Page 25 of Blue in the Deep Blue Sea

I left the apartment and started down the street. The man from last night was still tied to the street lamp, his pants around his ankles. His face looked more familiar now. It was the same one I’d seen yesterday with Oliver. They must’ve been pulling some childish prank, as usual, and I had no time for it.

As I passed, he looked at me. To my surprise, he didn’t say a word.

I glanced back over my shoulder, half expecting it to be some kind of trap, but he was only staring out at the sea, waiting for the sun to rise with his bare ass on display.

A smile came onto my face.

I covered my mouth with my hand as I walked away, trying to hold back the snort that always escaped whenever I smiled.

I felt guilty for smiling. It had been a long time.

Sometimes, just one smile is enough to make you feel like maybe the world hasn’t forgotten you after all.

Isabella waited in line in front of a yacht with a sign that read“Maid interviews.”The line stretched all the way to the restaurant, filled with younger and older women waiting to be called aboard for their interviews.

She waved me over to join her.

“Oh, hell no,” I muttered under my breath, my stomach already turning at the thought of stepping onto that boat and talking to strangers about a job I didn’t even want.

When she realized I wasn’t moving, Isabella stepped out of line, grabbed my hand, and pulled me back beside her. The older woman behind us rolled her eyes, but after Isabella shot her a cold stare, she quickly looked away without a word.

“Why are we here?” I asked quietly, standing in front of Isabella as I watched a man call another woman onto the yacht for her interview.

I swallowed hard. My stomach twisted itself into a thousand knots at the thought that I might be next.

Isabella leaned against my shoulder and lowered her voice so no one else could hear. “Gianni used to hang out with Dante, and Dante’s brother works here as the head cook. I saw him at the police station giving a statement. Dante’s missing too.”

Another woman stepped onto the boat.

That meant I was next.

I turned to Isabella, searching her face. The color drained from mine, and a cold sweat gathered on my forehead.

“I can’t do this,” I whispered.

“One of us has to get the job if we’re going to get close to him. We have to find out why they’re missing.”

She turned me around and nudged me forward.

“Miss?” A bald man in a blue suit and black tie raised his hand, motioning for me to come closer.

This is it. I’m having a panic attack.

I stood frozen, staring at him, blinking as my soul slowly slipped out of my body. Isabella gave me another push toward the yacht, forcing my feet onto the narrow bridge connecting the dock to it.

Don’t look down. Don’t look down.

I gripped the rope along the small bridge, my fingers curling around it as though it could save me from whatever lay beneath. I knew the water wasn’t deep here, but I couldn’t help myself. I couldn’t control my body or my mind.

I froze on the last step.

The man noticed how pale I was. Holding out his hand, he asked, “Are you alright?”

I nodded and closed my eyes, trying to steady my breathing before stepping inside.

He led me to the table where all our resumes were laid out. Judging by the one with my name on it, Isabella had filled it with convincing, thick lies about where I’d worked before, including arecommendation number that matched the one she’d called me from last night.

I sat down, and the first thing he asked was, “Your name?”