by Ivy Dawson
“No,” Daniella seethed. “I won’t be safe until that criminal is behind bars. Find him. Put him away.”
“We’ve got a private investigator working on it,” Mark reminded her.
“Yes, I know. I hired him!”
“And I’ll look into it personally,” Mark promised her, looking down in shame. “I’ll be there every step of the way. From now on, our top priority is finding whoever did this.”
“It should’ve been your priority when I stepped on board,” Daniella said, glaring at him. “Get out! Go!”
Mark nodded and quickly walked out, gesturing for Shae as he went. She looked after him thoughtfully, before shaking her head and following him.
By the time she was outside, he was talking to a group of security guards. Shae joined the group and looked around curiously. As she looked up, she noticed a mop of curly hair.
The sight caused her heart to beat faster, and she turned red with anger. That man was ridiculous. She quickly stomped after him, ignoring Mark’s tirade.
“You!” she said, rounding the corner and grabbing his arm. “What are you doing here?”
“Oh,” Oliver said, feigning surprise. “I know you. You’re the woman who thinks I’m following her.”
“I don’t think so, I know so,” Shae said in annoyance. “What’s your excuse this time?”
“Honey,” he sighed, looking at her earnestly and putting his hands in his pockets. “are you always this self-centered?”
“I’m not self-centered,” she snapped. “I’m realistic. Bad things are happening here, I’m not going to be stupid and ignore a warning sign. I don’t care what you think of me. You’re being creepy, and I’m done being polite. What’s wrong with you?”
“Ouch,” Oliver said, pretending to wince. “that cut me deep. I thought you were a nice girl.”
“I’m this close to calling security on you,” she held her fingers a hair’s breadth apart and glared at him. “leave me alone. If I catch you around me again, I won’t hesitate.”
“Look,” Oliver sighed, recognizing that he’d gone too far. “I’m just on holiday. I thought this cruise would be more interesting, but it’s not. I’m just bored and curious, okay? I didn’t mean anything by it. I’m sorry.”
“I don’t believe you,” Shae said, crossing her arms over her chest.
“Here’s my card,” Oliver said hurriedly, pulling one out of his pants pocket and handing it over to her. She snatched it out of his hand quickly, as if it was a trap.
It wasn’t. It was a simple card with a picture of an elephant. The text claimed that Oliver White was a wildlife photographer for the Zambezi Institute. She handed it back to him, but something didn’t feel right.
“I still don’t believe you,” she said hesitantly, and he nodded seriously.
“I get that. I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have scared you. Look, I’ll go. You won’t see me again.”
She nodded at him, still looking at him suspiciously as he made his way down the hall. He had a plausible story. Shae often found herself in sticky situations because of boredom and curiosity. On the other hand, she’d heard more plausible stories from very guilty people.
In a murder case, even the murderer had a plausible story.
She didn’t have long to consider his story, because as he walked away, someone called her name. She turned around and saw Jax waving her back to the group of security officers.
“I’m so glad you decided to join us,” Mark said snidely when he saw her walk up to them. “we all know what a busy schedule you have.”
“Yeah, someone keeps telling me to do my regular job,” she said, looking him straight in the eyes. “it can be confusing to know what he wants me to do.”
“There’s a witness,” Jax said quickly, noticing Mark’s eyes narrow into slits. “she says she saw someone come out of Daniella’s room.”
He looked over to where a timid young woman was standing. She was holding her arms tightly and looked around in fear. Jax nodded at her, and she looked over at one of the security guards before firing off in rapid Vietnamese.
“She says that she was doing the cleaning on this floor,” the security guard translated focusing solely on her. She blushed under his gaze and talked quicker. His eyes softened sympathetically, and he put a comforting hand on her shoulder. “she says that she heard Daniella scream, and then a man ran out. He had a rope with him. And a little bag.”
The woman started talking more quickly, and she gestured wildly, her breathing erratic. The security guard held onto her and spoke to her in a calming voice. It didn’t work. The woman started hyperventilating as she spoke and sunk into the guard’s arms. He looked around worriedly as another security guard quickly ducked into Daniella’s room.
A few seconds later, he brought Dr. Zooberg out with him. Even Mark looked worried. He stood with one arm crossed and biting his thumb as he watched the situation.
“Is she going to be okay?” he asked worriedly.
“She’s just having a panic attack,” Dr. Zooberg said, shaking his head slightly. “come on, let’s get her to my office. I can give her a sedative.”
A few of the guards helped the maid to her feet and followed the doctor. Dr. Zooberg suddenly stopped and turned back. He motioned for everyone to wait then quickly made his way over to Shae.
“I found this, where she was lying,” he said, pressing a piece of paper into her hand. Shae took it curiously and opened it up.
He nodded at her and quickly walked away. The translator stayed behind and looked up cautiously at Mark.
Jax walked over to her and peeked over her shoulder.
“What does it say?” he asked.
“He’s warning me,” Shae whispered, she suddenly felt numb. Nothing like this had ever happened before.
“What?” Mark asked furiously.
“Stay out of this, Shae,” she read out loud. “your uncle won’t listen. Maybe you will. Don’t forget, you’re not too young for a heart attack.”
“He’s mad,” Mark seethed, grabbing the note out of her hand and glaring at it.
“This is serious,” Jax said, clenching his jaw. “this guy’s a lunatic.”
“It’s true,” the translator said, shaking his head sadly. “he nearly scared poor Linh to death.” He had a heartbroken expression on his face when he referred to the maid.
“What happened?” Mark asked patiently. The wind was knocked out of him, and he looked more concerned than anything else. It touched Shae to see that he had a human side to him.
“She said that the man threatened to kill her, he did this,” the translator drew his finger across his throat. “she couldn’t see who he was because he had a mask.”
“And she’s certain that he was a man?”
“Yes,” the translator nodded emphatically. “she said that he was big, a little fat even. He didn’t run very fast.”
“How curious,” Shae said somberly. “a fat jewel thief who kills people and can’t run very fast.”
“He doesn’t sound impressive,” Mark said, “but he’s hurting people. We need to take this very seriously. I have a plan, but I don’t think you’re going to like it.”
Chapter 6
“What is it?” Shae asked hesitantly.
The way Mark was looking at her made her uneasy. Whatever was coming would have dire consequences. It was up to them to decide if it was worth it.
“This man is getting sloppy,” Mark said, noticing her hesitation. He sighed as tried to figure out the best way to phrase his words. “I think he could be tricked, and we can be there to catch him.”
“Are you talking about a trap?” Jax asked, crossing his arms. He and Shae shared an incredulous look, while the remaining two security guards frowned.
They were both massive men who closely resembled mountains. One was the head of the security department, a man from Eastern Europe named Ivan. The other reminded Shae of a teddy bear. Even though Stefan looked menacing, he was a big softie. He w
as more known among the staff for his delicious baking than his muscle.
“Yes,” Mark said firmly, watching their reactions carefully.
Shae looked at him thoughtfully. He seemed to sense what she was thinking and nodded at her. The two of them didn’t get along. That was a well-known fact. They also couldn’t deny that they worked well together. When they put their differences aside, they could be unstoppable. Unfortunately, Shae was stubborn, and Mark was conceited.
“I don’t like it,” Jax said, shaking his head. “there’s too much that could go wrong. I don’t think we should take that chance. Besides, he’s made this personal by threatening Shae. We can’t make her more of a target.”
“He’s right, boss,” Ivan said gruffly. “someone could get seriously hurt. This man isn’t here to play. I don’t think we can guarantee anyone’s safety. Or that we come out the winner.”
“What’s wrong with you?” Mark asked in annoyance. “It’s one man. Look at yourself. You could take down a rhino if I asked you to. And there’s eight of us. Should we wait for him to kill Shae? Or Daniella?”
“Nine,” Frankie said, walking up to them with his familiar easy gait. “and I still don’t think that’s enough. Don’t set a trap. The Cat is too smart for that.”
“I was wondering where you were,” Shae said thoughtfully. “a lot’s been going on.”
“Oh, I know,” Frankie said sourly. “I’ve been reviewing evidence and talking to people. That’s what it takes to actually solve a case.”
Shae flushed and didn’t say anything. His words were directed at her, and she hated the disapproval in his tone.
“Excuse me,” Mark scoffed. “we’ve been doing your job for you. Shae’s found the poison, and she was the first person here. We’ve gotten more done in a few hours than you’ve done in a few days.”
“Is that why you’re talking about setting a trap?” Frankie asked, unfazed. “It sounds to me like you’ve got nothing. I know this guy. I’ve been chasing him for years. I’m an expert on this case.”
“And yet, you’ve gotten nothing in all these years,” Mark said snidely. “maybe it’s time to try something new, don’t you think?”
“Fine,” Frankie said, clenching his jaw. “don’t say I didn’t warn you.”
“We need your help with this,” Shae said quickly, looking pleadingly at him. “you’re right. You’re an expert. If anyone can catch him, it’s you.”
“Are we actually going to do this?” Jax asked in confusion. “No-one thinks it’s a good idea.”
“People are dying,” Mark said, turning to Jax. “what do you think we should do? Daniella’s right. We can’t keep her prisoner until he shows up again. We need to do something.”
“I agree with Mark,” Shae said after taking a deep breath. “it’s time to end this. Who knows what else he’ll do?”
Jax crossed his arms and looked over her head, clearly not on board with the plan. She took his hand in hers and looked up him earnestly. He hesitated before nodding slowly. Stefan and Ivan squared their shoulders, with Stefan looking incredibly concerned.
“I don’t like this,” Frankie said slowly, “but if there’s any chance that this is going to work, then you need me on your side.”
“Does that mean you’ll help us?” Shae asked hopefully.
He turned to her, his eyes softening as he looked at her. In that moment, he reminded her so much of her father that it hurt. It was a good hurt. Like she was healing slowly. Shae found that she welcomed the pain. That maybe she was ready for it.
“I’d do anything to help you, kiddo.”
“So touching,” Mark said, rolling his eyes. “okay, so this is what I’ve been thinking.”
The next evening, Shae watched over the ship with a heavy heart. She was standing on the top deck with a pair of binoculars trained on Daniella’s new cabin window. The whole day had been dedicated to putting the plan in action. It was a complicated plan, but they’d taken every precaution to ensure that the Cat wouldn’t be suspicious.
“Shae, come in, Shae,” Mark said over the walkie-talkie.
“I’m here,” she said, looking around to make sure that no-one was nearby. The whole ship was crawling with security, but she still felt uneasy. All she had to do was scream, and someone would be there to help her. She tried to shove the fear away. She had a job to do. Despite her best efforts, she felt strange.
“Everything’s on track on our side,” he told her, “we’re on our way.”
Mark and the security team had squirreled Daniella away to a new room and taken her jewels with them. Frankie assured them that the Cat was watching. The statement still sent a shiver down her back every time he said it.
They’d wasted no time in switching Daniella’s room again. Now, there were two rooms that officially belonged to Daniella. One with the jewels and the trap, while Daniella was safely hidden at the furthermost point of the ship with three guards watching over her and Jeremy.
Shae felt the hairs at the back of her neck stand up, and she immediately turned around. Nothing. It was dark, and the area was deserted. She swallowed a scream and shook her head at herself. She was being ridiculous. She needed her wits about her if they were going to catch the killer.
“Is everyone else in place?” Frankie asked. He was sitting in the camera room with Jax, watching over everything. When the Cat appeared, they’d catch him from every angle imaginable. There were security guards in plain clothes, and quite a few members of the staff had been roped in to help.
Mark had carefully selected a few trustworthy staff members to patrol strategic areas. There was a general air of excitement and anticipation that hung in the air. Shae only hoped that no-one else picked up on it.
“We’re ready,” Stefan said.
“Okay,” Mark said, “go.”
As if by clockwork, a volley of fireworks went off. All the guests who were busy eating or who were on their way to dinner immediately crowded the right side of the ship to watch the display. They’d scheduled the fireworks weeks ago, and Mark said that it was the perfect opportunity for the Cat to strike.
Everyone would be distracted by the display, and the thief could steal the jewels in peace. The guards in front of Daniella’s fake cabin immediately switched shifts, while a brave blonde waitress walked around inside the cabin.
Another security guard hid in the closet. After another round of fireworks, the fake Daniella walked out and a guard accompanied her to the main deck.
The jewels were unattended. All they had to do was wait for the Cat. Shae held her breath as she watched the cabin. Nothing. The walkie-talkie remained silent while they all waited with bated breath. A few minutes went by, and Shae could feel the rising impatience from everyone involved.
She heard a soft bump behind her and whirled around suspiciously. Shae made her way over to a few of the deserted tables and checked carefully to see what happened. Her heart was thrumming in her chest, and she found that her hands were shaking.
She couldn’t get the words of the warning note out of her head. It felt as though her every move was being watched. It terrified her that he used her name. Logically, she knew that it would be easy for him to find her name. That didn’t lessen her terror, and she found that it was affecting her judgement.
It took her back to that awful last case that her father had worked on. One night, after they’d gone to bed, someone had driven past and thrown a brick through their window. There had been a note tied to it, warning her father to stay away.
He’d shrugged the note off, but she knew that he took it seriously. He was just trying to put her mind at ease. The next day, he booked them into a motel. It hadn’t worked. She’d come home after school that day and found a note with her name on it.
She showed him, and he lost his temper. It was the scariest moment of her life. She’d been both afraid for and of her father. For the first time, she’d seen how scary he could be. That night, he went out for the last time.
&nb
sp; Shae hated that she was his weak spot. They’d gone after her, and her father responded by acting recklessly. He’d been so close to solving the case. If he succeeded, he would’ve brought down an enormous gang that was responsible for most of the crime in the city.
Instead, they’d threatened his daughter, and he made a critical mistake.
Shae shook her head, trying to clear her thoughts. That was years ago. She wasn’t a weakness anymore. She was older now, and she was going to help take this killer down. History wasn’t repeating itself.
“I told you,” Frankie’s voice crackled over the walkie-talkie. The sound caused Shae to jump in alarm, and she looked around one last time before hurrying back to the edge of the main deck. “he’s not coming. He’s too smart for this sort of thing.”
“Let’s give it a chance,” Mark said. Shae could hear him grinding his teeth over the walkie-talkie. She had to hide a smile. If this failed, then he’d probably be on the warpath.
It always irritated her, but she had to admit that he wasn’t always malicious. Sometimes he only reacted strongly because he was so passionate. She supposed that an overreaction was better than no reaction at all.
A cold breeze blew over the ship, and she shivered, rubbing her hands over her arms to keep warm. She heard another thud behind her and turned around to squint in the dark. She took out her phone to use it as a torch as the walkie-talkie sounded again.
“Okay, get ready, people,” Mark said, the anticipation in his voice clear. “the last round of fireworks is about to start.”
Shae sucked in a breath of anticipation and lifted her binoculars to watch the window again. The final set of fireworks went off like a massive explosion of sound and color. There was a collective gasp from the people below.
It was impressive and dazzling. Everything they needed in a distraction. Shae missed every second of it as she watched the window.
“We see something!” Stefan called over the device. “Off in hallway 6B, come on!”
“We’re on our way,” Ivan said.
Shae frowned into the binoculars as she scanned the appropriate hallway. Nothing. As she lowered her binoculars, the fireworks went off one last time and someone grabbed her from behind.
