Chapter 7 - The Hartman Rules
When I returned to the ship, Gregory was waiting inside the suite.
So was another man.
Sixties.
Silver hair.
Expensive suit.
He introduced himself as Arthur Bell, Hartman family counsel.
A lawyer on our honeymoon.
That told me Gregory was afraid.
Arthur gestured toward the same financial documents.
“Mrs. Hartman, your husband has expressed concern about your current emotional state.”
“My emotional state is excellent.”
“He reports physical aggression.”
“He came at me with a baseball bat.”
Arthur did not react.
“Can you prove that?”
“Yes.”
That was technically uncertain.
But the answer made Gregory glance at me.
Good.
Arthur folded his hands.
“Our goal is simply to avoid misunderstanding.”
“Then why are you here?”
“To protect both parties.”
“No.”
I looked at Gregory.
“You’re here because he realized I’m documenting him.”
Arthur closed the folder.
“Mrs. Hartman, accusations like that can have consequences.”
“So can threatening your wife.”
Gregory rose.
“She’s doing it again.”
“Doing what?”
“Escalating.”
I laughed once.
Arthur looked uncomfortable.
Gregory continued.
“She has military training.”
“I know.”
“She has admitted she knows how to kill people.”
“I taught close combat.”
Gregory turned toward Arthur.
“You see?”
Arthur’s silence told me he saw something.
Perhaps not what Gregory intended.
I stood.
“I want separate accommodations.”
Gregory scoffed.
“You’re my wife.”
Elena appeared in the open doorway behind Arthur.
“Mrs. Hartman has requested another cabin.”
Gregory turned sharply.
“No.”
Elena’s expression remained professional.
“That is not your decision.”
Arthur immediately stood.
“This conversation is over.”
Elena escorted me to a secure guest cabin three decks below.
Before leaving, she handed me a small envelope.
“What’s this?”
“Your original incident report.”
I frowned.
“Original?”
“Someone attempted to alter the digital version.”
My stomach tightened.
“Who?”
“We’re investigating.”
I opened the envelope.
My signed report was intact.
Elena continued.
“The request came from an administrative account belonging to the cruise line’s corporate ownership office.”
“Who owns the cruise line?”
She studied me.
“You really don’t know?”
“No.”
Elena pulled out her phone and showed me the company page.
Pacific Empress Cruises.
Majority shareholder:
Hartman Maritime Holdings.
Gregory’s family did not merely have influence aboard the ship.
They owned it.
Then Elena said something worse.
“Your husband has requested a helicopter transfer tomorrow morning.”
“For himself?”
Elena shook her head.
May you like
“For you.”
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