Floating Lies and Sinking Truth - P1 COMPLETE

Chapter Eight - July 1980

Four Days Later

Second Officer Neil Farmer and Chief Officer Eliot Black sat down in the Captains Office to discuss the progress of the investigation into Joseph Smith's murder.

'Keeping secrets on the ship is always difficult, forty five, sorry forty four people all cooped up means there will be gossip and people talk about everyone's activities. Thanks to that grapevine we heard reports that Jamie Gregory, Joseph Smith's cabin-mate, has been acting strangely.' Chief Officer Eliot Black announced with hope in his voice.

'So he is now your main suspect?' the Captain asked with equal hope.

'Well he's a person of interest and if anyone has any secrets to spill it would be Joseph Smith's cabin mate. We have him in the Brig as we speak we're trying to frighten him before we ask him questions' responded Second Officer Neil Farmer officiously.

*

Jamie Gregory sat on the floor of the cell alone and his mind was swimming with a myriad of random thoughts. The prevailing thought like a prevailing wind blew him to one question...how did I end up here?

The Brig was deep in the bowels of the ship, below the waterline and very close to the Engine Room. As a result the bass filled thrum of the engines was strong and sitting on the floor Jamie could feel the powerful and slow vibrations as the mighty engines turned the massive propellers.

The propellers turning over and over were like the contents of his stomach as the nausea of severe nerves meant neither his body nor mind would settle to allow him to think clearly.

Jamie hailed from Liverpool, a great northern city whose glory days were fading with the fortunes of the downturn in the shipping industry. So many northern cities were struggling due to the shift away from manufacturing and industry that Jamie worried about the future of the millions of great people with which he shared his beloved city. Jamie's worries for others were put into sharp contrast now that he realised that his own life was in grave danger.

Jamie was only twenty-five years old but he'd already seen enough hardship in his relatively short life to realise he didn't deserve any more. When Jamie was ten his Dad had died suddenly in an industrial accident, the details of which had always been sketchy. The company had paid his mam some money but it was not enough and as one of four kids money and affection were hard to come by. Jamie had always been different and growing up poor and in the tougher parts of the city had made his differences seem even greater.

At sixteen he ran away to London and he found the colour and life of the West End and particularly Soho an awakening. His life down south didn't last long as money came and went...it mostly went and rarely came.

Returning to Liverpool a changed man to find the world he'd left hadn't changed and neither had the people he knew, family and friends. Feeling like an outsider even more than he ever did he signed up to the Merchant Navy which was a good job to get.

Seven years down the line and many hours of hard graft his life was over. The truth would come out and Jamie's life and career would be over.

*

There was no Police Force aboard a ship at sea especially as they spent most of their time in International Waters which meant no nation had control. The MV Shire was a British registered merchant vessel which meant it was governed by rules set down by the British Authorities. When it came to maintaining order aboard the ship the Captain was above all and was in effect the Judge and Jury. The senior crew were his Police Force and were duty bound to follow his instructions in the course of maintaining order and safety. To aid in this process in the depths of the ship there were two cells and a guard room where crew members could be locked up indefinitely if need be. On a ship this cell complex was called the Brig.

Second Officer Neil Farmer and Chief Officer Eliot Black sat opposite Jamie Gregory in the second cell which was being used as an interview room. They had been there interrogating Jamie for some time now.

'Tell us about Joseph Smith again. Did you guys get on?' Second Officer Neil Farmer asked menacingly to Jamie Gregory.

Chief Officer Eliot Black looked over at Neil and could tell he was enjoying terrorising the young crew member which saddened Eliot. Jamie Gregory was according to his crew file twenty-five years old but he looked much younger. His youthful appearance was exaggerated by his very slight, weak looking frame and dirty blond hair which came down to the bottom of his ears. Hair was not permitted to be that long but Jamie had only just joined the ship and obviously this had not been addressed.

'I didn't know Joe that well, we only met the day before. He was a nice guy and we shared a cabin. We got on fine for the few hours we saw each other.' Jamie responded nervously and constantly pushing his hair out of his eyes but then nervously tilting his head forward which forced him to repeat the procedure endlessly.

'And when was the last time you saw him?' Neil Farmer asked keeping the pressure on.

'Well, err...that morning we went down to the Chief Engineers Office together on time to start our shift. We were issued with our work instructions and went our separate ways. I think I saw him at lunch briefly but can't be sure.' Jamie responded with a high pitch tone and talking rapidly.

'Why can't you be sure Jamie...because you killed him?' Neil Farmer continued hammering away at Jamie's clearly fragile state.

Jamie sobbed and looked at the floor completely obscuring his face. Neil grinned at Eliot as he thought they were getting to the truth. Eliot was sceptical.

After a long sob Jamie finally responded. 'I didn't kill him, I'd never kill anyone. I can't be sure because I was in a hurry so I only looked up briefly.'

Neil looked annoyed at the response and continued 'why were you in a hurry?'

Neil and Eliot left Jamie Gregory in the cell and went outside to talk. Jamie had crumpled into a fit of sobs and was not making any coherent responses to their questions. Eliot knew that Neil had pushed too hard and was not getting anywhere but Neil was excited and felt he could crush Jamie to the point of breaking.

'He knows something!' Neil exclaimed.

'I'm sure he does but if you keep hammering hard on him he'll tell you anything you want to hear. We want the truth not a panicked story.' Eliot responded sternly.

Neil's face was aghast; he did not appreciate being spoken to in this manner as he was the Second Officer. Neil held his tongue and glowered at the Chief Officer.

'Let's go and look in the store cupboard that Chris Hammond saw him in. Maybe we'll find some clues there.' Eliot concluded.

'We've got Jamie on the ropes, now is not the time to give him a break so he can regroup and come up with an alibi!' Neil Farmer responded angrily.

*

Neil and Eliot searched the store cupboard that Jamie Gregory was spotted hiding in. They couldn't find anything but that did not surprise Neil as it was full of boxes, all sorts of engineering equipment.

Neil was annoyed and impatient but then just as they were about to leave Eliot noticed an area where the months of dust and dirt had been disturbed.

'Shut up a second Neil and give me a moment to think' Eliot commanded at Neil as he was fed up and needed to focus. Eliot closed in on the area being careful not to disturb the faint pattern in the dust and dirt. Neil looked over distractedly convinced that Eliot was a fool.

The dirt pattern showed a faint trail and Eliot moved a couple of heavy boxes and found a small holdall bag. Eliot fished it out tentatively in case it contained explosives or weapons. Eliot was ruling nothing out; if Jamie Gregory killed Joseph Smith it could be for a myriad of reasons, like discovering that Jamie was smuggling contraband or weapons.