Chapter 15 #3
that something was still planned on the ship. Either the death of a major player, like Edward, or . . .
Many deaths, as had occurred in Broward County.
“It’s all yours!” Wes called.
She was good at getting ready, but damn, he was fast!
She forced herself to rise quickly and streaked into the bathroom, noting only that Wes, hair still damp from the shower,
was nevertheless dressed for the day at sea. He was wearing swim shorts and a casual knit shirt.
She’d throw on her suit beneath a terry cover-up, she thought, and they’d be ready for anything they chose to do without having
to return to the cabin.
A few minutes later, she was ready as well.
“People did go off to bed early last night,” Chloe reminded him.
“We don’t really know if that was true for everyone,” Wes reminded her. “Remember, Buffalo Queen, others might have gone dancing
or gambling.” He smiled “We went to bed early, remember?”
She laughed and teased, “Did we?”
He just shook his head and opened the door. “Whatever, I did work up an appetite. We’ll head out to the usual.”
When they arrived at the breakfast buffet, only Edward, George and Sally were there. But Edward, looking very serious, waved
to them, indicating that they should come and join them. Wes nodded to the man and he and Chloe went through the line.
“You are hungry,” Chloe laughed, seeing that he chose an omelet, a waffle, a stack of bacon and an extra plate of fruit.
“Hey, come on, you didn’t work up any kind of appetite?” he teased.
“I ordered an omelet,” she said sagely. “Only so much will fit in the stomach no matter what!”
He grinned. “Well, at least you have toast and breakfast potatoes with your little plate of eggs!”
“Gee,” she teased. “I guess it just wasn’t that exhausting for me!”
“I didn’t think I was doing all the work,” he returned.
Grinning, she headed for the table with Wes right behind her.
When they had taken their seats, they realized that Edward was staring at them speculatively.
“Is everything all right?” Chloe asked him.
“I heard you got a tour of our beautiful yacht!” Edward told her.
“We did. Captain Millbrook . . . Well, he was very nice. He said that we deserved the ‘works,’ but since we got the tickets
with the ‘works,’ he thought that a real tour of the ship would be great. And it was!” Chloe assured him.
“And, yeah, well, this is way bigger than what I’m accustomed to!
” Wes assured him. “I thought I had a nice dive boat. Then again, mine is kind of like the one we went out in to dive to the wreck. Except that I have a pretty decent cabin and a galley, things that many dive boats don’t, since they’re set up for trips that last maybe four or five hours.
Still, nothing that compares to a mega yacht! ”
“I wasn’t thinking so much about the ship,” Edward said. “I was wondering if he brought you in to see where they’re keeping
Amelia.”
Sally set a hand on his arm. “Edward, dear, please, please, you need to let this go! Maybe the woman was really, truly, just
trying to be nice!”
George cleared his throat. “Well, Sally, even I heard you talking about being careful because of your allergy to nuts.”
“But you honestly couldn’t tell that there were ground nuts in the chocolate!” Sally said. “I mean, it was delicious chocolate!
Normally, you can see a piece of an almond or peanut. So, I understand. Maybe she just didn’t know. And now, of course, she’s
furious, and I’m so afraid that she’ll really cause trouble for you and the others and the captain and the company that owns
the line! And this . . . this really is such a wonderful cruise! So luxurious and a casino, too! Not many of the luxury vessels
like this one have casinos! And of course, the private island! So much that’s so very nice! Our captain is amazing, the security
people are top-notch—I just hate that I’m the one causing trouble!”
“Sally,” Chloe assured her, “none of this is your fault.”
“Of course not. And Amelia is right where she should be. I went with the captain.” He arched a brow to Wes. “I, too, was privileged
to see the waste containers! But I . . . I needed to see where they were keeping her. And it’s not horrible at all—I didn’t
think she should be locked up with only a bare floor. But I wanted to make sure that she was really, truly locked up and that
she wouldn’t be trying to kill Sally a third time!”
“Edward, we don’t know that—” Sally began.
“You’re nice, you’re way too nice, Sally.” He lowered his voice, although only the five of them were at the table. “There’s
more security footage, you know. Someone came out to twist some valve or something that caused the drain in the pool to turn
into a vacuum! And while you sure can’t see who it was all covered in a black suit and mask and all, I’m willing to bet that
it was Amelia Swenson!”
Chloe kept from glancing at Wes, but she knew that neither of them had known Edward had seen that footage.
“Anyone could have gotten caught in that drain,” Sally said.
“But everyone knows how you love the water, how you’re the first to hop in, swim to the deep end, head underwater!” Edward
said.
“But no guarantee,” George reminded him, “no guarantee that someone else might have been first.”
“But that woman! I don’t think she would have cared if someone else had gotten caught—it was a gamble on her part,” Edward
said.
“Edward, there’s just no way to be sure about this, or any of the things that have been happening. There was strange trouble
on the dive,” Wes reminded him, “and Amelia wasn’t even there!”
“Thankfully, my friend, you were!” Edward said.
“Hey, so, what are you planning for today?” Chloe asked.
“I have a lecture at one. Right now, of course, we’re enjoying breakfast!” Edward said. “Then . . . hm,” he said, smiling
at Sally, “Whatever this lovely lady would like!”
“I like just being with you!” Sally said. “But I do love the pool. And don’t worry—I will wait until tons of people are in
it before I go in.”
“I truly wish that I thought what happened was purely accidental!” Edward said. “But I’m not worried today. Amelia is locked up!”
George excused himself; his phone was ringing. He stepped away from the table for a moment.
“We were thinking of lounging around the pool, too,” Wes said. “I guess—if they’re not giving lectures—our usual crowd will
be around.”
“Daniel and Broderick—and their new ladies!” Edward said. “Well, as I said. It will be a lovely, relaxing day! Amelia will
not be out. There’s a security office in front of that cell—and a good metal door on it! We’ll be fine, and we will have a
great day, and she can try to sue from here to eternity, but once we’re in court . . . she underestimates the talent of many
of the fine prosecutors out there!”
George walked back to the table, looking troubled.
“What is it?” Chloe asked him.
“Um, well, Amelia isn’t locked up anymore,” George told them.
“What?” Edward almost shouted the word. “She couldn’t have escaped—”
“She didn’t,” George said quickly. “But she’s not in the brig—she’s in the hospital. She was vomiting so violently that they
had to get her to the infirmary. And she’s burning up. They’ve, uh, asked if I mind coming down. Edward—”
“Go,” Edward said. “I’m fine and I’ve been fine, but I do enjoy your company, sir!”
“And we’ll stick to him like glue!” Chloe promised sweetly.
“But, George!” Edward said.
“Yes?” George asked, getting ready to leave them.
“If she’s dying, well . . .” Edward paused, shaking his head, and then speaking very softly but with distress and passion,
“After all this . . . maybe just let the murderous woman die!”