Page 31 of Below the Deck

GENDARMERIE MARITIME DE POLYNÉSIE FRANÇAISE

CASE NUMBER: 247849

DATE: 11/06/2026

INTERVIEW EXCERPT THREE

Interview subject: Noah Bailey, bosun on boardLusso di Marecharter

Interview conducted by Chief of Police Henri Robert

M Robert: You witnessed the incident that took place between Rory and Nick during their jet ski ride, is that correct?

M Bailey: Too right I did. Scared me half to death. We thought he’d end up with a head injury – or worse – for a sec there.

M Robert: Did anybody else see what happened, that you know of?

M Bailey: Ah, the deck crew. The captain and the first officer – they were watching from the bridge. Not many of the guests, I’d say. I’m pretty sure Eleni was watching. Not sure about Lucy and Mark – they might have been on the sun deck, or in the interior somewhere. I doubt Talia saw … even if she’d been on deck, she was probably too distracted to notice …

M Robert: What do you mean by that, Monsieur Bailey?

M Bailey: Uh … sorry. Shouldn’t have said that. Probably not relevant. Listen, what does all this have to do with the murder?This wasn’t even—

M Robert: We’ll get to that in good time, I assure you. Please tell me what you meant by your earlier comment – about Talia being distracted?

M Bailey: Ah, just that … she seemed worried. Anxious, maybe. She spent a lot of time below deck, away from the others, especially that day onwards, from what I remember.

M Robert: And why do you think she did that? Why was she distracted, in your opinion?

M Bailey: I really don’t know. I didn’t speak to her that much, the whole trip. I didn’t get to know her. Maybe she was just trying to get away from her husband. Can’t blame her if she was, to be honest.

M Robert: I see. And what were your impressions of Talia’s marriage at that time – how were she and Rory getting on?

M Bailey: Ah, Christ, it was pretty gross. He was all over her – touching her, kissing her, calling her his ‘darling’ all the time. She kinda … indulged him, I guess? But it felt over the top from him, you know? Insincere. So yeah, I knew there was trouble brewing between everyone. I just didn’t realize how much.

[TRANSCRIPT ENDS]

TALIA

‘Goodness. Whatever’s wrong with you?’ Talia asked.

Eleni was peering from behind a crack in the door of her cabin, eyes wide, jaw tensed, as though she’d been expecting someone to be outside delivering terrible news. ‘I was only going to knock on the door – I came to get you,’ Talia said. ‘We’re ready for the cycling tour of the island – everyone’s waiting for you.’

Eleni swallowed hard. ‘God, of course. Sorry, I just got myself spooked in there on my own for some reason. Bloody overactive imagination …’ She shook her head, looking embarrassed, the anxiety draining from her features but leaving a slight flush to her cheeks. Then she stood a little straighter, adjusted her garishly pink kaftan, and seemed to gather herself. ‘Thank you so much for coming to get me, though.’ She smiled warmly at Talia.

Talia narrowed her eyes. ‘Well, it made sense. I had to come and get something from my cabin anyway.’

Eleni’s shoulders dropped; she looked crestfallen for amoment, then perked up again and plastered the ingratiating smile back across her face. ‘Still – I appreciate it. Would you mind waiting for a moment while I gather my things together for the trip? Then we can go up together.’

‘Ah – well, I should really get back …’

‘Oh, I’ll only be a second.’ Eleni was already bustling around her cabin, opening cupboard doors and throwing things into a beach bag. Talia watched as Eleni opened the wardrobe to show neatly pressed and ironed shirts, skirts and dresses on hangers in a colour coordinated sweep – dark clothes on the left, bright in the middle, pale pastel on the right. The open-fronted shelves underneath held perfectly folded T-shirts, socks and underwear – again, meticulously colour-coded.

‘It’s all very tidy in there,’ remarked Talia.

‘Oh – yeah,’ said Eleni, appearing back at the door, a touch breathless. ‘Yes. It’s just how Nick likes things, I suppose. Shall we go?’

They began to make their way along the corridor and upstairs.