Chapter 4 - The Dead Woman Walking
Flynn shielded his eyes from the blinding glare, stumbling backward against the bulkhead. Over the roaring wind, the yacht's external PA system cracked to life.
“Step away from the edge, Mr. Hayes. Keep your hands where I can see them.” Captain Vance’s voice boomed over the speakers, carrying the absolute authority of a man ready to kill.
The heavy glass doors to the aft deck slid open. But it wasn't just Captain Vance who stepped out. It was a team of six burly crew members, all holding heavy-duty flare guns and zip-ties. I stood a few feet away from Flynn, shrugging off the heavy raincoat he had wrapped around me. I smoothed down my silk nightgown, entirely unaffected by the freezing rain.
"Savannah?" Flynn stammered, the color draining from his face as the reality of the situation crashed down upon him. He looked at me as if he were staring at a ghost. "What... what is this? I was just trying to keep you from falling!"
"Save the performance, Flynn. The cameras have been rolling since you walked into the bedroom," I said, my voice cutting through the storm with icy precision. "And the microphones in the lower deck salon are exceptionally sensitive. I heard everything. I heard your father asking about the dosage. I heard your mother laughing about my trust fund. I heard you plotting to murder my parents."
Flynn’s jaw slacked. The charming, handsome facade melted away, leaving a pathetic, cornered rat shivering in the rain. He looked around wildly, realizing there was nowhere to run. We were hundreds of miles from the nearest shore, surrounded by a crew loyal entirely to me.
Suddenly, Aidan and Fiona burst onto the deck, having realized the plan had gone catastrophically wrong. Fiona took one look at the crew holding weapons and let out a piercing shriek. "Flynn! What is happening?!"
"What's happening, Fiona, is that you vastly underestimated the 'pathetic heiress,'" I sneered, walking slowly toward them. "Did you really think a forged power of attorney would hold up? The moment you tried to wire that money to Switzerland, my father's bank flagged the transaction. The funds were instantly routed into a frozen holding account."
Aidan puffed out his chest, trying to muster some of his fake academic bravado. "You can't do this! This is kidnapping! You have no authority in international waters!"
"Actually, under maritime law, the Captain has absolute authority to detain individuals who pose a threat to the vessel or its passengers," Captain Vance stated calmly, stepping forward with the zip-ties. "And conspiracy to commit murder is a fairly significant threat."
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At Vance's signal, the crew moved in. Flynn tried to throw a punch, a desperate, flailing swing, but the first mate tackled him to the slick teak deck, pinning him instantly. Aidan and Fiona surrendered without a fight, sobbing and pleading as the plastic restraints were pulled tight around their wrists. I stood over my husband as he writhed on the floor, looking down at him with nothing but profound disgust.
"Take them to the lower storage holds," I ordered, not breaking eye contact with the man who had vowed to love and protect me. "Let them enjoy the luxury of the yacht from the inside of a freezer."
