Chapter Six #2
Emmy lets go of my hand and scoots around her brother. “What do you mean? On the same page about what?”
“About what our story is going to be. We can say Keith got drunk and fell overboard. There was nothing we could do.” He looks me straight in the eye. “Hannah tried to save him, but it was too late. He fell in and never came back up, and that’s not our fault. That’s the best version, right?”
“Let’s just get back to shore,” Jackson says again, his whole body tensed.
Ben turns to Emmy. “You saw what happened. You saw me lose my grip when the wave knocked me over.”
Emmy nods, but I see the fear on her face.
“And you,” Ben says, leveling a finger in my direction. “You were right in front of me. The storm ripped the wheel out of my hands, and the boom swung and knocked him over the side. You saw it.”
His gaze drills into me like he’s trying to force his version of events into my brain.
“I saw you let go,” I snap.
“You didn’t see shit,” Ben seethes.
“You did it on purpose.”
“Hannah,” Jackson warns.
“Come on,” Emmy says, her voice rising to an almost hysterical volume. “There’s no way. Why would he do that? That’s murder.”
Ben’s face turns ten different shades of red in quick succession.
He backs up, throwing his hands wide as the wind slams into us, spitting rain and seawater across the deck.
“Exactly. Why would I? Besides, he scrambled your brains when he knocked you against the deck. You’re not exactly a reliable witness. ”
But I can see the glint in his eye even now. The same cold flash of hatred that was there before he released his hold. Three summers at sailing camp had to be enough for him to know what would happen next. How the boom would swing.
“How exactly does someone who knows so much about sailing lose control of the boat like that?” I ask. “And right after Captain Keith threatened to have you arrested for assault? What a coincidence.”
Ben glares at me. “About as coincidental as the seasoned lifeguard who let his ass drown.”
I step back like he slapped the hell out of me.
Jackson’s hand finds mine, and he squeezes. “I didn’t see you diving into the ocean, Ben.”
“Listen, it sucks that he died, but let’s be honest, he was a drunk nobody with a shitty boat.
My only flaws are bad grip strength and terrible taste in boat captains,” Ben shouts over the wind.
“Jackson was right, we shouldn’t have come out today, and that’s on me for not taking no for an answer.
But do you really think all of us should be blamed for a stupid accident? ”
Emmy pushes rain-soaked hair from her face and frowns. “All of us? What did we do?”
It’s the wrong thing to say.
All the anger leaches from Ben’s face, and his expression becomes eerily calm. It’s almost more terrifying than the thrashing ocean around us. He looks like a shark, poised to rip us to shreds.
The rain has plastered the white fabric of his button-up shirt to his body, and he plucks it away from his chest. “I have a life and a future to think about, and I’m not going to take the blame for this alone. So let me make myself clear: If I go down for this, I’m taking the three of you with me.”
Anger races through me so fierce I shake with it.
But he’s not done. “The smartest thing the three of you can do is keep your mouths shut. My family will never let me do time in some Mexican jail, and I’ll happily throw you all under the bus.
” His gaze locks on Emmy. “I’m sure you understand.
You wouldn’t want one day to ruin your life either.
He’s not worth Italy, and nursing school, and your precious victim activism.
United, we walk away from this. But if you turn against me, I promise that you’ll be the ones who take the fall. ”
My mouth drops open. This boat is full of evidence of a brawl, and I bet Ben’s blood is mixed with Captain Keith’s in more than one place.
That alone will contradict his version of the story, even without us saying a damn thing to the authorities.
How can he possibly think he has any leverage here, no matter how rich his family is? It’s three against one.
I cast a wary glance at Emmy. She’s chewing her lip nervously.
I hope it’s three against one anyway.
When none of us speak, Ben scowls. “Come on. It’s not a difficult choice. Side with me, and your future is safe. Turn against me, and I’ll ruin you.”
I shake my head. “There’s something wrong with you. Like, seriously wrong. Don’t you think you should be more worried about surviving than saving your own ass? Look around, Benny Bear, your buckets of cash don’t mean shit out here!” I shout, waving an arm at the miles of ocean around us.
Ben levels me with the same emotionless glare he gave Captain Keith before he let go of the wheel. The sight of it twists my stomach into knots, but before he can respond, a wave rises on the other side of the boat, growing bigger by the second.
“Brace yourself!” Jackson shouts, and we all scramble for something to hold on to.
I wrap my elbow around the lifelines. Jackson grabs Emmy and one of the wires tethered to the sails. Ben drops to his knees and grabs a vertical section of the railing as the wave crests and slams into us.
The force of it smashes my chest against the railing, radiating pain through my ribs.
The boat rocks so far to the side, I think we’re all going to be thrown into the ocean before it snaps upright again.
The jarring motion loosens Ben’s hold on the support, and he slides across the deck.
Two feet of frothy water spill across the boat and drain back off the sides, leaving him spitting up salt water as he scrambles to his feet.
The boat rocks violently in the other direction, and lightning flashes.
The sky beyond it is near black with pockets of deep blue and purple, and the water reflects that right back at us.
The waves have grown so high, they’re throwing us back and forth as we crest the top of one, only to tip the opposite direction down the back side of it. The storm’s getting worse fast.
There’s no way the motor is going to help us in this mess.
Jackson shoves Emmy toward the cabin. “Get inside! If we stay out here screaming at each other Keith won’t be the only one swept out to sea.”
Emmy nods and grabs at Ben’s hand as she passes him. “Come on. Please?”
He doesn’t move at first, instead staring at her hand like he’s not sure if he’s going to shake her off or not, but she steps closer, and when they lock eyes, his shoulders relax.
“Please Ben. Let’s get inside where it’s safer,” she says.
And this time, he follows her.
Emmy, the asshole whisperer.
We stumble our way toward the hatch opening as another wave crests the side of the boat and washes over our feet. I’m not thrilled to be in a contained space with our resident sociopath, but they’re right. It’s not safe on deck anymore. We can deal with the fallout of Ben’s actions after the storm.
Just outside the entry to the cabin, Jackson taps my arm and holds up a finger. He waits for Emmy and Ben to descend the stairs before he leans in close and says, “Are you positive Ben let go of the wheel on purpose?”
I narrow my eyes at him. “If you’re about to pile on about how hard I hit my head, you better find something to protect your nuts.”
He cracks a smile that quickly disappears. “I wouldn’t dream of it.”
“He let go. With both hands. At the same time. Then he threw himself to the deck after the wave rocked us,” I say. “You should have seen the look on his face, Jackson. He was furious about Keith’s threat. He did this on purpose.”
“Emmy will have a hard time believing that.”
“Do you believe me?”
He looks me straight in the eye. “Always.”
I’m suddenly hyperaware that he still doesn’t have a shirt on, and a blush crawls up my face. I turn and head down the stairs before I embarrass myself.
Again.