Page 54 of Below the Deck

Rory’s phone slid out from under the sofa, coming to a stop just in front of Eleni’s feet. Lucy stared at it, her pulse racing now, then gave Mark a gentle nudge in the ribs. He looked at the floor, then turned to Lucy, eyes wide.

‘We could say there’s a phone on the floor – then I grab it, pass it to you, and we pretend we don’t know whose it is,’ he whispered.

She thought for a moment, then: ‘Oh – what’s that?’ she said loudly, leaning forward and pointing to the phone.

‘Looks like someone’s mobile? Don’t move, Luce – I can reach it,’ said Mark. He crouched forward, stretched one long arm across the floor. His fingers reached for the phone and he swung back to his seat. ‘Here,’ he said, handing it to Lucy.

‘Isn’t that Rory’s work phone?’Damn. Talia had noticed.

‘Oh, is it?’ Lucy paused. ‘Well, in that case, maybe I could check his emails for him? I can look for this urgent work issue he was worrying about – try to sort it out myself, even.’

Talia gave her a disdainful look. ‘You want to check Rory’s emails.’

Lucy gave Talia what she hoped was a reassuring smile. ‘Well, why not? It might help. He did say it was all very urgent – there’s some big news he’s waiting for, isn’t there?’

‘There may well be, but nothing will have come through about it without internet connection, will it? And besides, I’m sure he’s quite capable of dealing with it himself,’ said Talia.

‘Even after his injury?’ piped up Mark. ‘Isn’t it better to give him a bit of a break – let him rest up for a bit? We can tell him we’ve looked into it for him, so he doesn’t worry.’

Sam shifted uncomfortably in the seat next to Lucy. ‘I’m not sure he’d want you – or any of us, actually – going throughhis work emails,’ he said. There was a note of anxiety in his voice; Lucy turned to look at him curiously.

‘Why?’ she asked. ‘We’d be doing him a favour, especially now he’s hurt.’

‘I’m sure he’ll be better soon. And he’ll be none too pleased if he finds out you’ve looked through his phone,’ Sam said. Then he sighed. ‘Don’t say I didn’t warn you …’

In one smooth sweep, Talia stood up, reached over to pluck the phone from Lucy’s outstretched hand, then stepped backward and sat down again.

Talia brushed a strand of hair from her face. ‘I doubt he’ll mind me doing it,’ she said, glancing at the screen. ‘I’ll keep hold of it for now, thank you – perhaps I’ll have a quick look.’

Lucy’s heart sank. This had felt like the moment she’d been waiting for – a gift from the heavens. She’d felt so hopeful. Now, with Rory’s phone firmly in his wife’s hands, all the hope drained out of her, as if someone had just yanked out a plug somewhere deep in her heart.

‘Oh – I think the screen’s locked, unfortunately,’ said Mark. ‘Maybe I can just take the phone to Rory, and he can—’

‘No, that’s not a problem,’ Talia interjected. ‘I know Rory’s password.’

‘Ah, of course,’ said Mark. He was fidgeting next to her; Lucy could feel his frustration and disappointment, matching her own. She reached for his hand and squeezed it; he leaned close and whispered, ‘We’ll find another way, love. We won’t give up, for Alfie’s sake.’

At the mention of her brother’s name, Lucy had one last, desperate idea. ‘Talia, maybe you should check his emails for something to do with a care home?’ she said.

Talia looked up. ‘A – I’m sorry? What care home? I’ve not heard him mention anything like that since we’ve been here.’

Lucy swallowed.Idiot. This was a stupid idea.‘Oh, I just thought … I’m sure I overheard Rory saying something earlier about the acquisition of a residential care home, if I remember correctly. A potential new development, perhaps?’

‘A residential care home?’ said Sam. ‘Not Rory’s usual thing, is it?’

‘Never mind. Maybe I misheard,’ mumbled Lucy.

Johanna came back into the salon then, just as Talia’s finger landed on the phone’s screen.

‘Do you think we’ve seen off that rough weather now?’ Sam asked her. ‘It seems a bit calmer now. And I thought squalls only lasted a few minutes.’

Johanna nodded, without looking at him. ‘It was on the longer side, that’s for sure. But I’d say we’re well through the worst of it.’

‘Thank goodness for that,’ murmured Eleni. Lucy was relieved too: she’d survived the worst of her nausea, but there was still a lingering queasiness at the back of her throat. Mark gave her hair a gentle stroke, then turned to Johanna.

‘In that case, d’you think we’ll be all right to head down to our cabins – if we take it slow and steady on the stairs?’ he asked.

‘Okay,’ Johanna said. ‘I think you should be fine to move. But make sure you hold onto the railings the whole way down. And when you get to your cabin, I’d ask you to stay seated or lying down, and in one place, just for the next ten minutes or so.’ She smoothed down her polo shirt. ‘I’m going to speak to Leilani about the plan for dinner now that the power’s out.Take care as you walk around.’ Then she disappeared into the galley, the doors swinging open and closed behind her.