Page 79 of The Cruise

‘Come on.’ Jane pulled Kath to her feet. ‘Show us exactly where you were when Dicky went over.’ She turned to Anne. ‘And you can pull yourself together and help us, instead of sitting there stunned and useless.’ Jane gave Anne’s foot a nudge to jolt her into action. ‘You were trained for emergency situations,’ she added.

‘Abusive passengers and a possible hijacking,’ Anne mumbled as she reached down to slip her sandals on. ‘Not manslaughter and drownings.’

Minutes later, the trio stood on the deck where Kath had last seen Dicky.

‘Are you sure this is the spot?’ Jane asked. She placed her hands on her sturdy hips as she looked around.

‘Yes, it’s the deck leading from the side of the Neptune Lounge where I’d been to listen to Bridgette’s talk,’ Kath replied.

‘And it’s adjacent to the bar where I spent the afternoon,’ Anne said.

Jane gripped the rail and, leaning precariously, looked over. She closed her eyes and sighed with relief when she saw that it would have been impossible for Dicky to fall overboard. The lower deck jutted out into an area popular with sunbathers.

‘Come on,’ she said to the others. ‘He can’t possibly have fallen into the sea. It’s too dark to see what’s down there, but there’s a fair chance he might have broken his back when he plunged over the rail.’

‘Oh, God, what have I done,’ Kath wailed as she hurried along behind Jane and Anne.

They took the stairs at speed to the deck below. Jane, unused to exercise, suddenly had wings on her feet as she sped several metres ahead of her friends. ‘Here we are,’ she called out, ‘I think this must be the spot.’

Kath covered her eyes. ‘Is there much blood?’ she wailed.

Anne rushed forward. ‘Do I need to carry out C.P.R.?’

But the trio were mystified. There was no sign of Dicky, dead or alive. There was nothing on the deck but a long bench, closed off by a rail, where several sunbed mattresses had been stacked directly below the deck above.

‘Shush! Listen…’ Jane held up her hand and cocked her head to one side.

‘What is it?’ Anne whispered.

‘It sounds like a cat purring.’ Kath frowned and closed her eyes to focus on the sound.

‘Bloody hell!’ Jane suddenly shouted. ‘It’s no stowaway pussy,’ she said and began to clamber over the rail and onto the bench. ‘It’s a comatose comedian, flat out and snoring like a trooper!’

‘Oh, my darling Dicky!’ Anne squealed and, in seconds, hoisted her skirt and joined Jane. She gripped the mattresses to ease herself up. ‘He’s here!’ she exclaimed and threw her arms around the sleeping body.

‘W-what’s happening?’ A very dozy Dicky began to stir. His eyes were wide as he realised Anne was straddling him, flashing her lacy knickers, and stroking his face.

‘We thought you were dead,’ she cooed and kissed his ears.

‘Oh, darlin’,’ Dicky mumbled. ‘I thought you’d given me the heave-ho again, but where am I?’ Ostrich-like, he raised his head and looked around. When his eyes connected with Jane’s ferocious gaze, he winced.

‘You’re with three extremely close friends,’ Jane said, her voice low and threatening, ‘and one of them is very forgetful.’

Dicky could feel Jane’s hot breath on his skin as his encounter with Kath began to come back, and everything suddenly fell into place.

‘Should our forgetful friend ever find out that you are telling stories about them, she can be assured that you and your sewer mouth will have me to deal with.’ Jane raised herself up and gripped Dicky’s arm hard. ‘Do I make myself clear?’

Dicky, pinned to the mattress that had broken his fall, couldn’t move. Anne was caressing his arm on one side, but a steel-like grip numbed his circulation on the other. This mountainous female was the most terrifying woman he had ever encountered. With no desire to be further maimed, he nodded his tousled head.

‘Good, I’m glad that we are clear on that matter. As long as you keep your word, I’ll also have temporary amnesia and not report your illicit sales and cabin visits.’

Jane released her grip and climbed down. ‘Normal service resumed,’ she said to Kath and took her arm.

‘D-do you mean Dicky won’t get me into trouble?’ Kath spluttered.

‘Not unless he wants to find himself airborne and sinking into the sea.’ Jane grinned and nodded towards the pile of mattresses, where Anne stroked Dicky’s brow. ‘Let’s leave the lovebirds alone, shall we?’

Reaching out and snaking her arm around Kath’s shoulder, Jane led her friend away.

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