“I tried the satellite connection when we returned onboard and it seems okay now. If we get good weather from here to Honolulu, I’ll have three days to work on it.”
“Good,” I replied, looking thoughtful. “In the meantime, I think we should try and flush out the killer.”
“Are you crazy? That’s too dangerous,” Chris exclaimed.
A few faces turned our way and I shushed him. “Keep your voice down. I’ll discuss it with Dobbs and Smythe, of course; but we have to do something if we’re to catch this bastard before we get to Honolulu.”
“And what about trying to work out if there are any future victims?”
I shrugged. “That’s going to take more time than we have. But if you come across a name that jumps out at you, let me know. Mind you, even if we did get a few names, how do we know in which order the killer will get to them?”
Chris nodded. “You’re right. Plus once the captain announces the change in itinerary, this’ll put the squeeze on the killer. He’ll surely strike if he still has unfinished business, so we need to catch him urgently.”
I cocked an eyebrow at him. “My sentiments exactly.”
Chris shook his head. “I don’t like it, Mia. Besides, to flush out a killer you need bait, and who’s going to be stupid enough to volunteer?”
~~~
“Daaaaarling, long time, no see!” Enrico Lotti sashayed toward me while I took a solitary walk on the Promenade Deck after dinner.
He wore white pantaloons and a cotton shirt, open all the way to the waistband of his pants. He had obviously been sunbathing because he sported a deep tan; and with his blond hair and green eyes, he looked like a sex god. No way he was the killer.
“Just the man I was thinking about,” I said in greeting when he reached me, took me in his arms, and kissed me on each cheek. He obviously got over our little tiff, when I’d told him I wasn’t going to give him any gossip.
“Why, you look positively radiant!” He admired me from top to bottom and flashed a smile of approval revealing his very bright and shiny teeth.
I was wearing white, like Enrico, in the way of an Indian cotton dress; sleeveless and with a ruffled skirt that felt like gossamer against my skin. I had gold-coloured strappy sandals on my feet and gold hoops in my ears. My light tan complemented my appearance.
“I’ve been looking for you, Enrico.”
He put an arm around my shoulders as we continued to stroll along the deck. “And what can I do for you, bella?”
“Well...” I let the word linger for a moment. “How would you like to help me flush out a killer?”
The wide-eyed look he gave me, plus the parting of his luscious, cherubic lips into a beautiful smile, was his answer. “I’m at your command.” He took a little bow for effect.
I stopped walking and turned to him. “I know this sounds like a stage production for you; but Enrico, you need to know—you’d be the bait.” I felt I had to warn him lest he think we were playacting. With Enrico, one never knew.
He didn’t even bat an eyelid, and I had to wonder at his sense of chivalry. “I will do this no matter what,” he said while he picked up my hand and kissed the back of it in true gentlemanly fashion.
I told Enrico I would get back to him after I had a chance to put a plan together. He bid me goodnight with another kiss on each cheek and went on his way. I walked a little longer along the deck, but after a day filled with adventure I was ready to turn in. Therefore, I was totally unprepared when, about to reach my cabin, a door opened on the other side of the passageway and an arm stuck out, grabbed hold of my arm, and pulled me inside.
The door of the cabin shut and I was left leaning against it with Smythe standing in front of me. Talk about being caught between a rock and a hard place!
“What do you think you’re up to? Let me out this minute!” I protested with as much indignation as I could muster.
“Not until we talk.”
I knew from the determined tone in his voice I wasn’t going anywhere until we had our discussion. I sighed and gave in. “Okay, if we must.”
He relaxed his stance. “Can I offer you a drink?”
“No, thanks. Let’s just get this over with.” I didn’t mean to sound so dismissive of the whole thing, but I truly was tired and my body craved for sleep.
“You snuck away during dinner,” he accused with something like hurt in his eyes.
“Only because I came up with an idea to flush out the killer, and I had something to attend to.”
His eyes flashed caution. “Mia, you’re not to take any chances, do you hear? We’re not dealing with an amateur here. Besides—”
“Hey, hold your horses, Smythe,” I reassured him. “I have every intention of discussing it with you and Dobbs first. I was simply answering your question now because you accused me of sneaking out from dinner.”
This seemed to have a pacifying effect on him, but not for long. He wore a frown when he said, “What is it with you? You can’t deny that what happened the other night was one-sided.”
He stood so close to me, I felt the current between us. But with everything that was happening around us, this was not the time to deal with our personal feelings. I wanted to process everything Dobbs had told me about my father, and I needed time to come to terms with my physical attraction for Smythe.
I took in his good looks, felt the sizzle between us, and knew I could make it easy for us by jumping into bed with him. At the same time, I was sure I’d regret it if things happened too fast. There were many unresolved issues between us at present and I didn’t know how to proceed at this point.
I sighed with frustration. “Look, I don’t have any answers right now. What is it that you want from me?”
Wrong question! But it was too late. No sooner were the words out of my mouth that his lips swooped down on mine and we became locked in a deep kiss too difficult to break. Not that I felt I wanted to break it. Besides, his arms were far too strong; his body too close; the excitement between us, too much. We didn’t even talk except with our bodies. I gave in to the heady sensation of pure, unadulterated passion, and threw caution to the four winds.
I wasn’t sure how we ended up naked in his bed or how what followed made me think I’d died and gone to some sexual heaven where orgasmic sensations were the norm. What we did initially was not make love but simply explore our raw sexuality. Our attraction for each other had been pent up for far too long, and now it exploded into being.
It took three times before we were able to slow down enough to a tender kind of lovemaking that brought tears of joy to my eyes. And this was how I finally fell asleep—in his arms, feeling safe, cherished, and loved.
Chapter 21
I opened my eyes and stretched languidly. My body was sore, but sated. I felt relaxed and rested, but at the same time in want of further sleep. Yet something at the back of my mind told me not everything was as it should be. Then, I became aware of deep breathing beside me and I turned my head slowly to the source, not wanting to disturb him.
Smythe was out like a light, sleeping on his side, facing me. I watched him for several moments as my horrified mind flooded with images of what had transpired during the night. I felt like screaming with joy, but also with alarm. As usual, I’d managed to get myself into trouble.
I had to get out of here immediately and seek the safe haven of my own cabin. I quashed my tumultuous emotions for the present and carefully slid out of bed while grabbing my discarded white dress, which lay in a heap on the floor. I slipped into it and looked for my undergarments. My panties rested on top of a lampshade and my bra lay over the plasma TV screen. I gathered them, together with my sandals, which I found in the bathroom, and softly made my way out of his cabin and into mine. I thanked my lucky stars the plastic key to my room was still in the small pocket of my dress and I hadn’t lost it somewhere in Smythe’s cabin.
Once inside, I tore off my garment and jumped straight into the shower, berating myself for bei
ng such a fool as hot jets of water almost scalded my skin. So much for my intention to wait and sort through my feelings relating to what I’d learned about my father and Smythe. In my usual impetuous fashion, I’d jumped head first into a world of erotic sensuality I’d never known existed. And I didn’t mean the mechanics of it—it wasn’t the sex and what we did, but how I felt when we did it. It was like everything in the universe fell into its rightful place the moment our bodies came together, and nothing else mattered.
I hated how I felt. It made me feel extremely vulnerable. It gave Smythe power over me. I didn’t want to feel this way. Not now, not ever. I’d learned the hard way in the past, and no man would ever have the opportunity to hurt me again.
I dried off from the shower and dressed in faded jeans, white T-shirt, and a pair of red Nike sneakers. I wore no make-up and allowed my hair to dry naturally while I grabbed the offending garments from last night and shoved them into a laundry bag. In the meantime, I debated whether to ring Chris in case he wanted to join me for breakfast even though it had only gone six. Before I could make up my mind, I heard a soft knock at my door. I knew who it was, but opened the door just the same.
Smythe stood on the other side, also showered, with still damp hair, and dressed in khaki shorts and a dark blue polo shirt. “May I?” he asked shyly.
I nodded, and he entered. I shut the door after him.
“What happened to you? I woke up and you were gone.” He moved toward me and kissed me gently on the mouth.
I turned away, frowning. “This is moving too fast for me. You must see that. I never meant for last night to happen.”
He nodded, albeit reluctantly. “That’s what I thought, and why I came to apologise. It was my fault. You were trying to tell me you needed time and I attacked you instead. I was no better than Cliff Downes.”
This brought a faint smile to my lips. “Yes, but at least your advances were welcome, despite my confused feelings.”
He regarded me with warmth in his eyes and drew me gently into his arms. “I loved what happened between us. It’s like nothing I ever felt before with anyone.”
“Not even with Amanda?” I couldn’t help myself.
He kissed the top of my head. “No. Not even Amanda. Amanda and I were merely consoling each other. I know this now.”
I disengaged from the embrace and took a step back so I could gaze into his eyes. “Smythe, I feel the same way you do. But I still need time to process everything, and I think we should remain friends until this is all over. Once we’re back home we can talk about it. Deal?”
He regarded me for a long time, desire in his eyes mixed with an emotion I couldn’t put a name to. “Only under one condition,” he said finally.
Now what? I thought. I looked questioningly at him and waited for his reply.
He suddenly smiled and said, “That you quit calling me Smythe. I think after what we’ve done I’ve earned the right to be called by my first name.”
This was the last thing I expected to hear and I gave him an amused look. “Okay,” I agreed. “But only when we’re alone. I don’t want the others to know what’s been going on. So in public, you’ll always be ‘Smythe’ to me.”
He accepted this with a good natured, “Very well.”
I sighed with relief. He understood and respected my needs. It was a good beginning, and one that should be celebrated with food. “I don’t know about you, but I’m starving. Sex does that to me,” I confessed.
He laughed. “Great minds think alike. Care to join me for breakfast?”
I nodded and we left the cabin together.
~~~
Smythe and I were eating in the buffet restaurant and chitchatting when Chris suddenly appeared at our table, startling us.
“Mia, I’ve been ringing your cabin since six. Where were you?”
He looked like he’d barely slept, but there was a glint of excitement in his eyes that set my heart beating faster. “Couldn’t sleep so I came up here for an early breakfast and ran into Smythe,” I told him, amazed at how easily the lie came to my lips. “It’s obvious you found something, Chris. But by the looks of you, you need coffee and something to eat before you tell us. So off you go. We’ll be here waiting.”
Chris nodded and took off.
“Well, Ferrari,” Smythe remarked with an amused grin, “already up to no good, I see. It’s barely seven and you’ve already delivered your first lie of the day.”
I smirked at his comment. “Better than telling him we shagged all night, Smythe.” This took care of his teasing, but I felt good inside because it was the kind of friendly banter I wanted to have between us. And when he called me by my last name, he sounded so sexy it made me want to do things to him that wouldn’t be deemed suitable behaviour in a buffet restaurant. I quickly shoved all sexual thoughts out of my head and psyched myself up for business.
Upon Chris’s return with a plate piled high with scrambled eggs, bacon, grilled tomatoes, Italian sausage, and toast, I espied a sleepy-looking Dobbs walking into the restaurant. He saw me almost immediately and motioned that he was going for food.
“Dobbs just walked in,” I said to Chris. “Let’s wait until he gets here before you tell us what you found.”
Chris nodded, too busy to talk, as he wolfed down his breakfast. Meanwhile, Smythe and I sipped our coffees in contented silence until Dobbs joined us, his plate similarly piled up like Chris’s.
“So what’s with the early hours?” Dobbs asked before tucking in like a man possessed.
I smiled. “I guess it’s the thought of the killer having only three days left in which to finish off whatever it is he set out to do. I’m sure he’s going to try to kill again. I discussed this briefly with Chris last night; and I think we need to flush him out before his next kill. Not only this, but Chris made some progress with his side of things.”
Smythe said, “Regarding flushing out the killer, we need to discuss this in more detail before we agree on such a course of action.”
“Of course, Smythe,” I replied, pretending to be annoyed for the others’ benefit. “It’s not like I was going to go ahead without your and Dobbs’s blessing. Besides, I’ve already got the bait all picked out.” When I told them about Enrico volunteering for the job, they were stunned—even Dobbs stopped eating momentarily.
“The guy’s a nutter, I tell you,” Dobbs stated before turning his focus back on the food.
“Well, whichever way this plays out, we need to meet with Garcia and his men,” Smythe said. “We have to be able to minimise the risk to all involved, especially if Enrico is bent on playing the bait.”
I agreed. “Okay. Let’s set up a meeting with Garcia and whoever you think should be there. Meanwhile, Chris, we’re ready for you.”
Chris had finished his food by this time and was onto his second cup of coffee. “I’ve been trying to do two things: find out Erotic Heart’s true identity and check if Enrico belongs to the cheaters’ forum.”
“And?” I prompted.
“Still working on Erotic Heart, I’m afraid; but you were right about Enrico, Mia. He’s in the forum as ‘Deep Throat’; yet another one of the horse names Mrs Barry gave us.”
“I knew it!” I banged the palm of my hand down on the table. “Something told me he was close to the group despite the fact he was turned down for that promotion years ago.”
“You think he’s the killer?” This from Smythe.
I shook my head. “No. Somehow, I don’t think so. But he does have a love for the dramatic.”
“So which thread in the forum did you find him in, Chris?” Smythe asked.
Chris grinned. “The men with men, of course.”
Dobbs rolled his eyes and remarked with sarcasm, “What else did you expect?”
“Yes, but get this,” Chris went on. “Not only is Enrico in the forum, but I managed to cross-reference two posts where he communicates with Erotic Heart.”
“No!” I declared in disbelief.
“Oh yes!” Chris nodded emphatically. “And she had a thing with him, too.”
Now, we all looked stunned. “You mean, like through the back door?” I said, trying to keep the conversation from getting into explicit sexual talk.
Dobbs, unfortunately, sabotaged my intent by exclaiming, “You mean she let him do her up the a—” He became aware of his surroundings just in time and cleared his throat. “I... er... I think I get the point.”
“The answer is yes, Dobbs,” Chris replied.
“Okay, so how does this change anything?” Smythe put in.
I shrugged. “I don’t think it does. But what I do think is that Enrico knew about all the victims being in the cheaters’ forum. This is what prompted him to spread the rumour of who’d be next on the list. At the same time, he’s probably as concerned as us to catch the killer. I say he knows more than we do and he has a feeling he might be next.”
“And why didn’t the little bastard tell us this in the beginning to save us time? We might’ve been able to avert all those kills,” Dobbs uttered with anger in his voice.
“Who knows,” I replied. “Maybe it took him too long to figure it out and by the time he did, he was too afraid to come forward. This is why I think he’s volunteered to be the bait. It’s his way to atone for holding back information.”
Chris’s eyes shone when he spoke. “Just think, though; he might be able to tell us Erotic Heart’s true identity. I mean, he did her... um... I meant to say, he had an illicit liaison with her after all.”
“And,” I added, “he may know who else from the convention group is in the forum. He could even know their usernames, which means we can pre-warn them.”
“Let’s get him in for questioning,” Smythe said.
~~~
While Chris went off to continue with his work in case we didn’t get any new information, Smythe arranged with Garcia to bring Enrico in for questioning. Dobbs, Smythe, Garcia, and I were present when Enrico was escorted by Mark Evans into one of the meeting rooms in the security office. Mark showed him to a seat at the round table where we waited and then quit the room, closing the door behind him.
The South Pacific Murders Page 20