by Ann Mullen
“Did you see that? He grabbed her butt!”
“She’s a crew member,” Malcolm interjected, slowing the video down. “As you can see, she spilled her tray of drinks, but still had a smile on her face. She was trained well.”
“Hey, look,” I said. “I like the part where Billy grabbed his arm and jerked him around.”
“Are they going to fight?” Savannah asked. “Nope. See. My husband intervened.”
“Billy would’ve kicked his butt!” I exclaimed with pride.
“He’s such a creep!” Bella said, disgusted. “Nell should’ve never married that bum. I’ll be so glad to get rid of him.”
Savannah and I gave her a quizzical look.
“Don’t look at me like that,” she said. “What I meant was, the minute he no longer has a job with Constance Enterprises, he’s sure to up and leave Nell. It’ll be the best thing that he could ever do for her. The man is a leech. He’ll suck her dry eventually. They’re almost broke, because of him. I think he’s been stashing money behind her back. I just don’t know where he’s putting it.”
“I bet Billy could find out.”
“I’m counting on it.”
“After that,” Malcolm said as he fast-forwarded the video. “Your husbands left the bar around 3 A.M. Utah left at 4:30.”
“I want to see the hallway on deck five,” I said. “I’m playing a hunch I have, and if it pans out like I think it will, I know who we’re going to visit when we leave here.”
“Choose a timeframe,” Malcolm said.
“An hour after everyone was aboard, until now.”
We sat there and watched as the people came and went. At precisely six o’clock, Teresa walked past her room, down the hall, and stopped at someone’s door.
“Pause it right there!” I said. “Now, run it at normal speed.”
We stared at the screen as Teresa knocked, and then entered the room.
“Can you give me a room number?”
“Let’s see.” Malcolm pressed a few keys, and then said, “Room 527.”
“I knew it!” I said. “Can you fast-forward it and see how long she stayed in the room? You have a counter, don’t you?”
“I sure do.”
A few seconds later, Malcolm said, “One hour and ten minutes.”
“Mighty long visit with a man she’s supposed to be scared to death of, wouldn’t you say so, ladies?”
“You’re good!” Bella said. “What made you suspicious of those two?”
“Something stuck in my craw when Maggie seemed to be just a hair more upset by his presence on the ship than her daughter did. Oh, I know Teresa acted scared, but it was just an act. There were a couple of times I saw her roll her eyes at her mother. She didn’t think anyone saw her, but I did. I let it go, because her mother was so obsessed, and I figured she might be tired of her mother’s behavior. But now…”
“What are you thinking, Jesse?” Savannah asked. “I can tell you what I’m thinking. I think that hour and ten minutes speaks for itself.”
“I agree,” Bella added. “There’s something fishy about those two.”
“You mean, Teresa and Peter?”
“That’s exactly what she means, Savannah,” I said. “Has anyone other than me noticed how Maggie Anderson’s behavior has gotten extremely erratic? It’s as if she’s on something.”
“Perhaps she’s on a new medication,” Savannah suggested.
“I would venture to say that possibly someone has switched her medication, and who would have a better opportunity to do that than her own, loving daughter?”
“Are you serious?”
“I’d be interested in knowing what kind of medication she’s taking… if any. I’m sure…”
“Billy can find out,” Savannah chimed in.
“Is there anything else you ladies would like to see?” Malcolm asked.
The three of us stood up, knowing full well what was next on the agenda. We had things to do!
“No, thank you, Malcolm,” Bella said. “You’ve been a very big help. Thank you so much for letting us invade your space.”
“It was my pleasure. Come back anytime,” he said as we were about to leave. “One of us will be glad to assist you.”
“Thanks, fellers,” I said as we exited the room.
All of them stood up, each one with a smile on his face, and waved to us.
“Did you see that?” Savannah asked as we made our way to the elevator. “Don’t you just love it when men are such gentlemen?”
We made our way to the elevator intent on… I didn’t know what, but before we went off half-cocked and did something we’d regret, I was going to slow these ladies down.
“Take a breath,” I said as we stepped into the elevator.
The minute the doors closed, Bella pushed the button for the fifth deck. She had a big grin on her face.
I reached over and hit the stop button.
“What did you do that for?” she asked. “I thought we were going to visit Peter Dawson.”
“We can’t do that,” I said. “We don’t have all the facts.”
“What do we need? We know he’s in league with his girlfriend, and this stalking thing is a joke. I want to know why they’re doing it. Maybe they’re planning on killing Maggie Anderson. She has lots of money, and perhaps they see a way of getting it.”
“This sounds like something you’d read in one of my…,” Savannah started to say.
“Excuse me for cutting in, Savannah, but if we don’t push a button within the next thirty seconds, an alarm will go off on the captain’s deck.”
“Okay,” I said, reaching over and pushing the button for deck six. “But we need to talk this over. We can’t just go barging in on the guy without a plan.”
The elevator starting moving, and then stopped at our destination. Bella was the first one out. The three of us stood in the hallway, quietly discussing our next move as other passengers walked by.
“The first thing we need to do is find out what Billy knows,” I suggested. “He was so tired this morning, we didn’t get a chance to talk much before he went to sleep. I know he’s found out something. He always does. Suppose he knows about Peter and Teresa, and has more information than we have. We have to wait. It could be dangerous if we go harass this guy. If they have some big plan in motion and we get in the way, there’s no telling what could happen. No, I think we need to hold off on revealing that we’re onto him. He’s surely not going anywhere. We have to be rational.”
“What would it matter if we just talk with the man?”
“Bella, one or all of us could get hurt. We don’t know what this guy’s capable of. All we really know is that they spent an hour and ten minutes together.”
“And you know what they were doing in that hour—probably having sex—which makes a lie out of everything Teresa’s been saying.”
“That’s probably true,” I said. “Look Bella, I like a good adventure just as much as anyone, but as a private investigator I’ve learned that you don’t act unless you’re pretty much sure what the outcome will be.”
“She’s right, Bella,” Savannah said. “We should listen to Jesse. She does this for a living. If she says we need to wait, then we should wait.”
Bella had a disappointed look on her face when she said, “Yeah, I guess you’re right. It’s just that it makes me angry they lied. I know they’re planning to do something bad. Why else would they put on this elaborate show? Teresa’s screaming that her stalker is on board, and then we find out they spent time together. It just doesn’t add up. I can feel it in my bones. I guess we do need to step back and get all the facts. Someone is planning to kill my husband, and I figure that everything we learn will help put the pieces of the puzzle together. You never know who is in on this. What if they’re part of it?”
“I think they’re too busy with their own soap opera, and I don’t think one has anything to do with the other. We don’t want to put ourselves in harm’s way. I su
ggest we put our little conspiracy to invade on hold.”
Bella settled down and said, “Okay. It’s almost noon. Why don’t we check on our husbands, and if they’re still asleep, let’s have lunch?”
“Sounds like a plan to me. How about you, Savannah?”
“I’m all for it. I could use some food.”
“Snooping works up an appetite, doesn’t it?” Bella asked. “I’m starving. I need food!”
“Then it’s agreed,” I said. “We’ll check on our husbands, and then meet back in the hallway in ten minutes.”
“What if they’re awake? What do we do then?”
“Bring them with us. They have to eat, too.”
“Why don’t we just call each other instead of hanging out in the hallway waiting?”
“That’s probably the best idea.”
Then a thought occurred to me. What if Bella decided to go off on her own? She was hyped up, and people who get like that usually do something they later regret. I didn’t want Bella to do anything rash.
“On second thought,” I suggested. “Why don’t we stick together? We’ll wait for Bella to check on Loukas, and then we’ll check on our husbands one at a time.”
“You don’t trust me!” Bella said. “That’s why you want to do it that way. You’re afraid...”
“You’re absolutely right. I have to keep my eyes on you. I know how you are. You don’t let anything stop you, and I don’t want you to get into something you can’t get out of.”
“I’m hurt that you think I’d do something so silly.”
“Don’t be hurt. Go check on your husband. Savannah and I will wait right here for you. I promise we won’t leave without you.”
Savannah and I stood there looking at her. Bella relented. She turned, walked to her room, and opened the door. “I’ll be right back. Don’t go anywhere.”
As we waited for her in the hallway, Savannah looked at me and said, “She is easily excitable, isn’t she?”
“Yes, she is. That’s why I didn’t want to give her the opportunity to give us the slip. I haven’t known her long, but I know her well enough now to know that when she sets her mind to something, nothing stops her. If she’s not careful, her inability to put a hold on her actions is going to get her in trouble.”
“I’ve known her for a long time, and you’re right. Nothing stops her. She’s a determined woman. She’s the driving force behind Constance Enterprises. It was her idea to sell the cruise line. I’m surprised she’s not the one someone wants to eradicate. She controls everything.”
Savannah’s statement put a new perspective on the situation. What if Bella was the real target?
Chapter 11
The thought that Bella might be the one they were really after made good sense. The culprit or culprits wanted it to appear that they were after Loukas. It would make it easier to get to her if everyone had their attention on him. I told Savannah.
“I sure hope not,” she replied. “It’s bad enough to know that a killer is after Loukas. I’d hate to think that we’re on the wrong track. How do you handle something you don’t know about?”
“You put all the pieces together. Billy always says to look at every angle. Since you told me that she’s the one who pulls all the strings, I have to think that maybe we’re barking up the wrong tree. That’s why I wanted to talk with Billy first. He might’ve already put it together.”
“You’re really good at what you do.”
“I learned from the best.”
The door opened and Bella walked out. “Loukas is awake, but he said to go on without him. He’s going to relax and watch a little television. We have a fully-stocked kitchen, so Allison or Jacob will fix him something.”
“Where’s your purse?” Savannah asked.
“I don’t need it if we’re just going to have lunch,” Bella replied.
“Most importantly, where’s your bodyguard? I can’t believe Loukas would let you out without one. What little fib did you tell him?”
“I told him that I have a bodyguard. I have you.”
“And he was okay with that?”
“Of course.”
“Next stop, Savannah’s room,” I said as the three of us headed down the hallway, and then stopped at her room. We waited for her to check on McCoy. A couple of minutes later, she came out and said her husband was still asleep. She left him a note.
“My turn,” I said as we walked one door down, and stopped at my room. “Don’t either one of you go anywhere. Stay right here.”
“She sure doesn’t trust us, does she?” Bella asked Savannah.
I smiled as I stuck the keycard in the slot. Silently, I opened the door and walked in. Billy was still asleep, sprawled out on the bed, snoring lightly. I walked over to the computer table looking for a piece of paper, so I could leave him a note, but instead, found a folder. I opened the folder and saw a photo of Teresa and Peter standing together on the outside walkway. It was nighttime. The shadows covered part of their bodies, but their faces stood out. Now, there was no doubt in my mind that the two of them were in cahoots and planning something. Something bad was going to happen, and it probably was going to happen to Maggie Anderson.
Since we were going to have lunch in public, I figured I wouldn’t need my gun. So, I took the gun from my pocket, tip-toed over to the dresser, and pulled out a drawer. I stuck the gun in the drawer under some clothes, and then walked back over to the desk and grabbed the photo. I scribbled a quick note for Billy explaining that he would be able to find me in the dining room with Bella and Savannah, and then slipped out of the room.
“He’s still asleep,” I whispered as I left the door slightly ajar. I showed the photo to Bella and Savannah. “This photo shows that Teresa is lying. The two of them were together last night, probably after Maggie went to bed. Liar. Liar.”
Bella and Savannah looked at the photo in surprise.
“I can’t believe it!” Bella whispered. “They sure aren’t very smart, are they? You’d think they’d have more sense.”
“I’d be willing to bet that Billy has paid a visit to the guys upstairs like we did. That’s how he got this photo. It was probably printed out from a still shot of a video.”
Bella’s excitement was apparent when she said, “We’re going to bust those two.”
“Hold on!” I said, quietly. “We’re not going to do anything right now. I just wanted to show you this photo. I have to put it back. Don’t move!” I left the two of them standing there as I went back into the room, replaced the photo in the folder, and then slipped back out. As soon as I closed the door, Bella started walking down the hall at a brisk pace.
“Keep up, ladies,” she said. “We’re on an adventure! No slackers or lollygaggers allowed.”
“She sure is a spry one, isn’t she?” Savannah asked me. “You’d think someone her…”
“Don’t even say it, dear,” Bella said, cutting in. “I can run with the big dogs just as good as anyone.”
“Whoa! Hold on a minute, Bella,” I said, catching up with her. “Where’re you going?”
“We’re going to flush out the truth. We’re going to go have a talk with that man.”
One of the many things I admire about Bella is how she’ll just lay it out there. She doesn’t withhold her words or thoughts, and she has many of them. But she also has another side to her personality—one that is impulsive, quick-witted, and contagious. I found myself wanting to follow her, and do whatever she said, but at the same time, I knew better. I knew that I had to restrain myself… and her.
“The photo confirmed my suspicions, but that doesn’t mean I’m going to run off and harass the man without talking with Billy first. He knows something, as I suspected, and I think it would be unwise of us to move on this until we find out what it is.”
“But…”
“No way,” I said to Bella, sternly. “I’m the P.I. here, so listen to me when I say we need to hold off.”
“I agree,” Savannah
added. “We don’t know if this guy is dangerous, and until we find out more about him, I think we need to do as Jesse says.”
“Oh, all right,” Bella said, relenting against her will. “What’s it going to hurt to wait another hour or so? Billy should be up by then.”
“He knows where to find us,” I said as I guided Bella toward the elevator. “Let’s go up to deck seven to the dining room, and get something to eat. Amateur detectives like yourself need nourishment. As a pro, I don’t need as much as you do, but I still need a little.” I snickered.
Convinced that I knew what I was talking about, Bella’s excitement only grew as we stepped into the elevator. She laughed when she talked about how she gets so fired up when she’s involved, or even hears about something suspicious happening.
“I don’t know what got into me this time,” Bella confessed.
“I do,” Savannah said, jumping in. “What Jesse does for a living can be contagious for people like us. I write about it; you get a taste of it occasionally, but Jesse lives it. That’s kind of glamorous.”
“I don’t know about that,” I said, thinking it over. “It’s exciting sometimes, and then there’re other times when I get so scared I could wet my pants.”
“This sudden desire to run off and save the world from the bad guys isn’t the way I normally act,” Bella said as she gripped the handrail, her body swaying. “Usually, I sit back and think it over long and hard before I do anything.” Her face showed anxiety, but she said nothing about it.
The ship seemed to sway more than it had earlier. Maybe that was why Bella had that strange look on her face. The rough seas were finally getting to her, too.
Suddenly, a startling jolt shook the elevator bringing it to a halt, and then the lights went out. All of us gripped the handrail, holding on for dear life.
“What was that?” Savannah asked, her voice shaky. “Tell me this isn’t happening! Jesse, I’m getting a bit nervous here. You see, I have this thing about elevators. It’s been all I could do to get on one with you and Bella before… but now… I won’t make it long in here.”
The fear in her voice was evident. She obviously had a bad case of claustrophobia. I sympathized with her. I know what it’s like to get trapped in a situation that brings out your worst fears and anxieties. I’ve been in plenty of them since I met Billy.