“That makes sense.Nice pick up, Pip.”
“You’ll have to let her know.She’s feeling a bit vulnerable right now because she’s missing her kids.It’ll make her feel good to get the compliment.She really came through today with the information she got from Reese and the whole Louisville thing.”
“Lying about where you’re from doesn’t make you a murderer, though,” Ezra cautioned.
“I agree with you,” I countered.“However, it does make you a liar and probably means you have something to hide.”I tapped my chin.“I wish I knew what though.”
The line finally moved a few feet, then stopped again.“We’ll be here all the way through dinner if they don’t kick it into high gear.People will die of old age in line before their illnesses take them.”
My gaze drifted out over the scads of travelers going in and out of shops.At one point, I saw a neatly curled head of blonde hair and smiled.It was Augusta.She was coming out of one of the many WiFi lounges on the ship.I didn’t see Carl.I was somewhat surprised, but I supposed they weren’t joined at the hip.
“Hey,” I alerted Ezra.“Look, there’s Augusta.”I pointed in the direction of the older woman.
Someone unexpected appeared right behind her.It was Rebecca Hansen.Was it a coincidence?I thought so at first, but then Augusta stopped, turned to Hansen, and they spoke for a few seconds, before Augusta went the opposite direction of the pharmacy, and Hansen was walking in our general direction.
I leaned my head back on Ezra’s chest.“She threatened to kick me off the ship earlier.”
“She did?”
I guess I’d forgotten to tell him about that, too.“Yep.She said if I didn’t stop poking my nose in the cruise’s investigation, she’d arrange for me to disembark permanently in Cozumel.”
“Dang,” Ezra said.“That’s harsh.”
“Way harsh,” I agreed.As Hansen got closer, she saw us.She halted, and I wondered if she was debating going the other way.She must have grown a pair because she started our way again.
“Ms.Black, Mr.Holden,” she hailed.“It looks like we’re destined to keep crossing paths.”
“Ms.Hansen,” I greeted back.“Looks like.”I really wanted to ask her about Augusta and why they were talking, but I wanted to stay out of the brig and on the ship more.“Have you let Callie Caldwell know about her husband yet?”I asked in a hushed voice.
“Still looking,” she replied.
“Also, I want to apologize,” I said with real contrition.“I know there’s a rat on the ship.”
“There’s a what?”she asked alarmed.
“Or rats.”I put my hands down at my sides.“I saw a maintenance guy carrying some rat poison around.”Every time I thought of the large rodents running around the ship my teeth hurt.“Anyhow, I accused you of sabotaging the camera, and I’m sorry.”
Her brows knitted together.“You didn’t accuse me of that.”
I winced.“My inside voice did.”
“It’s fine.”Hansen laughed.“My inside voice is always accusing someone of something, and sometimes it’s just mean and nasty for no reason.”
I grinned.“Probably notnoreason.”
“Notnotno,” she allowed.With the first genuine smile I’d seen from her, Hansen made her farewell.“It was almost pleasant, Ms.Black.”
“Almost.”
After she left, Ezra remarked, “If I didn’t know better, I might think the two of you could be friends.”
“But you do know better.”The memory of her pushing us to change our statements stuck with me.It wasn’t just incompetence.It felt deliberate like she’d wanted the truth buried.Suspicious deaths were bad for business, after all.Still, I couldn’t shake the feeling there was more to it.And it was odd she hadn’t been able to find Callie.Maybe the Ultimate Singer of America had decided to jump ship.
My mind drifted to Ramone...tall, dark, and handsome.I was ninety-eight percent sure, okay, maybe ninety-seven percent, he was the guy we’d seen Callie with in the perfume shop.He might be the key to tracking her down.Lucky for me, I knew exactly where to find him without drawing attention.
The line inched forward, and the crowd groaned, annoyed at gaining only two feet before halting again.I glanced back at Ezra.“You want to learn Latin ballroom dancing with me tonight?”
His brow lifted, amusement tugging at his mouth.“What kind of partner would I be if I said no?Besides, it takes two to tango.”
