And Wes came up to her, taking her arm. “Cabin!” There was a growl in his voice. “Cabin, now!” He gave himself a visible shake and smile and told the others. “We’re going to go slip into something more comfortable and find some lounge chairs!” he announced.
It was obvious, however, that his hold on her was strong as they started to move away.
Chloe bowed her head and secretly smiled.
Because as they walked away, she heard Daniel McClintock tell the others. “Oh, boy! They are a married couple, for real! Troubled waters at last!”
Edward told him, “Oh, yeah, but they’ll solve it fast. That couple is real, of course, but so lovey-dovey, too! A great married couple!”
Ten
The exchange had been interesting, Wes thought. Just as watching the group in Edward’s question and answer session had been. Most questions were centered on the best uses and security for individual businesses. Some had been more specific regarding the kinds of money that could be made on major websites and management.
Billy Cliffton and his grandfather, Elijah, had been there, with the young cruise director welcoming those who came into the classroom and Elijah appearing to be somewhat bored, but springing into old-cruise-director mode when someone needed help with something.
Jeff, Daniel and Broderick were all in attendance.
Strangely quiet, Wes thought. And, as they hurried along the hallway, his hand firmly on Chloe’s arm, he lowered his head and smiled. Chloe had surely shown Jeff!
If, of course, Jeff had been the one to give his wife a black eye.
“I’ll admit, I thought you were crazy at first, accostingJeff—” Wes began, once they were in the privacy of their cabin.
“I didn’t accost him. Seriously. That was an if-the-shoe-fits-wear-it kind of a comment. I happened to be close to him when I said it,” Chloe explained.
“Right. But where I thought you were crazy, I think it came off rather perfectly,” he told her.
She smiled. “Thanks.”
“But we do need to watch it,” he warned. “We want to be friends with these people, watch what’s going on. And still...”
“Have a spat here and there so we look like we’re really married!” she said. “True. But I don’t think that newlyweds need to fight that much.”
“We’re not real newlyweds. We’re on something of a second honeymoon,” he reminded her.
“But! If we’re on a second honeymoon, that suggests we more or less still like each other, right?” she teased.
He groaned. “Right!”
“And?” she said. “Did you learn anything?”
“Not really,” he said with a sigh. “Lots of people had lots of questions, but then tended to refer to their own businesses, none of which would be in any position to rival Milestones.”
“And what about the guys—”
“They all arrived later than me—Jeff and Daniel and Broderick.”
“Which...” Chloe said thoughtfully.
“Which,” Wes suggested softly, “means that you think that one of them decked Celia. You don’t really think that hen-pecked Jeff was the one who gave his wife her black eye?”
“Yeah, and I’m not even suggesting one of them. Both Amelia and Celia went to their cabins before coming to the class and the so-called fairer sex is not averse to a bit ofviolence now and then. And, oh, Darlene gave me a scare, too! You know, the young journalism major we met. She started talking about investigative work. So now, whoever this person—or these people—are, they may be afraid of not just Sally, but Darlene, as well,” Chloe told him earnestly.
“Okay, so we’re almost positive that one of these guys—or more—is pure evil. We just need to keep an eye on them—” he began, trying to be assuring.
“Easier said than done,” she said flatly.
“George is always with Edward. Sally has a thing for Edward, so she’s always around him and George,” Wes reminded her. He shook his head. “Whatever is going on, it’s changed up. I mean, maybe Edward was supposed to die when he went into the water—that would leave a major power vacuum at Milestones. Did they plan on more? Who knows? But now I’m still curious about the fact that Jeff was talking to Daniel last night—behind that massive Buffalo machine. And that they were talking about what happened in Broward County.”
