The journalist in me had to know, and I turned. “Who, what happened? I saw police this morning but had to get here, so I wasn’t able to find out.”
A little old lady almost smiled with glee at the mention of gossip. “The governor. People are saying she had a gentleman caller last night and that he killed her. Tragic.”
Holy shit. The governor who was mean to me?“It was so early, who found her?”
“The babysitter. Her kids were with her, and when she arrived this morning to drop them off, she found her.” A middle-aged man joined the conversation.
“Some crazy killer on Crellesia. Seems we’re leaving the island just in time,” Mark said, and I nodded.
That was terrible, though, and I could only imagine the headache this was likely causing Julian. I wanted to text him and ask if he was okay, but he was probably elbow deep in this.
“There it is.” Hannah pointed and sure enough, our boat was headed our way.
It was only thirty minutes to Thrindell, and while my stomach hurt at the thought of the governor’s death, I still bubbled with excitement to get to the island.
Thrindell definitely had more of a tropical island vibe than the other two islands I’d visited. I’d read the history of it on the boat. There was a castle here of sorts, but it was more mansion-looking. We were staying at the hotel Redamancy, and I’d chosen it because of its story.
It had been built for the late Queen Henrietta as a gift from the king. The definition of the word was the act of loving someone who loves you too: a love returned. He’d had it built and given to her as an engagement present.
Whenever they came to Thrindell, this was where they stayed. After she passed away the king never returned to the hotel; he died only a year later. Their love story was beautiful, and I wanted to stay at a place built from true love.
I had an adjoining room with Hannah and Mark, and no sooner had we dropped our bags than we were off exploring. We ate, sunned ourselves, shopped, and by two I needed a nap.
I was having a lovely dream that was interrupted by my cell phone vibrating across my nightstand. I reached for it, not opening my eyes as I answered.
“Hmmhello.” It was a mashed-up greeting.
“Did I wake you, Wynn?”
I sat up far too fast and had to breathe through a wave of dizziness. “Oh,umno, I mean yes, just a nap is all.”
Julian chuckled. “I can call later; go back to sleep.”
“No!” I shook the fuzzies away. “No, I’m awake now. How are you?”
“I’m well. I tried texting, but there was no answer. The fact that you were napping explains why.”
I looked down at my phone and saw that I did in fact have three texts from him. “Sorry.”
“No apology needed. Did you still want to get dinner with me this evening?”
“Are you on the island? I wasn’t sure you would be because of…well, I heard what happened to the governor.”
He was silent for a beat. “Yes, tragic, but I am on Thrindell.”
He didn’t sound very upset, but he was the prince. Being all proper and shit came with the territory.
“Well then, I’d be happy to have dinner with you.”
“Wonderful. I can come by your hotel at about six?”
I checked the time, and it was four. “Sounds perfect.”
“And, Wynn?”
“Yeah?”
“Maybe bring a change of clothes, just in case.”
