Chapter 53
Cutter continued to carve on the new chunk of cedar after Polina left.
It had become crystal clear to him while the Ukrainian woman explained the Russian Oprichniki that a knot in the wood was in exactly the right location to form a whippoorwill’s wide eye and huge insect-eating mouth.
Grumpy always had a thing for whippoorwills.
Neither Cutter nor his brother were ever sure if the old man loved the night birds or hated them, but a whippoorwill never called that Grumpy didn’t hush the boys and urge them to listen.
Lola stood with her back against the cabin door, resting both hands on top of her head, eyes shut tight enough to wrinkle her nose.
Cutter had seen her perplexed look before and knew it was best not to interrupt her.
Instead, he let the quiet settle over the cabin, focusing on the tip of the little Wharncliffe blade where it met the piece of cedar.
The silence wouldn’t last long. Lola was like a shaken soda bottle with ideas just waiting to bubble out.
“I want to go to Ketchikan,” she said.
Cutter didn’t look up.
“Good idea,” he said. “We still have the two warrants we didn’t work yesterday.”
“I want to go now.”
Cutter chuckled. “I know.”
“How about I fly back from Juneau?” She bounced her bum off the door and walked to the couch, careful not to bump him and make him cut himself when she sat down. “I’ll take annual leave.”
Cutter flicked the back of the knife blade against his thigh to shut it.
“Lola, I’m agreeing with you. We need to go to Ketchikan. No need to go on your own dime. Fact is, we should look at everything again in light of this new information.”
She gave a swift nod. “You’re right. This is big.”
“And we need to pass this information on to the Bureau.”
“Way to ruin it, Boss. Up until an hour ago, I was keen to enjoy the cruise—Abraham Malosi’s murder and your snooty ex-wife notwithstanding.
I mean, heaps of tasty protein and those choice little towel animals on my bed every day …
Now I reckon I can’t get off this tub fast enough.
You think the chief would try for a special task force considering this new info? ”
“I’m sure she’ll bring it up with the SAC.
” Cutter pronounced the acronym for the Special Agent in Charge of the FBI field office sack.
Bureau bosses generally preferred each letter be pronounced individually—S-A-I-C.
Cutter had no time for that. He was pretty sure the acting assistant special agent in charge—an FBI supervisor named Beason—called Cutter a sack of something behind his back all the time.
Lola groaned. “I’d work with the devil himself as long as we catch the bastards branding these women.”
“Good to …”
Cutter’s voice trailed off as he watched Joellen’s cabin door open on the video monitor.
Lola followed his gaze.
“What an egg!” she said. “We’ve got Malosi’s killer running loose and all the ship’s cameras but the one on her door are inoperable. Didn’t you tell her to stay put?”
“Yep,” Cutter said.
They watched the screen as Joellen shut her door behind her and stopped to talk with the security officer Ajit had stationed outside her room.
She carried a pillow under her arm and wore a gauzy robe that looked like it was meant for entertaining more than covering a nightgown.
There was no sound, but it was easy to figure out what was being said.
The security officer did a lot of nodding while Joellen talked.
A moment later, she left the camera’s field of view, followed by the security officer, who had a phone to his ear.
Ajit telephoned a few seconds before there was a knock at the door, confirming what Cutter and Lola already guessed. Joellen wasn’t going to stay in her room alone.
Cutter stood, but Lola shook her head.
“Look,” she said. “I don’t care if she sleeps on the couch, but Boss, you gotta draw the line with this chivalry horseshit. Go on in your room and call Mim before she goes to bed. You’re always so giddy when you two talk. It’ll be good for your ex to hear you so happy.”
Much to Lola’s annoyance, Cutter took only half her advice. He jumped on a FaceTime call with Mim but gave the extra room to Joellen and slept on the couch. Lola stomped away to her room, avoiding eye contact with Joellen altogether.
Cutter asked no questions, acting instead as if her visit was planned all along.
“I’m on the phone with Mim,” he said. “Your bed’s in there. You have it all to yourself. I’ll use the bathroom in Lola’s cabin.”
Joellen gave a sullen nod and took her pillow into the other room. Whatever grand slumber party or all-night talk she may have expected, it wasn’t happening.
As hide-a-beds went, the suite’s sofa was fairly comfortable, though Cutter’s feet did hang off the end by a couple of inches.
He wore his AirPods, leaving Joellen and Lola privy only to his side of the conversation.
“… she just unilaterally decided y’all would have a sleepover?” Mim said. “Occupation by force.”
“Yep,” Cutter said.
“That’s just crazy.” Then, in typical Mim fashion, added a splash of grace. “But I suppose she’s gotta be scared out of her mind.”
“It’ll all work out.”
Mim sighed. “I know …”
Cutter brought her up to speed on the happenings of the day, leaving out the gory details of Malosi’s murder and not dwelling on the fact that the killer was still at large. He didn’t mention the inoperable cameras at all.
“… I’ll bet Lola’s over the moon with the Russian dog’s head info.”
“She is.” Cutter steered the discussion away from bloody murder and asked about the kids. “Any new broken bones?”
“Day ain’t over yet,” Mim said. “I can hear a pillow fight getting out of hand as we speak. They’re gonna shake the pictures off the walls. Can’t wait for you to get home and swim some of this energy off them.”
“Me too,” Cutter said.
“Please tell me you’re still coming home by Sunday?”
“Should be,” Cutter said.
“Good, because I’m making that leg of lamb for your mother and I need you here to make gravy.”
“I’ll be home to make gravy,” Cutter said. “Cross my heart.”
“I’m serious, Arliss,” Mim said. “I make really shitty gravy. …” She sniffed, rubbing her eyes with the heel of her hand. “I don’t want your mother to judge me.”
“Are you—”
“I’m not crying over gravy!” she snapped. “This is just … This is hard.”
“I promise,” he said. “Barring some act of God, I’ll be home to make the gravy.”
“Thank you,” she said, tearing up again. “I love you, big man, and don’t you forget it.” She held the phone over her belly. “She loves you, too.”
He gave her a thumbs-up. “Gravy or bust. Now get some sleep.”
Mim blew him a kiss. “Be careful.”
Cutter waited for her to end the call and then leaned back on the couch, slouching against the cushions, phone on his belly.
Joellen ambled out of her room. “Sorry,” she said, pulling her robe closed at her chest. It was a gauzy blue thing that didn’t quite come to her knees. “If I’d known things were going to turn out this way, I would have worn my granny gown.”
“Good to know,” Cutter said.
“I forgot my water in my room.”
Cutter nodded to the minifridge. “There’s some in there.”
“You know,” Joellen said, stooping in front of the cabinet. “Maybe if you woulda tried a little harder to get home and make gravy back in the day, you and me … I don’t know, maybe we would have worked out.”
Cutter groaned, too exhausted to argue.
“Maybe so,” he said.
“It ain’t about the gravy,” Lola said, appearing like a genie out of thin air. Cutter was used to it, but Joellen jumped like she’d just been goosed. “It’s who you’re making the gravy for.”
Joellen stood, water bottle in hand, and locked eyes with Lola. “I want to say you’re adorable,” she said. “But I just can’t.”
“No worries.” Lola grinned. “Just doing my part for the boss.”
Cutter closed his eyes. “Don’t each of you ladies have your own room?”
“She’s got two,” Lola said.
“Good night, Lola,” Cutter said.
“Night, Boss!” Lola beamed. “I reckon I’m gonna dream about Russian slavers and severed dog heads.”
Cutter sighed.
“Same.”
Joellen took a long drink from the water bottle.
“You people are insane.”