The Doomsday Conspiracy   ::   Sheldon Sidney

“Didyou sleep well, darling?” Monte asked.

“Fine,” Susan said.

So they didn’t share the same cabin! Robert felt an unreasonable sense of pleasure from that knowledge. He and Susan had always slept in the same bed, her naked, nubile body spooning into his. Jesus, I’ve got to stop thinking like this.

Ahead of the Halcyon, on the starboard bow, was a fishing boat from the Marseilles fleet, bringing in a fresh catch.

“Would you like some fish for lunch?” Susan asked.

Both men nodded. “Fine.”

They were almost abreast of the fishing boat.

As Captain Simpson walked by, Robert asked, “What is our ETA to Marseilles?”

“We’ll be there in two hours, Mr Smith. Marseilles is an interesting port. Have you ever been there?”

“It is an interesting port,” Robert said.

In the communications room, at SIFAR, the two colonels were reading the message that had just come in from the Halcyon. It read simply: “Now.”

“What’s the Halcyon’s position?” barked Colonel Cesar.

“They’re two hours out of Marseilles, heading for the port.”

“Order the Stromboli to overtake and board her immediately.”

Thirty minutes later, the Italian Navy cruiser Stromboli was closing in on the Halcyon. Susan and Monte were at the fantail of the yacht, watching the warship racing toward them.

A voice came over the cruiser’s loudspeaker. “Ahoy, Halcyon. Heave to. We’re coming aboard.”

Susan and Monte exchanged a look. Captain Simpson came hurrying toward them.

“Mr Banks …”

“I heard it. Do as they say. Stop the engines.”

“Yes, sir.”

A minute later, the pulse of the engines stopped, and the yacht lay still in the water. Susan and her husband watched as armed sailors from the Navy cruiser were lowered into a dinghy.

Ten minutes later a dozen sailors were swarming up the ladder of the Halcyon.

The naval officer in charge, a lieutenant commander, said, “I’m sorry to trouble you, Mr Banks. The Italian government has reason to believe that you are harbouring a fugitive. We have orders to search your ship.”

Susan stood there watching, as the sailors started spreading out, moving along the deck and going below to search the cabins.

“Don’t say anything.”

“But …”

“Not a word.”

They stood on the deck in silence, watching the search go on.

Thirty minutes later they were assembled again on the main deck.