Page 28 of Terminal Voyage

“I know what I heard,” I said with a slow, deliberate tone.

"Tell me again."

I repeated my story.

By that time, the first officer returned with a tablet and looked through the passenger manifest. He shook his head. "There are no passengers aboard named Kate.”

My eyes rounded. "Well, then someone forgot to check her in."

"That's not possible,” Curran said. “We keep a record of everyone who boards the ship."

"Maybe she's not a passenger. Maybe Kate is part of the crew.” I thought to myself and muttered, “That would make sense." I figured that’s why I hadn’t seen her at any of the guest functions.

"I know every crew member aboard the ship,” Curran said. “There is no one named Kate.”

"Maybe that's her middle name.”

The captain nodded to the first officer, who checked the list of crew.

"I'm sorry, but there's no one named Kate aboard this ship."

I gritted my teeth, and my cheeks grew hot. "That's not possible! I talked to her at the bar. Gorgeous redhead, green eyes, red dress, banging body,” I said, hoping that would jog their memory.

The two exchanged a dumb look.

"I think we would remember someone like that," the captain said. He took a deep breath. "Don't feel bad. This kind of thing happens all the time. People have a little too much to drink, have a nightmare, and things get confused.”

"I'm not confused," I said, standing my ground.

"How much have you had to drink tonight?”

"Not much." It was all I could do to keep upright, but I attributed that to the rolling of the sea.

The captain gave me a flat look. "You're slurring your words now."

"I am not."

Was I?

“Talk to Jimmy,” I said. “He served us at the bar."

The captain just stared at me.

"What if Kate wasn't dead when they threw her overboard? She could be out there somewhere. We need to stop the boat and go back."

He scoffed. "We are not stopping the boat. We're not going back."

I clenched my jaw, and my face grew even redder. "A woman was murdered. You're not going to gaslight me."

"I'm not gaslighting you, ma'am. I'm just saying there has been some kind of misunderstanding.”

"Talk to Jimmy. Now! He'll tell you."

"Ma'am, it's late. I don't like to disturb crew on their off hours unless it's absolutely necessary.”

"This is absolutely necessary. We’re talking about a woman's life. Does that kind of thing not matter around here?”

The captain stifled a groan, then muttered to his first officer. "Go get Jimmy and bring him up here.”