Narrator's POV
Nick and Joe come up the steps from the well deck, which are right next to three men. They stare as the couple climbed over the locked gate.
A moment later Captain Smith rounds the corner, followed my two other men. They have come down from the bridge by the outside stairs. The three men, their faces grim, crush right pass Nick and Joe.
"Can you shore up?" Captain Smith asked
"Not unless the pumps get ahead" One of the men said.
The inspection party go down the stairs to the well deck.
"It's bad" Nick said to Joe quietly.
"Nick. We have to go tell my mother and Zac" Joe said.
"Now it's worse" Nick said.
"Come with me, Joe. Remember. I jump, you jump... right?" Joe asked.
"Right" Nick commented and follows Joe through the door inside the ship.
Nick and Joe cross the foyer, entering the corridor. Anthony, Zac's servant, is waiting for them in the hall as they approach the room.
"We've been looking for you, sir" Anthony said.
They all go into the room and Anthony, without anyone seeing, smoothly slipped Joe's necklace into the pocket of Nick's overcoat.
Zac and Ruth were waiting in the sitting room, along with a Master Of Arms (Policeman on a ship if you can't remember) and 2 Stewards. There was silence as Nick and Joe entered.
"Something serious has happened" Joe said, breaking the silence.
"That's right. Two things very dear to me have disappeared this evening. Now that one is back.... I'm pretty certain I know where the other is." Zac said, looking at Nick.
He turns the the Master Of Arms
"Search him" Zac motioned towards Nick.
"Coat off, mate" The Master Of Arms said as he stepped up to Nick.
Anthony pulls at Nick's coat as Nick shook his head in dismay, shrugging out of his jacket. The Master Of Arms pats Nick down.
"This is stupid!" Nick said.
"Zac! You can't be serious! We're in the middle of an emergency and you-" Joe was cut off when the Master Of Arms pull the necklace out of Nick's pocket.
"Is this it?" He asked.
Joe was shocked, needless to say, so was Nick.
"That's it!" Zac said.
"Right then. Now don't make a fuss" the cop said as he started to handcuff Nick.
"Don't believe it, Joe! God! Please don't!" Nick said. Trying to persuade Joe to believe him.
"He couldn't have" Joe whispered, uncertain.
"Of course he could have! Easy enough for a professional. He obviously memorized the combination when you put the necklace into the safe" Zac said to Joe.
"But I was with him the whole time!" Joe said, wanting to believe Nick.
"Maybe he did it when you were putting your clothes back on" Zac said.
"They put it in my pocket, Joe! Please! Don't believe them!" Nick said to Joe sadly.
Joe feels utterly betrayed, hurt and confused. He shrinks away from Nick. Nick carries on shouting to Joe, trying to get him to believe him as he was getting dragged away by Anthony and the Master of arms. Joe can't look at him in the eye.
"Joe! Don't listen to them! Please! You know that I didn't do this! You know it!" Nick yelled.
Joe is devastated. His mother lays a hand of his shoulder as he lets the tears fall.
