The Bermuda Whalers: Chapter XVII

Hugh Hamilton

"Hey," protested Hugh, "can you open the wall so I can get in?"
There was no response.
"Oh great."
Suddenly the door spun round.
"Ben?"
He walked cautiously into the darkness.
"Hello?"
A light flickered on.
"Ben?"
"Yes?" said Ben
"Miss Waeford!?"
"Actually," said Ben, "meet Grace."
"Hello," said Grace in a gorgeously elaborate ruffled red dress.
"Oh," Hugh managed to say. "Um, can I've an explanation please?"
"I think one is in order," agreed Ben.
They looked at Grace expectantly.
She chuckled.
"It's perfectly simple," she said. "As I just told you, I am Grace, Grace Trevor, not the other way round as I led you to believe. Anyway, I searched the phone book and, unable to find a perfect match, found the next best thing, someone called Trevor Grace. I quickly tracked him down and convinced him that he had won a prize through a random name draw, a trip on a cruise ship. That is when I contacted you to blackmail him. The reason behind all this was that I am being hunted by the Whaling division of the police force. They didn’t know who I was or what I looked like; they just knew my rather ambiguous name. So I hired a fake informant to tell them that I was planning to go on a cruise and jump ship near Bermuda to whale. Soon enough they found their man and along with him they found two private detectives snooping around. They were completely convinced they had found the right man. Seeing him throw you overboard added the final nail in his coffin. No lawyer could defend him, leaving me to continue whaling free from any interference. I will be essentially non existent when I change my name.”
“What an unusual plan,” commented Hugh. “But what about all that number swapping?”
“Ah, that,” she said. “That wasn’t originally part of the plan. I never managed to create a convincing alias in time for the trip, so I had to use my name or they wouldn’t let me on. I bribed the official so he wouldn’t tell anyone there was another Grace on board but the captain mixed up the records and informed you of where MY cabin was. Thinking on my feat I quickly swapped the numbers around and built a janitor’s closet in the front of my room. Luckily you didn’t notice and went into the right room.”
“That really doesn’t make much sense,” said Ben.
“That’s life boys,” she said.
“Are we still getting paid?” inquired Hugh.
“Yes, as long as you don’t talk and as long as you confirm that the other Grace is a whaler if the police ask you.”
“Ah, good,” Hugh nodded. “Why did you just tell us your plan then?”
“How else would anybody know about it? It’s not like you would have uncovered it yourself. People need some narrative closure.”
“I hate that word,” said Hugh.
Suddenly the two drunk men burst in the room. Grace’s heartbeat quickly doubled.
“Hello Grace,” said one, revealing a police badge.
The other one did the same.
They led Hugh, Ben and Grace out onto the deck and handcuffed them to the bars.
“We were just rehearsing a play,” Ben screamed.
Hugh and Grace gave him a cold glare. Ben sighed. All of a sudden the boat lurched forward and stopped abruptly. An engulfing mist surrounded them until nothing could be seen.