The Seven Year Itch.
Beth’s spine tingled as she suddenly had a memory of a conversation she and Ryan had had not long after they first met. It was when he’d asked her out, and she told him that she had a boyfriend, and had been with Danny for seven years.
And what had he said? He had asked her, with that dimply lopsided smile, if she thought the seven-year itch was real. So all this had to be Ryan…
‘That’s related to a famous movie, isn’t it?’ Trevor asked.
Beth felt a spark of excitement as she neared the vessel, sure that she was on to something, but she quickly felt her spirits crash when Jodi asked a pertinent question.
‘But what does that have to do with Angelina andRomancing the Stone?’ her friend asked. ‘Just because the boat is named after another movie doesn’t mean that it has anything to do with what Beth is looking for. I think that’s a stretch, Einstein.’
Beth’s face fell. Jodi was right. If she tried hard enough she could find at least half a dozen boat names here that she could tie to movies, none of which unfortunately helped her solve this riddle.
The trio continued to stare atThe Seven Year Itch; Beth and Jodi trying to figure out what to do next – and Trevor gawping at the vessel with envy and adoration. So focused were they that they didn’t notice when an exotic dark-haired woman crossed the deck of the boat and paused to throw them a greeting.
‘Hello there!’ she said with a distinct Asian accent and Beth looked up distractedly. The woman was petite in build, standing no more than five foot one, with long, thick dark hair extending to the middle of her back.
‘Hello,’ Trevor called out. ‘We were just admiring your boat. She’s a beauty!’
‘Thank you. I appreciate that. She’s a joy to sail too! Would you like to come aboard and take a look?’ The woman smiled, showing her perfect teeth. ‘I’m Angelina Yussopov, but you can call me Lin.’
Chapter 15
Beth’s eyes widened in surprise as she heard the woman’s words. ‘What did you say your name was?’ she asked.
The beautiful Asian woman smiled, as if she knew what Beth was thinking. ‘Angelina, but I go by Lin for short. Do you want to come on board the boat? Take a look around? I’m quite proud of her, but then I’m probably somewhat biased.’
Trevor was already heading up the small plank that connected the boat with the dock, eager to get on board.
Beth, though, remained standing in bewildered surprise. Thishadto be it. Reflecting back, she realised that, since learning about the boat exhibition, she had been so intent on considering the names of the boats in the programme, she had never once thought to look at the owners’ names – nor did she consider that another movie reference would indeed be tied into the completion of this clue.
The Seven Year Itch. The film made famous by Marilyn Monroe’s white silk dress and that iconic picture of her working her hardest to sexily and flirtatiously hold it down after being caught in the draught from the sidewalk subway vent.
But what it also must mean was that – much like the assistant at Tiffany’s – this woman Angelina – Lin – wasinon the treasure hunt.
Jodi edged Beth forward, breaking into her thinking – pondering – over who Lin was and how she was connected to this. Or, more to the point, how she might be connected to the instigator, whoever that was.
‘Wow, she’s really beautiful. Just gorgeous,’ Trevor was gushing (about the boat, though the same could just as easily be said about the woman) as Beth and Jodi took a look around the deck.
‘Thank you,’ Lin replied. ‘It was a gift. I grew up near the water and have always worked in some capacity near orona boat. My husband gave this to me as a wedding present – we got married last year. We love to sail, travel… the whole gamut, really. He’s in New York on business at the moment, and I figured that I might just take advantage of this exhibition while we were in town. Always nice to meet fellow sailing enthusiasts, you know?’
‘Absolutely,’ replied Trevor. ‘I’m thinking about buying a boat myself. This is exactly what I had in mind too. Maybe you could advise me.’
Lin nodded her approval and turned to Beth and Jodi. ‘Of course. But forgive me; I didn’t catch your names?’
Beth wondered if Lin really didn’t know who she was, especially if she was involved in the pursuit somehow, but she played along with the pleasantries just the same.
After introductions had been made, Lin invited Beth and Jodi to go below, remaining on the top deck with Trevor to talk boats.
Convinced that another clue was located somewhere on this vessel, and feeling that there was deeper meaning to Lin’s encouragement to ‘go take a look around downstairs’, the pair went to see what they would find. Beth was eager to learn who Lin was and why she was party to the treasure hunt – as well as make more progress on her search.
As they did she confessed her thoughts to her friend. ‘I have no idea what to look for next. Tiffany’s… expensive boats… it’s not as if I hang around in this type of set, you know.’
‘And what set is that?’
Beth rolled her eyes playfully. ‘The glam multi-millionaire jet set, of course. Can you imagine something like this being given to you as a wedding present?’
Jodi snorted. ‘No, I can’t. “He who must not be named” thought he himself was wedding present enough. Jerk.’
