Page 82 of The Situation Ship
“Damn it, he spoiled the surprise,” Sophia complained.
Poppy bit her lip to conceal her smile as Davide confirmed her suspicion. Sophia. Calliope had been murdered by her own niece. Why?
“Why are you doing this?” she asked Davide. “You don’t know me or Mina. You’ve ruined your life for what?”
“No one knows I’m involved. No one suspects me, and there’ll be no evidence once I fix the footage and toss this knife into the sea. I’ll return to my life with the woman I love, and we’ll finally have peace.”
“You really shouldn’t try stalling. I’d shoot Davide if I were you,” Sophia sighed. “It’s not like you haven’t killed before. Would this be number four or five? It’s hard to keep track.”
Poppy chuckled in disbelief. Sophia was using her to tidy up the last loose end.
“You do realise I have a gun?” She waved it. “The woman you love so much gave it to me because with you out of the way, she’s in the wind. She’s killed anyone else in her way to get to me, and now she wants me to kill you.”
“She would never turn against me,” Davide snapped, stepping into the room.
Poppy tucked her hair behind her ear to expose the earbud. “See, I’m following her instructions.”
Sophia laughed. “He won’t believe you. He’s blinded by love. He’s killed for me, corrupted his soul for me. If he were to believe it was all for nothing, it would twist him up so badly that killing him would be a mercy.”
“Put down the knife, and we’ll walk out of here. The police are already searching the ship.” Poppy pointed to the monitors. “You can tell them everything and save yourself.” He had hurt Mina and maybe killed the others, or perhaps that had been Sophia. She suspected she’d never know who killed whom– not that it mattered now. All that mattered was stopping them from hurting anyone else.
“Do you think I’ll turn against her to help you? We’re here because of you, but that’s her story to share,” Davide said, taking a step forward.
Poppy backed up into the desk and raised the gun. “If Sophia wants me dead, then why go after Mina? She had no involvement in any of this.”
Sophia answered first. “It’s your fault for bringing her on board. She wasn’t a part of my plan.”
“Mina heard something she shouldn’t have, and when I went to her room to silence her, you and Isaiah rudely interrupted,” Davide said.
Oh God, if we hadn’t got back when we did, Mina would’ve been killed last night. Why didn’t she get off the ship with us?
“She said she would stay out of it, but then she had a change of heart and tried to use the gun you’re holding against me this evening,” Davide added, glancing at the monitors over her shoulders.
“The police are only getting closer,” Sophia said. “I’ll give you a choice. Shoot Davide, and I’ll leave Isaiah alone. If you don’t, then I won’t just gut him. I’ll ruin his reputation first. I know all about his friendship with Eckells and how forgiving he was when you confessed to your triple homicide. He’ll be dead and his memory disgraced. Like Davide, you’ll do anything for the person you love.”
“What’s she telling you?” Davide asked, suddenly looking unsure.
“To shoot you. I shoot you, and she’ll spare Isaiah,” Poppy said honestly.
“Shoot him, and we’ll end this together,” Sophia said, growing impatient. “Just the two of us. No one else will be hurt, and only one of us will walk away.”
Poppy guessed her leniency in sparing Isaiah was prompted by the imminent arrival of the police. If Davide was taken into custody, her plan was over. Still, Poppy couldn’t let Isaiah’s life be ruined. Mina had nearly been killed. She had to put an end to this.
“I’m sorry, but you’re only offering me death, and Sophia is offering a better deal,” she said, tightening her grip on the gun.
Davide lunged at her in a desperate attempt to take her out. She fired at point-blank range. The sound was deafening as it echoed off the metal interior.
Davide froze, looking down at his chest. His knife struck her in the shoulder, and she howled in pain. He dropped to his knees, and it was only a matter of seconds before the light left his eyes.
Poppy gritted her teeth as she looked down at the knife in her shoulder. She thought about removing it, but she was afraid of losing too much blood. She didn’t drop her gun either, in case Sophia decided to appear from her hiding place and strike while she was injured.
“Thank you, Poppy! I knew we would make a great team,” Sophia said, and the elation in her voice made Poppy sick. She had done her dirty work for her. “I’ll see you soon.”
Pain emanated down her arm and up her neck. She removed the earbud and tossed it in the bin under the desk. Stepping over Davide’s body, she barely made it out of the room before flashlights blinded her.
“Put the gun down!” The orders came in a flurry of English and Italian. “Get on your knees!”
Poppy dropped to her knees and put down the gun.
