“I’m sure they’ll get you a nice little cabin—” Edward began.
“Oh, no, sir! They’re rolling in one of those nice comfy chairs that doubles as a bed. Mr. Thompson, you are extremely important to Milestones. I will be sleeping like a good and loyal hound, right at your feet! But don’t worry—I won’t be bothering you, I promise. I’ve brought some good books along with me, as well!”
“Well, I thank you for being here, though I hate to be a burden—”
“No burden to get a nice gig on a cruise ship, sir,” Garcia said.
Edward Thompson laughed. “Okay, great. I’m notsir, please, just Edward.”
“And I’m George.”
“Chloe—and that’s Wes,” Chloe told him, rising. “And since you are here, we’re going to leave Edward in your great hands and head out so that we can get to our next classes! Edward, you take care. We will be back to check on you.”
“You’re my guardian angels, and you are welcome anytime!” Edward assured them.
With a wave, Wes set a hand on Chloe’s back as she rose and they left the room, waving to the doctor and nurses as they left the hospital area.
They didn’t speak; they just smiled and nodded to others they spoke to. The ship’s hospital was on the same deckas the indoor and outdoor spas and the gym, making it a busy area.
They headed to the elevator to reach the upper decks where their cabin was and where the classes were being held.
“Cabin first?” Chloe murmured.
He nodded, hit the button for their deck, and then they hurried down to the privacy of their own salon.
“Well, this is all great,” he murmured when the door was closed. “First, was it possibly an accident?”
“No way,” Chloe said. “Because something you said was absolutely correct! On every deck, the railings are high enough. The sea was quiet—”
“There were a lot of people pressing against each other to see the sea!” he reminded her. “And, so we hear, several frolicking dolphins.”
“Still, the railing is too high! He was pushed. I don’t know how much force it would take—”
“It would depend on whether he was bending over the railing or not. People do stretch out over the railing,” Wes reminded her.
“I don’t believe it.”
“Neither do I, but I thought I should play devil’s advocate,” Wes agreed. “Okay, so, on to our visitor—”
“Amelia Swenson,” Chloe said. “The one friend to come in and see him and, of course, one of the suspects on our list.”
“And,” Wes added, “the first so-called suicide was a man who received a promotion over her.”
“But after what just happened, would anyone have taken the chance of coming into the hospital, into his room—and killing him then? Not the kind of place where you drug someone and shoot them!” Chloe said.
Wes shook his head. “As far as the killer knows, law enforcement isn’t aware of the fact that the victims were drugged before they were shot.”
“Well, it would have been obvious if she was in the room and the man was shot.”
“But he has an IV. She could have planned to drug him. Computer specialists can certainly study the web to find out what poison wouldn’t be obvious in an autopsy,” Wes reminded her.
Chloe let out a long sigh.
“So far... we like Edward Thompson. As a person—not a suspect!” she said.
“You don’t think that he jumped overboard to avoid suspicion?” Wes asked her dryly.
She shook her head. “Wes, you did save his life. I don’t think that he was breathing when I dragged him to the surface.”
