Undercover Vows

by Judi Lind

  Keely felt rather than heard the soft pad of his bare feet rustling across the carpet. Her eyes, now accustomed to the near blackness, noted when he gently slipped behind the privacy curtain.

  Anxiously she held her breath for a long, tense moment until again she heard the cabin door opening. There was a prolonged pause, then the door closed with a solid clank and Noah reappeared from behind the curtain. “Whoever it was is gone now,” he whispered. “I don’t think we should turn on any lights in case he’s still out on deck.”

  Keely sat up in bed and tugged the thin cotton blanket beneath her chin. “What did he want?”

  Noah flipped a small envelope onto the bed. “This note was just inside the vestibule. I heard something, then saw a shadowy figure pull back the curtain. The movement must have awakened you, because you stirred and our friend backed out of sight.”

  This undercover work was new, puzzling. Keely was comfortable and competent with straightforward crime investigation, but she felt out of her depth with all the cloak-and-dagger business.

  She hated to expose her ignorance about the way the investigation was proceeding, but her cop’s instincts kept telling her she was missing some piece of vital information. “Why? I mean, if he wanted to deliver a message, why wait until the middle of the night when we would surely be in bed? It doesn’t make sense.”

  He cleared her purse and shawl off the small chair and carried it into the foyer. The chair legs scraped against the floor as he wedged it under the door handle.

  “That should keep out everything but the bedbugs,” he whispered as he slid back into bed. “I don’t think he’ll be back, anyway. At least not while we’re in the room.”

  Keely sank deeper beneath the covers until she felt the soft downy pillow cushion her neck. “Can we turn on the light yet? To read the note.”

  “Yeah. I guess it’s okay now.” He reached up and switched on the small overhead light. The envelope was part of the ship’s stock stationery. Every room was furnished with a folder containing paper and envelopes. The note could have come from anyone on the ship.

  Since there was no way to check the paper for fingerprints, Noah just ripped it open. A single sheet fluttered out.

  He picked it up and read the block-print lettering aloud.

  “Don’t waste your time going ashore in Catalina. Stay on board and make new friends. We’ll talk in Ensenada. Noon at Viva Zapata’s Cantina. Don’t be late. Come alone. Accidents happen to those who don’t follow orders.”

  It was, of course, unsigned.

  Noah yawned lazily. “Our friend’s been watching too many B-movies. Actually, he could have just slipped the note under the door. I think the visit was two-fold. Get this message to us, but also let us know we’re being watched. Of course, maybe he just wanted to see if we were really who we said we were.”

  “You mean if we were undercover cops, we most likely wouldn’t be sleeping together?” The moment the words left her lips, she yearned to take them back.

  Sure enough, Noah didn’t let her poor choice of words pass without notice. “Ah, that’s a perk I hadn’t counted on. I like a woman who shows attention to detail. A woman who really involves herself in her work.”

  “Shut up, Noah.”

  “Gosh, I love marriage,” he mumbled as he turned over and punched the pillow. “Try and get some sleep, Keely. Tomorrow could be a very long day.”

  No doubt, Keely thought. It had already been a very long night.

  THE NEXT MORNING they had an uneventful breakfast by the pool. During the night, the Empress had anchored off the coast of Santa Catalina Island, a popular tourist resort twenty-six miles from the mainland, and accessible only by private plane or by sea.

  Keely couldn’t help but wonder at the crush of passengers gulping their breakfast in order to catch one of the launch boats to the island. Apparently the single day of shipboard leisure had already taken its toll on some travelers. Everyone rushed to line up for the shore excursion as though they were anxious to stand on terra firma once again.

  Since the actual contact wasn’t going to be made until they docked in Ensenada, Mexico, the next day, Keely and Noah had already decided to spend their day aboard the Empress.

  They were quietly making plans to do a background check on some of their fellow passengers when a shadow fell across the table. “Good morning, lovebirds!” Florence Hebert cooed. “Isn’t it a lovely day?”

  “Hi, Florence,” Keely said between nibbles of a slice of papaya.

  “Where’s Willie this morning?” Noah asked as he drained his glass of freshly squeezed orange juice.

  Florence rolled her eyes and picked at the pocket of her Hawaiian-print housedress. “Making reservations for a tee-off time. That man! We come all the way from Boise to see the exotic sites of California and Mexico, and he wants to spend his time on a golf course. Go figure. Are you kids coming ashore?”

  Keely shook her head. The last thing she wanted was to spend her day shopping or sight-seeing with the gabby woman. Her time would be far better utilized helping Noah gather information.

  After saying goodbye to Florence, they were heading through the lounge when they saw Steve and Beth playing pinochle with another couple. Noah grabbed Keely’s hand and laced their fingers as they wandered up to the card players.

  Her instinct was to snatch her hand away from the penetrating warmth of his, but Beth was watching them closely. Instead, Keely smiled and leaned against Noah, the way she imagined honeymooners behaved. His towering strength felt entirely too comfortable.

  “Hey, guys,” Steve said, being the first to look up. “Enjoying the cruise?”

  Noah shrugged. “So far we’ve been too lazy to try any of the shipboard activities.”

  Steve patted his stomach. “I know what you mean about lazy. A few more seven-course meals and they’ll have to roll me to shore.”

  Beth chuckled. “Listen to him—I had to literally pull him away from the midnight buffet last night.”

  Keely’s instincts went on full alert. If the Greggs had been at the midnight buffet, then it was reasonable to assume they would have been up and wandering around an hour later—the same time someone was breaking into their room. Coincidence? Maybe…

  She forced a casual smile. “If I was up that late, you wouldn’t be able to drag me out of bed this early.”

  Steve shook his head. “For what this cruise cost, I don’t intend to miss a single minute. Hey, I’m sorry, I should’ve introduced you to the Henleys.” He pointed to their pinochle partners. “Dan and Mary Henley, these are two of our tablemates, Noah and Keely Bannister. Noah’s the computer whiz I told you about.”

  Dan Henley was a large, bluff man in his early fifties. His rather bulbous nose was road-mapped with broken red lines. Although it was only shortly after nine, a Bloody Mary was at his elbow, an empty glass beside it. He folded his cards and peered at Noah through mirrored sunglasses. “Smart move, getting into computers these days. I’m in import-export myself. ‘Course, no business can survive without computers.”

  “Dan, it’s your play,” Mary Henley said in an annoying whine.

  Henley threw down a card and pulled the trick into his pile. “Say, Bannister, I’d like to pick your brain later. Want to ask you some questions about surfing the Internet.”

  “Don’t know how much I can tell you,” Noah answered. “I’m really into sales, running the store.”

  “Ah, that’s great! You know, I’m working on a deal to import some software from Pakistan. Maybe we can talk.”

  “Sure, anytime. I’m interested in learning more about the import business myself.” Noah tugged Keely’s hand as if he were anxious to end the conversation.

  She took his cue and smiled at the group. “We didn’t mean to interrupt your card game. Maybe we can meet for drinks later this afternoon?”

  “That’d be great!” Beth Gregg enthused. “How about the pool bar around five?”

  “Sounds good,” Noah said. “See
you then.”

  As soon as they were out of earshot, Noah murmured, “Was it my imagination, or did Dan Henley seem overly interested in a relative stranger?”

  “You mean that he struck up an acquaintance with the Greggs just to get to know us? That seems sort of convoluted.” Even though they were no longer in sight of the cardplayers, Noah hadn’t released her hand, and Keely was extremely aware of his touch.

  Seemingly oblivious to her growing discomfort, he continued, “It was apparent they’d been talking about us. That has me wondering if the Greggs mentioned our names first, or if the Henleys led the conversation in that direction. By pumping the Greggs for information, Henley could keep tabs on us and we’d never know it.”

  Noah’s argument made some sense. “Maybe he was just friendly. Mary gave me the creeps, though. I’ve never met such a cold fish.”

  “Yeah,” he agreed. “They definitely are an odd couple. I think we should add them to our list of possible suspects. Speaking of which, I’m going up to the bridge to talk to the captain about using the ship-to-shore radio. It’s already past noon in Washington, and I want to get going on these background checks. Where will you be?”

  Keely froze and jerked her hand free. Obviously Noah didn’t intend to include her in this investigation any more than he had to. She should have known he’d try grandstanding on his own. Well, two could play his game. She’d noticed Maya Olstagen heading into the gym. This would be a good time to strike up a conversation with the Swiss woman.

  Smiling innocently, Keely patted Noah’s arm. “That’s a great idea.” She hunched her shoulders and rotated her neck. “You know, I feel a little tense. I haven’t had a good workout since Rosie’s—for a couple of weeks. I’m going to the gym, maybe sit in the steam room afterward.”

  His head bobbed in obvious relief that she wasn’t going to try to horn in on his investigation. “After I finish with the people in Washington, I’m going to see if the captain will let me look at his passenger manifest.”

  “What will that tell you?”

  “It’ll tell me if the people we’ve met are using the same names as on their passports.”

  “Good plan.” What a waste of time, she thought. Why would the courier risk exposure by using an assumed name? At least it would keep Noah occupied while she was busy with more germane inquiries. Hoping to forestall any suspicion on his part, she asked sweetly, “Shall we meet for lunch?”

  He glanced at his watch. “Sure. The second seating is at one. Let’s meet in the cabin about half past twelve so we can discuss anything I find out.”

  Anything he finds out. There was no doubt he considered her a useless appendage. Well, Mr. Noah Bannister, we’ll just see who comes up with the more pertinent information. “Sounds good.” She waggled her fingertips as she headed toward the gym. “Have a good morning, honey,” she called out for the benefit of any listeners.

  It was with a touch of chagrin that she realized how easily such endearments slipped off her tongue when she was talking to Noah.

  Not wanting to miss Maya at the gym, Keely hurried back to their stateroom and slipped on a Lycra bodysuit and a pair of bicycle shorts. Tossing a towel over her shoulders, she raced back up to the promenade deck and pushed open the heavy glass door leading to the exercise equipment.

  Maya Olstagen was on a massive muscle-toning machine, doing reps of a killer thigh regime. As a police officer, Keely prided herself on staying in good shape, but Maya was incredible. At dinner the night before, Keely had thought the roundness of Maya’s thighs and thickness of her arms were the result of too many Swiss pastries. Today, however, she realized Maya’s heft came from an extremely buffed musculature.

  Keely started to speak, but noticed Maya’s eyes were closed in concentration and decided to wait until the woman had finished her routine.

  Heading for the Exercycles lining the far wall, Keely set the tension and climbed aboard. Almost immediately her calf muscles tightened in protest. Gritting her teeth, she forced herself to pick up the pace. This was the price she paid for staying inactive too long.

  After a few minutes of operating on raw willpower, her creaky muscles relaxed and she fell into rhythm with the machine. Keely loved working out; it allowed her time to think, besides honing her body. Today, however, her thoughts were jumbled and distressing.

  First, of course, had been the shattering trauma of Rosie’s death. A death she’d really had no time to grieve. Then the numbing discoveries had started, quickly followed by the shock of Noah’s return.

  With a groan of dismay she recalled her quick, intense reaction after her astonishment at seeing him began to subside. The way her gaze had kept returning to his full soft lips, with those little indentations at the corners. And his long straight nose, somehow made more interesting by the small dent where Todd had nailed him with a baseball so many summers ago.

  Ever since Noah had strolled back into her life, she had to keep reminding herself of his duplicity, his coldhearted abandonment. She harbored no illusions; he had used her then and he wouldn’t hesitate to use her now.

  In Chief Kapinski’s office, Noah as much as admitted his obsession with the counterfeiting ring. He’d been trying to build an airtight case for nearly three years, but that missing link, the informer who was giving away their game plan, had foiled him at every turn.

  Keely knew she represented nothing more to Noah than a means to an end. Nevertheless, she found herself anticipating his smiles, and feeling injured at his caustic comments.

  Sweat rolled off her forehead and stung her eyes, forcing her back to the present. She glanced at the speedometer and was startled to find herself pedaling at nearly twice her normal speed. Noah did have her worked up—in more ways than one.

  She paused, pulled the towel from around her neck and mopped her brow. Leaning back to stretch her shoulders, she noticed Maya leaning against the mirrored wall, closely observing her. Somewhat disconcerted, Keely smiled half-heartedly. “Hello, Maya. How’s it going?”

  “You training for the Tour de France or have a fight with your husband?”

  Keely forced a laugh. Maya had inadvertently dredged up the past with her innocent question.

  Despite their pretense to the contrary, Keely could never forget that Noah Bannister wasn’t her husband. Once she’d thought their lives would be linked forever. He was the only boy Keely had dated throughout high school. Everyone supposed they’d be married one day; Keely had taken it for granted.

  “Keely? Did I say something wrong?”

  Keely climbed off the bike. “No, I was just thinking.”

  “Don’t worry,” Maya said, taking a deep draft from a plastic container of water. “Every relationship has its ups and downs.”

  Keely laughed aloud. Yes, she had to agree with that statement, especially as it related to her relationship with Noah. But she hadn’t orchestrated this meeting to talk about him. Looking for a way to segue the conversation to Maya’s personal life, she asked, “How about you and Dieter? Have you been married very long?”

  Maya batted the air in front of her face. “Forever, I think. We grew up together.”

  “Where was that?” Keely turned away as she asked the question so that Maya wouldn’t see her avid interest in the response.

  “In Switzerland. I thought I told you last night?”

  “I mean in what city?”

  Maya bent over and picked up a small duffel bag that had been lying at her feet. She slung it over her shoulder. “A very small village in the Alps. I’m sure you wouldn’t know it. Have you ever been to Switzerland?”

  Keely admitted this cruise represented her first real excursion out of the U.S.

  “Oh. The way you were asking about my country, I assumed that you had visited.” She frowned and focused her disconcerting stare on Keely’s face. “Well, I have to be going now. Will we see you at dinner?”

  “Sure.” Keely smiled broadly in an attempt to disarm the woman’s dubious opinion of her.
/>
  Maya, however, seemed unconvinced as she lost no time making her escape from the gym. After the door closed behind her, Keely was left tired and disheartened. The first real police work she’d attempted in nearly two weeks and she’d blown it. Had she lost her flair for interviewing, or was she simply too close to the case to be effective?

  Not that the answer mattered, she acknowledged. All she could do was her best, and she only hoped it would be good enough. Disappointing herself would be hard enough to live with; she couldn’t bear to lose Noah’s professional respect, as well.

  Deciding that luxuriating in a steam booth would soothe both her body and her wounded spirit, Keely headed for the dressing room. After exchanging her workout clothes for a thick terry towel, she slung a second towel over her shoulder and padded down the hall to the sauna. She set the heat and timer on the first unit, then slipped inside, closing the heavy door.

  Within moments, wet, invigorating heat filled the tiny cubicle and she felt herself relaxing. Tension and self-doubt slid off her like the beads of perspiration racing down her back. For the first time in days she felt totally self-composed and languid. Her eyelids drooped and her head bobbed as she started to doze.

  Time to get out, she thought lazily. On second thought, five more minutes would feel wonderful. Just five more minutes of pure luxury, then she’d go back to reality. Her eyes were so tired. Maybe if she closed them for just a moment…

  She didn’t know how long she dozed before a slight noise awoke her. Her body was slick with sweat and devoid of energy. She’d been in the steam booth too long.

  Feeling the need for a nap now more than ever, she decided to spend the day being a total slug. She’d shower, change clothes and go back to the cabin for a long, relaxing snooze.

  Wiping the moisture from her face with her damp towel, she went to the door and turned the handle. It twisted in her hand but didn’t open. With a frown, she used her towel to wipe her hands and pulled again.