DNA STALKER: Revenge or Justice? (High Seas Mystery Series Book 4)

by Diane Rapp

  Andy’s blush deepened, making the red of his hair look pale in comparison. He watched her saunter toward the exit and turned to Emily with raised eyebrows. She handed him the slip of paper that contained Jacquie’s address.

  “Copy it quickly, son. I’ll need it for our employee files.”

  He rushed to the copy machine.

  She muttered, “Glad she didn’t make me fire her. I could never really trust the woman again, but I couldn’t risk an unfair termination lawsuit.”

  Andy handed her the original paper as he folded his own copy and stuffed it carefully into his wallet.

  “Good luck, Andy. I believe the board will offer you the position of Chief Purser after our next meeting.”

  A few minutes later Emily stood on deck and watched Jacquie climb into a taxi at the end of the pier. She felt better knowing that one person who hated her sister was no longer aboard the ship.

  *****

  While eating breakfast the next morning at sea, Jason noticed a U.S. Coastguard cruiser pull alongside the ship and several people transferred onto the Sea Mist. He turned to Natalia with a smirk. “I do believe we’re due to receive visitors. Finish eating your Eggs Benedict, my dear.”

  “People always interrupt a wonderful breakfast,” she complained. “Who is it?”

  Jason pointed toward the buffet entrance. “Looks like Esteban and his sons have joined Amanda aboard. From their vexed expressions, I’d assume they need our help again.” He swallowed a final gulp of tea and stood to shake hands with the agents.

  Esteban apologized, “We hate to disturb your meal, but de problem of great importance has just arrived.”

  Understanding Jason’s perplexed expression, Roberto laughed, “Papa means that we need your assistance with a crucial interview right away.”

  Natalia took a final bite of Eggs Benedict and stood. “Who do you need to interview today?” she asked.

  Geraldo replied, “Drew Kingston has been implicated in a crime.”

  “We’ll be happy to assist. Where will the interview take place?” Jason asked as they all marched toward the exit.

  Amanda Spears answered, “Emily Schultz prefers that we meet in her suite. Frankly, this development might complicate matters for us in the prosecution of Hank Martin.”

  A few minutes later, the elevator door opened on the Diamond Level and Natalia led the group toward Emily’s suite. Knocking softly, she was surprised when the door opened abruptly. Emily ushered them all inside, and pointed to Drew and Kate sitting together on a loveseat. Kate looked worried but Drew appeared relaxed.

  Esteban sat in an armchair that he scooted forward. Roberto and Geraldo remained standing, leaning against the bar, while Amanda took a seat on the couch. Jason and Natalia joined her.

  Esteban initiated the interview, “We have testimony from Hank Martin that be looking bad for you.” He glanced at his notes and frowned. “Did you steal de jewels from Jim Jones? Hank Martin claims this is de case.”

  Kate cried, “What? That murderer is trying to cast blame on Drew? It’s a ridiculous assertion!”

  Amanda leaned closer, noting that Drew patted Kate’s hand. “Mrs. Foster, criminals often attempt to smear the reputation of a person who might testify against them. It’s common but we must follow up right away.”

  Drew’s lips curled into a sardonic smile. “I expected something like this. My testimony might help convict him of killing Jim Jones, but you also have the word of Natalia that the man confessed to murder.”

  Natalia added, “I can definitely testify to his confession. He held me hostage and nearly killed Drew as well.”

  “What prompted Hank Martin to suddenly confess to murder?” Geraldo asked. “We had him dead to rights on the kidnapping charge, but that old murder was not on our radar.”

  Exhaling, Natalia admitted, “Hank believed he was speaking to the ghost of Jim Jones. I saw the ghost and heard their conversation, but I doubt that would be admissible in court. The main thing is that he confessed in front of witnesses about shooting Jones. Isn’t that enough?”

  The agents cast furtive glances at each other. Roberto said, “The Attorney General is eager to close this case, but Martin’s accusation could taint Drew’s testimony. I think we can convince him that we have enough corroboration to convict, but we must hear about those jewels.”

  Drew nodded sadly. “I did take the jewels when I ran from the Red Brigade; however, they were a gift from my biological father, Jim Jones. He shouted at me, told me to take the jewels and then shot a bullet into the doorjamb near my head. I didn’t think twice, especially when those killers arrived in the Safari Wagon with Raven Moon.”

  Amanda shrugged. “A clever defense attorney might say your story sounds convenient, since your father died minutes later. The Red Brigade chased you for almost forty years.”

  Natalia interrupted, “Hank told us himself that the Brigade wanted to get those jewels back! It was Raven who wanted revenge.”

  “That doesn’t help Drew’s case,” Roberto stated. “If the Brigade was chasing the jewels, they believed that Drew stole them.”

  “Although I believe the statute of limitations has expired by now,” Drew said, as he reached into his jacket pocket. The agents reacted by reaching for their guns. “Easy, easy,” he said as he withdrew a yellowed paper and unfolded it. “This letter was in the bag of jewels when I opened it. I’ve kept the letter safe, realizing I might need it to prove my ownership of the jewels.”

  He handed the document to Amanda. She glanced briefly at the letter written on Peoples Temple stationary, and passed it along to Natalia. “Please read it aloud to the group,” Amanda said.

  Natalia cleared her throat and started reading:

  My Faithful Son Drew,

  I hoped you would be willing to flee with me into exile. If you’re reading this, you don’t wish to join me. These jewels are your inheritance. I legally bought the gems with my own funds, not money from the Peoples Temple coffers. Realizing that you can never claim a share of my estate, I decided to give you enough seed money to start a business of your own.

  You never believed in my ministry but you’ve been a loyal son. Take the jewels to my friends in Columbia (names and addresses in this package), and they will help you secure a new identity.

  Good luck, my son,

  Jim Jones

  Esteban grinned while Amanda leaned forward and shook Drew’s hand. She said, “This document clears you of Hank Martin’s accusations. He’s cooperating in the arrest of other members of the Brigade for passing counterfeit currency, murder, and kidnapping. Those charges should be enough to lock them up for good. Thanks for your bravery and tenacity.”

  Roberto stepped forward and stated, “Now we have that particular matter cleared up, another concern has surfaced. Forensics verified Rose Martin’s identity as one of the two dead women on the yacht, but the other dead woman was not Jaimie Martin.”

  Jason leaned forward. “You mean she’s still at large?”

  Geraldo nodded. “The last official sighting of Jaimie Martin was on this ship, just after Natalia’s performance. We originally assumed she fled with Rose, but it’s possible she’s still hiding aboard. Hank insisted that Jaimie only tried to get her share of the inheritance and never participated in trying to kill or capture Drew. ”

  Kate gasped, and Drew patted her hand and said, “Jaimie’s not a killer, dear. If she wanted me dead, she’d have gone with her mother to kill me in Key West.” He raised his eyes and fixed his gaze upon Jason. “What do you think we should do?”

  Jason chuckled. “I think we need to set a proper trap for the wench. Do you think she might be tempted by money and jewels?”

  Kate frowned at Drew. “You’re not seriously planning to put yourself in danger again?” she asked Drew.

  “Darling, I’ve run from danger for nearly forty years. It’s time I put an end to it now.” He leaned his elbows onto his knees. “If my half-sister believes I stole her family’s tr
easure, I believe she might want to grab her share. How do we get her to try and take it?”

  Amanda Spears suggested, “How about a ‘Going out of Business Sale’ at your store later this evening? She might be tempted to collect on her inheritance with so much money and jewelry waiting in the shop.”

  “Good idea. I don’t plan to retain a shop on this ship, so a sale is an excellent plan. Sorry Emily, it’s a lovely ship, but I’d rather spend time with my family now.”

  Emily groaned, “Evidently you want me to set up sales flyers, banners, and announce the sale before this evening? I must get right on it. What do you want the flyers to say?”

  Drew grinned, “Flash sale! Fifty percent off all merchandise from 8:00 p.m. until midnight! That should attract attention.”

  Emily quickly jotted down the information. “Be sure to lock up when you leave my suite,” she said as she dashed out the door.

  Kate stood and offered Drew a teary-eyed kiss. “I have seminars to attend to, darling. You be careful, but I can’t watch it happen!” She glided out the door, leaving the schemers to finish their plans.

  *****

  After breakfast the remaining four sets of twins circled chairs, relaxed and chatty, while they waited for Dr. Phyllis Chamberlain. They met in the same conference room that had felt cold and impersonal on the first day of the cruise. Now the congenial atmosphere gave rise to laughter and friendly banter.

  The doctor entered and took an empty chair. She held a clipboard and marker, ready to record answers to her questions. Before she could speak, Suzanne asked, “Could we just talk for an hour. I think it might help to air our fears about the incident. I’ve had flashbacks, hearing gunshots, and seeing people dive to the ground. Does anyone else experience the same things?”

  Dr. Chamberlain set her clipboard down. “That’s an excellent idea, Suzanne. Survivors of a violent attack often experience similar flashbacks, and it’s best to discuss them openly with people they trust. Please feel free to contribute.”

  Melany and Penny held their hands up as their lips trembled. Melany spoke first, “We’ve been sharing a cabin and we woke up from a nightmare last night. We shared the same dream.”

  “I wrapped my arms around Melany after the dream,” Penny stated. “It was good to know someone was there who knows what I’ve gone through.”

  “Yeah, I know exactly what you mean!” Paul spoke up. “Last night Abby called me on the ship’s phone, and woke me from a really bad nightmare just at the right time.”

  “Yes, I’m a light sleeper, so the nightmare jolted me awake,” Abby added. “I just knew that Paul must be having the same bad dream. The strange part was that I dreamt I was in an avalanche, but he was drowning in his dream.”

  The doctor interrupted, “As I recall, Paul is a skier and Abby is a swimmer. Is that correct?” Both twins nodded.

  Abby exclaimed, “I’ve always been afraid of mountains and snow, and Paul says he’s terrified of drowning.”

  “I almost didn’t come on this cruise, because of my fear,” Paul added.

  The doctor took a few quick notes. “How do you feel now that you have a sibling to share those fears? Does it help that your sister is a good swimmer, Paul?”

  Paul’s eyes widened and he grinned. “Yeah! After Abby called me, I felt safe enough to go back to sleep. I didn’t have another bad dream.”

  Abby laughed. “I don’t know how Paul could help me escape from an avalanche, but it made me feel much better to share the fearful dream with him. I slept better.”

  “How about the shooting? Suzanne claims she had flashbacks, so does anyone else have similar experiences?” the doctor asked.

  Felix joined the conversation. “It was terrifying while it happened. I was held against my will, knocked down by my wild brother riding a Segway, and shot at by that crazy woman.” He let out a deep breath. “Thing is, you all came to my rescue. That wiped out all the scary things I faced, knowing that people are willing to risk their lives for me.”

  Matt grabbed Felix’s hand and squeezed hard. “I’ll always be there for you, brother.” He rubbed tears off his cheeks. “The scariest part for me was seeing you being pushed toward that monument. I knew that witch might start firing at any time, and we needed to get you into a bullet-proof vest. That’s all I could worry about. Now, I just think about my skinned knees and elbows. You know how much it hurts to crash a Segway?”

  Felix grinned and punched Matt’s shoulder.

  “Did you two have a dream about the event?” Suzanne asked.

  Matt and Felix grinned and shook their heads. Felix said, “Surviving drove the fear away.”

  Tania spoke up, “I believe I shared Suzanne’s dream. We were riding those Segways together, and I know that we shared the same fear during the experience. We should create a collage together and express those fears. I believe that would help.”

  “That’s a great idea, Sis. We’ll combine our artistic talents to illustrate the experience. I can’t wait to get started.” Suzanne wrapped Tania in a warm hug.

  The group continued to share insights about their relationships as Dr. Chamberlain rapidly took notes. The Twins Project might turn into a much better book than she had hoped.

  *****

  Several conference rooms were busy with seminars while the ship sailed across the Gulf of Mexico. A simulated laboratory had been set up, complete with technicians wearing white lab coats.

  Kate Foster narrated a “day in the life of a test tube” while a spotlight illuminated the corresponding stations. “I’m sure you all remember spitting into a sample package and sealing it tightly before dropping it off in the mail. That was a crucial part of processing a biological sample. We could test nothing without a generous amount of material.” Kate stood before each station as she described the technical information.

  “Our technicians extract DNA from a cell as the first step in the process. A biological sample is placed into these conical tubes and inserted into a centrifuge to concentrate the sample at the base of the tube.

  “Next the DNA is digested by applying a restriction enzyme that cuts the DNA into smaller fragments. Double-strand DNA fragments are separated into single strands by using an electrophoresis agarose gel. An electric current is applied to the sample to make molecules move through a very thin capillary filled with a gel-like polymer. Since DNA molecules carry a negative charge, the molecules are attracted to the positive charge of the anode and migrate to the other end.”

  Kate stopped in front of a magnified screen that displayed an enlarged gel strip. “Since smaller fragments travel faster through the gel, they appear further along the gel strip. The fragments bind to specific regions. They are fixed to a nylon membrane, covered, washed, and exposed to X‐ray and photographic film. After the film is developed, the result looks like a complicated barcode. This image can be analyzed for comparison and our computer program works to locate familial DNA patterns.”

  Kate stopped before a screen that displayed a barcode DNA image and smiled at the audience. “I realize this process sounds very complicated, but that’s the reason our technicians are highly trained scientists. Do you have any questions so far?”

  A woman raised her hand and asked, “How do you track our ancestry and family members?”

  Kate pointed toward one of the technicians who replied, “Y‐STR found on the male specific Y-chromosome and mitochondrial DNA, which is inherited only from the mother, are used to type the DNA samples. These new typing technologies help us narrow down ancestors and heritage. They can also be used for specific familial identification when corresponding data is already in our computer.”

  Kate added, “We make strides every day to identify bloodlines and inherited vulnerabilities that might affect your health. This afternoon a health-screening seminar is scheduled at no additional charge for those who wish to delve into their personal DNA results. See you all after lunch.”

  *****

  Jaimie Martin read the sale flyer
that Joseph had just delivered to their room. She frowned. “He’s going to rake in cash from all those jewels and leave me high and dry,” she growled.

  Joseph shrugged. “At least you didn’t die with your mother in that shoot-out. Have you heard the news reports? The Feds claim that Hank confessed to killing Jim Jones. Do you think it’s true?”

  “Maybe,” Jaimie admitted. “Hank was obsessed with my mother. I could see him killing any man who might take her away from him. He always told me that Drew stole the jewels that were meant to be mine, but he wasn’t intent on killing the man. That makes me believe those reports.”

  She stood and paced the small room. Joseph was still dressed in his white chef’s attire, splashed with food. He smelled of garlic and spices, a scent that always made Jaimie feel safe. “Are you off for the evening?” she asked.

  “My shift ended at 5:00. Do you want to dress up and roam the ship like real passengers on their last night?”

  “Yes. I want to scope out Drew’s shop and figure out how we might steal that fortune.” She pinned her dark hair into a bun and stretched the tight cap of a shoulder-length blond wig over her head.

  “Steal? Honey, I’m an assistant chef. Soon I’ll be promoted and make really good money. We don’t need to steal your brother’s dosh. Can’t you be happy with me?”

  She turned on her heels and frowned. “I’m happy with you, Joe, but all my life I’ve heard about that money. Now it’s so close I can taste it. If we can figure out a way to get my share, now is the time. You’ll have enough to open your own bistro on an island, and I can work at your side.”

  Joseph shrugged. “You know I can’t say no to you, lover. I never could.” He pulled a flower-printed silk shirt out of the closet and unbuttoned his white tunic. “Promise me you won’t go postal like your mother. If it looks too dangerous, we’ll drop it and hide out.”