Raging Seas (A Rowan Gray Mystery Book 9)

by Lily Harper Hart

  “Because she was murdered?”

  “Because her death is suspicious.”

  “But she was murdered, right?”

  “Yes.” Quinn had no intention of lying, or fudging the facts. That’s simply not the way he operated. “She was strangled, although I’m still waiting for the specifics and the time of death. I need you to walk through your evening with me. I need all of that on the record.”

  Abby was clearly frustrated as she clenched her hands into fists at her sides. “I don’t know what to tell you. We were all hanging out at that tiki bar for a long time, having drinks and kind of being rowdy. It’s the first vacation a lot of us have had away from the kids and husbands for a long time.”

  “My understanding is that Deborah was recently divorced. What can you tell me about her husband?”

  “Ken?” Abby was incredulous. “There’s not much to tell. He was a jerk. He cheated on her with everything in a skirt. He’s a lawyer in Georgia. He let his clients pay in sexual favors sometimes. He actually told Abby when she confronted him with evidence that he didn’t see why she was so upset because he was actually doing her a favor since she wasn’t keen on doing her wifely duties.”

  Quinn made a face. “Her wifely duties?”

  “Yeah. Blowjobs. He said he needed a blowjob every day or he wouldn’t be able to do his job. He was a disgusting piece of filth.”

  Quinn had little doubt about that. “Did they have children?”

  “Thankfully, no. They tried for a few years but it never happened. Then, when Deb started getting suspicious, she went back on the pill because she didn’t trust him enough to have kids with him.”

  That was probably for the best, Quinn internally mused. He hated to think of any children left behind with Ken, the wonder husband. Still, it felt grossly unfair that this woman had lost her life when she was so close to forging a new one. He thought about the way her eyes lit with interest when he called out to her. She’d looked excited, as if she couldn’t believe someone would actually pick her up. He regretted the interaction now. He’d brushed her off with nothing more than indifference when he realized she wasn’t Rowan. Still, he was bothered by the woman’s resemblance to his girlfriend. It made him distinctly uncomfortable.

  “Tell me about the divorce,” he prodded after a beat. “Was it ugly?”

  “It wasn’t pretty. Deb got half of everything. He fought that hard because he brought the bulk of the money into the marriage. They were married for ten years, though. They got married straight out of college. The judge didn’t listen to any of the crap Ken said and basically told him to suck it up and be a man. Deb had proof of infidelity and it was all trotted out in court.”

  “That could be motive for murder,” Quinn noted. “Did he know she was going on a cruise?”

  “I honestly don’t know.” Abby tapped her chin as she considered the question. “I don’t think so. I mean ... I guess he could’ve heard through the grapevine. They’ve had minimal contact since separating, though. Ken doesn’t want anything to do with her and Deb was just ... done.”

  “Still, he could’ve found out. Do you think he’s capable of killing?”

  “I would be lying if I said no. He’s got a temper. The thing is, he’s too controlled. I can’t see him risking what he has left. He’s a pretty boy. He wouldn’t do well in prison. Besides, I think we would’ve noticed if he was on the ship.”

  “I’m not suggesting he’s on the ship. I’ve already checked the manifest. You have to show identification to check in. He’s not here. He could’ve hired someone, though.” Even as he said the words, he didn’t believe them. Strangulation was an intimate death. You had to get up close and personal with someone. A hitman would’ve been far more likely to snap Deborah’s neck or simply dump her over the side of the ship. He didn’t know a lot of for-hire professionals who carried out murder by strangulation.

  “I can see him maybe hiring someone, but he would absolutely have to believe he could get away with it. He would have to trust the person he hired implicitly.”

  “Still, it’s an angle. I’m going to do some digging. I’m sorry we can’t take you straight back to port. I’ll have a bereavement counselor contact you and facilitate whatever it is you want to do, though.”

  “Thank you.”

  “I’m very sorry for your loss.”

  Tears filled Abby’s green eyes. “Thanks for that. I’m really sorry for my loss, too.”

  ROWAN WORKED BECAUSE IT WAS all she could think to do. She took up residence on the deck, making sure she was in clear view of the tiki bar — something Quinn texted and insisted on because that’s where Nick, Paul, and the others were setting up residence for the afternoon — and started snapping away.

  She’d gone through her photos from the previous day ten times. The dead woman wasn’t in them. That meant she bypassed the initial photo. Rowan didn’t really blame her — she wasn’t a fan of staged photos either — but she was bitterly disappointed. If the woman had taken the time to pose for a photo, Rowan might have been able to save her.

  Even as the thought threatened to take over, she pushed it out of her mind. She’d learned a long time ago that dwelling on things like that wouldn’t benefit her in the least. If she took on too much guilt it would bury her and she wouldn’t be able to function. That would help no one.

  Rowan was supposed to be playing it cool, lackadaisically moving throughout the day as if she didn’t have a care in the world other than performing her job tasks to the best of her ability. Since her father and Nick were watching from the tiki bar, she constantly found herself looking in that direction. They were a distraction of sorts, although she was thankful they were close so she didn’t have to constantly look over her shoulder.

  “Oomph,” Rowan growled as she accidentally slammed into one of the guests. She’d been trying to avoid him, saw him coming out of the corner of her eye, but she hadn’t been quick enough.

  “I’m so sorry.” The man’s hands shot out and he grabbed her before she could tumble onto one of the loungers littering the deck. “I didn’t see you there.”

  Rowan smiled as she righted herself. “It’s okay. There’s a lot of visual stimulation on this ship. It’s easy to get distracted.”

  The man ran his hand through his dark hair. It was shaved on the sides and floppy on top. He had deep brown eyes and a charming smile, which was partially obscured by a thick beard. He wore plaid shorts and a striped shirt, which made for a loud ensemble that Rowan wanted to laugh at. She knew better than poking fun at the guests.

  “I’m still sorry,” the man offered, his expression reflecting legitimate worry. “I didn’t hurt you, did I?”

  “I’m absolutely fine.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “I’m sure.” Rowan was growing more amused by the second. The man had wandering eyes, and right now they were taking a trip over her legs and chest. He wasn’t subtle in the least. “Thank you for making sure I’m okay, though. I appreciate it.”

  “Well, it was the gentlemanly thing to do.” He grinned and she saw he had a dimple beneath the beard. His nose was long and hooked, the only drawback to a pleasing face. She was sure she’d never met him before, and yet there was something familiar about that smile. She couldn’t put her finger on it. “I like to think of myself as a gentleman.”

  “It’s a good thing to be.”

  “Yeah.” He didn’t make a move to leave her. “So ... you work on the ship?”

  “I’m the ship photographer. I basically take photos all day and load them up to the online portal so people can purchase them if they’re interested.”

  “That sounds like an awesome job. I bet you get to travel to a lot of cool places.”

  “I do. It’s nice.”

  “What’s the coolest place you’ve ever been?” The man showed no signs of wanting to end the conversation. Rowan had a feeling she knew why — seriously, he wouldn’t stop staring at her legs — and she felt the need to nip
that particular instinct in the bud. She didn’t have time for flirty men when there was so much else going on.

  “There’s an island called El Demonio. A few months ago I got to go down in a submersible and see a shipwreck there. I thought that was pretty cool.”

  “That sounds amazing. We’re going back again this trip, right?”

  “We are.”

  “Awesome. I love shipwrecks.”

  “Then I’m sure you’ll love El Demonio.” She shifted from one foot to the other, uncomfortable. “I should probably get back to work, though. They don’t pay me to stand around and do nothing.”

  The man ignored her. “I love this ship. It’s very cool. I had the best dinner last night.”

  “The food is very good,” Rowan agreed.

  “Do you get to eat dinner in the main dining room?”

  “Sometimes. I ... .”

  He kept talking as if she hadn’t opened her mouth. “Maybe we could have dinner together tonight,” he suggested. “I mean, we both like good food and conversation. I think we would have a lot to talk about.”

  Rowan made up her mind on the spot. If she wasn’t firm with this guy, he would never stop talking and allow her to return to work. “Sure,” she replied without hesitation. “Do you mind if I invite my boyfriend? He loves talking about El Demonio. He’s head of security on the ship and he’s busy at the moment, but if you give me your information, I’m sure we can set up a dinner for the three of us.”

  The man’s smile never wavered. “That sounds great.”

  Rowan was flummoxed. “It does?”

  “Absolutely.” He bobbed his head. “There’s nothing better than a good shipwreck conversation with friends.”

  Now Rowan was really caught. She’d expected him to sheepishly apologize and disappear. Instead, he was sticking. It was more annoying than endearing. “Well ... we already have a dinner scheduled for this evening. Just give me your information and we’ll try to set something up in the next few days.”

  “That sounds awesome.”

  ROWAN FINALLY MANAGED TO EXTRICATE herself from the man after another ten minutes. His name was Bill Hill — she had so many jokes she wanted to make about that — and he’d finally taken the hint and allowed her to return to work. She was still frazzled with his insistent nature when she pointed her camera back toward the deck and clicked.

  When she pulled back to study the photograph, she realized Darcy was in the middle of the frame. The young woman was standing in the middle of a pack of people and staring directly at her. When Rowan raised her head to double check, she found the woman was walking in her direction ... and she had a bright smile on her face.

  Rowan recognized the smile was fake. She wasn’t an idiot and knew better than to trust the woman. Still, there was something infectious about Darcy’s attitude. She was charming and seemed to understand how to put strangers at ease. That made Rowan all the more suspicious.

  “Hey.” Rowan hoped she didn’t come across as unnaturally shrill. The presence of the Phoenix Society representatives had her on edge. “I didn’t see you there.”

  “I saw you.” Darcy was the enthusiastic sort and she seemed fluent in girl talk, something Rowan had never really mastered until she bonded with Sally. “You were talking to a hot guy. Were you flirting?”

  Rowan thought back to Bill’s ridiculous beard. “Um ... not exactly. He’s just a random guest. We almost ran into each other.”

  “Oh.” Darcy bobbed her head in a knowing manner. “You’re probably not allowed to date the guests, right?”

  “There’s no hard and fast rule about fraternization. I would never date a guest for logistical reasons because the people on the ship are obviously here for a vacation and it seems like a wasted effort. Even so, I don’t think that particular gentleman was my cup of tea.”

  She snorted. “I thought he was hot.”

  “Yes, well ... I already have a boyfriend.” The words were out of Rowan’s mouth before she thought better of them. She realized after the fact that Quinn wouldn’t be happy about her sharing information with the Phoenix Society people. Sure, they probably already knew, but she wasn’t acting smart. It was too late to take it back, though.

  “You have a boyfriend?” Interest sparked in Darcy’s eyes. “Does he live on the ship with you?”

  “He’s part of the security team.”

  “Cool.” Darcy rummaged in the beach bag she carried and came back with a camera that looked very similar to the one Rowan carried. “So, I brought my camera, too. I’m something of a shutterbug enthusiast.”

  Rowan was taken aback. This had to be some sort of trick. The woman was trying to ingratiate herself to Rowan, bond on a personal level, and then use that interaction to trick her. There was no other explanation for what was happening. “Oh, well ... .”

  “I’m taking some classes in my free time,” Darcy explained. “Obviously being an accountant pays the bills and I can’t risk my job because it’s a really good one. I still want to dabble in photography. I’m learning about shutter speed and aperture, but I was wondering if you would take a look at a few of my photos. I don’t think I have the knack for shooting in direct sun yet.”

  Rowan felt caught. She couldn’t admit to being suspicious of the woman. If it were any other guest, she would politely look at the photos and offer advice. She had no choice but to do that now. “Sure.” She licked her lips as Darcy started searching through her photos

  “Like this one,” the woman started, holding up her camera in front of Rowan’s face. “The shadows at the edges are creating problems.”

  Rowan frowned as she stared at the photo. It was actually decent quality, but Darcy was right, the shadows were unfortunate. “There’s not much you can do about that,” she said after a beat. “I’m guessing you took it between noon and three.”

  “Yeah. How did you know that?”

  “Because the sun is highest in the sky at that point, and you were on the east side of the ship. I’ve had similar problems. It’s best to avoid those times. There are tricks you can try but even then you won’t be able to fix everything that’s wrong here.”

  “So ... there’s nothing I can do?”

  “Not really. I’m sorry. Natural light is the best to learn under, but sometimes the sun can be a bigger burden than help.”

  “Hmm.” Darcy swished her lips and searched for another photo. “What about this one? I took it last night, when the moon was out and rippling off the ocean. I think it looks cool, but it’s too dark.”

  Rowan turned her attention to the new photo and frowned. She recognized the couple at the center of the photo. It was her and Quinn. They sat on the lounger they occupied the previous evening and looked intense as they stared into each other’s eyes. In addition to that, the omen Rowan was so familiar with — the one that spelled death and destruction — was clearly visible in the corner of the photo. That couldn’t mean anything good.

  Rowan’s hands shook as she slowly lifted her eyes to Darcy. The woman was watching her with overt curiosity. It almost looked as if she was going to ask a question. Rowan decided to head her off before she could.

  “Darkness has different challenges,” she stated, speaking robotically. “Whatever you do, don’t use a flash. It’s better to buy your own lighting equipment and try to work with it that way.” She handed the camera back to Darcy, making sure to keep her expression neutral. “Is that all? I really have to get back to work. I’m behind.”

  “Sure.” Darcy’s eyes filled with disappointment as she accepted the camera. “I’m sorry to have taken up so much of your time.”

  “Oh, don’t worry about it. I would love to give you a tutorial. I simply don’t have time now.”

  “Perhaps later?”

  “Sure. Sounds good.”

  7

  Seven

  Rowan felt as if her heart was going to pound out of her chest. She was at a genuine loss and didn’t know what to do. She tried to remain on the deck
because that was what was expected of her, but she couldn’t do it. She had to escape.

  She fled toward the employee hall, every intention of holing up in her room and burrowing under the covers taking over her brain. She didn’t make it, though, because a hand snaked out from a utility closet before she could fob her way inside and dragged her away from salvation.

  “Stop!” Rowan lashed out with a vicious right hook, convinced she was about to be attacked. Instead of an enemy, though, she found Fred watching her with impassioned eyes. “What are you doing?” She was incensed as she pushed him back. “You scared the crap out of me.”

  Fred’s gaze was speculative as it roamed her face. “I don’t think I’m the one who freaked you out,” he countered. “I think the Phoenix Society chick who approached you did that.”

  Rowan hoped her negative reaction wasn’t as obvious to Darcy. Fred was the observant sort, but he didn’t know her well enough to pick up on all her moods. It was disconcerting that he managed to read her as well as he did. “I’m not freaked out. Why would you think that?”

  “Because your body language changed when she showed you the camera. What’s up?”

  Rowan wasn’t sure how she should respond. Fred was aware she saw the omens. She didn’t want to cause a panic, though. She also didn’t want to explain things when she wasn’t sure what was going on herself. “She took a photo of Quinn and me together last night,” she offered. That wasn’t a lie, she reminded herself. “She was watching and we didn’t see her. It just weirded me out.”

  Fred was all business. “Where were you and Quinn?”

  “On the deck. We were sitting in one of the loungers and talking. I guarantee he didn’t realize we were being watched either. We obviously have to be more careful.”

  “Not necessarily,” Fred countered. “If you two were acting lovey-dovey— like normal — then they probably assumed you were just out having a romantic evening.”