about deflection. The key was to pick up on the specific thing that the person had mentioned and then make a statement about that thing, without actually answering the question that was asked.
It worked. Vicky raised an eyebrow. ‘That’s not really in your job description, is it? Why can’t Agatha do it?’
‘Who knows?’ Daniel thought on the question. ‘I suppose Agatha is not really … everyone’s cup of tea?’ It was an absurd thing to say, and Daniel was not really in the habit of mocking people, let alone imitating them, but Agatha’s Queen’s English was a parody in itself.
Vicky burst out laughing, and Daniel felt a dash of pride, along with something else … a warmth in his chest. Usually he felt pretty isolated from the rest of the crew; his position demanded it, as did the very location of the captain’s quarters. But here, with his highly competent second-in-command at the helm most of the time, he was free to, well, mingle.
Vicky collected herself, wiping a trail of smudged mascara from under her eyes. ‘I suspect that Chuck has seen you two together and figured that you might be able to … seduce her into compliance.’
It was Daniel’s turn to laugh, letting out an indignant snort. ‘Because we’re both black?’
Vicky considered for a moment. ‘Well, partly yes, I remember once he had an investor of his, I think he was Indonesian, and he sort of sent him after me when I went to make drinks atthe bar. I guess he assumed we’d bond over our shared culture.’ Vicky let out a weary sigh. ‘I’ve been working for the man for almost fifteen years and he still can’t quite hold it in his head that I’m Vietnamese – not only that, I grew up in LA for God’s sake.’
That last sentence was loaded with exasperation, a feeling that Daniel understood. On most of the boats he’d worked on, most everyone senior had been white. He had always felt like an anomaly; he guessed that must have been Vicky’s experience too. But he wasn’t used to commiserating with his colleagues like this.
‘I hear you,’ was all he could think to say.
After Vicky realised that was as good as she was going to get, she continued, ‘But anyway, no, I meant more because you’re both very attractive.’ Her tone was steady, matter-of-fact, but Daniel could sense that this was a sort of challenge, and there were many ways he could fall into the trap.
‘Well, I’m flattered, Vicky, but I’m not here for a romance, and I doubt that she is either. We both have jobs to do that would only be …’ he searched for the right word ‘… compromised by that sort of thing.’ Vicky didn’t seem totally satisfied with that answer. She looked to be deciding whether there was more she should say.
‘You know what happened with the last captain, right?’ Daniel didn’t, and he didn’t want to know either; he preferred to avoid crew gossip at all costs, but it was too late. ‘She basically got harassed by one of Chuck’s big-time investors, and when she went to Agatha about it, I guess she was expecting some sort offemale solidarity.’ Vicky paused dramatically. ‘Anyway, Agatha made her sign an NDA and senther packing with a conciliatory bonus.’ Vicky waited for Daniel to express shock, or even disgust, but he kept his face composed.
‘That’s all very unfortunate,’ he said flatly, and saw the shutters came down behind Vicky’s eyes. She seemed to realise that he had pushed the boundaries of their tentative seedling of friendship, and she had gone too far. Daniel felt sorry closing it down, but he didn’t need to get involved in any drama.
Vicky stood up brusquely, her coffee only half drunk, and found an excuse to leave. Apparently there were some more rooms to ready before Chuck welcomed new guests on board. Daniel was left standing alone in the kitchen, wondering why he was suddenly feeling so down about keeping his distance on board. It had never bothered him before.
He supposed that Ore was probably done with breakfast by now and if he was going to show willing with Chuck, he should ‘make himself available to her’. He felt deeply uncomfortable about the spying element of his new mission, but she was a journalist after all; she must understand how this all worked.
He found her on the sun deck, the gold flecks in her braids shimmering in the light. She was sitting on the edge of a lounger, hunched over her notepad, chewing at the end of her pen absentmindedly.
‘Miss Ballou-Adu, how was your breakfast?’ She looked up at him with that brilliant smile of hers.
‘Captain Wilsons, just the man I wanted to see!’ He wondered if she knew the effect she had on people, the one that made him feel like she really was delighted to see him. He suspected that she did.
‘At your service.’ Before he knew what he was doing, he was holding out his hand, a reflex perhaps. She looked down at it, bemused, but shook it firmly.
‘Chuck said you will be … accompanying me to my interviews.’
Daniel baulked. He felt uneasy about being part of Chuck’s deception.
‘Well yes, I will introduce you to the staff.’ Daniel floundered, not making eye contact. ‘But everything said off the record will remain strictly confidential.’ The moment he said it, he regretted it. Daniel was not a dishonest person, and he resented Chuck for putting him in this position.
