The woman blinked, as if tears were rising to her eyes.
Except that they weren’t. Her anger was all truth. Her sorrow over anything was entirely feigned. She was just angry, angry, perhaps, even with herself. Because a cunning and manipulative mind surely should have known about the security cameras.
Wes rose, as well. One of the officers had been waiting at the door; they were barely on their feet before the door opened and the man nodded solemnly, letting them know that he was ready to take Amelia back to her room in the brig.
Amelia left with him, shaking off his hand when he placed it on her arm.
“I can walk just fine on my own!” she snapped.
Then she was gone. Chloe looked at Wes; they couldn’t talk now, but they hurried on out, knowing that the captain was waiting for them.
“Well?” Captain Millbrook asked.
“I’m not an attorney, but I do think that she can get a good defense lawyer of her own to possibly convince others that it was an accident,” Wes said. “Was it attempted murder? Possibly. But proving that might well prove difficult. Even an assault charge might prove difficult because she’s adamant that she was just trying to be nice and welcome Sally into the group that started hanging around together.”
“She did it, and she’s going to get away with it!” Millbrook said, shaking his head. “I’ve been in touch with my superiors, of course. They must weigh every move. She’ll sue, forsure. But they’ve agreed with us about holding her until we arrive at our home port—it would have been far worse if she proved to be guilty and someone was murdered.”
“I think she’s where she should be until the absolute truth is discovered. I believe our law enforcement from both countries will work together to get into the shop where the chocolate was bought and find out just how it was advertised and sold. Montego Bay is a big tourist destination and they’re not going to want this to cause any disturbances with their many, many tourist shops, so...”
“I did the right thing in your mind, too,” Millbrook said.
Wes smiled. “As you said earlier, the alternative could have been far worse.”
“All this going on! And I just had to be the captain on a cruise with a pack of computer experts!” Millbrook said. “Well, I’ll let you get some sleep or dance or have a nightcap or...”
“I’ll be honest! This was fascinating,” Chloe told him. “Seeing what passengers don’t see on a cruise ship. I’m amazed, too, that this deck, with all that it holds, doesn’t smell bad at all! What’s below us?”
“Mechanics and whatever items need to be stowed. Oh, all our supplies for the pools, the kitchens... She is, in comparison, a smaller ship, a yacht, so we’re very compact in all that we do! Oh, and ventilation! The key to maintaining decent working conditions for all involved.”
She thanked him and they headed back to the elevators.
And up.
This time, they didn’t run into anyone. People were at meals, in the casino, listening to music or dancing the night away. They headed back to the room, and once the door was closed, Chloe quickly turned to Wes.
“Well? Really?”
He shook his head. “I believe that she’s a strange kind of narcissist, enraged that she’s not being seen for her entire worth. Does she have the kind of case that will probably get her off—what proof does anyone have that she intended murder? Maybe it was just supposed to be a welcoming gesture.”
“Won’t that depend on how many people can testify that she knew darned well that Sally had an allergy?”
“That could give credence to the charge that Amelia knew what she was doing to Sally, but it doesn’t prove that she knew anything about nuts in the chocolate,” Wes said. “However, law enforcement will be checking out the shops, finding out when she bought the chocolate and if there were warnings anywhere about there being nuts in the chocolate. But as far as the end of this cruise goes...”
“None of that means anything. But what we think may mean everything,” Chloe said softly.
“And I think that I’ll think better after a good night’s—”
“Sleep!” Chloe finished for him.
He laughed, smiling at her. “Um, sure, if that’s what you’d like. It’s all ‘as you wish,’ my love.”
She smiled and walked slowly to him.
Their case was as great an enigma as it had ever been. But neither of them forgot it for an instant. And the plan that night...
Well, it was for Mr. and Mrs. Douglas to spend time in their cabin, resting after a long day of physical activity.
Physical activity.
