Floating Lies and Sinking Truth - P1 COMPLETE

Chapter Eleven - July 1980

Second Officer Neil Farmer and Chief Officer Eliot Black looked through the cell door flap at a stewing Ray Reid. Ray sat there stone faced with a brooding and palpable anger.

To further heighten tension and rile Ray Reid they brought his wife down and locked her in the other cell. As they did so they made sure Ray heard her being locked away, Eliot could tell Neil had enjoyed prodding Trisha Reid in the side to make her yelp as she went into the cell.

'Thank you for coming Ray' Neil said to him and smiled as he and Eliot sat down. Ray didn't have a choice in coming but they were trying to antagonise Ray so were being deliberately facetious.

'What have you done with my wife?' Ray demanded.

'Your wife Ray? We've not done anything to her.' Neil continued knowing full well that Ray had heard her. Keep him off balance, keep him annoyed, that was the plan.

'I heard her out there; I'm not deaf or stupid. You leave her alone!' Ray demanded.

'Answer all our questions truthfully Ray and we'll make sure she's left alone.' Neil responded. Neil could see Ray was angry and might lash out so Neil had a stun gun in his pocket and was ready to use it if things got out of control.

There was a pause as Neil and Eliot sat back feigning a relaxed and patient stance.

'We've got a witness Ray. They saw you the night before we left Sept Isle. They saw you out on deck watching a man and a woman kiss then heard you swearing angrily.' Neil said nonchalantly.

Ray looked back blankly with his best poker face. His anger made it difficult to focus on the danger he was in. Now they had well and truly antagonised him they deliberately used his wife's name for the first time.

'Trisha told us you were angry as well' Neil continued.

'You should think very carefully Ray because if you tell us the truth now you will be handed over to the Canadian Police. If you wait and the truth comes out when we're off a less...friendly country should we say you'll be handed over to the local Police and could face the Death Penalty!' Neil finished.

It had been planned and agreed with the Captain that they would try and bluff Ray to convince him to confess. There was no witness, his wife had said nothing and there was no chance of him facing the Death Penalty but in Ray's agitated state he wouldn't figure that out...they hoped.

They let Ray think for a few minutes then Eliot spoke for the first time. 'Have you ever seen a prisoner put to death? The Gas Chamber, the Electric Chair...a Firing Squad. It depends where we are when the truth comes out on how you go...because it will come out you can be sure of that Ray. I think most of the South American countries still go for the Firing Squad don't they Neil?' Eliot asked conspiratorially.

'Yes that's right Eliot. Tick tock Ray!' Neil said gravely.

*

Trisha Reid sat in the cell next door and could hear muffled sounds which she thought might be voices talking. Trisha was very frightened, frightened to be in a cell in the Brig but also frightened because her husband had a terrible temper and he'd be angry about her being locked up.

Trisha blamed herself for his temper. As per regulations everyone on board had to have a job which was mainly for insurance purposes but also because some countries won't admit cargo ships carrying passengers. Trisha's job had been to organise and plan Social Functions which meant games nights, fancy dress parties and such like. Trisha really enjoyed this job but felt maybe she went too far with it in her role as party host and it made Ray very jealous.

Ray had no reason to be jealous; Trisha had never done anything other than dance with some of the crew. Still she blamed herself.

When they questioned her that is what she would tell them. She wouldn't mention that Ray in a haze of drunken confusion had accused her of kissing Joseph Smith and then the following day Joe had been found dead. Despite Ray's temper she didn't think he could murder someone.

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