Chapter 16
Sixteen
They weren’t at the table long before they were joined by first Celia and Jeff, and then Daniel and the beautiful Gina and
his brother Broderick.
Naturally, the conversation went around again about Amelia being in the hospital now instead of prison, with everyone tactfully
avoiding Edward’s somewhat sinister suggestion.
“It’s pretty serious. They’ve called George down there,” Edward said gravely.
“Well, must be the prison grub!” Daniel said lightly. He shrugged. “Maybe she should be sick, after everything that she did.”
“Okay, guys,” Gina put in. “We don’t know the truth! Therefore, I think that we need to use a little caution when we’re talking
about her.”
“Gina!” Celia said, laughing. “I don’t think that you need to worry. You’re not part of the group that may find themselves
sued!”
Gina shook her head. “We just don’t really know!
” she said. “I mean . . . Edward! You’re an amazing man.
What you and your company tried to do for this cruise—yes, yes, promotion for yourself, too—is amazing.
But please! Let’s have a nice day, let’s not think about Amelia anymore, or let any speculation ruin a beautiful day at sea! ”
“Hear, hear! I like this lovely woman!” Sally said.
“Right, okay, yes, of course,” Edward murmured. He looked around the table, forcing a smile. “A day at sea! Who is loving
the wind and the water, lazing it out on a deck chair, and who is heading to some music, some dancing . . . the casino?”
“Hey, who is to say that you can’t do a little of both?” Daniel asked lightly. “Though this lovely lady has mentioned dancing,
but that will be a bit later. Oh, but we’re doing something incredibly important today, too!” he said.
“What’s that?” Edward asked.
“Coming to see you speak, offer any further explanation, keep our mouths shut, whatever you’d like!” Broderick told him.
Edward laughed. “Trust me, I never thought that I knew it all!”
Wes listened, laughed and determined his next best move was getting to speak with George.
He wanted to know what the hell had gone on with Amelia.
Two things occurred to him . . .
Someone could have gotten to her. Poisoned her, as she had tried to poison Sally.
Or . . .
She’s managed it all herself in an attempt to get herself removed from the ship’s brig. There really wasn’t a way out down there. From the hospital . . .
Well, there was no massive metal door for one.
He made a point of stretching and wincing. “Babe,” he said to Chloe, “you didn’t happen to remember to bring any of my back medication, did you?”
“I brought it, sweetheart, but it’s in the cabin,” Chloe told him.
“Of course, thank you. Excuse me. I’ll be right back!”
He left the table, hurrying toward the hallway and the elevator. But instead of heading to the cabin, he hurried to the hospital
deck.
He found George in the waiting area, pacing.
“What the hell?” Wes asked him.
He shook his head. “Seems like the kind of sickness you might get from really bad fish or something similar. Food poisoning.”
“I know damned well they didn’t serve bad food on this ship,” Wes said.
George shook his head. “I spoke with three of the security officers. You know, they do go through extensive training. The
International Maritime Association keeps great tabs on people. The oceans go everywhere and I’ve gotten to know several of
the officers, Wes, and they’re good. They’re honest, they’re passionate about the law and people at sea. They didn’t allow
anyone in. They swear as well that they all ate the same dinner that Amelia ate. So, whatever is plaguing her . . .”
“She did it to herself,” Wes said. “She did it to get out of the brig.”
“I think you’re right. But I’m keeping close tabs on her, I promise you,” George said.
Wes nodded. “Call me if you need me. I don’t care who thinks what on this. If anything, if you need help—”
“I will call you immediately. At this moment, the woman is no danger to anyone. The doctor is treating her, and he is one
of the best. But it will be a while before she could begin to be dangerous to anyone.”
“Right. Thanks. I’ll be in touch.”
George nodded gravely.
Beyond a doubt, they needed to keep in touch. The day at sea stretched before them, and anyone on board could be in danger.
And he couldn’t begin to imagine just what someone might be planning.
Wes headed to the elevators and down the hallway and then back to the table, smiling as he rejoined them, nodding to Chloe
as if assuring her that he’d found everything just fine.
“So, any plans?” he asked.
“Well, for me, since I get to my lectures and Q and A sessions early enough to welcome those who arrive, I figured I had just
the right amount of time for a rollicking good game of bocce ball!”
“There’s bocce ball on the ship?” Wes asked.
“Near the kids’ pool,” Gina assured him. “We’re in! Ready for—what did you call it, Edward? A rollicking good game of bocce
ball!”
“Very well, I believe we are all set,” Wes agreed.
“The great game of bocce ball!” Edward told them all. “The ancient and great game of bocce ball! Historically, the game was
first played in ancient Greece and then the Romans took over. Those Romans were known for taking over!”
“Roaming Romans, roaming all around!” Jeff said lightly.
“I’m going to beg out on this,” Celia said.
She nodded toward a woman Wes had seen in a few of the classes who was at a nearby table.
“I promised a little bit of a private session with the lady over there. She’s a young widow, just forty-eight, but she lost her husband to cancer a couple of years ago.
She met him in high school and she’s incredibly awkward when it comes to dating and, of course, naturally online dating, since it didn’t exist back when she and her husband met one another. ”
“Aren’t we all!” Chloe said, adding sagely, “I can’t tell you how grateful I am to be married to the love of my life. Dating
is . . . wow. I never did get into the whole online dating thing—I wanted to see people in the flesh! Well, anyway, I hope
you can help her, Celia, because I wouldn’t want to be back out there!”
“Probably not,” Broderick said. “Trust me, it is still painful and awkward. You know, there was a video that went viral about
a year ago. There was a woman who was going on and on about how it was impossible to make women happy. You open a door, you’re
too macho. You don’t open the door, you’re a rude, unmannered slob! It’s impossible to find that middle ground that makes
you the perfect gentleman. Dating can be a nightmare.”
“And guys can be just as bad, if not worse,” Celia assured them. “Seriously, I’ve heard plenty of nightmare stories about
men, too.”
“Hey, we’re all part of humanity, right? Male and female. We come in nice and not nice. Some of us have manners, some don’t.
Anyone, male or female, can be great and anyone, male or female, can be a monster. Whoever this woman was doing the talking
on the video, ranting on and on, I’m just sorry to hear about it. She must be an extremely unhappy person,” Chloe said.
“Oh! Your ‘Buttercup’ is just too lovely a person!” Jeff told Wes, grinning.
“His lovely, lovely angel!” Edward said. “And if only there were more in the world. Especially the corporate world!”
Daniel laughed softly, looking at Gina. “And I guess I got lucky, too. I believe I found the perfect woman, definitely an
angel!”
“It all depends on who I’m with!” Gina said in return, smiling.
“All right, then. I say break!” Wes stood. Jeff rose right after him, looking at the other table and then the group. “Hm.
You want my help, Celia, or you want to talk to her alone?”
“You go. Play bocce ball!” Celia told him, rising as well and gently touching his cheek. “I’m fine. I can manage this one
on my own. If I finish up, I’ll join you guys. Then again, I can’t really be an angel and still beat the pants off all of
you with my incredible ability at bocce ball!”
“Ooh. Are you that good?” Daniel asked her.
Celia laughed. “No. But it sounded pretty tough, right?”
Everyone laughed and Celia gave them a wave.
They watched as she headed over to the other table. Wes noted that Bryan and Darlene were seated there, too, and he waved
to the women. Darlene waved back enthusiastically.
“Now there’s a kid who will probably never have a problem with anything social!” Gina said. “As sweet as can be!”
“She is sweet, and her dad seems to be a good guy, too,” Chloe agreed.
With a huge smile, Darlene was waving to them all.
“Yeah,” Jeff murmured, “but her dad wants her and himself to sit in with us on this—he’s so afraid she’s going to meet a predator
online. Well, that’s a fear for dads all over the world these days.”
“For anyone any age,” Edward said.
“Man, is it good to be off the market!” Chloe murmured, bringing another round of smiles to the group.
“Okay, onward to bocce ball, while I still have an hour or so to show you young people how it’s done!” Edward told them.
“Young people?” Sally said lightly. “You’re going to show me, too, right?”
“You have the youngest heart of all, my dear!” Edward assured her.
Chloe glanced at Wes, arching a brow. The little affair going on was charming and it seemed to be a safe affair for now.
Amelia might not be in the brig, but she was out of the picture.
Hopefully. But George was watching.
And George, he reminded himself, was good at what he did. George could keep his eye on Amelia.
He and Chloe would play bocce ball. And the only one in the list of suspects they wouldn’t see at any given moment was Celia.
He didn’t like that. He had to remind himself again that just because Celia could have an acidic personality, it didn’t make
her a murderer.
“So, Edward, you sure know a lot of trivia, even when it comes to this game!” Chloe was saying as they reached the elevators.