I reached the mess hall and found that news traveled fast through the passengers. Those in attendance whispered among themselves of the arrest of the wealthiest passenger aboard. I sat at the captain's table where an older couple from the previous evening talked loudly between themselves at the foot.
"It's just horrible! I heard she was nearly torn apart!" the woman commented.
"Surely not that bad, my dear," her husband returned.
She glared at him. "I have it on good authority from one of the passengers who heard from the crewman who heard directly from his friend that's what he heard another crewman say." I couldn't hide my snort. The woman turned her narrowed eyes on me. "What do you find so funny, young lady?"
I stared down at the table and shook my head. "Nothing."
The woman studied me and pursed her lips. "You're one of those women he was gallivanting about with last night, weren't you?"
I lifted my head and frowned at her. "No, I was not."
"I'm sure I saw you talking with him," she persisted.
"I spoke with him, but I wasn't gallivanting anywhere," I protested.
"Well, then you might tell us if any of this is true," she commanded me as she nodded at her husband. "He certainly seems to doubt it, but I've seen enough of that rascal Archer to know he might try something heinous if given the chance."
"He did nothing of the sort," I snapped at her.
She sat up like a ruffled hen. "Then would you mind telling us who attacked the young lady?"
"Come, come, ladies, all this arguing and the poor man hasn't even been found guilty," her husband spoke up.
"If he isn't, then who is?" his wife questioned him.
"Perhaps it was all a mistake. Perhaps someone else is the guilty party," he suggested.
The woman gasped and covered her open mouth. "What a terrible thing to say! That would mean such a ruffian is still loose on the ship!"
"It's better to think that than to call an innocent man guilty before it's proven," I pointed out.
"Well! I never in my life!" she growled.
"Good morning," a voice spoke up. I turned in my seat to see Charlie, the first mate, walk over to our table and take a seat beside me and between the couple and me. "So how's breakfast?" he asked our group.
"Excellent," her husband replied.
"Tolerable," the woman sniffed.
"Then I think I'll have what the gentleman is having," Charlie joked. He turned to me and held out his hand. "I don't think we were introduced last night. The name's Charlie Fremont."
"Jane Johnson," I returned as I shook his hand.
"I don't know if this helps my reputation, but I'm a friend of Archer," he added.
"Have you known him for long?" I wondered.
"Oh, off and on for nearly ten years. He's gotten me into trouble and I've gotten him out of it," he replied. His eyes on the empty place set in front of me. "Not ordered yet?"
My face fell and I shrugged. "I don't have much of an appetite."
His eyes flickered to the couple, who were engrossed in their own affairs, and he leaned in close to me. "If it's any consolation, I think he's innocent, as well."
I managed a small smile. "I'm glad."
He winked at me. "And fortunately I'm sure the camera system on the ship will think he's innocent, too. There aren't any cameras in the rooms for privacy reasons, but all the halls and public rooms are covered with them. Whoever the attack is it'll have caught him, and the truth will bail Archer out."
My heart leaped for joy, but I suppressed the emotion for fear it was too soon. "How soon can the cameras be looked at?" I asked him.
"Since it's only a three hour interval, and only one hallway, it won't take more than three hours to review the tapes," he assured me.
"And then he'll be free?" I guessed.
Charlie scrunched up his face. "Well, probably, but that's up to the captain to decide. He could keep him there for the rest of the voyage, especially if the lady demands it."
My eyes widened and I jumped to my feet. "But he's innocent!"
Charlie put his hands on my shoulders and pulled me back into my chair. He lowered his voice to a whisper. "I know that, and you know that, but the captain has to ensure that all the passengers feel safe. Archer will be a good sport about the matter, and I'm sure he'd want you to be, too."
I pursed my lips. "But it isn't fair."
"No, it isn't, but that's the worst case scenario," he pointed out. "We'll just have to wait and see what happens." He dropped his hands and leaned back to smile at me. "Besides, Archer's made a request of me that involves you."
I blinked at him. "Me?"
Charlie nodded. "Yep. I met with him after his installment in our brig and he asked me to make sure you have a fun time today."
I shook my head and waved my hands in front of myself. "Oh no, I couldn't ask that of you, and I really couldn't keep you from your duties."
"As luck would have it, it's my day off, so it's no problem," he revealed.
I tilted my head to one side and smiled. "I'm not going to get rid of you, am I?"
He shook his head. "Nope, now how about we get some food and start this exciting day?" He turned and hailed a waiter.
The day was the best it could be under the circumstances. My mind was distracted with Archer's imprisonment, but Charlie did the best he could. He showed me the swimming pool, crowded after nine like Archer had told me, and the tennis courts, likewise packed with people. There were a myriad of scheduled events, and he decided to take me to a yoga class. Not to participate, since I didn't have the right attire, but to watch.
That was when the imperfect day became even more so. We walked through the halls below deck. The double doors of the large yoga room lay before us, and on either side of us were doorways to other activity rooms and crossing hallways. Charlie and I reached an intersection and found ourselves in the company of the Neapolitan group.
Alicia, though paler than usual, didn't look the worse for wear. She was flanked on her right by Lana, and on her left by Renee. The three halted and glared at me.
Renee turned to Charlie with a more hospitable smile. "Charlie, you evil young man. We've been searching all over for you. Where have you been?"
"I was just about to show her the yoga room," Charlie explained.
Renee swept her eyes over my less-than-perfect figure and raised her nose in the air. "What a surprise to see you interested in the activity rooms," she sneered.
Charlie turned his attention to Alicia. "How are you feeling, Alicia?"
"Much better now that he's locked away," she replied.
Renee glared at her friend. "How can you say that about Maxie being in that hole?"
"The brig really isn't that terrible anymore," Charlie assured her.
"I can say what I want because I know it was him," Alicia insisted.
"And I believe her," Lana spoke up. "Nobody mistakes a face like his for anybody else's."
"The video footage will show us who is the culprit," Charlie assured them.
"And it's going to be Maximilian Archer," Alicia told him.
"You know what? I suddenly have a headache," Renee spoke up. She turned back the way they came, but looked over her shoulder with an icy glare. "I'll catch you girls later. Maybe." She strode off down the hall.
Lana and Alicia looked at each other. "What's her problem?" Lana wondered.
"She's still stuck on that awful man," Alicia explained. She put a hand on Lana's shoulder and bit her lip. "If you don't mind, could I stay in your room tonight?"
"Of course. What are friends for?" Lana agreed.
"Ladies, if I might interrupt, if you plan on going to any activities they start on the hour, and it's five till," Charlie warned them.
Alicia gasped and her hand flew to her mouth. "Our aerobics class! I almost forgot!"
Lana grabbed her friend's arm and dragged her down the hall. "We can just make it if you
stop yammering and hurry!"
The pair rushed down the hall and disappeared into one of the many rooms. Charlie turned to me with a mischievous smile.
"Should I go tell them the aerobics room is in the opposite direction?" he asked me.
I smiled and shook my head. "No, but where did they go?"
"To the senior citizen's karaoke lounge," he told me.
"Then they'll learn soon enough-" My comment was interrupted by cries of anguish.
The two women emerged from the room and rushed past us.
"That's the last time I follow you!" Alicia snapped at her friend.
"Why don't you try babysitting yourself some time?" Lana growled.
They slipped into a room in the opposite part of the hall.
"Well, they learned," Charlie joked. His phone went off, and he answered it. "Hello?" There was a pause, and he frowned. "What sort of problem? All right, I'll be right there." He hung up and turned to me. "That was one of the men who looked at the tapes. He says there's a problem with the video that I might want to see. Whatever the problem, this could be the big break we've been looking for," Charlie explained. He turned to go, paused, and turned back to me. "Why don't you come with me? Archer would want you to be one of the first to know."
"I don't think Mr. Archer thinks that much of me," I protested.
A sly smile slid onto his lips. "I wouldn't count on that too much, but come anyway. I know you want to know as badly as I do."
I shrugged. "What could it hurt?"
CHAPTER 5