XI. Hostage

"This is getting tiresome, Susan."

"It was your choice. We could easily have rid ourselves of John Mason, and put you in his place. However, you insisted that he come. He has been an obstacle to Paul all along."

"Patience, my dear. Trust me when I tell you that he has his purpose. We are not alone." With that, the blind was pulled back and Mr Charles stood before us, his weapon at ready.

"What a surprise. I thought I had put you two away. And Mr Peterson, too! What is your involvement in this affair, Dutchman?"

Peterson clearly bristled with anger, but he said nothing.

"Susan, fetch the others. I think we have much to discuss."

Ms Farington turned to leave, her gaze for a moment meeting Holmes's before the door closed again behind her.

Mr Charles shifted his weight. "We might as well introduce ourselves while we wait. I have no doubt that you know who I am. I wonder, Dr Watson, whether you lied to me." His gun shifted around to aim straight at Holmes.

"Mr Sipkens, indeed. I rather doubt it."

"What do you plan to do with us?" snapped Peterson. "Surely you are not going to add murder to your list of charges!"

"Ah, an official then, are you, Peterson? I should have known. No, I have no wish to kill you, but I cannot allow you to interfere in our work. Apparently, my previous measures have not been enough. However, I shall see what my companions have to say on the matter."

As if on cue, the door opened to reveal Mr Paul Mason, accompanied by Ms Farington.

Mason stared at us in a mixture of hatred and surprise. "It is true, then."

"Did you doubt it? I told you, if the government has gotten wind of us, they will send the best they have to offer. How disappointing to see they have failed. You've had a stroke of bad luck, lately, Mr Holmes, have you? Dying is no trifling matter, after all. I suppose it leaves oneself quite weakened."

If Holmes was in any way troubled by the words, he did not show it. "I think, Mr Charles, it is clear to both of us that I did not die."

"Evidently. Where is Charles?"

Mason suddenly looked uncomfortable. "There is something we should discuss, Audrey. In private."

"What is it? Speak up, man!"

"The captain has stopped the engines. We are adrift."

"Why?!"

"We have no idea. Charles has gone up to investigate," said Ms Farington.

"And you let him go alone? Fools! Paul, go up there immediately! Maybe you can yet prevent the worst!"
Mason immediately turned on his heels. Charles looked back at us, his eyes ablaze with fury. "What have you done?"
"I gave instructions to the captain not to continue our journey if I failed to meet him at the appointed time. Clearly, it was a wise decision."

"Do you realise what that means, Dutchman?!"

Holmes took it upon himself to answer. "You and I both know, Mr Charles, that it is already too late."

"You can't know that!"

"I am familiar with Mr Carter's impulsive behaviour, Mr Charles."

"My husband is no murderer!" cried Ms Farington.

"Isn't he? Aren't you all? Surely plunging two, or even three countries into war is an equivalent of murder? Just think of the soldiers on both sides who will die in the conflict."

"Don't say anything", Charles interrupted, apparently having calmed himself, "he is trying to get a confession. With two witnesses, it would have some weight before a jury. We will find some way to reach our goal yet. Bind them. And make sure to relieve Mr Holmes of his lock picks, and Dr Watson of his revolver."

Ms Farington, as I will continue to call her to avoid confusion, took the handcuffs she was offered and moved to fasten our hands behind our backs one by one, before she made a quick search of our pockets, emptying them of all contents. It saddened me to see beyond doubt that she did indeed work for and with the criminals. I could not help but wonder what had causes such a charming young lady to become entangled with a man like Mr Charles Carter, and whether her life would not have been a happier one if she had never met him.

After she took the set of lock picks from Holmes's pockets, she lingered for a moment, and I could have sworn Holmes whispered something to her, but even I, who stood right by his side, could not make out his words.

She glanced at my companion, and then returned silently to Mr Charles's side.

He waved his gun at us, pocketing mine. "Gentlemen, if you please. We will go to the bridge."

The bridge was a horrifying sight. Members of the crew stood huddled together in one corner, their captain lying shot on the floor. The unfortunate man was clearly dead, a bullet having penetrated his skull. Paul Mason was already there, arguing loudly with Mr Carter.

Even I, with only limited faculties of deduction, could divine what had transpired. Clearly, Ms Farington had been mistaken in underestimating her husband's temper.

Holmes did not seem in the least surprised. I was certain that he had already known what Carter's reaction to the captain's refusal to continue the journey would be ere he had seen the premonition in Mr Charles's eyes.

The man himself was certainly less than pleased. "You idiot! Now you have endangered everything! How do you suppose we could remain inconspicuous at Calabar with a murdered man at our hands!"
"We throw him overboard. Surely someone here is able to steer the ship. You! Tell them!" Carter grabbed Peterson's shirt-front, shaking the inspector violently.

The gasp of his wife passed as unnoticed, but Holmes and I both had heard it, and as we exchanged a glance, I saw definite purpose in Holmes's eyes. He had a plan, then, and I doubted he would allow for any failure this time.

Peterson spluttered out a few words in Dutch, and the crew, clearly shaken, set about their work again. Carter dropped the inspector, turning to Charles, whose face was red with anger. "Don't look like that, Audrey! If we want to achieve our goal, we can't continue to behave like chickens!"

"You were not to take action until we reached Curaçao. I allowed the capture of those gentlemen because they were endangering our mission. Now you have jeopardized everything!"

"It's nonsense, and you know it. We get rid of the body, and no one will ever know."

"They know! They've all seen it! Charles, your impulsiveness is going to be your downfall, someday."

"Not today, Paul, and not in the near future, if I have any say in it. Untie the high and mighty inspector and his companion, Susan, and see to it that they take care of the body. And you, Audrey, find the passengers and all of the crew who is not essential to the workings of this ship and gather them in one room. If I read Mr Holmes correctly, he will not risk the life of so many innocents, will you, Holmes?"

If Mr Charles had any further misgivings about this exchange in leadership, he did not voice them, and neither did one of the others. Audrey Charles handed Ms Farington my revolver. "As soon as they are finished, take them to the general room."

She opened the handcuffs that held Holmes and myself, indicating the corpse.

"Holmes?"

"Do as they say."