Chapter 14
Wheelhouse smelled of diesel and salt. Dawn light turned gray over water. El Nido islands rose ahead like dark teeth. My phone had been dead for hours. No bars, no sound, only engine thrum. Then signal flickered. One bar. Two bars. Phone buzzed against my palm.
I stared at screen. Missed call log glowed. Attorney name lit up. My hands shook. Breath caught short. Captain stood beside wheel, eyes on horizon.
Signal returned near El Nido. Phone linked. Next step: transmit evidence.
I hit call. Ring lasted too long. Then his voice came through, thin but clear.
"Mara? Mara, you there?"
"Yes," I said. Voice cracked. "We regained signal. We moved toward port. I have proof."
Attorney breathed hard on other end. "Where are you now? Are you safe?"
"Wheelhouse with captain," I said. "Adrian locked in forward cabin. Crew watches door. I kept tablets. I kept photos. Recording intact."
I opened gallery with wet thumb. Photos of dark hard-shell suitcase, open hidden compartment, two small round white tablets on white linen, timestamped. Photos of my palm holding tablets before midnight. Photo of suitcase lining pulled back. I pressed send. Upload stalled, then moved. Progress bar crawled.
"Photos sending now," I said. "Recording next. Four minute file. His voice says push him at 2:00. My voice says I plan to kill Adrian tonight. That line was mine, attorney. I said it to you. It was fear talking, not plan. I never swallowed tablets."
Attorney understood immediately. "You created record. Good. That line protects you if he claims you plotted. It shows you sought counsel first. Send file now."
Recording uploaded. Signal wavered. I held phone high toward wheelhouse window. File left phone. Delivered check appeared.
"Received," attorney said. "Both packages timestamped. I will preserve chain. Do not delete originals from device."
Captain reached for VHF mic. He switched to channel 16. Voice steady, professional.
"Philippine Coast Guard, Philippine Coast Guard, this is motor yacht Esperanza en route Coron to El Nido, five nautical miles southwest of El Nido port, requesting immediate law enforcement intercept at port."
Static hissed. Then response: "Esperanza, this is Coast Guard Station El Nido, over."
Captain pressed mic button. "Coast Guard, I report attempted murder aboard. Passenger Adrian Villanueva attempted to drug wife Mara Villanueva with unprescribed tablets and push her overboard at 0200. Victim survived, retained tablets as evidence, has attorney on phone, suspect secured in cabin. Request police at dock to take custody. Over."
Coast Guard voice sharpened. "Esperanza, confirm victim aboard and conscious, suspect detained, over."
"Victim beside me in wheelhouse, conscious, unharmed," captain said. "Suspect detained forward, door guarded. Second person involved, deckhand recruited for push. He is isolated astern under watch. Over."
I felt knees weaken. Hearing words spoken aloud made horror real.
Captain glanced at me, nodded. "Mara, stay on phone. Keep attorney line open."
Attorney spoke again. "Mara, listen. Chain of custody matters now. Place tablets back in original foil if you have it. Do not touch with bare fingers again. Place foil in separate bag. Keep suitcase closed, do not let anyone handle compartment. Captain must log evidence. Understood?"
"Yes," I said. I pulled small zip bag from pocket. Inside, tablets rested in folded foil. I had kept them close since night I faked sleep. My pulse hammered against ribs. I sealed bag, wrote date and time on tape with captain's marker, pressed tape over seal. Hands still shook.
Captain produced brown evidence envelope from chart drawer. He slipped bag inside, sealed envelope, signed across seal. I signed beside him. He noted position, time, names in logbook. Log entry: white tablets recovered, hidden compartment photographed, victim statement recorded.
Crew member knocked on wheelhouse door. "Sir, deckhand isolated as ordered. He sits by stern locker, no radio, no phone."
Captain nodded. "Keep him separate from Adrian. No contact between them. Authorities will identify each separately."
Attorney voice returned. "Mara, Coast Guard will relay to port police. I am calling my liaison now. I will meet you at port with officers. Do not speak to Adrian. Do not confront. Let authorities board first."
Signal held strong now. Islands grew larger. Port lights blinked ahead. I pressed phone against ear, knuckles white.
"Attorney, you received everything?" I asked.
"Yes," he said. "Photos, recording, timestamps. Case locked. Keep phone charged. Keep evidence bag with captain until police take custody."
I exhaled. Breath had been held since cabin. Engine slowed. Water calmed.
Captain radioed again. "Coast Guard, Esperanza approaching El Nido port, ETA twenty minutes, requesting intercept at pier, over."
"Copy Esperanza, patrol boat en route to intercept, police standing by at pier, maintain custody, over."
May you like
I looked toward bow. Dawn burned warmer now. I held evidence envelope in lap, phone in hand, attorney voice still on line.
We moved toward port. Authorities inbound. Evidence secured.
