CHAPTER ONE
HANK
I stand on the deck of the small cruise ship, cool wind on my face. Before me, the Salish Sea stretches endlessly under a cloudy moon, bathed in heavenly blue light. In stark contrast, the ballroom behind me buzzes as coworkers play poker and sip drinks at slot machines. Cheesy rock music pours out to the deck as lights flash and bells ring, a small hell.
I adjust my tie. Okay, my accounting firm’s annual casino boat might not compare to eternal damnation. But it is forced socialization with colleagues, with the additional challenge of being loud and annoying. And there’s a fun touch of seasickness some years. It’s an exquisite combination that we all at least pretend to enjoy.
Typically, I skip the hubbub inside and enjoy a long evening out here under the starry sky. When I’m not busy at the office, I’m out in nature every chance I get, and an ocean tour is a treat. But I’ve recently achieved a significant promotion, and I’m upper management now, so no more hiding on the sidelines.
I give myself a pep talk. After investing heavily in this career for years, I’m proud to have exceeded my goals, and I’m determined to rise to the new challenges. Tonight, that means I walk straight back into the jowls of the casino boat, a gauntlet oftipsy accountants and actuaries high on gambling, and I make professional, dull conversation until we return to dry land.
My twin sister appears beside me. “You look like you want to jump off the boat,” Angie says.
Overdressed in my old suit across from her jeans and T-shirt, I frown and sip my beer. “Damn. I was trying to hide that.”
Angie wears reflective poker sunglasses to hide her eyes, a bulky and out-of-fashion pair she’s had since the first casino boat, and she adjusts them while she studies me.
She keeps her voice low and steady. “Should we make a break for it?”
“Did you bring a scuba suit?”
“We’d need underwater jetpacks to cover the distance. Otherwise, I’ll never make it back in time for tonight’s episode ofDiscovery.”
I shake my head as slot machines flash like ambulances blaring a warning inside. “I’m afraid we’re stuck. And I’m contractually required to go play businessman.” I look longingly down the rest of the deck, which is closed off from us with a simple wooden sign, suspended on a chain. “I can’t even gaze at the sea without those damn alarms ringing in my ears. I bet it’s beautiful down there, away from all this.”
“Let’s check it out,” Angie says as she walks down the deck.
I follow her. “What? We can’t. There’s a sign.”
She turns to face me as she pushes her sunglasses on top of her head, holding my eye. “We’ve been attending casino night for years, and there’s an entire cruise boat that we’ve never explored.”
I stop walking. “You want to snoop?”
“Sibling shenanigans, like when we were kids,” she offers. “If you want peace and quiet, you have to go out and get it.”
I set my beer on a side table. “I’ll break a rule for the sake of silence. But I’m not snooping.”
She walks right up to the sign that declaresDo Not Enterand steps over the chain, onto the other side of the deck. “See? Easy.”
I grumble under my breath. “That sign could be there for a good reason.”
“That’s why I need the new Finance Director of Audits to cover for me.”
After glancing over my shoulder to make sure we’re alone, I walk to the chain. “Hardly. If we get caught, I’ll immediately turn on you.” But I nod. “I just got a big promotion that I’ve been working toward for years. In grim defiance of the decades of casino boats we both have ahead, I’ll shenanigan with you.” I step quickly over the chain before someone comes along. “But only far enough down this stretch of forbidden deck to get a little peace.”
Just five minutes of oceanic calm will be enough to recharge me for the rest of tonight’s chitchat marathon. I’ll practically be a new man.
Angie takes in a deep breath. She doesn’t emote much, but before we start walking, I see the hint of a smile on her face, satisfaction that I joined her in some fun.
“Maybe you’ll rise high enough in the ranks that you can declare a change to the tradition and replace casino night.”
“I’d drag you all to a mountain lodge. Somewhere with no flashing lights, where I can spend the day hiking.”
“Sounds nice. Although, if we’re spit-balling, I’d be entertained to see some of our coworkers attempt an escape room.”
I chuckle.
All of the doors we pass are quiet, and there’s only moonlight and starlight on this end of the ship, casting us in a purple-and-gray glow.
