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If she’d been wrong about him, that meant the true culprit was still out there.
‘Come with us,’ said Ingrid, grabbing Olivia’s hand. ‘I don’t think you should be alone.’
Olivia followed Ingrid and Liam to one of the higher decks, to the Hugheses’ cabin. It was on the same floor that cabin sixteen was on, and the sight of the door haunted her.
The Hugheses’ cabin was lavishly decorated with things Cutler and Ingrid must have brought from home – velvet bed coverings, silk sheets and plush towels. There was an open adjoining door to another cabin, as Ingrid had mentioned.
‘Boys, are you there?’ Ingrid stuck her head around the door, and sighed with relief when they weren’t in. ‘I didn’t want them to have to see me like this. I’m going to clean up,’ she said, before disappearing into the bathroom.
Olivia slumped down on one of the two plump sofas and dropped her head into her hands.
Liam kneeled down to the mini-fridge, rooting through the options. Eventually he handed her a bottle of sparkling water. ‘Not great, but better than nothing.’
She took a swig. ‘I thought with Sergei under lock and key, I wouldn’t have to worry about stuff like this happening any more.’You’re in danger.That’s what Sergei had said. Was he right, and someone else was behind this?
Liam grimaced, shifting from foot to foot. Olivia narrowed her eyes. ‘What is it?’
‘Sergei wasn’t locked up this arvo. He asked to talk to the captain while we were at anchor. Whatever he said convinced the captain to let him out.’
‘You’re kidding me.’
‘’Fraid not. He works below deck so maybe Cap thought you wouldn’t find out.’
‘Until I get locked in a sauna and almost die.’
Liam looked about to reply when Ingrid came out of the bathroom, her face freshly washed and a towel around her neck. He passed her the second bottle of sparkling water, which she took gratefully.
‘We have to tell the captain what happened,’ said Olivia.
‘No,’ said Ingrid. ‘We need to talk to Cutler first of all.’
‘What? We can’t just pretend like this didn’t happen …’
Ingrid looked up at Liam. ‘Would you be a dear and get us something to eat from the galley? I feel like we need something solid after that.’
‘Oh, sure. And I’m going to get Dr Ranj to come and look you both over.’ He quirked an eyebrow at Olivia before leaving the cabin.
Ingrid fell back on the bed.
‘We have to tell the captain,’ Olivia repeated.
‘Coming on this trip was a mistake,’ said Ingrid, ignoring Olivia’s statement. ‘He wanted one last hurrah on a Pioneer ship before they’re all sold off and we close all the branches for good.’
‘What?’ She’d known that Cutler had made a deal to sell off the Pioneer ships. But all the travel agency branches too?
‘Oh, it’s going to be all over the news when we get back into port but Cutler is retiring. Pioneer’s going tobe online-only. But only if the deal goes through. If not, then it’s gone completely.’
‘Wait, but – do the Pioneer employees know?’
‘Not yet. But I think someone caught wind – and that’s why we’re being targeted.’
Olivia’s mind raced. She thought of Patty and the branch she’d built with her late husband, of Annalise and her career dreams, thinking they were here for a relaunch celebration when they were on board for a farewell voyage. It was so unfair. Even though she knew full well that brutal decisions were sometimes necessary in business, how some divisions could be cut with ruthless efficiency to make financial savings, it was impossible not to feel for the people affected.
But hearing the news also made Olivia feel a small jolt of relief. If all the bad things that had happened were connected to the Hugheses, maybe she wasn’t the target after all. She had simply been in the wrong place at the wrong time.
That doesn’t explain theClarissa, she reminded herself.Or what Sergei said about Pierre.
‘I am sorry that you have been caught in the middle of this.’