Chapter 5 - HIS SECOND HOSTAGE
Hale saw the message.
“No.”
“He has her.”
“You go alone, you give him exactly what he wants.”
“If I don’t, he kills her.”
“We track the phone.”
The signal bounced through the ship’s internal network.
Daniel knew how to hide.
That meant somebody on board was helping him.
I looked at Captain Reynolds.
“How many crew members worked here three years ago?”
He checked.
“Thirty-seven.”
“How many still work here?”
“Eleven.”
Hale understood.
“One of them helped Daniel before.”
We checked personnel files.
One name jumped out.
Evan Kessler.
Electrical engineer.
He had worked on the ship during Rebecca’s disappearance.
He had also been on duty tonight when the power failed.
His photo matched the man who gave Daniel the handgun.
“Find him,” Hale ordered.
Too late.
Kessler’s cabin was empty.
His uniform was gone.
His emergency credentials had been removed.
Then Daniel texted again.
TEN MINUTES.
A location followed.
Deck Four.
Forward anchor room.
Hale grabbed my arm.
“You are not walking in there alone.”
“I’m not.”
I removed my earrings.
My necklace.
Anything Daniel could grab.
Then I looked at the captain.
“I need a maintenance jacket.”
Five minutes later, I entered the anchor room.
Alone.
At least, Daniel believed I was alone.
Hale and two security officers were one deck above.
The machinery roared around me.
Huge chains disappeared through openings toward the water.
The housekeeper sat tied near the far wall.
Daniel stood behind her.
Gun at her head.
“You brought friends.”
“No.”
“You’ve always been a terrible liar, Claire.”
“Funny coming from you.”
He smiled.
“That attitude is what attracted me to you.”
“You married women to murder them.”
“I married women because people trust husbands.”
The casual way he said it made my skin crawl.
“What happened to Rebecca?”
His smile disappeared.
“She got curious.”
“Did you kill her?”
“She forced my hand.”
The housekeeper began crying.
Daniel shoved the gun against her temple.
“Transfer the trust authorization.”
“I can’t access it until my birthday.”
“I know.”
“Then why kill me now?”
“Because dead women don’t change beneficiaries.”
I understood.
He needed to remain my husband until the trust vested.
Then I had to die.
“You planned this for months.”
“Years.”
That word landed harder.
“Years?”
Daniel leaned closer.
“You think meeting you was an accident?”
Before I could respond, the housekeeper lifted her face.
Her fear was gone.
She looked directly at me.
May you like
Then she said something that stopped my heart.
“Claire, my real name is Rebecca Lane.”
