Choppy Seas (A Rowan Gray Mystery Book 5)

by Lily Harper Hart

  “And who are those people?”

  “You know … Claire’s squad.”

  “Do you mean poor people?”

  “I guess, if that’s the way you want to phrase it.” Leighann was nonchalant. “The simple fact of the matter is that Claire never should’ve brought those girls here. They can’t compete with my girls. They’re not as well trained or polished. It’s simply unfair.”

  “Uh-huh.” Rowan tamped down the rampant dislike roiling in her stomach. In truth, if this were the real world and not a cruise ship where she was forced to be professional, Rowan knew she would unleash a torrent of furious words on Leighann about her dismissive nature. Since she recognized that would be frowned upon, though, she was forced to remain stoic. “It seems to me that you sound a little worried about exactly what these girls are capable of.”

  Leighann rolled her eyes in dramatic fashion. “Please. I know cheerleading. I know cheerleading competitions. My girls are going to win.”

  “There are thirty other groups of cheerleaders on this ship. From what I understand, there are another twenty who will be competing in Bermuda. How can you be sure that you’ll win?”

  “Because I just know. It’s all about confidence. I’m confident my girls will win. They’re confident, too. Confidence is key. It’s the most important factor in all of this. If you don’t believe me, ask them.”

  “That’s really not necessary.”

  Leighann ignored Rowan’s hasty response. “Kasey, come over here.”

  Kasey made a face to her friends before dutifully acquiescing to Leighann’s demands. “Yes, Ms. Porter. Do you need something?”

  “I do.” Leighann bobbed her head. “I need you to tell Ms. Gray here why you’re going to win at the competition.”

  “Because we’re the best.”

  “And why are you the best?”

  “Because we’ve trained the hardest, studied the longest, and we treat this like a job instead of an adventure.”

  Kasey’s answer was so perfunctory that Rowan internally cringed.

  “What about the other teams, though?” Rowan asked after a beat. “Don’t you think it’s possible that they simply want it more?”

  “No.”

  “Are you sure? Claire’s group of girls has been out here practicing just as much as you and they seem hungry.”

  “Hungry for taste and money,” Kasey muttered. “Hungry for clothes that actually cost more than five bucks.”

  Rowan frowned. “They’re good, too.”

  “They won’t win, though.” Kasey was utterly dismissive of the possibility. “They can’t win, especially now that they’re missing their captain. I mean, without her, they can’t even hit their marks at the right time. They’re pathetic.”

  There was something about the way Kasey looked when she made the statement that set Rowan’s teeth on edge. “Aren’t you worried about Gabby going missing?”

  “I don’t know her.”

  “But no one has seen her for days. She could be hurt … or something worse.”

  “Like I said, I don’t know her. I don’t really care about her.”

  “But you were attacked last night,” Rowan persisted. “You don’t think one thing has to do with the other?”

  “Of course not.” Kasey tossed her blond hair over her shoulder. “Whoever tried to grab me – and I still think it was Ms. Austin, no matter what your boyfriend says – did it to put me out of commission. No one took Gabby. No one would want her. She can’t offer anything of value, so why take it?

  “No, Gabby is off hiding somewhere because she’s afraid to compete against us,” she continued. “I’m sure she’ll pop up after the competition – probably with some wild story about how we did something to her – and then try to blame us for their loss. That’s so typical of people like her.”

  Rowan’s stomach rolled, the girl’s vitriol unsettling her. “I don’t think that’s what’s going on.”

  “Oh, I know it’s what’s going on. I also know she’ll blame us when she wanders out of whatever hole she’s been hiding in. She’ll say we did something to her, which is just ridiculous.”

  Something occurred to Rowan – something dark – but she managed to keep her pleasant veneer in place. “Well, I certainly hope that’s what happens because the alternative is unbearable to think about.”

  “Yeah, yeah.” Kasey waved off Rowan’s concern. “Can I go back to practice, Ms. Porter?”

  Leighann nodded. “Of course, dear. Make sure you talk to Olivia about her pyramid stance. She’s going to drop Mia if she’s not careful.”

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  Leighann waited for Kasey to return to the group before speaking again. “Satisfied?”

  “Not in the least.”

  “And why not?”

  “Because it bothers me that these kids seem to be lacking an emotion chip,” Rowan answered honestly. “They don’t understand empathy. You talk about being the best, about being strong, but lack of empathy makes them weaker.”

  “Oh, you’re such a bleeding heart.” Leighann pressed the heel of her hand to her forehead. “Do you actually believe the nonsense you spout, or do you just say it so Quinn believes you’re helpless?”

  Rowan bristled at the suggestion. “Excuse me?”

  “You heard me. You can’t possibly be as earnest as you pretend. No one in the real world is. That’s a television thing … or a book thing … or an Amish thing.”

  Rowan recognized Leighann meant the words as an insult, but she couldn’t muster the energy to feign offense. “I happen to believe that karma is a real thing. It will come back to bite these girls – and you – in the end if you don’t adjust your attitudes.”

  “Really? I’ve managed to survive and thrive despite this karma you speak of.”

  “Have you? You seem sad and lonely to me. I mean, look around. You’re surrounded by teenagers who are only here because of what they believe you can get them. They want that trophy for themselves. They don’t want it for you.”

  “And yet it will be mine before it’s all said and done.”

  “Like those other trophies in the downstairs salon? I notice that you have all of them – we’re talking twenty trophies – and yet they don’t make you happy. What’s the point of going through all of this if you’re not happy?”

  “Who says I’m not happy?” Leighann turned somber. “I’m very happy … and that salon is supposed to be closed off. No one better be wandering around in there.”

  Rowan barely managed to avoid rolling her eyes and explaining that no one wanted to visit the salon and steal Leighann’s stupid trophies. “Happy people smile.”

  “I smile all the time.”

  “When you’re trying to manipulate someone,” Rowan countered. “That seems to be what you’re best at.”

  “And what are you best at?”

  “Being me. Being honest. Being a real person.”

  “Is that what Quinn likes?” Leighann looked intrigued at the prospect. “Does he like real people? Is that what gets him off?”

  “You don’t get it. You never will.”

  “Oh, I get it.” Leighann made a clucking sound as she shook her head and focused on the practicing girls. “I think Quinn stays with you because you’re easy, you don’t challenge him. That’s the only reason I can think of why he would stay with you.”

  “I think it’s more that he can’t be bought, which is how you’re used to doing things in your world,” Rowan shot back. “Not everyone lusts after money and power. Some people want what’s real. That’s why your girls are afraid of Claire’s girls. The other girls are real. Yours are a façade.”

  “You have no idea what you’re talking about.”

  “I do. You just don’t want to see it.”

  QUINN WAS IN HIS office studying camera footage when Rowan barreled inside shortly before lunch. Instead of greeting him, she removed the camera from around her neck and then viciously kicked a chair.

 
; “Is something bothering you, Ro?”

  “Oh, what was your first clue?”

  Quinn managed to bite back a smile … but just barely. “You look a little flushed, sweetheart. You haven’t been working up a sweat without me, have you?”

  “Oh, you’re so funny. I can’t believe you’re not a comedian instead of a security guru.” Rowan threw herself in one of the empty chairs and glared at him. “Aren’t you going to say something?”

  Quinn cocked an eyebrow, confused. “What is it you want me to say? Would you like me to comment on how attractive I find you right now? Well, I do. Your eyes are full of fire and your chest is heaving like we’re on a soap opera and you’re about to jump me.”

  “Ugh. Get your mind out of the gutter.” Rowan made a series of grunting noises as she shifted to get comfortable. “We have very important things to focus on and none of them have anything to do with my heaving bosom.”

  This time Quinn couldn’t hold back the smile. “You have a heaving bosom?”

  “I know that’s what you were thinking.”

  “I doubt very much I’ve ever even thought the word ‘bosom.’ Now that you’ve said it, though, I’m never going to be able to get it out of my head.”

  “Yeah, yeah, yeah.” Rowan fanned her face to cool herself. “What are you even doing in here? I thought you would be searching rooms.”

  “We’ve been steadily searching rooms and finished with the first round.” Quinn turned serious. “There was no sign of Gabby.”

  “So what does that mean?”

  “It means we have to pick another tier of rooms to search.” Quinn was matter-of-fact. “I’m trying to narrow down the parameters right now.”

  “I don’t understand where Gabby could be if she wasn’t in one of those rooms,” Rowan argued. “How could someone have taken her without anyone seeing? How could they have hidden her on our ship? Maybe she’s no longer on the ship. Have you considered that?”

  “Not really. According to your ability, Gabby is still alive. That means she wasn’t tossed overboard. That hasn’t changed, right?”

  Rowan heaved out a sigh and grabbed the camera, immediately heading to the bookmarked photos she kept in a separate file. “No. Her photos are free and clear.”

  “And Leighann?”

  “Still in danger.”

  “What about the other girls?”

  “I haven’t gone through every photo because that will take forever, but I’ve scanned a few,” Rowan replied. “No one else is showing marks. It’s just Leighann.”

  “Then we have to believe that Gabby is alive.”

  “I’m afraid because you’re basing your faith on my ability when we don’t even know what it is,” Rowan admitted. “What if I’m wrong? What if I was always wrong and we’re just now realizing it? What if Gabby has been dead this entire time?”

  “I don’t believe that.”

  “Why?”

  “Because you’ve been right every time before this and I refuse to believe you’re suddenly wrong despite the fact that you’re doubting yourself. Gabby is alive. It’s the only thing that makes sense.”

  Rowan lapsed into irritated silence as Quinn went back to his computer search. She viciously swung her legs for something to do and muttered under her breath as she stared at the items on his desk. Suddenly, out of nowhere, her gaze landed on a framed photograph.

  “That’s us.”

  Quinn lifted his chin, followed her gaze, and nodded. “Good eye. I’m surprised you recognized us. I can see now why you’re a photographer.”

  “Ha, ha.” Rowan scratched the side of her nose. “When did you put up a photograph of us?”

  “A couple of weeks ago.”

  “Why?”

  “Because I liked the picture. It’s from the night you were screwing around with your camera and set it on the rocks so you could snap photos of us building sandcastles.”

  “I remember when it was taken.” Rowan’s lips curved. “We look happy.”

  “We are happy.”

  “I don’t feel happy. I feel … all wound up. I had words with your other girlfriend, by the way. She’s a real piece of work.”

  “I only have one girlfriend.”

  “Leighann. I was talking about Leighann.”

  “I know who you were talking about.” Quinn tugged on his limited patience. Rowan was wound up and even though he didn’t have time to deal with a neurotic snit he knew better than asking her to leave … or forcing her to be quiet. That wouldn’t go over well. “Why did you have words with her?”

  Rowan related her morning on the aft deck, leaving nothing out – including her frustration. When she was done, Quinn looked thoughtful.

  “I know it seems weird to ask, but have you considered the possibility that the other girls took Gabby?” Rowan pressed. “Kasey sounded so sure of herself that I was instantly suspicious. What if she thinks Gabby is going to do that because they really do have her?”

  “It’s an interesting theory,” Quinn said after a moment’s contemplation. “Not everything lines up, though. I can actually see the girls taking Gabby because they’re evil little trolls. I’m not sure how they would keep her quiet, but let’s give them the benefit of the doubt and pretend they’re capable of figuring it out. That doesn’t explain what happened on the deck last night.”

  “Maybe Kasey really did fake that. Maybe she’s smarter than everyone gives her credit for and thought ahead to bring the chloroform. It’s not out of the realm of possibility.”

  “I guess. It still doesn’t make a lot of sense to me.”

  “It’s a possibility, though.” Rowan was insistent. “When you checked the rooms that hadn’t been cleaned since Gabby went missing, did you include rooms being occupied by other cheerleaders?”

  “No. We mainly searched rooms with male occupants.”

  “How many more with female occupants are there?”

  “Another thirty or so.”

  “I think we should search them,” Rowan admitted. “I think, to be on the safe side, we should search them and add in the rooms being occupied by Leighann’s crew. I know you think I’m probably imagining things – and it’s possible, because I really don’t like those girls – but I think we should search those rooms anyway.”

  “One of the rooms belongs to Leighann,” Quinn noted. “She’s not going to take it well if we search her room.”

  “Do you care?”

  “I … not really. I think I should clear it with Michael first, though.”

  “I thought you were king of the hill. You told me that you can do whatever you want, whenever you want. Has that changed?”

  Quinn extended a warning finger. “See, I know what you’re doing and I don’t like it. You’re challenging my manhood to see if you can manipulate me to search those rooms.”

  Rowan wasn’t remotely sheepish. “It’s good that we know each other so well.”

  Quinn heaved out a sigh. “Fine. We’ll search the rooms. I’ll call my men now.”

  “I want to go with you when you do it.”

  Quinn balked. “That is definitely against procedure.”

  Rowan refused to back down. “I have to know. I’m sorry. I just … I can’t stand Leighann. I can’t stand the girls she brought with her. They have no empathy. It’s as if they’re soulless husks.

  “Now, I know I barely spent any time with Gabby, but I know she wasn’t that way,” she continued. “She had a light in her. I need to make sure that light isn’t snuffed out.”

  Quinn was resigned when he nodded. He wouldn’t deny Rowan something like this. They both knew it. “Okay, but I’m the boss. What I say during the search goes.”

  Rowan held up her hands in capitulation. “Absolutely. I understand and agree to your terms.”

  Quinn snorted. “That was cute.”

  “Good.” Rowan mustered a legitimate smile. “Since you get to be the boss this afternoon, I’m going to insist on being the boss tonight.”

&
nbsp; “That was even cuter.”

  “That’s what I was going for.”

  17

  Seventeen

  The search didn’t go well. Quinn didn’t bother to hide the reason why he was determined to search the rooms and the mothers put up a fight – despite the fact that they were obviously recovering from hangovers and behind on ship gossip – and by the time Leighann showed up half the hallway denizens were in righteous snits.

  “This isn’t fair!” Kasey wailed, stomping her foot on the floor as Quinn instructed two members of his staff to search her room. “I have private stuff in there. I don’t want anyone touching it.”

  “No one cares about your private stuff.” Quinn remained where he was standing, arms folded across his chest. “We have a missing girl, though, and everyone cares about her.”

  “I don’t,” Kasey sniffed. “I don’t care at all.”

  “Which is why we’re searching your room,” Quinn shot back. “If you’d bothered to show even one moment of sympathy or concern, maybe this wouldn’t be happening. There’s a lesson in there for you, in case you’re interested.”

  Kasey narrowed her blue eyes to dangerous slits. “I’m going to sue you.”

  “Good luck with that.”

  “No, I really am.” Kasey puffed out her chest and swung her slim hips. Her shorts were so miniscule Rowan was surprised anything was covered during the display. “My father has two lawyers on his payroll and we’re going to sue you until you’re homeless and crying in an alley.”

  Quinn smirked. “You and your parents signed documentation to the contrary when you arrived. I believe it’s in the packet you received when you checked in.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “That’s not your property.” Quinn pointed toward her open door for emphasis. “That’s our property. The ship owners have allowed you to rent their property, but you don’t own it. We have the right to search the rooms whenever we want. It’s right on the documentation you received upon check-in.”

  Kasey balked, swinging furiously in Leighann’s direction. “That’s not true, is it?”

  “I don’t know.” Leighann’s gaze never moved from Quinn’s face and it was impossible to ascertain what she was thinking. “I will have my lawyers look over the documents.”