Lethal Voyage Read online

  She opened her mouth to scream as arms like bands of iron pinned her arms to her waist, but a heavy hand slapped over her mouth, forcing it shut painfully.

  Chapter 7

  A cold feeling of absolute terror shot through Shae. She felt the unseen person pull her backwards, causing her to lose her footing. She stumbled backwards, her full weight leaning against her captor. She felt the soft flesh of his belly against her back and his rough clothing scratched her face painfully.

  Her father’s voice came to her in an instant, and Shae felt herself transported back in time. She left the cold, dark deck and heard her father’s warm voice.

  Calm down, Shae-bee. Panic steals time. Breathe. Decide.

  She breathed out of her nose and took stock of her situation. A strong man was pinning her arms to her waist with one hand while his other hand covered the bottom of her face in a crushing grip.

  Your heels and elbows are more powerful than you think. Use them.

  Tears of fear ran down her face, and she stomped down on his shin, causing him to grunt in pain. Using that momentum, she elbowed him in the soft flesh that she felt against her back. Despite the layer of fat, he had a core of iron. He barely grunted. Her heart was beating its way out of her chest, and she knew that she had to calm down, otherwise she’d hyperventilate and pass out.

  It’s going to hurt but use the back of your head. One man only has so many hands.

  She jerked her head back as hard as she could, seeing stars as her head hit his jaw. He cursed out loud and stumbled backwards. Shae kicked out backwards, again and again. She stomped down on his foot while kicking his shin, then alternated. She kept pummeling, using the strength that adrenaline gave her.

  Don’t stop fighting. If you stop, you’re dead.

  After a few seconds, he had to release his grip on her arms, and she used her fists to hit backwards, clawing at him. He tightened his grip on her face, and she attacked his hand. He lifted a hand and hit her, and they both fell.

  His hand loosened around her mouth and she bit down hard. He instinctively let go, and she let out a terrified shriek. Her hands scrambled for her walkie-talkie and she grabbed it. It was light, but it was made out of hard plastic. Not the ideal weapon, but it was the only one she had.

  Use your environment. Look for anything you can use.

  She hit him repeatedly, trying to dodge his powerful swing. She was doing well until a hand smacked her across the face. She cried out again, pressing down on the ‘talk’ button of her device.

  “Help!” she screamed, as he knocked the walkie-talkie out of her hand.

  Movies aren’t realistic. It’s not going to be an elegant fight. Just kick, hit, and scream. And as soon as you can, run. This isn’t about winning a fight. This is about getting out alive. Run, Shae-bee.

  She kicked at him viciously before realizing that his grip on her was completely loose. She let out one more deafening scream before scrambling to her feet. One of her hands was tangled in his shirt from where she’d grabbed it when she fell. Instead of letting go, she ripped her hand away, hearing the fabric tear.

  He reached out to grab her, and she saw a vague shadow coming for her. Shae hopped backwards, almost falling over a chair. He missed. It was dark, and she couldn’t see a thing, but she took off running.

  A glass door swung open and two security guards came spilling out, illuminating the entire deck.

  “Help,” she gasped, as one of them reached out and quickly held her still.

  “Shae,” she recognized the translator’s voice. “you’re hurt. What happened?”

  “Over there,” she cried, trying to get away and keep running. “please, get him. He attacked me.”

  The security guard let her go immediately and they ran onto the deck. Shae scrambled into the well-lit hallway and just kept running.

  She pushed her way past curious guests, tears streaming down her face. She felt scared, like a coward. She should be back there, trying to catch her attacker.

  All rational thought was pushed out of her mind as one word kept repeating itself. Run. Run. Run. Playing like a broken record in her mind. Some primal urge had taken her over. All Shae wanted to do was run and get away. Get to a safe place.

  She had no idea where she was going until she saw a familiar face running toward her. She gasped in relief and kept running until she felt his arms close around her. He wrapped his strong arms around her, his muscular arms tightening under his uniform as he grabbed her and held her gently to his chest.

  The momentum caused him to stagger slightly, but she had no doubt that he’d catch her. His grip around her was carefully gentle, his fingers feather light as they held her. She buried her face into his chest, not caring how inappropriate it was.

  He didn’t care either. He tucked her head under his chin, rocking her slightly as she shivered out of shock.

  “I’m so sorry,” he said, whispering it over and over again. “I’ve got you. I’m so sorry.”

  It was the last place she expected to find comfort, but she couldn’t think. Her whole body was throbbing, and she knew that she was going into shock. He sensed this and loosened his hold on her, but she clung to him tighter, her fists balling into the stiff fabric of his uniform.

  “Come on, Shae,” Mark said gently, keeping an arm around her as he smoothed her hair. “let’s get you somewhere safe.”

  “I told you this would happen!” Frankie shouted. “I told you so! Now look, we’ve got nothing!”

  “I just don’t understand how he knew,” Mark said, smacking the desk with his open palm. “someone must’ve told him.”

  “How?” Ivan asked reasonably. “We kept this quiet.”

  “Are you suggesting it was one of us?” Mark asked, his eyes narrowing dangerously.

  “No,” Ivan said immediately, backing away and shaking his head profusely. “never. None of us would do something like this.”

  “Then some idiot has a big mouth,” Mark said scathingly, turning to look at everyone poisonously.

  Only Shae, who was sitting with a blanket wrapped around her, was immune. Alexa, her best friend, was tenderly holding a bag of ice to Shae’s face. Although she was bruised all over, her face was the worst. Her lip was bleeding, and she swore she could still feel his hand wrapped around her mouth.

  She shivered, and Alexa drew the bag back with concern. She shook her head, and Alexa reapplied the bag, causing Shae to flinch. She looked down at the dark piece of material that she was winding around her fingers. It was black. Simple. That’s probably how he got around unnoticed.

  “It doesn’t matter,” Frankie said angrily. “It happened. And now we’re no closer to the truth, and Shae’s been attacked. This is your fault.” He stabbed a finger at Mark’s chest, and Mark squared his shoulders, ready for a fight.

  “She knew what she was getting into,” Mark said, clenching his jaw. “she’s a big girl.”

  “We shouldn’t have let her stand there on her own,” Jax said, shaking his head. He had one hand on her knee and kept looking over at her with a worried expression. When she was feeling better, she’d be touched by how much he cared. “we knew she was a target, and we delivered with a big shiny bow.”

  “She volunteered!” Mark snapped. “What was I supposed to do? Lock her up with Daniella?”

  “She is right here,” Shae said hoarsely, “and she agrees with Mark. I volunteered. I knew what could happen. I was reckless, and next time I’ll be more careful.”

  “You’re lucky there even is a next time,” Frankie turned on her. “this guy doesn’t make mistakes. You’re lucky you got out of there alive.”

  “You keep saying that,” Mark said, his tone dangerous. “and yet he keeps messing up. Perhaps he isn’t as dangerous as you want us to believe.”

  “What are you saying?” Frankie asked, his whole face going red. “Look at her! Tell me again how he’s not dangerous.”

  “I want to go to my room,” Shae decided. Alexa and Jax immediately
helped her up, and together they walked away from all the shouting.

  Shae leaned against Alexa, and felt safe as both Jax and Alexa put their arms around her. As they walked, she could smell the various foods and perfumes around them. The air was crisp, and slightly salty, but she was starting to associate the smell of the sea with home.

  She could understand why Captain Tim didn’t want to retire to land. There was something about having the vast open space all around you. It wasn’t the first time she’d felt the sensation of floating. It was a freedom that came from knowing how tiny and small you are. There was nothing around them for miles. Nothing beneath them, and nothing above them. This knowledge allowed her to breathe again.

  Fight hard, Shae-bee. Don’t give up. If you’re still breathing, you can still fight. I know it’s difficult. But I didn’t raise a coward.

  As she looked around the deck, she felt some of her strength coming back. Along with that strength came a vicious anger. How dare this stranger attack her in her own home? The Princess Araminta was her home. It carried her from place to place, it housed her, fed her, and kept her safe during storms. No criminal was going to take that.

  The Invisible Cat wasn’t going to rob her of her peace.

  That stunning revelation caused her to straighten up. A movement at the corner of her eye caused her to stop in her tracks. Jax and Alexa looked at her in confusion and she shook her head at them. She knew that profile. That curly hair.

  She turned and looked Oliver right in the eye. When he realized he’d been caught, he stopped dead in his tracks, like a deer caught in the deadlights. His eyes widened, and she clenched her jaw, staring at him angrily.

  He shook his head at her, but she ignored the movement.

  “I know who attacked me,” she said, her voice quiet and strong.

  “Who?” Jax asked, looking around in confusion.

  She pointed straight at Oliver, and he hung his head in despair. Alexa quickly ran back to the security office and came back in an instant with five security guards, a seething private investigator and a furious First Officer.

  “You’re wrong,” Oliver called as Stefan grabbed him and cuffed him.

  “I warned you,” Shae said, unsympathetically.

  “And I warned you,” Oliver told her simply, narrowing his eyes at her as the security guards marched him away toward the jail cell.

  Chapter 8

  Shae stood staring at the closet door that currently separated her from Oliver. Although the Princess Araminta had an impressive jail cell for any troublemakers, it didn’t have an interrogation room. Captain Tim suggested that they use a supply closet on the same floor, and so far, it worked well.

  She stood biting her thumbnail while Mark and Ivan argued over what to do with their new prisoner. Ivan was in favor of letting him sit for a couple of hours, while Mark insisted that they didn’t have time.

  Ivan rightfully pointed out that his security team was searching through Oliver’s belongings, and it would be better to confront him with evidence. Mark was impatient and wanted to get a confession out of Oliver as soon as possible. Shae ignored them both, her ears ringing.

  It was a strange feeling. Standing there, knowing that her attacker was on the other side of the door. She could still feel his arms around her and smell the soap that he used. The memory made her feel sick to her stomach, and she felt shivers run through her body.

  It hurt. And yet she knew that if she didn’t confront him, she would always live in a state of fear. Her father didn’t raise a coward. Before she knew what she was doing, she pushed the door open and let herself in. Mark and Ivan let out sounds of surprise, and Mark quickly followed her, closing the door on Ivan.

  Oliver looked as though he was waiting in a luxurious room instead of being chained to a wooden table. He looked up when she walked in and gave her an easy smile. The sight made her stomach churn.

  “It’s about time,” he said, his tone light. “I was wondering when we’d get this over with.”

  “This will be over when we say it’s over,” Mark said gruffly, pulling his chair out and sitting so that he could look Oliver right in the eyes. Oliver was unfazed by this, and even leaned forward with his elbows on the table.

  He looked unaffected by the ordeal, as if he was simply waiting in line for something. The sight of him being so casual made Shae inexplicably angry. She could still feel his hand over her face, choking the air out of her. While he sat there and smirked as though nothing had happened.

  “I’d like to know why I’m here,” Oliver said. “I paid good money for a luxurious cruise, not to be thrown in a closet. Let me just say, you guys aren’t going to get a very good review from me.”

  “You’ve been following me since yesterday morning,” Shae said, still standing. The thought of sitting across from him, or even being near him made her want to throw up. “I’ve got proof. Several people saw you, and I’m sure you’ve been caught on camera.”

  “If you say so,” Oliver said with a little shrug.

  Mark let out a frustrated sigh, and Shae leveled him with a warning look. The last thing they needed was for him to lose his temper. When Mark lost his temper, all productivity went down the drain while he ranted and raved. It was easier to recognize the signs of his anger and try to calm him down.

  It wasn’t the best system. Mark was a complicated and flawed man. Shae knew better than to get frustrated with him or try to change him. She took him for what he was and found that it worked wonders for their relationship when she handled him accordingly.

  They didn’t have an amazing professional relationship, but they had one that worked. She was learning how to recognize his moods and deal with them effectively. Every now and then, she suspected that he had his own system for dealing with her.

  “People are dying,” Shae told him, trying to keep herself calm. “and people are getting hurt. Could you drop the act? It won’t be hard to link you to my attack. All we need is DNA samples, and you’re done. Dr. Zooberg swabbed under your fingernails. Once we get to port, we’ll have them tested and you’ll be put in jail.”

  As she spoke, she tilted her neck to show off the scratch marks that she’d received during the attack. They stung painfully, but it was worth the pain when a look of shock radiated from his features.

  “You think I did this?” Oliver asked, shaking his head. “No, I didn’t attack you. That’s not what happened.”

  “We hear this all the time,” Mark said, rolling his eyes. “let’s skip over the denial and head straight for the confession.”

  “No, seriously,” Oliver said, his eyes wide. “look here,” he took out a badge and slid it over toward Mark. “I’m not some creep. I’m an investigative journalist for Crime magazine. I’m here to try and find the Invisible Cat.”

  “I thought you were a wildlife photographer,” Shae said in a deadpan tone. Mark offered her the badge, but she shook her head. He’d already shown her one form of identification that turned out to be a lie. She didn’t need to see another one.

  “That’s my cover,” Oliver insisted. “you can call my editor and find out for yourselves. I didn’t attack you. I’m on your side.”

  Mark gave him an incredulous glance before standing up and taking the badge outside. Shae felt overwhelming relief when he left the door open. She didn’t know what she’d do if he left her alone in that room. Oliver looked down, sensing her unease.

  “I’m sorry,” Oliver mumbled, shaking his head. “I should’ve told you sooner. I just didn’t know if I could trust you. These kinds of thing are very tricky.”

  “I know,” Shae said, still standing with her arms crossed. “I know better than anyone. And that’s why I don’t believe you.”

  “You will in a second,” Oliver promised.

  They stood there in awkward silence. She didn’t feel the need to say anything to him, and he looked suitably ashamed of himself.

  “How long have you known Frankie?” Oliver said eventually.

>   “My whole life,” Shae said immediately. “why do you ask?”

  “I was just wondering,” Oliver said with a shrug. “I’m sorry, again. I shouldn’t have followed you like that. I can’t imagine what it must feel like. I just wanted to know how far you’d get. You’re getting real close, otherwise he wouldn’t have attacked you like that.”

  Shae ignored him and stared at a spot above his head. He didn’t seem to cope well with the awkward silence. Who knew what else he’d spill?

  “You’re getting closer than anyone else has, which is weird. You’re not doing anything special, and you’re way less qualified than the rest of us. I heard he also threatened you? He’s never done that before. I wonder what’s different this time?”

  “He’s telling the truth,” Mark said, walking into the room and staring at the badge. He tossed it back on the table and Oliver scrambled to get it. “his editor confirmed his story. Oh, and Stefan and the guys just got back. His cabin is clean.”

  She stared at Mark incredulously, the ringing back in her ears. There was a certain comfort that came from knowing her attacker had been caught. To think that he was still out there made her skin crawl. She suddenly wanted to be close to Daniella. At least the other woman knew how she felt.

  “Wait!” Oliver called. “I need to talk to you!”

  Shae walked out of the room, not saying anything. Mark let out a sigh and quickly followed after her while Ivan and the others piled into the room. Presumably to free the lying journalist.

  “I can help!” Oliver’s words followed her down the hall, scratching at her mind and making her uncomfortable.

  Another thing that Mark understood was the need for silence. He didn’t say anything as she briskly made her way to Daniella’s new cabin.

  As they neared the cabin, they could hear the sound of an argument.

  “I’m done!” Jeremy shouted, storming out of the cabin.