Eve Lloyd’s A Deadline Cozy Mystery Box Set 2

by Sonia Parin

  “I think Jack needs to know what you were doing there,” Mira suggested. “By the way, they did a marvelous job with your make-up. I’ll take a photo so Jack can see.”

  Eve raked her fingers through her hair and smiled for the camera. This was the first photo she’d had taken... Everywhere she looked, people were snapping photos or having photos taken. She really needed to get into the spirit of it all. Everyone else was... Even David. Eve remembered him saying he’d spent the first day touring the ship and had photos to prove it.

  Jack cleared his throat. “Eve.”

  “Yes?”

  “You were about to tell me about your close encounter with someone who has already killed once.”

  “Oh, yes. Well, there I was scanning the clubroom for any suspicious behavior when the person behind me spoke up. She said I reminded her of Crystal. Anyhow, she also told me she’d left something for me in the dressing room but I didn’t find anything. By the time I turned to see who it was, she was gone.”

  “So what makes you think she’s the killer?” Jack asked.

  Eve shrugged. Why else would she approach her? Unless... no, Eve couldn’t think of any other reason. Lost in thought, she brushed her hand across her cheek. Her fingers came away with a layer of make-up. Remembering the full dress rehearsal in two hours, she slipped her hand inside her pocket.

  Her fingers collided with something...

  Frowning, Eve removed a folded piece of paper.

  Stay out of this or your aunt will meet with an unfortunate accident.

  Eve swung toward Mira.

  “What?” Mira asked.

  “A threat.” Her first impulse to spare Mira any further concern was placated by common sense. Forewarned is forearmed, Eve thought. “I’ve been warned to stop sticking my nose into the murder or else they... she’ll come after you.”

  Mira surprised her by dismissing the threat. “I wouldn’t worry too much about it. We’ll be sailing into port tomorrow. I don’t know about you, but I’m happy to cut our trip short and fly back home. What can happen between now and then?” Mira took the note from Eve. “We should give this to David. Perhaps the police can learn something from the handwriting.”

  “Did you get that, Jack? Someone slipped a threatening note in my pocket.”

  “How?” Jack asked.

  Another good question. From the time Eve had left the dressing room to the moment the woman had spoken to her, there can’t have been more than a couple of minutes.

  She must have had Eve in her sights.

  Had she been in the dressing room?

  Eve prodded her mind for a crumb of information; something she might have seen but not necessarily paid any attention to. But she came up empty. She guessed there’d been a couple of dozen people changing or having their make-up done.

  If it hadn’t been one of the impersonators, could it have been one of the other make-up artists?

  Jack listened without interrupting. She imagined him sitting back, brushing his fingers along the light bristle on his chin as he catalogued everything she told him.

  “Before today, I thought... I assumed there were ninety-nine suspects. Now... I’m not so sure.”

  “And you didn’t recognize the voice?” Jack asked.

  “No. I might if I heard it again.” The woman hadn’t sounded like Genie or Martina, but there had been other make-up artists. “I should have put the place on lock-down.”

  Jack didn’t hide his chuckle.

  “Laugh all you like. It was probably the closest I’ll ever come to the killer.”

  “I hope so. You only have the rest of today and one more night before the ship docks. Promise me you’ll stay in your cabin.”

  Eve heard the underlying concern in Jack’s tone. She nibbled the tip of her thumb. “The woman who threatened me knew Crystal but she isn’t part of the Carmen Miranda Encore group. At least, I don’t think so. David will have to get a list of people who were there today.” She turned to Mira. “Where is David?”

  “He said he was going to hover around the Starlight Clubroom... just in case you needed his help.”

  “Oh, I didn’t see him.” She didn’t dare hope, but what if... what if he’d seen the killer come out of the clubroom? “By the way, Jack. Have you checked Crystal Reid’s finances?”

  “Why do you ask?”

  “It’d be interesting to know who benefits from her death. From what I understand, she was a wealthy woman.”

  Chapter Twelve

  “Stop looking over your shoulder, Eve. David is fine. He’s a big boy and can look after himself.” Mira didn’t look up from the menu, but Eve would swear she hadn’t even blinked. She was pretending she wasn’t worried.

  “Are you sure he knows which restaurant to come to?” He’d promised to watch her back and had said he would keep an eye out on the clubroom from a safe distance but he should have returned at about the same time Eve had finished with the photo shoot...

  Mira looked up. Her shoulders lowered, and her smile lit up her face. “There he is.”

  Wow, Eve thought. Mira must be head over heels if she’d already honed into David’s presence.

  David approached their table, his expression giving nothing away.

  He wasn’t alone.

  “Bronson,” Eve exclaimed.

  David drew out a chair and sat down. “So you do know him.”

  “I do, but how do you know him?”

  “I only just met him. There I was, scouting the Starlight Clubroom when I noticed him watching me.”

  Bronson grinned. “He nearly broke my arm.” He rubbed his hands. “I can’t remember the last time I had so much fun.”

  Eve’s eyebrows shot up. “Fun?”

  “I spent two hours on an exercise bike this morning. Anything that doesn’t involve huffing and puffing... and sweating is fun.” He patted his stomach. “Although, all that exertion is starting to pay off.”

  She had to agree. As impossible as it sounded, Bronson looked trimmer.

  “Anyway, there I was trying to steer clear of food when I saw David on his stakeout. I don’t know how he did it, but from one moment to the next, he’d ambushed me and had snuck up behind me.”

  “I thought he might have been the killer,” David chuckled.

  “Yes... but... David, did you remember to keep an eye out on the clubroom door?” Eve asked.

  “Yes.” David drew out his cell phone. “And I took photos. Including one of you looking terrified. What was that about?”

  “I’d just had a peek inside the clubroom. Ninety-nine Carmen Miranda impersonators in full costume can be intimidating.” She leaned forward. “Show me what you have. I need to see who came out while I was still inside.”

  “All the photos are of people going in,” David said.

  “Huh?” Impossible. “You must have missed it.”

  “Sorry,” Bronson offered, “My fault. I distracted David.”

  Eve gave him an exasperated shake of her head and then turned to Bronson. “How exactly did you distract him?”

  Bronson looked sheepish.

  “Oh, for goodness’ sake. Get two men together and—”

  “What? I made a passing remark.”

  “About?”

  “A woman strode by and Bronson pointed to her legs.” David shrugged. “They were... spectacular. I know, I should have known better...”

  “Boys will be boys,” Mira said under her breath.

  David apologized. “Sorry.”

  “To his credit,” Bronson offered, “He’s not easily distracted... not that I did it intentionally.”

  Eve put her hands up. “Fine. Whatever...”

  “So how did you go?” David asked, “Did you learn anything new?”

  Eve brushed her hands across her face. “I had a close encounter with the killer, but before I could take a look at her, she left.” That would have been his cue to fill in the details. “I don’t think she was part of the group.”

  David fro
wned. “I got a list of everyone who was at the photo shoot and sent it to Jack. He’ll be able to cross-reference the names to see if he can find any significant connection between any of them and Crystal.”

  Jack was going to be a busy boy. In her opinion, it would be far more valuable to find out who stood to inherit.

  The waiter appeared and they all placed their orders.

  Eve’s mind wouldn’t stop tossing around the little information she had.

  “I’m going back to rehearse a routine. With any luck, I’ll be able to stir the hornet’s nest.”

  “Do you really want to antagonize them, Eve?”

  “What else do you suggest I do, Mira?”

  “Play it safe. We’ll be off the ship tomorrow and the police can take over.”

  “And what if the killer gets off too?” She eyed the brontosaurus-sized steak placed in front of Bronson.

  “I missed breakfast,” he said, “And my trainer is putting me on a strict diet, so I have to make the best of this meal.”

  Eve sipped her tea. “David, who gave you the list of people from the photo shoot?”

  “Carlos. He was happy to co-operate.”

  Eve played with her cutlery, paying particular attention to the design on the handle. “If the woman who approached me wasn’t a Carmen Miranda, then she might be a crew member...”

  David appeared to be in deep thinking mode. He gave her an apologetic smile. “I can’t believe I looked away right when I should have had my eyes glued to the door. Even so, I wonder if I would have noticed anything. They all looked the same.”

  “Don’t worry about it.” Eve frowned. They all looked the same... Actually, Eve thought there had been something different about all the impersonators. She clicked her fingers. “White. That’s why they all looked the same.” Everyone had been wearing white, yet over the last couple of days, she’d seen a kaleidoscope of colors... Hadn’t Genie said Crystal had been the only one to wear different outfits?

  Eve slumped back and worried her bottom lip. “Wait a minute.”

  Mira smiled. “Something’s clicked into place.”

  “The photo shoot was run with military precision. Lillian was very particular about us coming out as our numbers were called. The woman standing behind me had to have been number fifty-one.”

  They all looked at her.

  “Bethany Logan was number fifty-one. When I finally turned around, there was a gap between me and the next person. That’s when I noticed the doors swinging shut. What if Bethany stepped out and then came back in again?” She closed her eyes and imagined Bethany standing behind her. After Bethany taunted her with an empty threat, she decided to cover her tracks by making a swift but temporary getaway. Long enough for Eve to notice a gap. Long enough for her to suspect someone else.

  “Talk to her,” David suggested. “See if you recognize her voice.”

  So much for that theory. Bethany hadn’t sounded like the woman who’d issued the threats... “I’ve already spoken with Bethany. Unlike the woman who spoke to me in a whisper, Bethany sounded aggravated. Angry.”

  “That might have been her way of disguising her voice,” David reasoned.

  Eve stared up at the ceiling.

  “What are you thinking, Eve?” Mira asked.

  Bethany Logan.

  The killer.

  What if the swinging doors really had been a distraction? Carlos and Lillian had organized everyone. The photo shoot had been perfectly choreographed...

  No one else could have stood behind her.

  It had to have been Bethany.

  Eve sat up. “We need a plan of action.” She... they needed to ruffle some feathers and get to the bottom of all this before the ship docked.

  “I’d hate to burst your bubble, Eve. You only saw the doors swinging shut,” David reasoned. “The woman who stood behind you might have headed in another direction. She could have gone back inside the dressing room...”

  Eve gave a determined shake of her head. “When I turned, there was a gap between me and the next Carmen Miranda. Carlos called us out in order of the numbers we’d been given. When I took my place, Bethany came to stand beside me because she was number fifty-one. She has to be the woman who stood behind me.” She had to be.

  “You should take all that on board, David,” Mira said, “Eve is looking mulish.”

  More than ever before, Eve thought as she gazed out across the restaurant at Bethany.

  Why would she want to warn her off?

  What would be her motive?

  Eve imagined Bethany going to a great deal of trouble to confuse her. There one moment, gone the next...

  Eve held firm. Seconds later, her expression began to crumble. “Okay. It’s quite possible... maybe... someone else stood behind me. There’s only one way to find out.” She surged to her feet and made a beeline for Bethany Logan’s table.

  She sat with several other Carmen Miranda impersonators, none of whom paid Eve any attention.

  When she reached her, Eve leaned down and whispered in Bethany’s ear. “I know it was you standing behind me earlier today. I found the note you left. Don’t think you can intimidate me.”

  When Bethany looked up, Eve sprung back in time to avoid being assaulted by her elaborate headdress.

  “What the hell are you talking about?”

  “Very convincing, Bethany. But I’m not buying it. You left a note in my shorts. A threatening note.”

  Bethany’s nostrils flared. Her eyes narrowed to slits. She rose and jabbed a finger at Eve. “If I wanted to threaten you, I wouldn’t send you a note.”

  Eve noticed she’d jabbed her left finger at her. Had the note been written by a left-handed person? She wouldn’t consider herself a handwriting expert, but she guessed the words would have been slanted. The writing on the note had been scrawled but she couldn’t remember if it had been slanted.

  “Would you back up your defense with a sample of your handwriting?”

  Bethany watched her without blinking.

  Eve expected her to laugh in her face. “Humor me,” she suggested. “If you’re innocent, then you have nothing to worry about.”

  “If... If I’m innocent?” Bethany blurted out, her tone outraged. “Who do you think you are?”

  “You have quite a temper. There’s something else I know about you.” Eve gave a pensive nod. “Crystal took out a restraining order against you.”

  Bethany’s expression shifted from battle ready to confused. “How do you know that?”

  “I have reliable sources. You can’t deny the bad blood between you.”

  “That was an accident and she overreacted.”

  “Witnesses said you’d been arguing before.”

  Bethany’s arms shot out. “We always argued. That was her nature.”

  “And yours too, by the sounds of it. Did you plan on killing Crystal or was it an accident? You said you’d been trying to get some sleep but the arguments from the cabin next door kept you awake. Crystal’s cabin. Did you go over to tell Crystal to keep it down?”

  “Y-you’re rambling.”

  “Did it all get out of control? She pushed you, you pushed her back, all the way back against the railing. Add some pre-existing bad blood between you, and everything exploded.” Eve noticed the others at the table had fallen silent and were listening to the conversation.

  “I think you need to see the cruise ship doctor.” Bethany folded her arms. “Are you by any chance covering your own tracks? Word is you found the body. How did you know to look overboard?”

  Eve had expected to get a rise out of Bethany. Instead, Bethany surprised her by turning the tables on her.

  “What’s going on here?”

  They both broke eye contact and turned.

  Lillian Wordsworth was cannoning toward them.

  “She’s mad,” Bethany said.

  “She might be that but we need her to make up the one hundred.”

  Bethany’s mouth gaped open. “You’re k
idding. I don’t want her anywhere near me.”

  “Too bad.” With one step, Lillian stood between them. “Rehearsal is in one hour. If anyone is late, they’ll have to answer to me.”

  * * *

  “Do you want me to replay it?” David asked.

  “I can’t believe you recorded that. Promise me you won’t send it to Jack. He’ll never let me live it down.”

  David gave a throaty chuckle and waved his cell phone. “I guess this is what one might call leverage. Are you going to behave, Eve?”

  She lifted her chin. “As a former police officer, you must have well honed observation skills. What did you make of all that? Did anything give her away?”

  “I don’t know enough about Bethany Logan’s normal behavior to make comparisons.”

  Eve thought about her first encounter with Bethany. She’d been coy. Why hadn’t she owned up to knowing Crystal? Worse. When she’d spoken with her, Bethany had pretended she didn’t know anything about Crystal’s fate. By then, Crystal had already been dead.

  David’s cell phone rang. He looked at her.

  “It’s Jack.”

  She watched David nodding as he listened to what Jack had to say.

  “I promise. Yes. Okay, I’ll do my best,” he said and disconnected the call.

  “What did he have to say?”

  “Nothing much.”

  Mira folded her arms. “I don’t buy that and I can assure you, neither does Eve.”

  “Jack made me promise to withhold this from you until the ship docks...” David brushed his hand across his face. “You’ll never guess who stood to gain from Crystal’s death.”

  Eve leaned forward. “Of course not and that’s why you’re going to tell us.”

  “Her sister.”

  “Okay. Does Jack know anything about Crystal’s sister?”

  David smiled.

  “You’re drawing this out.”

  “You’ll never guess.” David hitched his thumb over his shoulder. “If she had anything to do with Crystal’s death then it would be a case of sororicide.”

  “What?” Eve looked over his shoulder. She smacked her hand against her mouth. “Bethany? Crystal and Bethany? Sisters?”