deck. You were lucky to get it, as we had a last-minute cancellation.”
Everly remembered Annette excitedly explaining that she was fortunate to have found a ship with space at this late date.
“Do you have my room key?” she asked.
The steward met her gaze. “There are no locks on the stateroom doors.”
“No locks?” she repeated, certain she hadn’t heard him correctly.
“That’s correct. None of the staterooms have locks.”
Looking around, she noticed several other standard items one would expect were missing as well. “No phones?”
“No.”
“Television?”
“None of those, either.”
“In any of the staterooms?”
“That’s correct.”
A cold feeling settled over her, chilling her to the bone. She held her breath and then asked the one question that was a matter of life or death. “What about Internet access?”
“Afraid not.”
Horrified, Everly sank onto the bed. “I need the Internet.”
“I’m sorry, Miss, the answers to all your questions are in the brochure, including the fact there’s no Internet while on board.”
What brochure? Annette seemed to have conveniently forgotten to include that. “You don’t understand. I can’t function without the Internet.” She would need to speak to the captain immediately. “What kind of luxury cruise is this?”
“Luxury cruise?” he repeated, shaking his head. “Lady, this is the Amazon Explorer.”
Everly blinked, certain she hadn’t heard him correctly. “Are you telling me I’m on a cruise going down the Amazon River?”
“That’s exactly what I’m telling you.”
CHAPTER THREE
“I need to speak to the captain,” Everly said, hoping her voice displayed the proper amount of urgency.
“Miss, Captain Martin is busy navigating. He can’t be bothered.”
“You don’t understand, this is a matter of great importance. I need to get off this ship.”
“The best I can do is have you speak to the purser.”
Leaping back to her feet, she said, “Then please take me to him.”
The young steward looked pale, as if he feared he’d be tossed overboard by doing as she asked. “Yes, Miss.”
Everly had to find a way to get this ship to turn back around, and the sooner she spoke with someone in authority, the better.
She followed the steward down the narrow hallway to an office. Two men were inside making small talk. The man she had to assume was the purser looked up when she entered the room. He looked to the steward for an explanation.
“Ms. Lancaster asked to speak with you right away,” he said, and quickly extricated himself from the small room.
“I’m Alex Freeman,” he said, and extended his hand. “And this is Asher Adams; he’s the naturalist on board.”
She stepped forward and shook hands with both men. “Daisy Lancaster.” She didn’t want to confuse him with a name other than what was on the manifest.
“How can I help you, Daisy?”
“There’s been an unfortunate mistake. I need to get off this cruise ship.”
Both men stared at her blankly, as if she’d spoken in Latin.
Alex shook his head. “What’s the problem?” he asked.
Rather than go into details about Annette having finessed Everly into this ridiculous cruise down the Amazon, she tried to explain.
“I need access to the Internet.”
“There isn’t any, which is stated—”
“In the brochure,” she completed for him, “only I didn’t get the brochure.”
“That is unfortunate. I apologize, but there’s nothing I can do for your situation.”
Everly tried again. “In simple terms, the Internet is vital to my being in touch with my business.”
“I’m sorry,” Alex said, “but—”
“You don’t understand. I will die without the Internet. I can live without a television or even a room phone. My only two requirements are the Internet and something that will go flush in the night.” She hadn’t checked the bathroom to see if there was even a toilet.
“The toilets work amazingly well,” the naturalist said, as if finding this conversation amusing.
Everly glared at him. “It might be best if I speak to the captain.”
“I’m afraid he’s currently occupied with his duties and can’t be disturbed.”
“This is an emergency,” she said, seeing that neither man was taking her seriously. “I have to get off this ship.”
“Unfortunately, at this point that is impossible.”
Everly dropped her head as frustration overwhelmed her. Time to try another tactic. “Okay, let’s be creative here. How far is it to the next port?”
The two men shared a look as if she’d lost her mind.
“Come on, guys,” she encouraged, “work with me. Perhaps there is a way the captain could arrange for me to be picked up and taken to the nearest airport at the first stop.”
Both men frowned. “What you don’t understand,” Alex Freeman said, “is that there are no cities of consequence on