Speaking of mysterious, Marla remembered she’d wanted to question the museum people about Martha Shore. Vail had advised her to forget about the woman for now, but she couldn’t dismiss her so readily. At the very least, she should talk to the woman’s colleagues to see if Martha had mentioned plans to remain in Puerto Rico. She hadn’t seen Helen among the tour groups. Had the widow stayed on board to track down her roommate?
Marla pushed aside her questions when they arrived at Coral World. Filing off the bus, she wondered if this excursion would be anything like Crystal Cay in Nassau. She’d enjoyed the underwater observatory there until someone shot at her in the Marine Gardens. Helping cousin Cynthia with a fund-raiser, Marla hadn’t expected her search for a saboteur to turn so deadly.
Brianna led the way to the structure poised over the water and they descended to a lower level where viewers peered at the coral reef through huge windows. Schools of tiny fish swarmed in unison like a wave, undulating in the current. Colorful parrot fish, funny-looking trumpet fish, and other varieties of brilliant sea life kept Marla entranced.
“Awesome, look at that brain coral,” Brianna exclaimed.
Marla nodded. “I like how that branch type of coral waves back and forth. There’s just so much to see down here.” The coral came in all shapes and sizes, waving or billowing as if blown by a wind. Watching it brought her a strange sense of serenity. Just beyond the window’s viewing range, the reef dropped away, and the water became a murky, impenetrable aqua.
Vail stepped up to her side. “It’s easy to forget about the outside world in a place like this.”
“Is that why you like going to parks?” she said, turning to gaze into his craggily handsome face. “Studying the trees makes you feel more tranquil?”
“That’s right. Nature lacks the ugliness that mankind exhibits.”
“Mankind also has beautiful accomplishments, like ballet, music, and art—things most people don’t have time for these days, myself included,” she retorted. “I’m enjoying the art auctions on the ship, because I’m learning something new, and they’re fun.”
“So much fun that Oliver Smernoff nearly belted his wife because she made him miss the final bid on that mystery piece,” he drawled.
“Those people have something going on beneath the surface. Like this undersea life, the ripples affect everyone. I’m interested in learning the truth about Alden Tusk, besides caring about what happened to Martha Shore.”
“We’re supposed to be on vacation, remember?”
“That doesn’t mean I’m going to sit back while bad things happen to people I know.”
“Marla, darling, let’s go upstairs to see the stingrays,” Kate inserted, taking her elbow.
Marla acquiesced, grateful for the intervention before she got into an argument with Vail. “This is similar to a place I visited in Nassau,” she told her future mother-in-law as they climbed a spiral staircase to the upper level. “I’ll stop here briefly, but then I’d like to check out the shops. We don’t have much time before we have to be back on the bus.”
“Maybe you should do your wedding in tropical colors,” Kate said while they stood in front of a picture window viewing the sharks, stingrays, lobsters, spider crabs, and big fishes that swam past. “Peach or coral would be lovely. Your mother and I could wear turquoise for contrast.”
Marla tilted her head. “I don’t know. Do we really need a color scheme? If anything, it’ll be a small affair, likely at a country club.”
“Or a hotel. Sometimes you can get a better deal depending on the season.”
She glanced at Kate’s eager hazel eyes. “Did Dalton have a big church wedding with Pam?”
“Oh, yes.” Kate smiled sadly. “She looked like an angel in her ivory gown. The flowers were magnificent, and the organist did a stupendous job. My friends talked about their wedding for weeks afterward.”
“I hope it doesn’t bother you that I’m Jewish. Despite our cultural differences, we respect each other’s traditions.” She hated the waver in her voice, but this was a sensitive issue after being harangued by Pam’s parents and her own mother on the subject.
Kate placed her hands on Marla’s shoulders and regarded her squarely. “I don’t care if you’re from Mongolia as long as you love my son and granddaughter.”
Touched by her words, Marla leaned forward and hugged her. “I do, and I love you, too, for saying that.”
“So will you look for a priest and rabbi who can do a mixed-faith marriage, or will you get a justice of the peace? Kate persisted, with a grin that lit her face.
“Who knows?” Marla flung up her hands. “I’m hitting the shops. Do you want to come?”
“I’d better see where John went. He wandered off again, as usual.”
“He does that a lot, doesn’t he?”
“It annoys the hell out of me. The man just can’t stay put. And now he wants to take all these trips? I don’t understand why he isn’t happy when we have so much to do at home.”
They exited together, wincing in the bright sunlight. As a light breeze lifted her hair, Marla whipped a pair of sunglasses from her handbag.
“So he wants to explore the country. That’s a nice goal for retirement. He’s earned the right for leisure travel.”
Frowning, Kate faced her. “You don’t get it. He doesn’t just want to tour the states and see the sights. He wants to follow the different art shows.”
Marla mulled over her words while she browsed the Caribbean crafts store alone. Dalton had taken Brianna to get a hot dog at the snack bar. He preferred to wait for a more substantial lunch in town. Meanwhile, Kate had discovered John haggling over some paintings done by a native artist who crouched on the ground spray painting pictures of alien landscapes. Colorful, but too far out for Marla’s taste. Certainly not after she’d been introduced to artists like Fanch and Peter Max.
Wait a minute. Did Kate say John wanted to attend art shows? How peculiar, unless this had always been an interest of his. From Kate’s tone, Marla didn’t believe that applied. So where did this sudden interest in art come from? And why had she seen him shmoozing so intimately with Irene Smernoff on board the ship? Their conversation had been animated, as though they were discussing more than idle shipboard news.
Could it be possible…had they known each other before the cruise?
Eric Rand came to mind. The ship’s art auctioneer had a history with these people. Why not her future father-in-law? But John hadn’t been attending the art auctions, except for appearing briefly during the preview. So his interest couldn’t be in collecting modern works of art. What then?
A horrible suspicion crossed her mind. What if they hadn’t been seated with the museum people by mistake? What if they’d been set up, and John was somehow involved?
She wondered, for the first time, who had actually bought their cruise tickets. Had it been John, or Kate? He could have put in a request to sit with the museum crowd. Then he might have been seated at Irene’s table. Their seat mixup could still have been an error on the cruise line’s part. Either way, she’d try to keep better tabs on him, if not for Kate’s sake, then for Brianna’s. The child was staying in their cabin, and Marla didn’t want her embroiled in any intrigue.
Despite Marla’s good intentions, she lost track of John in town after a bus ride through the verdant mountains, a few stops at scenic vistas overlooking the sea, and a lurching halt in front of a street market. They drove on the left side of the road in St. Thomas, which gave her a kick, but the bumpy ride lessened her appetite. Not so for Vail, however. His nose for food led them straight to Cafe Amici, down an alley by AH Riise, which was where Marla had promised to take Brianna for David Yurman jewelry.
“That man refuses to carry a cell phone,” Kate complained about her husband as she took a seat in a wicker chair. They’d found an empty marble-topped table on the outdoor terrace.
Greenery cascaded over a stone building to Marla’s left, while ceiling fans rotated over
head. Listening to the New Age music playing in the background, she felt her tension ease. A warm breeze caressed her skin like a kiss from the ocean.
“John said he wasn’t hungry and would meet us in the liquor store,” Marla said, hoping to wipe away the worry lines on Kate’s brow. She didn’t like to see dissension between them.
“Dad needs some space,” Vail told Kate. “He says you nag him all the time to do chores at home, and he has his own things to keep himself busy.”
“Yeah, and they don’t include me.”
Sensing Dalton’s mother was about to deliver a diatribe against her husband, Marla cut in.
“Hey look, there’s Helen! Looks like she’s tagging along with the Wolfsons. I’m glad she didn’t stay on board the ship.”
“That’s nice,” Vail said in a resigned tone. “So, Brie, what are you getting to eat?”
“I just had a hot dog, Dad,” Brianna said, as though he were the dumbest person on earth. “This is, like, totally a waste of time. We could be shopping already.”
“We’ve got all afternoon,” Marla reassured her. Feeling relaxed, she ordered a rum punch and a vegetarian pizza from the waitress, who was wearing an apron over black pants and a T-shirt. Dalton ordered shrimp and asparagus pasta, while Kate got a salad and Brianna just had a Coke. Bristling with impatience, the teen kept glancing toward Main Street, where bustling shoppers crowded the sidewalk.
“Can I see your map?” the teen asked Marla, sweeping her hair back and retying her ponytail.
“Sure, honey.” She dug into her tote bag. “I brought these coupons from the ship, too. Here’s one from Diamonds International. You can get a free charm bracelet there. Someone mentioned Cardows for jewelry and said they have a discount section in the back. If you want to fill this card out, we might win a reversible ring.”
“Can you put that stuff away?” Vail announced. “Here come our drinks. Besides, I don’t want Brie to turn into a shopaholic, like you.” His tone held no censure, just amusement.
Nonetheless, Marla pursed her lips. “Be grateful I like shopping at outlet malls and sales racks.” She sipped her rum punch, tasting the liquor with approval. She hated ordering a mixed drink that cost a lot and held nothing more than sugar water. She’d better drink it slowly, or she’d be too sloshed to recognize a bargain when she saw one.
After lunch, Vail and his mother hustled off toward Main Street to hunt for John, while Marla and Brianna tackled AH Riise. She’d meet her fiancé later inside the immense store that held jewelry, crystal, cosmetics, designer eyewear, liquor, perfume, and Caribbean gifts, among other things. Stepping inside, Marla felt she could spend all day in this consumer palace. Located in a series of restored nineteenth-century Danish warehouses, the family-owned business that began as an apothecary had turned into a maze of duty-free wares to tempt the traveler.
Dazzled by the display cases, Marla had to ask for directions to the David Yurman boutique. She helped Brianna make her selection and then wandered into other departments to compare prices with those at home. Over by the watches, she spied Bob Wolfson trying on a Rolex. She knew the brand because his wife was haranguing him that they couldn’t afford it.
“It’s perfect for you,” said Helen, simpering beside him.
Sandy Wolfson gave the redhead a venomous glare. “Don’t you want to look at the skin care products? You could use a more effective foundation to hide your wrinkles, if you’re trying to look younger.”
Helen lifted her chin. “You might want to visit the fashion department, darling. Your wardrobe could use updating.”
Seeing the thunderous look in Sandy’s eyes, Marla hastened over. “Oh, hi, Helen,” Marla said brightly. “Can I get your opinion on something?” Taking the woman’s arm, she steered her away before she could protest. Sandy Wolfson cast her a grateful glance before turning back to her husband.
Checking to see that Brianna had rejoined her grandparents and Vail, Marla directed her attention to Helen Bryce.
“I’m glad you decided to come into town. Any further news on Martha’s situation?”
The museum’s head docent shook her head. “Not a thing. I didn’t see the point of staying on board. The ship’s security staff is doing everything they can to track her.”
“That’s good to hear. Listen, Dalton and I want to shop for wedding rings. Do you have any recommendations on where we should look?”
Helen shrugged, her slim shoulders boosted by shoulder pads inside her turquoise top. “Your guess is as good as mine. It’s more a matter of finding what you like.”
“So you’ve been to St. Thomas before?” Marla asked.
“Oh, sure. Bill and I came here on several cruises. In fact, this is where I got my emerald ring.” She held up her hand, wriggling her fingers.
“How long has it been since…?”
“Bill passed away two years ago.” Helen smiled, the corners of her eyes creasing into tiny lines. “I’ve made a life for myself. It’s lonely at times, but I have my sons. If only I hadn’t messed with their futures.”
“What do you mean?”
“I sold something I should have kept for them. I didn’t think I could get it back until I got that note on my cabin door.”
Marla’s interest piqued. “What note?”
“It was addressed to me personally. I don’t understand how someone could have learned my secret.” Helen leaned forward, lowering her voice. “If I tell you, you’ll keep quiet, won’t you? I have to talk to someone about it.”
“My lips are sealed.”
“I sold my life insurance policy to an investor. I made a mistake, but I needed the money. I’m in a better position now, and I’d like to buy it back, but I can’t locate the buyer. That note means he may be on the cruise.”
Marla almost burst with curiosity. “And the note said…?”
“I know what you did and I have what you want.”
CHAPTER 8
I got the same note on my door, only mine was addressed to Martha Shore. At first, I thought the sender had spelled my name wrong.” Marla regarded Helen’s stunned expression. “I wonder if everyone from the museum got one.
“Holy macaroni. That’s weird.”
Marla leaned against a jewelry counter. “I’ve been thinking what it must mean. And now…”
“What?” Helen prompted.
She tilted her head. “All of us, if you consider I’ve been getting messages intended for the gift shop manager, have received personal invitations to the art auctions. It’s highly likely they’re from the same person who put the cryptic note on our door the first day of the cruise.”
“Okey dokey, I see where you’re going with that train of thought. It would have to be someone who knows all of us.”
“More than that,” Marla pointed out. “This person knows everyone’s cabin number. I don’t see how that’s possible unless it’s a crew member.”
“Eric Rand!” Helen gasped.
“I’ve thought of him, since Eric is the ship’s auctioneer plus your former curator.” She scratched an itch on her arm. “Obviously, he’s aware of your interest in art, but how could he have learned you’d all be on the cruise together unless he sent the tickets? Is he that financially well-off?”
Helen’s eyes widened. “Not that I recall. He made a decent salary as curator, but I have no idea what these art galleries pay their people. Anyway, how would he have learned about my life insurance transaction?”
“He wasn’t the buyer, was he?”
“Well, it actually went through a broker.” Helen gripped Marla’s arm. ‘If there’s any chance I can buy back my policy, I have to do it. I had no right to take away my sons’ security. They’ll need that money if anything happens to me. Kate says you’re good at solving mysteries. Help me regain ownership.”
“I’m not sure what I can do.”
“If Eric isn’t involved, it has to be one of us, someone who knows our secrets. But why tease us with that note?”
&nbs
p; “The message might be meant as a threat. Your secret may not involve anybody else, but who knows what other people are hiding? Someone brought all of you on board for a purpose.”
“You’re right.”
Helen waved at Sandy and Bob, who’d reappeared schlepping several bundles. They halted by the Lalique counter, while outdoors beyond the open doorway, a jitney rattled past on the crowded street. “Take Bob, for instance. I know what he’s up to, but his stupid wife will never figure it out.”
“Oh really, and what’s that?”
Helen’s eyes glittered. “Martha was the one who clued me in. She said Oliver questioned her about some gift shop items that were on the expense record but weren’t in her inventory.” She smoothed her slate gray pants. “Bob needs someone more adventurous like me who can appreciate a risk taker.”
What? How did Oliver’s remarks relate to Bob? Marla stared at Helen as the woman stalked off after her prey. Bob, adjusting his eyeglasses, squared his shoulders at her approach.
Deciding to look for her own group, Marla sauntered into the liquor department, which also housed Caribbean gifts. She caught sight of Brianna studying a selection of silver hook bracelets and hurried over. “Hi, hon. I’d love to buy you one of these. Do you see a design you like?”
Vail and his dad were in a debate over different brands of rum, while Kate had wandered toward an alleyway where works of native art were displayed. Glad to have a moment alone with the girl, Marla draped an arm across her shoulder.
“That one with the dolphin is neat,” Brianna said. “Do you think it’ll go with my David Yurman bracelet?”
“Why not? You can wear more than one on your wrist.”
“Grandma bought me these earrings,” Brianna said, reaching into her purse. Vail had finally consented to allowing his daughter to get her ears pierced.
“Those are lovely,” Marla said, admiring the teardrop design in white gold.
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