Not Just an Echo (Piper Anderson Legacy Mystery Book 3)

by Danielle Stewart

  “Let’s talk about something else,” Michael insisted, clapping his hands together. “Anything else really. How about the weather?”

  “There’s a dance tonight,” Betty said, pretending to obey, the subject still looked as though it hadn’t truly been changed. “A formal. Did you bring formal clothes?”

  “I didn’t,” Aiden said, pretending to be disappointed. “This trip was sort of last minute for me.”

  “Me too,” Cosette agreed. “I didn’t think to bring a formal dress.”

  “Look how much y’all have in common,” Betty sang as though they’d just announced they’d gone to the same high school and had a thousand mutual friends.

  “Sorry to interrupt,” the tall waiter with sharp features and slicked back black hair announced as he folded a cloth napkin over his arm.

  “It’s a welcomed interruption,” Clay chuckled, glancing at the menu he’d just been handed.

  “I hate to stop the conversation of such beautiful women.” The waiter winked, and Cosette blushed again.

  It was Betty’s turn to hum her disapproval now. “Just remember the competition is fierce around here, Aiden,” she whispered, nudging him as if they were lifelong friends, both in on the joke.

  “If I do forget,” Aiden whispered back, “I’m sure you’ll be right there to remind me.”

  A sparkle danced in her eyes as she patted his shoulder. “Now you’re catching on.”

  Chapter 3

  The night air whipped Cosette’s hair around as she and Aiden stepped out onto the open top deck of the expansive cruise ship. It was like a floating world all its own, stocked with everything one could want or need. “I’m not sure you’ll believe me, but I swear I met them only earlier today. We all got on the ship around the same time, and they were very kind to me. But I was not in on the plan.”

  “I believe you,” Aiden chuckled. “You looked about as embarrassed as I felt. I’m not sure you could fake that shade of pink.” He touched her cheek gently with the back of his finger.

  She felt the color rise up in her cheeks as he spoke. His cologne was intoxicating, and now that he wasn’t wedged in next to her at a table, she could get a good look at him. Though he said he was some kind of accountant he had a rugged look about him that made her think any minute he wasn’t in the office he was cutting down random trees lumberjack style. There was a bit of wave in his dark hair, and his brown eyes were framed with distinguished brows. The shadow of a beard only added to his strong-featured appeal. A pensive furrow of his brows seemed to be his natural expression, as though an important thought was always present in his mind. “Do you think this was part of their plan too? Making it so uncomfortable we’d both run away, and maybe end up in the same place?”

  “Could be,” Aiden shrugged. “I need to hire Betty as a salesperson. I don’t have any idea how she talked me into that excursion tomorrow. I was signing some clipboard before I even realized what happened. I have one planned later in the week but tomorrow was wide open for me. I don’t even know what we’re doing.”

  “We’re taking a champagne sunset sail. I guess we’re all meeting on the dock at five tomorrow night. Torrella Bay is supposed to be beautiful at sunset.”

  Aiden laughed like someone had just whispered a dirty joke in his ear, his whole face lighting with delight.

  “What?” Cosette asked, heat rolling up from her neck like the jets of a hot tub suddenly being sparked to life.

  “They aren’t coming,” he explained, still laughing. “I imagine you and I will be standing on that dock alone at five thirty, deciding if we should take the champagne cruise alone. Betty . . . she’s a professional.”

  “I need to get my head out of the clouds,” Cosette sighed, running her hand woefully across her brow. “I’m way off my game. I can normally see a con coming from a mile away.”

  “Should we turn the tables and not show up?” Aiden asked, spinning his face in toward the whipping wind and closing his eyes as though the moving air was a baptism for his soul.

  “I’ve got a good idea,” she smiled wryly, a devilish twinkle in her eye. “Only if you’re up for it.” Cosette raised a brow challengingly at him, her smile still beaming. His eyes cracked open slowly as he stared down at her face.

  “I’m game.”

  A rumble of thunder echoed in the distance and a crackle of lightning danced far off on the horizon.

  “A storm?” Cosette asked, now paying a bit more attention to the extra rocking in the boat. “What do they do if there’s a storm? We’re heading that direction aren’t we?”

  “I’m sure they’ll have a plan for it. Probably a detour if needed. We’re supposed to be arriving in Torrella Bay by morning. Maybe they’ll have to go somewhere else instead. I hope not.”

  The look on his face was layered with something she couldn’t put her finger on. Maybe he could feel the excessive rocking now too. Maybe he was far more knowledgeable about cruise ship disasters than she was, and the concern should make her worry. “Were you looking forward to Torrella Bay specifically?” she asked.

  “No,” he replied quickly, shaking the look off his face. “I just hope we aren’t detoured anywhere. I’m a planner; I like things to go the way they’re supposed to. Boring, I know.”

  “Boring?” she asked incredulously. “More like the song of my people. I don’t see how anyone gets through life flying by the seat of their pants. I’d be in a constant state of panic.”

  A crackling noise came over the intercom and the captains voice, complete with a thick but hard to identify accent, filled the space between Aiden and Cossette.

  “Good evening, passengers. I’ve just been informed that a storm has unexpectedly popped up in our path. We had been watching it closely, but the wind has shifted rather dramatically from the original forecast. It’s nothing to be concerned about. However, it is creating some strong seas. We’ve made the decision to change our course overnight to ensure a pleasurable experience for you. Rather than docking in Torrella Bay, we will be heading to the south side of the same island and wait for the storm to pass by. We’ll spend the early morning hours just off the coast of Corinti. By approximately nine a.m. we’ll be ready to circle back to Torrella Bay and all excursions should be unaffected. We will not be allowing any guests to depart the ship while docked in Corinti. Thank you for your understanding in this matter. Enjoy your night.”

  The static returned for a second and was replaced by distant thunder again.

  The boat seemed to be rocking a bit more now, but there was a chance it was all in Cosette’s worried mind.

  “It’ll be fine,” Aiden assured her, and for some reason, she was inclined to believe him. Maybe it was just some cavewoman instinct, the width of his shoulders and the size of his hands that made her feel safe. But, she’d take it.

  “I’ve never even heard of Corinti,” she said, squeezing tighter to the railing. “It’s the same island as Torrella Bay? How can that be?”

  “You’d be amazed how many of these resort places are just the shiny exterior of a really terrible place. Corinti is plagued by crime, oppressive government, and disease. There’s a good reason the captain isn’t letting anyone off. It’s not safe. I’m sure if he had another option he’d take it. This storm must really have popped up out of nowhere.”

  “Is it safe to even sit in port there?” Cosette asked as a gaggle of crew members hustled by them, hushed commands passing between them.

  “It’ll be fine,” Aiden repeated, nodding his head, but looking less convinced now.

  “I guess there’s only one thing we can do,” Cosette shrugged. “Hit up the midnight dessert buffet and eat like it’s our last day on earth.”

  “See,” he said, smiling with ease now, “it’s nice to have a plan.”

  Chapter 4

  Why on earth had he said accountant? Aiden hadn’t expected the barrage of questions by his tablemates. He figured he’d be sitting with some strangers for dinner and with any luck they�
��d all part ways knowing exactly nothing about each other. But Betty had been persistent and clever. Relentless in her pursuit to socialize and play matchmaker. But the second he had announced he was an accountant he felt as though everyone at the table could see right through his lies.

  If Cosette had thought he was lying, she didn’t let on as they spent the next few hours chatting and indulging in all the food the luxury cruise had to offer. There were watermelons cut into the shape of swans, chocolate fountains with absolutely every sweet confection to dip in it. The only thing sweeter than the fresh cut fruit was Cosette. Her laugh was contagious, her smile breathtaking, and her wit unmatched. If he hadn’t come here with a daunting endeavor that could cost him his life, he actually might have been swept up in sweet Cosette’s lovely wake.

  As they parted ways in the hallway in front of her room, the boat was rocking heavily, sending her lunging into his chest. He righted her, held on an extra moment, and winked as they said their goodbyes.

  Now sitting in his room alone, it was time to go over his plan again. The detour to Corinti didn’t really impact his timeline. If they arrived on the other side of the island by nine, he’d still have time to meet his contact. If nothing else changed, he could still make it all work.

  A light knock on his door sent him shooting upright and stuffing documents quickly into his suitcase. Maps of the island still spilled out of the side as he got up to answer.

  “Yes?” he asked, spinning around and looking for what else he might have lying around that could give him away.

  “It’s Cossette,” her tiny voice said from the other side of the door. “I couldn’t sleep. I feel like I’m going to throw up all those chocolate strawberries.”

  He smiled in spite of himself. In spite of the magnitude of this situation. “And you wanted to share that experience with a stranger?” he asked, pulling open the door.

  “I was going to get some fresh air up on the top deck,” she explained, holding tightly to the wall as the boat rocked. “This isn’t normal right? I mean it shouldn’t be rocking this much should it? This is like the scene in Titanic where the dining hall just crashes in on itself.”

  “Not quite,” he laughed. “I’m not a frequent cruiser, but I think we’re fine. If you want to take another walk on the deck I’ll do a lap with you though. It might help you if you’re feeling sick.”

  “Truth,” she said, batting her eyes up at him. “I didn’t’ want to die alone in that tiny windowless room when the ship flipped over.”

  He looked back at his room behind him and grinned. “Me either,” he agreed. “You know what’s great for motion sickness?”

  “What?” she asked as they made their way back down the long hallway toward the fresh air.

  “Champagne.”

  Aiden wasn’t going to sleep tonight anyway. His nerves were too raw, his mind running in circles around what he had to do. One small deviation and everything he’d been working for would be destroyed. One wrong move and he’d be a dead man. If he was going to be awake anyway, he might as well be in the company of a beautiful woman. If he was going to die tomorrow, he might as well get a good look at Cosette’s pale amber eyes so he could remember how beautiful they were.

  “Okay,” she agreed, “but no more food. I can’t possibly eat another bite of anything.”

  “Absolutely,” he agreed, patting his stomach. “There is no way I’m having any of that gourmet pizza they were talking about. I mean who needs imported salami this late at night?”

  “I could maybe have a slice,” she shrugged, checking her watch as though time meant anything at all.

  “I’m a gentleman,” Aiden explained, straightening his back, “I never let a lady eat alone.”

  Chapter 5

  The fire alarm on the cruise ship was loud enough to bring the dead back to life. Cosette was dreaming of something far off, just out of reach, when the shrill noise pierced her fantasy. Shooting up, breath ceasing in her lungs, she sat frozen for a moment as her eyes tried to adjust.

  But there was no darkness like that of a windowless cabin in the belly of a cruise ship. She fumbled at the side of the bed for a switch, a clickable button on the tiny light. The first attempt resulted in her belongings crashing to the floor. The boat was still rocking but not as heavily, which she hoped was a good sign.

  “Cossette,” a voice called through her door, barely audible over the fire alarm. “Open up.”

  She navigated clumsily in the dark and yanked the cabin door open, relieved to see Aiden’s face glowing under the strobe of the emergency lights above.

  “What’s going on?” she asked, the alarm even louder in the hallway. “Is this normal?”

  “No,” he shouted. “The captain just announced we have to evacuate. Come on. We have to get to the deck.”

  “I’m not dressed,” she said, looking down at the yoga pants, sports bra and ill-fitting T-shirt she’d fallen asleep in.

  “Fire,” Aiden said simply as he pulled her through the doorway of her cabin and out into the hallway. Groggy, confused people were spilling out of their rooms, rubbing their eyes and asking ridiculous questions. Is this a drill? Do we really have get up?

  Cosette saw that Aiden had two life jackets in his hand and a worried look on his face. The alarm had been startling, but seeing his expression was downright frightening.

  “Are we going to need those?” she asked, her voice cracking with concern as she pointed to the life jackets. Now she was the one asking stupid questions.

  “No,” he said, pulling her against him, and she practically floated up the first set of stairs. People were shoulder to shoulder now, panic rising like a sudden tsunami. “We’re docked. We have been for an hour or more. If we evacuate we go on land.”

  “So why did you take them?” she asked, looking around at how many people had clearly forgotten the earlier instructions by the crew about what to do in case of an emergency. He was one of the few people who had the life jackets with him.

  “Better safe than sorry,” he replied, using his body to block a flood of people who’d just joined them all on the next set of stairs. “Hold on tight. Don’t get separated.”

  “Oh thank goodness,” a familiar voice cried out in the crowd. “There they are Michael,” Betty exclaimed, closing the space between them all as she shoved forward. “We were coming to find you two.”

  “Why?” Aiden asked, looking curiously at them. “You were looking for us?”

  “Mostly Cosette,” Michael explained, holding on to Jules the same way Aiden had hold of Cosette. “We thought she’d be alone. Without knowing what’s going on, we thought we better try to find her.”

  “That’s so nice,” Cosette said, her fear and gratitude clumping together and lodging in her throat. Her mouth clamped tight as they all moved forward the best they could.

  “The captain said fire on the first announcement,” Aiden explained, as though he were briefing Michael. “I haven’t seen any smoke so I figure maybe an engine fire. That would be down below.”

  Michael and Clay, the older man in the group, were also holding life jackets, a bunch of Boy Scouts, cool under pressure. The idea of it made Cosette feel slightly better.

  “Nothing to worry about, dear,” Betty said, patting Cosette’s cheek as they walked. “I’m not dying on some cruise ship and neither are you.”

  “How do you know?” Cosette asked, realizing she sounded like a child. “You seem pretty sure.”

  “I’m dying at the ripe old age of one hundred twenty while I rock on my porch and sip some sweet tea. I’ll close my eyes and let the good Lord know I’m ready.”

  “Oh,” Cosette laughed, “I didn’t realize it worked that way.”

  “It does for her.” Michael smirked. “Even the heavens don’t want to cross her. She’s right though. We’re all going to be fine. We’ll get to the top deck and they’ll give us more information. Then we’ll evacuate to land.”

  “We docked in Corinti,” Aiden sai
d ominously, and the look that passed between he and Michael sent a shiver up her spine.

  “Yeah,” Michael said, unconsciously pulling Jules closer to him. “I’m sure they have a plan. They’ll either fix the issue on this ship or have another one here to pick us up quickly. The Coast Guard might already be en route too.”

  “You said Corinti isn’t safe,” Jules chimed in, her southern drawl strained under the weight of worry.

  “Shh,” Michael instructed, looking around at the other passengers, who seemed to have heard her. “We’ll be fine. Just stay together.”

  “All of us,” Betty said, touching Aiden’s shoulder. “For however long we’re dealing with this, it’s the six of us now. You got that? I want to be stuck together like peanut butter on the roof of a hound dog’s mouth. Got it?”

  “Uh, I think so,” Aiden said, beginning to crack a smile until a scream drew their attention. A girl, probably no more than ten years old, had slipped on the steps, skinned her knee, and people fueled by fear were stepping over her. Sandal-clad feet were barely missing her fingers and hair as she lay curled up on the step.

  “Grab her,” Michael said to Aiden, who was closest. Like a well-oiled machine, he handed Cosette to Michael, who snagged her wrist, tucking his life jackets under his arm. Aiden pushed forward and effortlessly lifted the little girl.

  “Daisy,” a frail woman who’d moved flat against the wall was waiving at him. “Daisy. Come to Mommy.”

  Aiden lifted the girl nearly over his head, above the crowd and moved her back to her mother’s arm. “Thank you,” she sobbed, kissing her daughter’s tears.

  “Keep moving. Hold on to each other. They’ll have a Band-Aid for your knee when you get upstairs.”

  Aiden shoved his way back to them, now seeming less compelled to care who he was having to nudge forcefully aside.

  “Heartless monsters,” Betty said, glaring at the people who’d nearly trampled the child. “Better have your sunscreen,” she chastised. “It’s hot as hell where y’all are going.”