TUESDAY, JANUARY 25
Fax from Soo-Lin
Dear Audrey,
Keep that last letter I wrote you, and frame it, for it is an artifact from a fleeting moment when I could call true happiness my own.
You know how I said Elgie was heading back east to see Bee? Which I found kind of strange? It turns out Elgie withdrew Bee from Choate. He just returned to Seattle with her in tow!
Remember what a sweet, quiet girl Bee always was? Well, the child is unrecognizable, I tell you, absolutely consumed with hatred. Elgie moved back into the Gate Avenue house to be with her. But Bee refuses to sleep under the same roof as him. The only place she wants to sleep is Bernadette’s Airstream. Saint Bernadette!
Elgie is so guilt-ridden, he’ll do anything Bee wants. She won’t go back to Galer Street? Fine! She refuses to step foot in my home for our weekly dinners? Fine!
You’d never guess the source of all this turmoil. It’s the most incredible “book” Bee wrote. She won’t let anybody see it, but from what little Elgie will tell me, it’s based on emails between you and me, Audrey, plus the FBI report, even handwritten notes between you and the blackberry specialist. I have no idea how Bee got her mitts on all of this. Not to point fingers, but the only person who could possibly have had access is Kyle. (The old Kyle.) Perhaps you can confront him during your next therapy session. I, for one, would like some answers. I’m even paranoid this fax will fall into enemy hands.
Elgie wants Bee to go to Lakeside in the fall. All I can say is she had better get over herself because there is no way we’re moving that Airstream over to the new house. Can you imagine? We’d be the hillbillies of Madison Park. “We”! As if Elgie would ever want to live together as a family!
I’m sure you think I’m being horribly selfish, but my life has been turned upside down, too! I gave up my job, I’m pregnant at age forty by a man whose life is in turmoil, plus I have terrible morning sickness. The only thing I can hold down is French toast. I’ve already gained eleven pounds, and I’m not even in my second trimester. When Bee finds out that Bernadette perished, not to mention about the baby, who knows what she’ll do?
Here’s a letter from the cruise company along with the captain’s report, plus the forensic analysis. And those gorgeous pictures I promised of the poppies from Ushuaia. I’m late for a VAV meeting, and boy do I need it.
Love,
Soo-Lin
FROM ELIJAH HARMSEN,
PRESIDENT OF HARMSEN &
HEATH ADVENTURE TRAVEL
Dear Mr. Branch,
Let me begin by expressing my sincerest condolences to you and Bee for the sudden disappearance of Bernadette. I can only imagine what a shock it must be to lose such an extraordinary woman.
Since Harmsen & Heath was founded by my great-grandfather in 1903, the safety of our passengers has always been our top priority. Indeed, for over a century we have enjoyed an unblemished record.
As promised, I have enclosed a report compiled by Captain Jürgen Altdorf. It is largely based on the electronic signature created by your wife’s magnetically coded ID card. It paints a reliable and detailed portrait of her shipboard life: daily disembarkations, purchases in the gift shop, bills from the ship’s lounge. Additionally, Captain Altdorf conducted extensive interviews per Harmsen & Heath protocol.
Your wife’s last recorded activity occurred on January 5. She went on the morning excursion, and returned safely to the ship, then made some significant charges at the bar. At that point, the H&H Allegra headed through the Gerlache Strait. It should be noted that the ocean was unusually turbulent during the next twenty-four hours. We were forced to cancel two planned disembarkations. Out of an abundance of caution, several announcements were made over the PA system, warning passengers not to go out on deck during such severe weather.
I believe the weather conditions and charges made at the Shackleton Lounge will give you a better understanding of your wife’s condition on the day she was last seen. While nobody can ever know what really happened, there are inevitable conclusions to be drawn.
While unpleasant to contemplate, the facts may provide a small measure of comfort to you and your daughter during this difficult grieving period.
Sincerely, and with my utmost condolences,
Elijah Harmsen
Captain’s report
THIS IS A REPORT FILED BY CAPTAIN JÜRGEN GEBHARD ALTDORF OF THE HARMSEN & HEATH ALLEGRA BASED ON PARTICULARS FROM ELECTRONIC SIGNATURE OF PASSENGER ID CARD #998322-01 ON 26 DECEMBER VOYAGE FROM USHUAIA, ARGENTINA, TO ANTARCTIC PENINSULA AND REGARDING THE VERIFIED PRESENCE OF MANIFEST PASSENGER #998322-01 BERNADETTE FOX U.S. CITIZEN, WASHINGTON STATE, SEATTLE.
26 DECEMBER 16:33 PASSENGER BOARDED HH ALLEGRA ASSIGNED CABIN 322. 26 DECEMBER 18:08 PASSENGER COLLECTED PHOTO ID CARD. 26 DECEMBER 18:30 PASSENGER MARKED PRESENT FOR MUSTER DRILL. 26 DECEMBER 20:05 GIFT SHOP CHARGE $433.09 USD FOR CLOTHING AND TOILETRIES.
27 DECEMBER AT SEA. 06:00 PASSENGER RECEIVED TREATMENT FROM SHIP’S DOCTOR FOR MOTION SICKNESS. 27 DECEMBER PASSENGER NOTIFIED HOUSEKEEPING NOT TO ENTER ROOM FOR CLEAN OR TURN-DOWN SERVICE UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE. HOUSEKEEPER RECALLS VARIOUS CONTACT WITH PASSENGER IN SHIP HALLWAY AND ENVIRONS. INQUIRY ABOUT CLEANING AND TURN-DOWN SERVICE. PASSENGER REFUSED ALL SERVICE. NO HOUSEKEEPING SERVICE LOGGED FOR DURATION OF JOURNEY.
30 DECEMBER 10:00 PASSENGER DISEMBARKED DECEPTION ISLAND, WHALERS BAY. 30 DECEMBER 12:30 BOARDED SHIP. 30 DECEMBER 13:47 PASSENGER LOGGED OUT NEPTUNE’S BELLOWS. 30 DECEMBER 19:41 BOARDED SHIP.
31 DECEMBER 08:00 PASSENGER DISEMBARKED 70.6S 52.4W WEDDELL SEA. 31 DECEMBER 13:23 LAST PASSENGER TO BOARD.
1 JANUARY 10:10 PASSENGER DISEMBARKS DEVIL ISLAND. PASSENGER REEMBARKS 16:31. 1 JANUARY 23:30 PASSENGER SIGNS FOR 2 PINK PENGUIN DRINKS AT SHACKLETON LOUNGE. 1 BOTTLE WINE CABERNET AT DINNER.
2 JANUARY 08:44 PASSENGER DISEMBARKS DANCO COAST. 2 JANUARY 18:33 REEMBARKS. 2 JANUARY 23:10 1 BOTTLE CABERNET WINE AT DINNER. PASSENGER SIGNS FOR 2 PINK PENGUIN DRINKS, LOUNGE.
3 JANUARY 08:10 DETAILLE ISLAND PASSENGER DISEMBARKS. 3 JANUARY 16:00 PASSENGER BOARDS SHIP. 3 JANUARY 19:36 PASSENGER SIGNS FOR 5 PINK PENGUINS, LOUNGE.
4 JANUARY 08:05 PASSENGER DISEMBARKS PETERMANN ISLAND. 4 JANUARY 11:39 EMBARKS. 4 JANUARY 13:44 PASSENGER SIGNS 1 BOTTLE CABERNET WINE LUNCH. 14:30 PASSENGER DISEMBARKS PORT LOCKROY. 18:30 REEMBARKS. 4 JANUARY 23:30 PASSENGER SIGNS 4 PINK PENGUINS, 4 WHISKEY SOURS, SHACKLETON LOUNGE.
5 JANUARY 08:12 PASSENGER DISEMBARKS NEKO HARBOR. 5 JANUARY 16:22 PASSENGER CARDS IN. 5 JANUARY 18:00 PASSENGER SIGNS 2 BOTTLES WINE, SHACKLETON LOUNGE.
6 JANUARY 05:30 SHIP UNABLE TO ANCHOR DUE TO OCEAN CONDITIONS. 6 JANUARY 08:33 ANNOUNCEMENT MADE, ROUGH SEAS. CONTINENTAL MEAL SERVICE ONLY. 6 JANUARY 18:00 ANNOUNCEMENT MADE, SHACKLETON LOUNGE CLOSING.
15 JANUARY 17:00 PRELIMINARY ROOM CHARGES TOTALED. BILL PLACED IN PASSENGER’S DOOR.
16 JANUARY 16:30 PASSENGER MARKED NOT PRESENT FOR FINAL DISEMBARKATION BRIEFING. 16 JANUARY 19:00 PASSENGER DOES NOT SUBMIT PAYMENT FOR BAR BILL, GIFT SHOP BILL, AND CREW GRATUITY. 16 JANUARY 19:00 PASSENGER DOES NOT RESPOND TO REPEATED PAGES. 16 JANUARY 19:30 PASSENGER DOES NOT ANSWER REPEATED ATTEMPTS TO ENTER CABIN. 16 JANUARY 19:32 PURSER ENTERS CABIN. PASSENGER NOT PRESENT. 16 JANUARY 22:00 EXHAUSTIVE SEARCH OF SHIP DOES NOT LOCATE PASSENGER.