Deceived

by Patricia H. Rushford

  “This is really bizarre,” Lisa said as she plopped down on the sofa. “First your house, now our room on the ship. Maybe you have something someone wants.”

  Seeing the room had brought the same thoughts scampering into Jennie’s mind. “Gram?” she asked. “Do you think they’re related?”

  Gram frowned. “It’s hard to say. I can’t imagine what you’d have that would cause someone to follow us on a cruise.”

  J.B. hung up the phone. “I sincerely doubt the two are connected, lassies. The security officer offered a rather interesting theory. He’ll be right down, by the way.”

  “Let me guess,” Jennie said sarcastically. “He thinks we messed up the room ourselves and just forgot we did it.”

  J.B. smiled. “On the contrary. He thinks perhaps we have a jewel thief on board. It’s possible the thief wanted to make certain you were both out of the way before breaking in. While Lisa was with Matt, he may have shut you in the sauna, taken your key, and broken into your room in search of valuables, then come back and let you out.”

  “Valuables?” Jennie practically choked on the word. “We’re kids. What do we have that’s valuable?”

  “Mom’s brooch.” Lisa stood, panic edging her voice. “And the ring. Oh, Gram, the heirloom jewelry you gave her. I was going to put them in the safe after dinner but…” Lisa dropped back onto the bed. “I forgot.”

  “Perhaps they weren’t taken,” Gram soothed. “I would think an experienced jewel thief would know real gemstones from the fakes in those pieces.”

  “Fakes? I thought they were real,” Lisa said, sounding both relieved and disappointed all at once.

  “Oh no, dear. The real pieces are in my bank in a safety deposit box with the rest of the collection. I liked the brooch and ring so much I had duplicates made up so I could wear them whenever I wanted. One doesn’t generally wear jewelry worth a quarter of a million dollars—at least not without a bodyguard.”

  An hour later, Jennie dropped exhausted onto the bed in her and Lisa’s new stateroom. Theirs had been closed off so Daniel Lee could examine it more closely in the morning.

  The heirloom ring and brooch, even though they were worth only a thousand dollars rather than two hundred fifty thousand, had been in the drawer where Lisa had left them and were now safely tucked away in the ship’s safe. Even though nothing had been stolen, Daniel still insisted the motive was burglary. “They may have seen the jewels earlier and wanted to get a better look,” he’d said. “Probably thought these were real at first.”

  Jennie didn’t buy it, and she doubted Gram and J.B. did either. No thief would choose two teenage girls as their mark, even if one of them had been wearing expensive-looking jewelry.

  She rolled onto her back and stared into the dark space above her bed. Lisa’s even breathing told Jennie her cousin was asleep. You should have told them, McGrady. Why didn’t you? The minute you opened your wallet and discovered it was missing you should have told them.

  But she couldn’t. Not until she’d had a chance to consider what it meant. Even now the thought both chilled and excited her. The burglar at her home in Portland, and again on the ship, might have been the same person after one thing—the picture Debbie Cole had sent of Dad.

  Over and over again Jennie asked herself why. Why would anyone want a photo of her father? The only ones who knew about the photo were Gram and J.B.—and Ryan. But Ryan was still in Alaska—the one place in the world that was probably cooler than their relationship.

  If Gram and J.B. were right, if Debbie had made a mistake on the date and it really weren’t proof that he’s still alive, why would anyone want to steal it? If it was stolen, someone had gone through a lot of trouble to get it. First they broke into her house and totally destroyed her room, then followed her to Florida and booked a cruise. It didn’t make sense. If Dad was dead like everyone said, why steal his picture?

  The voice of hope that Jennie thought had been silenced forever punched its way back into her brain. Because Dad is still alive.

  9

  By morning, Jennie had passed off the notion about her father still being alive. Wishful thinking, she decided as she bit into her toasted bagel and cream cheese. It made much more sense that the break-in at home and the one last night were not related. Daniel, after all, was the head of ship security. He saw crimes like that all the time. Besides, if Dad were alive, it would mean J.B. and Gram had lied to her. Jennie couldn’t believe that—especially not of Gram. The most likely reason for the missing photo was that she had lost it, or left it at home.

  “I’m still in shock,” Lisa was saying when Jennie tuned back into the breakfast discussion. Lisa had been telling Dominic and Matt about the attempted burglary. “What puzzles me,” J.B. added, “is that they went through all the trouble of breaking in but didn’t take the jewelry. I would think they’d act as quickly as possible.

  If I were a thief, I certainly wouldn’t stop and examine the jewels for authenticity—I’d do that later.”

  “You’re talking about those thieves as though they were intelligent,” Gram said. “I don’t think they were very smart. Picking a couple of teenage girls as their targets proves that.”

  Dominic cleared his throat. “Is it not possible the thieves were doing, how do you say, a running trial? Perhaps they only used Jennie and Lisa as sitting ducks.”

  Running trial? Sitting ducks? Jennie grinned as his meaning sank through the language barrier. “Oh, you mean pigeons. They were doing a trial run and we were their pigeons.”

  “Sí. Is that not possible?”

  “It’s very possible.” J.B. set his coffee cup on the table and pushed his chair back. “I do think, however, that we should discard this unpleasant conversation. A private island in the Caribbean sunshine awaits us, and I, for one, intend to take full advantage of it.”

  “Well said, darling.” Gram sent J.B. an adoring look that left no doubt about her feelings for him. In a way, that pleased Jennie. Gram deserved to have a man like J.B. So does Mom. The thought came from out of nowhere and Jennie tried to banish it. Mom’s situation was entirely different. Dad was still…No, he isn’t, McGrady. He’s dead. And it’s time to give Mom your blessings and let it go. He’s not coming home.

  Jennie didn’t like the turn her thoughts had taken. She pushed them from her mind and focused instead on the party of six seated in the ship’s elegant dining room.

  As if she’d read Jennie’s thoughts, Gram squeezed her hand. “We brought you girls along so you could enjoy yourselves. With all that’s been going on, it won’t be easy, but I suggest we try to forget about what happened last night and concentrate on having a good time today.”

  “Great idea, Mrs. Bradley,” Matt said after he finished his orange juice. “From what Dominic has told me about the island, I can almost guarantee we’ll have a great time. At least we will if you’ll let us accompany your granddaughters.”

  Gram laughed and glanced from Lisa to Jennie. “That’s up to my girls. Are you two willing to let these gentlemen escort you?”

  Lisa nodded enthusiastically. Jennie was tempted to say no, just to be contrary. She still didn’t feel much like socializing, but being with Matt and Dominic did sound like fun.

  “Sure,” she finally said, hoping the delay in her response hadn’t hurt Dominic’s feelings. She glanced at him, but he was talking to Gram and hadn’t seemed to notice.

  “You’ve been here before, Dominic?” Gram asked. “Sí. Many times, Señora Bradley.” Dominic, who’d been sitting across from Jennie, stood, rounded the table, and pulled out Jennie’s chair. “It is a stop I make when I sail from my grandfather’s home near Cozumel to Miami. Sometimes I anchor on the far side of the island. The reef provides excellent opportunities for diving.”

  “Sounds wonderful,” Gram said as they left the table and headed back to their staterooms to collect their beach gear. />
  Sounds expensive—very expensive for a college student. Jennie didn’t express her thoughts aloud, but they did present some interesting possibilities.

  They were all to meet on deck four, where they would disembark the ship and take a shuttle from ship to shore. Jennie had just enough time alone with Lisa to discuss her latest theory about the break-in of the night before.

  “I’ve been thinking,” Jennie said as she tossed a book into her beach bag.

  “Uh-oh. That sounds dangerous,” Lisa chuckled. “You’re not planning to get us into trouble again are you?”

  “No. It’s nothing like that. I can’t help wondering about Matt and Dominic. I mean…what do we really know about them?”

  Lisa stopped folding her towel and held it to her chest.

  “What are you getting at?” Her eyebrows shot up. Green eyes flashed with understanding and annoyance. “Tell me you don’t suspect them.”

  “Gram says—”

  “I know, I know. Everyone is a suspect.” Lisa stuffed a beach towel in her bag, picked up her glittery baseball cap, and plopped it on her head. She also took her cell phone out of her bag and set it in the drawer of the desk. “This thing is worthless. Not only did I forget to pack the charger, we haven’t gotten any reception since we left port. But Matt and Dominic did not lock you in the sauna and break into our room. Matt was with me when it happened and Dominic was sleeping.”

  “Dominic could have been faking. They could be burglars working as a team. Matt could have been keeping you busy while Dominic stacked the weights against the sauna door, took my key, trashed our room looking for valuables, returned my key, and put the weights back.”

  “Jennie McGrady, I think the sauna fried your brain. I don’t believe for a minute that Matt or Dominic had anything to do with this. For one thing they don’t have a motive. And nothing was taken.”

  “Money is always a good motive. They might have thought we were rich. You heard Dominic this morning. That’s what got me to thinking they might be running a scam. He’s been to the island before. He sails from Cozumel to Miami. He’s taking a cruise. In case you hadn’t noticed, all that takes cash—a lot of it. Question: Where do two college guys get that kind of money? Answer: They steal from the rich and famous. I saw this movie on television once about modern-day pirates of the Caribbean. They preyed on wealthy people who cruised from island to island on their luxury yachts.”

  Lisa grinned and shook her head. “Cool your jets, cuz. This time you’re way off base. In case you hadn’t noticed, we are not rich or famous.”

  “Yes, but remember what Dominic said this morning about us being ducks—pigeons.”

  Lisa giggled. “He’s so cute when he misspeaks like that. I love a man with an accent.”

  “I thought you loved blonds like Matt.” Jennie hung her camera from her neck, checked her hair, and set a floppy straw hat on her head, turning it so the upturned brim and flower faced forward. “Anyway, don’t change the subject. Maybe we were a trial run for them.”

  “Like I said, we’re not rich and famous, but Dominic is. He doesn’t have to steal to support his lifestyle. Matt told me that Dominic is worth billions.”

  “Billions? I don’t believe it.”

  “Why would Matt lie? Dominic’s father owned several gold mines and was one of the biggest producers of emeralds in the world. Dominic inherited all that when his dad died. And, his grandfather owns one of the biggest spreads in Colombia—grows coffee, I think. The grandfather also owns his own island and several yachts. And his uncle—remember the one he talked about last night—owns a multimillion-dollar resort on Jamaica.”

  Lisa picked up her bag and slipped her arm through the strap, securing it on her shoulder. “Come on, Jennie. I’m as upset about the break-in as you are, but don’t let it spoil our day. And don’t you dare let Matt and Dominic think you suspect them.”

  Jennie was tempted to tell Lisa about the picture, but didn’t. Blaming Dominic and Matt for that made even less sense than suspecting them of being burglars. “You’re right, and for once, I’m going to take your advice. Today’s gorgeous and so are the guys. Let’s go have some fun.”

  Lisa put a hand on Jennie’s forehead. “Nope, no fever. You’re not delirious. I must have heard you wrong. Did you really say you were going to take my advice?” Lisa laughed. “I can’t believe it. Wait ’til I tell Gram. She’ll think we’ve died and gone to heaven.”

  Jennie stifled a chuckle. “Lisa?”

  “What?”

  “Shut up before I change my mind.”

  Less than an hour later they stepped onto a perfectly manicured beach lined with hundreds of beach umbrellas and chairs. The crescent-shaped beach stretched for nearly half a mile, ending near a wooden dock. Creamy white sand sloped up from the turquoise water for several yards and stopped at a rock wall. Beyond it was a park, complete with tropical plants, swaying palms, rustic buildings, a couple of volleyball nets, and a colorful bazaar, which Dominic told them was run by natives from neighboring islands. An island paradise—theirs for the day. Unfortunately, they did have to share it with the rest of the ship’s twelve hundred passengers.

  After helping them stake out three umbrellas and six chairs, Dominic suggested they rent snorkeling equipment, get into their swimsuits, and hike to the other side of the island.

  Gram and J.B. elected to stay on the beach while the others changed and set off to explore the island. They’d only gone a few steps when the foursome became two couples. Dominic and Jennie took the lead while Matt and Lisa trailed a dozen or so yards behind. They left the picnic area and walked inland along the wide dirt path bordered by a dense undergrowth of tropical plants.

  “It’s getting hot,” Jennie said as she adjusted her straw hat and wiped the sweat from around the brim and off the bridge of her nose.

  “It is best to walk early in the morning. But soon we will swim.” Dominic squeezed her hand, urging her forward. A few minutes later, the trail broke out of the jungle and opened onto a rocky shoreline.

  “You were right. The Caribbean is fantastic.” Jennie drew in a deep breath of warm fragrant air and sighed. “Mmmm. I wouldn’t mind living here.”

  “It is a wonderful place. However, you will soon discover that paradise is far from perfect. In summer the heat can be unbearable, and the hurricanes…” He shook his head. “Paradise has not dealt kindly with my family.”

  The hard edge of his anger and grief emerged as it had the day before. It unsettled her, yet, at the same time, drew her to him. She wished she could somehow ease his pain. “Yesterday you mentioned losing your father. Was he killed in a hurricane?”

  “Hurricane?” Dominic swore. His grip on her hand tightened. “My mother, my grandmother, and my little sister died in a hurricane when I was six years old. It was a tragedy, but…one learns to survive.” He stopped and tipped his head back, as if it had suddenly become an effort for him to speak. “No, Jennie, a hurricane did not take my father’s life,” Dominic said through clenched teeth. “My father was murdered.”

  10

  Murdered. The word penetrated Jennie’s heart like a bullet. When his grip on her hand didn’t lessen, she tried to pull away. “Dominic, you’re hurting me.”

  He looked stunned, glancing from their hands back to her face. His grip loosened, slowly, as if he had to concentrate to make it happen. Jennie shuddered. His intensity both saddened and frightened her.

  “Forgive me.” He lifted her hand to his lips. “I have upset you. I…I am sorry.”

  Dominic slipped an arm around her shoulder and pulled her close. Maybe it was the feel of his lips brushing across the back of her hand, or his wonderful Spanish accent, or the sad puppy-dog look in his eyes, or the fact that he’d lost his father too, but Jennie’s heart melted.

  “Dominic…I…” she stammered. “I don’t know if I can do much, but mayb
e Gram and J.B. and I could help you find out who killed your dad. It might help to know…”

  Dominic stiffened. “You have already done a great deal to help me, Jennie—more than you can know. But no, I do not need help in discovering who murdered my father. This I already know. What I need is to find the killer and bring him to justice.”

  “What about the police? If you know who killed him, why haven’t the police arrested him?”

  “The policía? Ha, that is a joke. He is one of them. No, Jennie. I, Dominic Estéban Ramirez, will find this man. And when I do, I will kill him, just as he killed my father.”

  Jennie pulled out of his embrace. “No, you can’t. That would make you a murderer, too. You wouldn’t be any better than he is.”

  “Do you think I care? No, my grandfather has lost a son and I have lost a father. We will avenge his death.”

  Jennie wished Gram were with them. She’d have just the right response to help Dominic—maybe even turn him around.

  “Dominic…” Jennie reached back into her memory for something that might show him she understood. “When my father first disappeared I wanted to hurt someone too. I didn’t have anyone to blame, so I was mad at the whole world.”

  “I am not angry with the world, only with the man who murdered my father.”

  “I know…I mean, I understand, but…”

  “Do you? Do you understand what it is like to watch your father be gunned down in the street like a common criminal? To watch the blood drain from his body and run into the sewer…”

  Jennie swallowed and stared straight ahead at the blurring landscape.

  They walked on for a few minutes in silence, each lost in their own grief. Dominic broke the silence with another apology.

  “You don’t have to apologize,” Jennie told him. “If you can’t tell me how you feel, I wouldn’t be much of a friend, would I?”