Chapter 4
Chapter Four
Pippa, Jordy, Ezra, and I returned to our suites after dinner.
“I think we’re going to go out dancing tonight,” Pippa said as Jordy unlocked their door. “You and Ezra should join us.”
“No, you and Jordy go and enjoy yourselves,” I told her. “I think Ezra and I are just going to go watch the sunset from the back deck, then maybe take a walk later on tonight. Just decompress a little bit after the full day of travel.”
“That sounds nice too,” Pippa told me, “but a whole week without JayJay and J.P.? Jordy and I are going to enjoy every second of it. Besides, my man’s got some nice hip action on the dance floor.” She grinned and pinched his butt.
Jordy gave her a look that was full of heat. “Not just on the dance floor,” he said.
“TMI,” I told them with a laugh. “Well, you two do you. If we get a wild hair, we’ll join you at the club later tonight.”
After Pippa and Jordy entered their room, I knocked on Gilly’s door. I was surprised when she answered.
“Hey,” I said. “I just wanted to check on you, see how you were doing.”
“I’m feeling a lot better,” she said. “Scott ordered me some chicken noodle soup, and I was able to keep it down. So, yay — progress.”
“Oh, good. That’s really good news. Ezra and I are getting ready to clean up and go watch the sunset out on the back deck. Maybe take a walk later on if you guys want to join us.”
“I’m not sure I’m up for a walk on this big moving ship tonight,” she admitted. “But we’ll happily watch the sunset with you guys.”
I gave Gilly a quick hug. “See you on the balcony.”
We were lucky that our rooms were facing west on our way to Cozumel. It meant we had a front-row seat to the gorgeous sunset.
I flossed, brushed my teeth, and changed into less formal, stretchy, wide-leg pants and a cotton scoop-neck shirt. Ezra put on a pair of cargo shorts and a pale-yellow t-shirt. His legs were nicely muscled, but they hadn’t seen the sun since August. They were so, so white.
“Nice mayonnaise legs,” I teased.
“You like them?” He turned his ankle out like a model showing off a new shoe. “I hear they’re all the rage with the Gen Zs.”
“I’m sure Mason, Ari, and Marco would have something to say about it.” I snickered.
Mason, Ari, and Marco were all in college now, living their best lives.
Mason, Ezra’s son, was still doing fantastic at the University of Missouri.
He finished his bachelor’s in biomedical science and had already started the master’s program for Biomedical Research.
He’d applied for a Teacher Assistant job in the department and got it, which meant his tuition was paid, and he received a stipend every semester for teaching two biology classes to first-year students.
Gilly’s twins were doing terrific as well.
Marco, who’d been playing baseball at a local community college, had gotten scouted by Central University.
He was offered a full-ride scholarship to play for two more years there.
He talked it over with Gilly, and within a few days, he was signing the paperwork.
Ari was killing it at Sanderson Institute of Technology, and she was already being courted by several big tech companies, along with NASA.
Watching Ezra’s son and my godchildren turn into amazing adults was so much fun.
“Let’s not ask them and say we did,” Ezra said. “I’m not sure my ego can take their shade.”
“Probably for the best.” I rose up on my toes and kissed him. “Let’s go see if the show is worth the price of admission.”
It definitely was.
We sat in the chairs on the balcony, holding hands, feet propped up on the rail. The water below shimmered, reflecting the tangerine and vermillion streaks that painted the sky. The ocean looked like it had been dipped in molten gold, rippling with every gentle wave.
When it was over, I felt like I’d taken a Valium.
“That was so beautiful.” The tension in my neck and back had magically disappeared. The ocean was a prescription I hadn’t known I needed. “I haven’t been this relaxed in years.”
“Same.” Ezra agreed, helping me up from the chair. “There’s something about being out of cell phone range of all your problems. It’s like the sea is giving us permission to just let it all go.”
“That’s how I feel.” I slid my arms around him. “We should make this a yearly occurrence. Get away to somewhere we’re not tied to our lives.”
“I vote yes,” he said.
“Me too,” Gilly called over from her balcony. “Only, next time, maybe we do an all-inclusive resort instead of a giant rocking cradle.”
“We can look into that, too.” I looked over at her and smiled. “Ezra and I are going to go up to the lido deck and stretch our legs. Are you sure you don’t want to come?”
“Scott can go if he wants,” she said guiltily. “I hate that he’s been stuck in the room with me.”
“I’m not leaving you,” he affirmed from behind her. “We have the rest of the week to explore.”
“It’s settled then.” Gilly waved us off. “Have fun. I’m going to make it an early night, so I’ll see you in the morning.”
We said our goodnights, then made our way to the elevator and up to explore the upper decks.
Stretching our legs had involved walking the perimeter of the pool deck for an hour, sipping pina coladas from one of the bars for another hour, and then hitting the casino, where I lost twenty dollars on a quarter slot, and Ezra won it back on a nickel machine. By that time, it was after ten o’clock.
“You showed those slots who’s the boss. My hero.” I linked my arm with his. “That was fun. I haven’t been in a casino since nineteen ninety-four when my work sent me to Vegas for a beauty convention.”
“Hmmm,” Ezra mused. “In nineteen ninety-four, I was—”
I gave him a kiss to shut him up. “I have no interest in knowing what kind of diaper you wore as a toddler.”
He chuckled. “I wasn’t a toddler.”
“Close enough.” I gave him a nudge with my elbow.
I was getting tired, but I wasn’t quite ready to put a lid on the evening.
“Let’s go up to the spa deck. I bet it’s deserted at this time of night.
” I laughed as a notion popped into my head.
“Maybe we can find a nook and cranny where you can explore my nooks and crannies.”
He picked up the pace at the suggestion, making me laugh even more. God, I loved that man.
The Resplendent Retreat was an amenity for people in the concierge-class rooms and above, so we had to use our card key to get past the gate. Two women exited the hot tub when we got to the spa area. They wrapped towels around themselves, then holding hands, they walked past us toward the gate.
The area was quiet and peaceful. The soft glow of lantern-style lights lined the walkways, and the sound of trickling water came from the hydrotherapy pool. The briny sea air mixed with herbal scents of eucalyptus and lavender.
It felt like a hidden sanctuary, a world away from the bustling pool deck below.
The steam coming off the hot tub curled into the air and disappeared into the night sky. After a long day, a hot soak sounded divine.
“Now I wish we’d have brought our swimming trunks.”
“We could always skinny dip.”
“Hah!” I shook my head. “You’re hilarious. God knows how many cameras they have up on this deck. My clothes are staying on.”
“It’ll be harder to explore your nooks and crannies that way, but I’m up for the challenge.” He wrapped his arm around my waist and pulled me into an embrace. The heat from the hot tub was no match for the sizzle of his lips on mine.
There was a narrow passage on the other side of the towel rack that was dark and hidden.
Perfect for a bit of privacy. I dragged Ezra into the shadow, gasping as he sandwiched me between his body and the wall, one arm around my back while his free hand slid under my shirt and up my waist. The warmth of his mouth on my neck raised goosebumps on my flesh.
“Yes,” I rasped, as he explored even more.
The sound of a chair or something metal scraping across the deck brought our tête-à-tête to a screeching halt.
My eyes widened at Ezra. It was dark, but my vision had adjusted enough that I could see him put his finger to his lips, then point down south.
His cargo pants were doing a poor job of hiding his arousal.
Stepping out of the shadows now wasn’t an option. We’d have to wait it out.
I nodded, trying not to giggle at the absurdity. There was a splash, then another splash.
I raised my brows at Ezra. He shrugged, then sidestepped to the end of the passage and peeked out. He looked at me and shook his head. “I can’t see anyone,” he whispered.
We heard the scraping sound again. “What in the world is going on?” I whispered.
We both leaned a little closer to the edge of the wall, peeking around the corner.
We didn’t see anyone when we stepped out, but then I noticed something dark floating on the surface of the hydrotherapy pool.
“Ezra,” I said, my voice uneasy. “It looks like someone threw something in the pool. Is that someone’s clothes?”
His expression tightened as we crossed the deck to the bubbling water. “Someone in their clothes,” he said.
Oh, no. There was a body in the pool, face down in the water.
Ezra, trained for moments like this, didn’t hesitate. He jumped into the water, cutting through it with quick, powerful strokes. He reached the body in seconds and maneuvered the man toward the edge. I dropped to my knees, heart racing, and helped pull him onto the deck.
“Oh, no,” I breathed, as I turned the man onto his back. “It’s Sebastian Caldwell.”
His spray-tanned skin was sallow, and his body limp. He wasn’t breathing. I pressed my fingers to his neck, searching for a pulse. Nothing.
“No pulse or respiration,” I said, my voice shaking.
“I’ll start CPR,” Ezra said immediately. His voice was steady, but his face wasn’t. “I saw a red phone on the other side of the hot tub. Call the medical clinic. Tell them it’s an emergency.”
Adrenaline propelled me to my feet. I ran to the phone and grabbed it, my hands shaking as I punched in 111, the number listed for the clinic.
“You’ve reached the medical center on deck two. This is Nurse Tony,” a man answered. He sounded bored as if he were expecting someone complaining about seasickness or a headache. “What can I help you with tonight?”
“We pulled a man out of the hydrotherapy pool in the Resplendent Retreat,” I blurted. “He’s not breathing, and I couldn’t find a pulse. My partner’s doing CPR.”
The boredom disappeared from his voice. “I’m on my way.”
“Please, hurry.” I hung up the phone and raced back to Ezra, who hadn’t missed a beat with the compressions. “A nurse is coming,” I told him, breathless. “Anything?”
Ezra didn’t look up. His face was tight with focus, his hands moving steadily. “Nothing yet,” he said through gritted teeth. “Come on, buddy. Breathe.”
Sebastian’s skin looked waxy under the deck lights, his dark hair plastered to his forehead. Water pooled around him as it drained from his clothes. The wine stain on his shirt from dinner was faded, but still there.
My throat burned. “Come on, you jerk,” I whispered. “Don’t do this.”
Ezra tilted Sebastian’s head back and gave him two rescue breaths.
I heard footfalls from behind the bar area moving quickly toward us. I turned as a man in a white uniform appeared, a medical bag slung over his shoulder.
“I’m Tony,” he said, his voice brisk and professional. He dropped to his knees across from Ezra. “What do we have?”
“Found him face down in the hydrotherapy pool. No pulse, no breathing. We pulled him out and started CPR,” Ezra said, not stopping. “I’ve been doing it for a few minutes now.
Tony nodded, already getting to work. He pulled a stethoscope and a small device from his bag, pressing it to Sebastian’s chest. His jaw tightened. “No heartbeat.” He glanced at me. “Did either of you see what happened?”
“No,” I said, my voice dry and shaky. “We came up to the spa deck, and then a minute or two later he was just… there. We didn’t see anyone else.”
Tony grabbed a portable defibrillator from his bag and cut open Sebastian’s shirt.
“Okay, let’s shock him.” He placed the pads carefully on Sebastian’s chest. “Clear.”
Ezra leaned back, hands up.
The machine gave a high-pitched whine, then a sharp jolt. Sebastian’s body twitched violently.
I held my breath.
“No rhythm.” Tony reset the machine. “Clear.”
Another jolt. Again, it failed to get Sebastian’s heart started.
He did it twice more at increasing intensities, only to get the same outcome. Nothing. Tony sat back on his heels and shook his head, his expression grim. “I’m afraid it’s too late. He’s gone.”
The world seemed to tilt. My knees wobbled. I pressed a hand to my chest, only then realizing I’d been holding my breath.
The nurse looked at me, his voice softer now. “Do either of you know this man?”
I swallowed hard and nodded. “Yes. He’s in the suite next to ours with his wife. His name’s Sebastian Caldwell.”
Tony’s brows lifted slightly, recognition flickering in his eyes. “The singing contest judge?”
“Yeah. That’s him.”
He looked anxious as he closed the defibrillator case. “That’s not good.”
I couldn’t agree with him more. It certainly wasn’t good for Sebastian.
The nurse’s expression darkened. “Did you see what happened?”
“No.” My fingers felt numb, so I curled them into fists to get the feeling back. “We heard some scraping, then a splash, then another splash, and more scraping. By the time we got to the pool, he was already in the water.”
Tony exhaled sharply, his jaw tight. “Terrible accident,” he said, but his eyes weren’t convinced. “I’ll notify the captain and security, too. You’ll need to stick around and give them your statements.”
Ezra stood slowly, his wet shorts dripping. His shoulders were tense, his jaw clenched so hard a muscle ticked near his temple.
I stepped closer to him, lowering my voice. “Ezra… what are you thinking?”
He didn’t answer right away. He stared at Sebastian’s still body for a moment longer, then exhaled slowly. His voice was low, edged with something cold and certain. “This wasn’t an accident.”
Unfortunately, I couldn’t disagree. The metal scraping sound happened after the splashes. After Sebastian was in the water. Which meant, someone had been up here with him when he’d gone in, and...they’d left him to die.