Chapter 24
I open the bar hatch and roll my eyes at Mehmet and Emir in mock reluctance as I pass by.
‘Fine! I’ll come on the jet ski with you.
I’ll be back in a minute.’ I have seen some of the guests riding the jet ski and it looks terrifyingly fast and unsafe.
My only hope is that Mehmet knows what he’s doing, and that we go slow because Emir will be sandwiched between us.
I skip down the staff staircase and along the corridor.
Tiffany and Shaun are putting mops, buckets and cleaning cloths away in the cupboard.
‘Oh, hi,’ I say. ‘Could either of you give me the keys to the jet ski, please? And also explain to me how to lower it into the water. And how to get it back out of the water, too. It looks heavy and complicated.’
‘It is heavy and complicated,’ says Tiffany. ‘That’s why Garry always does it. You’ll have to ask him.’
My stomach drops at the thought of having to speak to him. ‘No. Absolutely not. Couldn’t you help me instead?’ I turn to Shaun, who shrugs in response.
‘Garry has the keys. Garry knows how to do the pulley thing to get it into the water. Sorry, but you’ll have to get him to do it. Me and Tiff still need to change all the towels in the guest rooms and bag the used ones up for when we dock later.’
My chest is burning at the thought of confronting Garry. I shake my head. ‘I can’t. We, erm, we’re not speaking. Well, I’m not speaking to him.’
‘Is this because of the argument?’ Tiffany asks. ‘I heard you both yelling while I was trying to serve drinks to people. I have to say, Maddie, it sounded very unprofessional. If you must yell at co-workers, then at least do it down in the staff quarters like we do.’
Shaun is nodding in agreement. ‘Just go and ask him. What’s the worst that could happen?’
I refuse to let my mind even go there.
‘Okay. Is he in his cabin?’ I say, thoroughly disappointed with the lack of support.
‘No.’
‘Where is he?’
‘Isn’t he upstairs working the bar?’
‘No. I’m serving in the one by the dining area, and Astrid is up on the top deck. I thought Garry was down here with you.’
They turn to look at each other with odd expressions. ‘Didn’t you say his bed hadn’t been slept in?’ Tiffany asks Shaun.
Shaun grins. ‘Do you think he’s shacked up with one of the guests?’
Urgh. My stomach heaves at the thought of who would be desperate enough to engage in carnal… urgh… carnal… urgh, it’s no good. My mind is quite literally vomiting. ‘But haven’t you just cleaned all of the guest rooms? Surely you would have seen him?’
‘Oh yeah. Perhaps he’s with the captain then.’ Shaun points his finger upwards. ‘They’re probably doing all the port thingies ready for when we arrive tonight.’
‘Excellent. Thanks. I’ll go see the captain.
’ I hurry away, keen to make sure that Garry doesn’t falsely charge guests berthing fees like last time.
I make my way to the starboard side by the stern.
The captain is easy to spot because he is wearing his crisp white uniform, complete with shiny gold buttons and a smart navy-and-white captain’s hat. He is also surrounded by women.
I scan the area, expecting to see Garry Gee flirting sycophantically, ingratiating himself with the guests so that they bestow generous tips on him, but he’s nowhere to be seen.
The captain has the full attention of the women, gesticulating with his free arm out to sea and to the sails billowing above us while he keeps one hand firmly at the helm, gently rotating the steering wheel back and forth.
I take the stairs to the top deck two at a time. Garry must be helping Astrid. ‘No, he’s not here. But when you do see him, tell him to give me a hand. This greedy lot are on the cocktails and it’s killing me!’
The only place left to look is the kitchen.
I clamber back down the staircase, yell across to Emir that I’m still looking for the keys to the jet ski, and make my way down to the kitchen.
The two chefs are speedily preparing lunch.
There’s hissing, steaming, blanching, chopping and wincing as they lean back to avoid the spitting of the large grills.
The heat combined with the smoke-filled air is unbearably stifling.
There’s clearly no one else here. ‘Garry Gee?’ I ask them.
They don’t even look up as they shake their heads.
Okay. What now? I’m going to have to check the cupboards.
Nightmare. My eyeballs will not be able to take it if they are forced to witness Garry doing the deed with one of the guests.
I tentatively knock on each cupboard door, calling out his name very loudly before opening.
I have a hand covering my eyes as I do so.
‘What are you doing?’ Tiffany barks at me from down the corridor.
‘Shhhh.’ I put my finger to my lips as she stomps towards me. ‘I’m looking for Garry. This is the last place on my list to check.’
‘In the games cupboard?’ Tiffany asks, quite unaware that I have witnessed her boyfriend in there, going at it like a dog at broth.
I throw up my hands. ‘I have looked everywhere. Everywhere.’
She tuts. ‘Such a drama queen. I’ll go and have a look. You start at the top. I’ll do another sweep here, and we’ll meet at the helm. Okay?’
Twenty minutes later, Tiffany appears at my side. She whispers in my ear. ‘No luck.’
I feel sick to my stomach. ‘What do you mean?’
‘I mean he’s not on the boat.’
‘Then where is he? Did he take a group out fishing or something?’
She shakes her head. ‘Not that I know of. The schedule clearly has him down to do on-board entertainment all day.’ She checks her watch. ‘Starting with Where’s My Shoe? at midday.’
‘But where can he possibly…’ I stop speaking as the captain walks towards us smiling. The women follow him like a shadow.
‘Ladies. Perhaps you can explain what the entertainment is for today. We have some delightful participants willing to take part. It is a kind of treasure hunt, no?’
Tiffany nods. ‘Yes, Captain.’ She turns to the ladies.
‘Supervisor Garry has hidden all of his clothes somewhere around the dining area while he stands naked behind the bar waiting for you to bring them to him. The person to find the most clothes to put back on him wins the cocktail of their choice.’
Oh. My. Fucking. Word. While the captain is visibly shocked, the ladies understandably seem to also think this game is in poor taste.
Tiffany tries to rally them. ‘How about the winner gets cocktails for the rest of the day?’
Unimpressed silence. And plenty of it.
‘I’ll let you know when we are starting the game,’ she says, watching the women retreat, nudging one another in bafflement. She turns to the captain. ‘Have you seen Garry?’
He shakes his head.
‘When was the last time you saw him?’ I ask.
He takes a moment to think through his answer. ‘The last time I saw him was last night when he was arguing with you.’
I am instantly dismayed at the thought of how many people saw us and didn’t think to come and rescue me.
‘We weren’t arguing. Well, we were. But the point is it wasn’t anything bad.
Well, it was, actually. I think he’s been…
not that it concerns you, Captain. Unless you’re somehow implicated.
’ Words are tumbling unfiltered from my mouth, much to Tiffany’s horror.
‘But anyway, we just wondered if you’d seen him today. ’
‘Why?’ he asks, a note of suspicion creeping into his voice. ‘What do you mean implicated?’
Tiffany’s eyes widen as though to say You idiot. Do not breathe a word; we do not need to alarm anyone.
‘I need the keys to the jet ski,’ I say, forcing a tight smile as Tiffany grabs my arm, pulling me away. ‘We’ll look for him downstairs.’
‘Shit. Shit. Shit,’ she mumbles. ‘Start looking overboard but keep it discreet.’
‘Overboard? What do you mean?’
She stops in her tracks. ‘Don’t you get it?’ She sweeps her arm out to sea. ‘We’re in the middle of the ocean, miles from land, and no one has seen Garry. He is obviously not on the boat.’
‘You think he’s jumped in the water?’ I frown. None of it makes sense. ‘I thought he said he couldn’t swim. He’s mentioned it like a billion times.’
‘Exactly. He wouldn’t jump in the water.’
Wait. What is she implying? A prickle of fear crawls up my spine. ‘You think someone pushed him off the boat?’ I mean, it wouldn’t surprise me. The man’s a hideous slimeball. ‘But why?’
‘Personally, I could think of at least a dozen solid reasons straight off the top of my head.’ She fixes me a serious look. ‘But you tell me. You were the last one to see him.’
I blow out my cheeks. How would I have noticed someone pushing him over the railing? I was busy developing a card-playing addiction with Mehmet and his family while trying to avoid his brazen flirting, like dodging bullets. ‘Or maybe it’s more likely he fell?’
Tiffany ponders this as she looks around at the waist-height railings. ‘Nah. No way.’
‘But why are you assuming foul play? Assuming he was pushed rather than an accident?’
She arcs an eyebrow. ‘Seriously? You’ve met him. He annoys the hell out of people all the time.’
I draw a breath in. ‘And you think someone on this boat pushed him overboard? Who disliked him that much? Who would be capable of such a thing?’ My mind flies to the mafia-esque family on board and Mehmet’s words, telling me that Garry wouldn’t be pestering me any further.
Did someone in the Hello Chicken family push him off the boat?
She shrugs. ‘I’d have thought you, of all people, would know. You’ve never liked him from the start. You threatened to report him several times to head office, and you were heard arguing with him last night.’
‘What’s going on?’ Shaun says, scurrying over.
‘Garry’s not turned up to do his infamous Where’s My Shoe?
game. And there’s no way I’m standing in for him.
I’m not working at the bar serving drinks in nothing but an apron until all my clothes are found.
He might like that sort of exhibitionism, but I don’t. ’