He nodded. They had looked, and looked and looked some more.
And she was right.
“Back to our cabin. And if you’re worn out, please—”
She grinned at him. “I’m not that kind of worn out! Just the salt I’m wearing is starting to get itchy!”
“Got an itch, eh?” he teased.
She groaned softly.
They reached their cabin and headed in. Chloe walked to the bedroom to grab clean clothing. Wes dug into his own little closet to get something to wear; they would head back out. They’d go to dinner.
They—like George and every member of the ship’s security team—would stay on the lookout for the missing gun until they reached port and could disembark.
He paused, frowning, hearing something like a shuffling sound against their door. He froze for a moment, listening.
Chloe emerged from the bedroom, frowning. She had heard whatever it was, too.
He gave her a nod, indicating she should go to the far side of the door as she opened it.
He pulled out his own 3D-printed weapon, aiming it straight at the door.
He gave her a slight nod. They were ready.
Chloe pushed the door open.
Bryan Jordan stood there. He was holding Chloe’s weapon.
But he wasn’t aiming it at them. He held it to the side.
“Dad, Dad, please!”
Darlene came running down the hall, throwing an arm around her father.
But Bryan was ready to explain himself.
“I just... I found this. I needed to give it back. I’m so sorry, I had no right... I just... There was something about Chloe today. I knew... I knew that she was involved because she said something exactly the way Jane would have saidit and... something, something just tipped me off, or worried me, and... I saw it when I tripped over the bag. I picked it up. I never meant to use it except if she came after me, Darlene... or anyone! And then... Oh, God, I saw them about to take him away and I don’t know what happened to me. I was afraid he’d get his expensive lawyers and get out of it, and Jane is never coming back, never coming back...”
The man, always so friendly and dignified, broke into tears.
Wes stepped forward and swiftly took the gun, nodding to Darlene and saying, “Come on in, please, come on in.”
She ushered her father on in before her.
Bryan lurched, covering his face, and Chloe led him to the couch to take a seat.
Wes looked at Darlene, arching a brow.
Darlene let out a long breath, tears in her eyes, as well.
“He’s talking about Jane, Jane Sewell. He always knew that she didn’t kill anyone and commit suicide. She was my dad’s adopted sister’s daughter. Well, she was never legally adopted so they didn’t have the same name, but then Jane’s dad died when she was little and we weren’t even in the same city, but my dad would make sure to see her, make sure she knew that she was loved and... I loved her, too! Please, please, I know he stole your gun, I know that he fired a shot, but... please, please don’t punish him any worse than her death has punished him already!”
“You knew that something might be off on this cruise?” Wes asked her.
Darlene sighed. “We’d booked this cruise over a year ago. My mom is gone, too, and Dad wanted to do something special for me. And... well, now I think that he might have been watching everyone, seeing if anyone messed up and then... then you and Chloe wentoverboard to catch Broderick McClintock and he was backing away and... I didn’t even realize he had taken it!” she finished desperately.
He was an officer of the law, sworn to justice, Wes knew.
