Chapter 2 - The Camera That Went Dark
Maya forgot about the stain.
"What do you mean, shut it off?"
Claire's voice stayed calm. That was always when Maya knew something was wrong. Claire could shout across a storm, but when danger was real, she got quiet.
"Camera Twelve lost feed at the same time you called. Camera Nine too. Both cover the upper deck corridor."
"Vivian doesn't even know where the cameras are."
"Maybe she doesn't. Someone does."
Maya turned toward the cabin door.
"Grant?"
"Don't guess. Lock the door."
Maya slid the brass latch.
Claire added, "I'm coming down."
The call ended.
Thirty seconds later, someone tried the handle.
Maya backed away.
"Who is it?"
"Maya?" Grant's voice. "Open the door."
She didn't move.
"I heard there was a scene," he said.
A scene.
Not your mother dumped a drink on the woman you're supposed to marry.
Maya unlocked the door.
Grant stepped inside wearing navy swim shorts and a pale linen shirt. Handsome, relaxed, tan. He saw her dress and winced.
"Jesus."
"That's all you've got?"
"Mom said it slipped."
Maya laughed once. "She said 'Oops' before the glass was empty."
Grant shut the door behind him. "Can we not make this bigger than it is?"
"She poured a drink on me in front of thirty people."
"And I said I would handle it."
"You weren't there."
"I was below deck taking a call."
Maya studied him. "What call?"
He looked away for half a beat.
"Work."
There it was. Tiny. Almost nothing.
A lie.
Grant reached for her hand. She pulled it back.
"Maya, listen. My mother's difficult. You know that. But this weekend matters. There are investors on board. My father's trying to close something. I need everyone calm."
"So I should smile while she uses me as a napkin?"
"That's not what I said."
A hard knock hit the door.
Grant opened it before Maya could answer.
Captain Claire Maddox stood outside in full white uniform.
Her gray hair was pulled tight. Her face gave away nothing.
Grant frowned. "Captain? Is there a problem?"
Claire looked past him at Maya's ruined dress.
Then at Grant.
"Possibly."
She stepped inside and shut the door.
"At 12:14 p.m., two security cameras were manually disabled from an authorized control station."
Grant's face changed.
Maya saw it.
Claire saw it too.
"Who has authorization?" Maya asked.
May you like
Claire's eyes stayed on Grant.
"Me," she said. "My first officer... and the Hawthorne family."
