"In any case, one of the passengers on the Atlantis Queen is a Ms. Gillian Harper. American. She's been in trouble half a dozen times. Two years ago she got a suspended sentence and a rehab order when she tested positive for cocaine.
"And there's a stock trader… Adrian Bollinger. Another American. He did three years for possession back in the eighties. And there's — "
"Just what is the point of this inquisition?" Alcock demanded. "That some of the people on the Queen's passenger list use drugs? Or have in the past?"
"Mr. Alcock — "
Captain Phillips interrupted, his anger barely contained now. "I think the latest statistics say that somewhere between one and three percent of the adult population either use or have used cocaine. Out of three thousand people on my ship, that's at least thirty! So what are you going to do.. question every person on board? Treat them all like criminals?"
"Mr. Mitchell," Sir Charles said. His heavy face had gone florid, and he was perspiring freely. "Are you seriously considering delaying the Queen's departure? Do you have any idea how much revenue is involved here?"
"No, Sir Charles. I don't."
"Hundreds of thousands of pounds! Most of the passengers on that ship are on time-sensitive schedules! If there is a serious delay in sailing, they will… make other arrangements. Royal Sky will have to refund a fortune in moneys already paid. It could ruin this company!"
"Don't worry, Sir Charles," Alcock said. "He won't delay the sailing."
"And why won't I. do that, Mr. Alcock?" Mitchell asked.
"Because to do so legally you will need to show cause, then get an injunction from the courts. And we will file to block that injunction. The ship is due to sail at nine tomorrow morning. I don't believe you could get the legal mills turning in time, sir."
"In the case of a capital crime, Mr. Alcock, there are ways to expedite matters."
"And there is also the unsavory possibility of a lawsuit against the government. And some very bad publicity both for MI5, and for you, personally. I assure you that if you try to harm this company, your name and the name of MI5 will be prominently displayed on page one of every newspaper in the country, from the Telegraph, the Guardian, the Times, all the way down to the Sun\ After that debacle over the files your bureau holds on ordinary, law-abiding citizens… is that really something you wish to call down upon yourself?"
Mitchell chuckled. "I'm terrified. Fortunately, I'm not suggesting that we delay the departure."
"Then what are you suggesting, sir?" Captain Phillips asked icily.
"That you take on board two additional passengers, myself and one other. There's no way we could question two thousand people, and no way we could legally hold them long enough to do so. Besides, I assure you, the government has no wish to put you out of business. But if I and an assistant could circulate among the crew and passengers for the next fortnight, we could ask our questions, carry out our investigation, and the entire matter could be kept more or less quiet."
"That seems.. most reasonable," Sir Charles said. "What do you think, Alcock?"
"I think that the government could still find itself on the receiving end of a major lawsuit if their agents spread slanderous accusations about drug use on one of our cruise ships. I promise you, Mr. Mitchell, that any bad publicity whatsoever concerning this line or its employees could be actionable!"
"Mr. Alcock… a man is dead." Mitchell's face was stony. "Drugs are involved. Rattle all the lawsuit threats you want at me. I promise we will be discreet, but we will do our job."
They argued for another ten minutes, but in the end Mitchell got exactly what he'd wanted all along.
There were people on board the Atlantis Queen who knew more about Darrow's murder than had emerged from the investigation so far.
And Thomas Mitchell intended to find them.
Chapter 6
"The deck crew reports the gangway has been secured, Captain," Vandergrift reported.
"Very well," Phillips replied. "Single up all lines, fore and aft, and secure the spring."
"Aye, aye, Captain."
Phillips walked to the port side of the spacious bridge, gazing out through the sloping windows overlooking the bow promenade and, below it and to port, the Atlantis Queen's berth alongside the Royal Sky cruise terminal. With the gangway pulled up and stowed, there were no longer security restrictions along the pier. People spilled out of the terminal to form a dense crowd alongside the ship, families, friends, and well-wishers giving her the traditional bon voyage send-off. Passengers lined the railing of the Promenade Deck, waving back, throwing confetti, and calling down inanities to the people ashore.
Tradition…
To starboard, the two harbor tugs Cornwall and Devonshire signaled their readiness to proceed with short whistle blasts. Southampton occupied the south-pointing arrowhead of land between two rivers, the Itchen to the east, the Test to the west. Where the rivers joined became Southampton Water, a broad, straight channel running southeast toward the coast and the Isle of Wight. The Royal Sky Line terminal was located on the Test, only a few hundred yards from the beginning of the Water. Phillips could see the numerous white triangular sails of pleasure craft beyond the Point, along with the faster-moving specks of powerboats.
Just ahead of the Queen, the harbor pilot boat chugged into position, ready to guide the ninety-thousand-ton behemoth down through Southampton Water, past the Isle of Wight, and out into the English Channel beyond.
The tide had turned and was now in ebb flow. The weather was sunny, with just a hint of haze against the southern horizon. Even the met reports had been more promising this morning.
Omens of a good cruise.
The captain tried not to think of the bad omens… of Darrow's murder, or of the presence of two MI5 people conducting a surreptitious investigation on board his ship. He was just glad things had worked out as they had. He knew how close Royal Sky Line was running financially right now. Had the cruise been canceled or badly delayed, Phillips would have been looking for a new job.. and there just weren't that many openings for cruise ship captains right now. It would have meant going back to piloting the Channel Ferry or skippering supply boats to North Sea oil platforms.
"Engine room reports both Azipods ready and turning," Vandergrift said. "Captain, the Queen is ready in all respects for sea."
He could only just barely feel the hum of the Queen's powerful Sulzer ZA40 diesel plant through the deck beneath his shoes as it cranked out 63.4 megawatts of power. Azipod was the brand name for the ABB Group's azimuth thruster. The Queen had two, electrically powered propellers mounted in pods beneath her stern capable of turning 360 degrees to face any direction. Normally turned with the propellers leading, in a tractor configuration, the Azipods provided the Queen with superb maneuverability.
Captain Phillips was fiercely proud of his vessel.
He glanced at the digital clock above the bridge windows. Two minutes before nine.
"Mr. Vandergrift, you may give the order to cast off fore and aft. Mr. Cardew, signal the tugs that we are ready to put to sea."
"Aye, Captain."
The last slender tethers holding the Queen to the shore were flipped free from their bollards and run on board. Towering above the crowded pier, the ship gave one short, mournful hoot from her whistle… then another… and finally a third long blast. The throngs both ashore and on board cheered and waved.