“So,” I said suspiciously.“They’ve all been accidents?”
“Yep,” she replied quickly without elaborating.
“What about the body?”Ezra asked.“Will it stay on the ship until we get back to Tampa?”
“No.”The security chief looked over her shoulder at the other crew members and then back to us.“Once we inform any family members onboard, we’ll help them make arrangements to disembark at our first port of call to repatriate their loved one home.”
Sebastian was British.Did that mean he would go back to the UK or the states?
“Operation Rising Star,” I heard Tony’s voice through Hansen’s radio.“Keep the aft service elevator clear for the next hour.”
“Copy that,” a crackling voice came back.
“Operation Rising Star?”I mean, Sebastian was a star-maker, but it seemed a little on the nose.
“It’s our code for when we’re transporting a body.”
“Interesting.”
The captain legged it over to us.“Well, folks, I’m sure this wasn’t part of your itinerary, and I apologize for any inconvenience this tragedy has caused.”He gave us a tight, but genial smile.“We’d certainly appreciate your discretion in this matter,” he added smoothly.“You understand, I’m sure.”His voice was polite, but the message was clear.“A death on board can be...disruptive.Talk to Natalie Carmine, our director of guest services, in the morning.Tell Nat that you’re special friends of Captain Steve.She’ll take care of any spa and salon treatments you need to help you relax back into your vacation...on the house, of course.”
A payoff to keep us quiet.Classy.
“Thank you, Captain Steve,” I said, keeping my voice level.“If there’s nothing else, we’d like to leave.”
“Of course,” he said, nodding solemnly.“I can’t imagine how traumatic tonight must have been for you.If there’s anything you need, let me know.If I can’t help you personally, I’ll find someone on the ship who can.When you’re on theLady Voyager, you’re always in good hands.”
Too bad Sebastian Caldwell hadn’t been.
Ezra, with barely a nod toward the captain and crew, took my hand and led me away without another word.We walked in silence, past a long row of deserted lounge chairs, out the privacy gate, and to the nearest elevator.The panel dinged softly when the elevator arrived, the doors sliding open.
Once inside, the doors shut, and Ezra let out a low, frustrated growl.“That was not an accident.”
“Agreed,” I said.“I’m not even sure it was a drowning.”
“Mmm-hmm.”He rubbed his thumb against my palm.“I have my doubts as well.He wasn’t in the water for more than a minute before we got him out.”
“Yeah, that feels farfetched.”Besides, someone else had been in the spa area.I was certain of it.Even so, it wasn’t like we could do anything.We were in international waters, and the captain decided whether to bring in outside law enforcement.And even if we weren’t in international waters, getting the FBI to chopper in to take over the investigation was even more farfetched.“This isn’t Garden Cove.It’s not our case.”
“Nope,” Ezra said.“Not our town.Not our problem to solve.”
“Although, since his wife’s in the cabin next to ours, it would be positively rude not to check in on her.”
“It would be downright unfriendly.”
“After she’s been informed, of course.”
“Of course,” he conceded.
“And maybe, while we’re being neighborly, we could ask a couple of easy, not-too-invasive questions about what Sebastian was doing after dinner.”
Ezra squeezed my hand.“Nothing wrong with some non-invasive inquiries.”
“And if she invites us inside their suite, and my aroma mojo happens to kick in?”I put up a hand.“Well, I can’t help it if any visions I might get give us some insight, right?”
Ezra chuckled, the tension in him finally breaking.“God, I love you.”
I grinned, smug with pleasure that I’d shifted his mood.“So… a little sun, a little fun, and a dab of investigation?”
