Chapter 5
Five
Chloe packed up her notebook and looked over at Wes. She was surprised that she could read him so well.
They’d come, they’d seen . . . they had yet to conquer, but watching the brothers give their lecture and class had, at the
least, given them deeper insight into the pair.
It was easy enough in their environment to play an undercover role, she thought. Wesley Law was no stranger to taking on a
different persona. He knew how to play the game, as did she, of course. Then again, when the powers that be were as concerned
as they were, it was natural that they had chosen who they saw as the best agents for the case even if they were from different
agencies, or perhaps, even because they were from different agencies.
“Sweetheart, it’s almost dinnertime. I think we should maybe allow ourselves a little break, a drink out at a pool bar .
. . then we can stop in quick and make sure that Edward is all right and head to dinner!
” he told her. He’d been sitting next to her and pocketed his small notebook.
He turned toward her, taking her hands in his. “Sound good?”
Any of the passengers milling around them would have seen the exchange between them and heard Wes’s words.
“Hm, sounds delightful!” she said in turn.
As they rose, he slipped an arm around her shoulder as he led them out of the classwork salon and down the hallway to the
elegant double doors that stood open, welcoming passengers out to the adult pool, the bar and the lounges.
Wes glanced at her. She realized that he wanted her to distract anyone standing closer around the bar or taking up the seats.
She smiled at a young couple who were close, a man and woman in their early thirties, she thought, him dark and handsome in
nothing but his bathing briefs, she a pretty brunette in a bikini.
“Hey!” Chloe said, speaking loudly enough to cover whatever Wes might be saying. “Wow! Did we get lucky with this. Not only
the perks given to everyone by Milestones, but somehow, we’ve gotten the most incredible weather known to man. Clear skies,
calm waters—just the right amount of warmth for the breeze!
“Oh, it is, it’s amazing, we’re so, so happy!” the young woman said. She offered Chloe a hand. “I’m Patty Easton, this is
my husband, Ned.”
“Chloe. Chloe Douglas and that’s my husband, Wes, ordering for us. So nice to meet you both!” Chloe said.
“Chloe and Wes!” Ned Easton said, turning on his barstool to appraise her. “You and your husband . . . wow! You two just dove
straight down, what, hundreds of feet, after that Milestones exec. You really are something!”
Chloe shook her head. “It’s really not that big a deal.
It’s stupid, really. I’m sure the ship’s crew would have been fine.
Wes owns dive boats, he’s been in the water all his life.
I don’t even know what all his certificates are .
. . And, once upon a time, I thought I might be a major league diver, but then, you know, once upon a time, I wanted to be a mermaid, or a princess, or .
. . well, you know. What we did was just kind of natural for us. ”
“Still, wow,” Patty told her.
Chloe winced. “Honestly, it’s a little uncomfortable now. I mean, we’re all excited that Milestones offered all this amazing
info for all the passengers, but we planned this trip months ago because . . . well, you know. Life! We needed some time to
get away together, sun, sky, water—”
“Beer!”
Wes had gotten their drinks and handed an icy cold glass filled with amber liquid to her. She accepted the glass while he
stood behind her, smiling at the couple she had just met. She wondered just what he’d been saying to the bartender that had
needed her to keep others from hearing him, but as she took a sip, she knew.
He’d ordered alcohol-free drinks and while it might not have mattered, blending in on a cruise, they might look as if they
were enjoying a bit of hard refreshment.
Introductions went around again as Wes met the couple. He winced as he was applauded again for his actions regarding Edward
Thompson’s “fall.”
“Hey, sorry, cool, we won’t mention it again!” Ned assured him. “You guys are nice and humble and just want to chill. But
hey, Chloe was just saying that the classes were something cool you hadn’t expected. Patty and I were lucky—we wanted this
cruise and managed to get on because another couple canceled due to illness at the last moment. We really, really wanted to
take a bunch of these classes.”
“We did the morning stints, then decided that we needed a little downtime,” Patty explained.
“What do you do? For work, or—”
“I’m a cop in Detroit,” Ned said. “Beat cop, but I’m always fascinated by what our people behind their desks can discover—and
the way they explain it all to us. But that’s not why we’re here, really,” he added, looking at his wife.
She sighed. “I got hacked and it was bad. Just social media! Someone . . .”
“Someone Photoshopped a bunch of pictures of Patty and got them out on the web. She just had your typical casual social media,
pics of our dogs, family members, our nights out with friends . . . But you would be amazed, absolutely amazed, how pics like
that can be changed into something demeaning and horrible and totally reprehensible.”
“And I don’t want to be cut out of social media for the rest of my life—I love seeing pics of my friends and their kids and
so much more . . . But, oh, man! They’re still trying to track whoever did it. I wasn’t the only one who fell prey to that
monster!” Patty said. She looked at her husband with affection. “I, at least, am married to a man who shared my outrage and
keeps up with the police and others who want to catch the horrible human being who is doing this to others!”
“That’s the thing,” Ned told them gravely. “First, some of the pictures are pictures I was in before they were twisted, secondly,
I love my wife. I’m no profiler, but whoever does things like this must be a miserable, lonely human being who can only feel
better by trying to destroy the lives of others.”
“Wow! There was no attempt at extortion on these?” Wes asked. “They weren’t doing it to try to blackmail money out of people?”
“No one ever asked for money—they just showed up. And our cybercrime division is still trying to get to the bottom of it!” Ned told them.
“Wow. Well, I can see how this is important to you,” Chloe said. “It’s frightening that people can do that.”
“Hey, they’ve done it to all kinds of celebrities, too. Different people doing it, I imagine, which makes it all scarier,”
Patty said. “I’m into Bulwark Cybersecurity! They’re honest. Nothing is foolproof, but you can make things harder for hackers!”
“We went to their class. It was very good,” Chloe said gravely. As she spoke, she noticed that one of their suspects was standing
by the railing farther aft, sipping wine and looking out over the water. It was Amelia Swenson.
Nothing strange there. It was a beautiful time of day; classes were over.
But she smiled suddenly, waving and calling out.
Chloe saw that she was looking at Celia Henderson and that the woman was hurrying over to her, ready to greet her with a friendly
hug.
The two knew each other.
Nothing surprising there.
But they knew one another very well. As friends, long-time friends?
As she tried to casually keep an eye on them and respond to the conversation going on with Patty and Ned, she saw that Jeff
Henderson was joining the pair, too, greeting Amelia like a good friend, as well.
Chloe knew that she couldn’t take it to mean too much—they had known that all their suspects were connected in one way or
another, whether it was simply through conventions or meetings or because they had formed real friendships.
“Oh, did you attend anything with Celia Henderson and her husband, Jeff?” Chloe asked Patty and Ned, smiling and indicating that the threesome was near them.
“I mean, they all talk about security, but I attended specifically because I want to keep my artists safe when I’m advertising a show.
I want attention for them, of course, but with what you’re telling me .
. . wow. It’s scary what people can do!”
“Very. We haven’t had a chance yet,” Patty said. “Tomorrow, we’re in Jamaica and we’ve signed up to go to Dunn’s River Falls.
Did you? We’ve been before. It’s so very beautiful!”
“I think so, yes. We did sign up, didn’t we, Wes? It was one of the things that we had talked about!”
He nodded. Of course, they’d talked about the falls.
And about the dangers that could be found there. Part of the beauty of the place was walking up the falls. Of course they
were going. And still, even going . . .
How could they keep an eye on everyone on that cruise who might be in danger?
There were guides; there were others.
Right. Dozens of people. Hundreds. And somehow, Edward Thompson had still gone over the rail.
“Of course we’re going!” he said, and looking at Chloe he teased, “As you wish!”
She groaned aloud. Patty and Ned laughed. “So, it’s Westley and Buttercup!” Patty said.
“Oh, yeah! I think of her as a princess all the time!” Wes said.
She smiled at him over her gritted teeth.
“Oh, yeah. And he’s just like a dread pirate!” she agreed.
Wes just grinned and shrugged.
Patty laughed softly and said, “And we’re at sea!
But that’s so nice that you’re going to the falls, too.
I guess we’re going to go in and shower before dinner.
We’re doing sushi night!” Patty told her.
“Ooh, and a little secret! We heard that the computer experts giving most of the classes are going to be there, too. I mean, food is great and there will be a band and all, but . . . maybe we get a little extra!”
“And it sounds like a great plan—and great food,” Wes said.
“See you there!” Patty said, rising. She took her husband’s hand and waved; Chloe and Wes waved in turn.
Chloe looked at Wes. “Buttercup?”