Chapter 1 - THE BAT AND THE LEDGER
The bat stopped inches from my face.
David's eyes widened when he realized I was no longer where he expected me to be.
I had his wrist locked.
The aluminum bat lay on the carpet.
For several seconds, neither of us moved.
Then I twisted his arm just enough to make him drop to one knee.
“Where did you get this?”
David gritted his teeth.
“Get off me.”
I tightened my grip.
“Wrong answer.”
He suddenly smiled.
That smile bothered me more than the weapon had.
“You really think you've won?”
I looked at the open suitcase.
The passports.
The sedative.
The insurance ledger.
“No.”
I released him.
“I think I just discovered why you married me.”
David stood slowly.
“You don't know anything.”
“I know my name is number four.”
His face changed.
That was confirmation enough.
I picked up the ledger.
There were three names before mine.
Each had a date.
Each had an insurance amount.
And beside each name was one word.
DECEASED.
I turned the page.
The fourth line was mine.
But beneath it was something handwritten.
FINAL VOYAGE — DAY 3.
My stomach tightened.
“What happens on day three?”
David said nothing.
I looked toward the locked door.
Then toward the ocean.
“We're miles from shore.”
He smiled.
“Exactly.”
I walked toward the cabin phone.
David lunged.
I moved aside.
He crashed against the desk.
“You're not calling anyone.”
“Why?”
“Because the ship's security belongs to my father.”
I stopped.
“Your father?”
David laughed.
“You still don't understand.”
He pointed toward the ceiling.
“Every camera you've passed since boarding this ship belongs to us.”
I looked at him.
“Then you should know I'm not afraid of cameras.”
I reached into my handbag.
David's expression changed.
I pulled out a small military-grade emergency beacon.
“I didn't bring this because I expected my husband to attack me.”
I held it up.
“I brought it because old habits are difficult to kill.”
David stared at it.
“You wouldn't.”
“I already did.”
A tiny light began blinking.
David's confidence disappeared.
Then the cabin speakers crackled.
A man's voice filled the room.
“Sarah.”
I froze.
I knew that voice.
Not personally.
But from a classified case briefing years ago.
A voice belonging to a man officially reported dead.
“Your husband isn't the person you should be afraid of.”
David looked toward the speaker.
“Dad?”
Silence.
Then the voice returned.
“Sarah, if you can hear me, do not trust the crew.”
The speaker went dead.
David slowly turned toward me.
For the first time that night, he looked genuinely afraid.
I whispered:
“Who is your father?”
David didn't answer.
Then someone knocked three times on the cabin door.
A pause.
Three more knocks.
David's face went white.
May you like
He whispered:
“They found us.”
