Ghostly Serenade

by Colleen Helme

  “I’m so sorry,” I began. “But if someone did this, I promise to do what I can to find them.” She nodded, but didn’t say anything, so I continued. “You told us she was doing better, so I need to know your opinion. Do you think she died from her injuries, or do you think someone got to her?”

  Ella shook her head and spoke in a low voice. “She had a setback because of the drug she was given yesterday, but I don’t think it was enough to kill her. I think someone got to her, but there’s no way to prove it. I doubt the autopsy will show anything different, but in my gut, that’s what feels right.”

  “So you think someone got through all the security we’d set up, and did what… exactly?” I asked.

  Her lips thinned. “I don’t know. But it happened between the night shift and the day shift change. There’s a lot going on right then, and more people are here than usual. Someone may have slipped by your police guard.”

  I glanced at Hawk. “What did the guard say?”

  Hawk shrugged. “He says no one got past him, but he mentioned that he left his post for a brief minute to help someone down the hall. I guess it could have happened then.”

  “All right.” I turned to Ella. “What shift were you on?”

  “I was just coming on the day shift. I’m the one who found her.” Ella’s face crumpled with grief, but she held the tears away. “She wasn’t supposed to die. It’s my fault. I should have stayed another night, but I thought…” She shook her head, and her tortured eyes filled with tears. “She was doing better, you know? I wouldn’t have left otherwise.”

  “It’s not your fault,” I assured her. “You did all you could for her.” She shook her head, clearly not believing me. “It’s true. You didn’t kill her. None of this is your fault.”

  She took a deep breath and closed her eyes to pull herself together. Swallowing her anguish, she caught my gaze. “You’re right. Of course it’s not my fault.”

  I nodded, but, from her tone, and the way her jaw jutted forward, I didn’t think she was telling the truth. But why would she lie? That just didn’t make sense. I wanted to squeeze her hand, or offer some kind of comfort, but she held herself so stiffly that I knew it wouldn’t be welcome.

  “Okay, I guess that’s it. Thanks for your help.” I wished for the thousandth time that I could hear what was going on in her mind. “If you think of anything else, anything at all, please call.”

  She nodded. “Of course, and you…” Her gaze moved between me and Hawk. “Please find the person who did this.”

  Hawk’s lips turned into a grim line. “We’ll do our best.”

  “We will,” I said at the same time. His startled gaze caught mine, and he was thinking that I shouldn’t make promises like that. So far, he hadn’t found the lead he needed to catch the killer… unless I’d picked something up? Relief coursed over him. That was it. It must be why I’d been so positive. I had something.

  Yikes. That wasn’t what I’d meant at all. Now what?

  Ella left the room, and Hawk spoke with enthusiasm. “Did you just get something?”

  “Uh… not exactly.” At his crestfallen expression, I quickly continued. “But I want to help you on this. I’m willing to do whatever it takes to catch the killer.”

  He brightened. “Really? You’d do that?” At my nod, hope filled his heart. “That’s great. I’ll take any help you can give me.” His search of the docks hadn’t turned up the big break he’d hoped for, so he’d been counting on Taylor to break the case. With her gone, he needed me more than ever.

  “Let’s talk to the others while I’m here,” I said, “and then decide what to do next. Maybe I should visit the docks with you since you haven’t had a lot of luck there. Maybe I’ll pick up something.”

  His brows drew together. How did I know that? “Uh… yeah, sure. That would be great.” Oops. Luckily, he credited my premonitions for what I knew. “I’ll get the head nurse for you.”

  I spent the next forty minutes speaking with everyone who’d been involved and found absolutely nothing. The only person I’d missed was the police officer who’d been her guard, but I’d get him later at the precinct.

  After the last person left, Hawk sat down in the chair, despondent that Taylor had died. With all three of them dead, a heavy weight fell on his shoulders. Good thing I’d decided to help.

  “So what have you found at the docks so far?”

  “I called all the companies that dock at Chelsea Pier and found out which of them had party boats that went out that night. There were more excursions than I thought, so I was hoping Taylor could be more specific. I have the photo from Merilee’s phone, and I was hoping to match it with the exact pier and boat company so we could narrow it down. So far that’s all I’ve got.”

  “Okay. Let’s head over there and see what I can do.”

  He nodded, thinking that New York has so many docks and party boats that, without a name, it was like trying to find a needle in a haystack. If it was a private boat, there’d be even less chance of finding it. That’s why he was counting so much on Taylor. Without her, he didn’t know if we’d ever figure this out.

  “Do you think those two loan officers were lying to us?” he asked.

  “No. I’m positive they weren’t lying. And it has to be a boat. You know? Because of the song row, row, row your boat. That’s the clue, and it’s not wrong.”

  “Okay. Let’s get going.” As we drove to the docks, Hawk explained a little bit about Chelsea Piers. “Up until the nineties, it was an eyesore and slated for demolition. But some investors got together and spruced it up, turning it into a major public recreation center with waterfront access.”

  “It sounds nice. So you haven’t actually visited the docks yet?”

  “No,” he answered. “I spent most of my time calling the different boat companies to see which ones had party boats out that night. I’ve got it all written down in my notes, but I have to tell you… the Maritime Center is over a mile long and has at least twelve different yacht companies that run their business from there. They include everything from renting private yachts to offering cruise ships for different types of events, so it might not be as easy as you think.”

  He was also thinking that the photo of Merilee wasn’t a lot of help. She was standing in front of the boat, but there were no distinguishing marks that he could find, so it might be hard to determine which exact boat it was.

  “I understand,” I said. “But maybe I’ll pick something up.”

  We arrived at the docks and pulled into a large parking garage reserved for visitors to the pier. Crossing the street to the center, my heart sank. Hawk wasn’t kidding; this place was huge. “Holy hell,” I said. “This is overwhelming.”

  Hawk nodded his agreement. “Yeah, but at least we know this is the place where she boarded the boat. Now if we can just figure out which one it was, we’ll be home free.”

  He pulled out his notes for the list of the party boats he’d called. “Out of all of them I called, there were three companies that had boats out that night. So let’s start with the first one here and go down the line.”

  Hawk showed his badge to gain access to the docks, and we managed to talk to the first of the party boat lines, asking general questions about the night of Merilee’s death. The party boat from that night was out on a day cruise, so we couldn’t board the boat to look it over.

  After showing the man Merilee’s photo, he told us he didn’t recognize which boat it could be. “You can come back tonight before they go out,” he said. “The boats from all the companies will be here by then.”

  I caught Hawk’s gaze. “Maybe that’s what we should do. If we get here an hour before they leave, we can take a look at them, and I’ll pick something up.”

  “You’d do that?”

  “Sure. I think that’s our best option at this point.”

  “Okay,” Hawk agreed. He turned to the agent. “What time do they normally leave?”

  The agent checked the
schedule. “Most of them leave at seven and board at six-thirty. So you should probably come back between six and six-thirty.”

  “Will that work for you?” Hawk asked me.

  “Sure.”

  He turned back to the agent. “Okay, thanks. We’ll be back.”

  We left the pier and headed back to the parking garage. “I really appreciate this,” Hawk said. “I’m just sorry it’s ruining your vacation.”

  “Oh, don’t worry about it. Right now, this is more important. Besides, it’ll be interesting to see what a party boat is like. Do you think I should dress up?”

  “Uh… I’m not sure.” My question surprised Hawk. Did I think we were going undercover? He wasn’t planning on actually going out on the cruise. But… if we found the right boat, it might be the best way to investigate. “On second thought, that’s a good idea. Let’s meet here at six.”

  “Okay. I’ll plan on it.”

  “Great. I can drop you off somewhere now if you’d like.”

  I called Chris, to see where they were, and found out they’d finished lunch and were heading into the 9-11 Museum. “I’ll meet up with you inside,” I told him.

  Hawk dropped me off at the memorial, and I took my time walking through the square before heading to the museum. I was impressed with the reverence of the place and lingered near the waterfall and reflecting pools to take it all in.

  Reading the names of all those who’d perished brought back the shock of that day, and where I was when it happened. It was something I’d never forget. I turned toward the museum and hesitated. Someone was watching me. I let out my breath and took a couple of unhurried steps, all while trying to pinpoint where the man’s thoughts had come from.

  Instead of heading straight for the museum, I walked around the nearest reflecting pool, listening for all I was worth. The man was thinking that, if I went into the museum, he wouldn’t follow because I’d probably be there for hours. Naturally, I started in that direction.

  Satisfied that he was right, he watched me go before pulling out his phone to make a call.

  I slowed my step and picked up his intent to let his boss know that I’d helped the detective today. From the hospital, we’d gone straight to the pier, and he was sure his boss would want to know that little detail.

  His thoughts cut off after that, so I glanced over my shoulder, but there was no sign of him. So who was that? Uncle Joey wouldn’t have sent someone to spy on me, so it had to be Milo. Why would he want me followed? Too bad I hadn’t picked that up.

  With a sigh, I bought my ticket and entered the museum, knowing that things had just become more worrisome. Not only did I need to find out what had happened to the three murdered women, but now I had to worry about one of Milo’s guys following me, and what that had to do with Uncle Joey and his plans. Could it get any more complicated?

  With an effort, I pushed my worry away and texted Chris. A few minutes later, I joined him and our kids, but the others weren’t there. Chris explained that they’d all opted out, leaving us on our own. In a way, it was nice that it was just the four of us.

  I experienced a moment of worry that we didn’t have a bodyguard, but I got over it pretty fast. What could happen anyway? The guy following me had left. Uncle Joey was a force to be reckoned with, and Milo would be a fool to mess with us, so we were perfectly safe.

  Three hours later, we trooped into the hotel. Our busy schedule had finally caught up to us, and we were all worn out. It was nearly four-thirty, and I was grateful to have an hour or so to relax before I had to head to the pier.

  Everyone else looked forward to an evening without plans, and I wished I could join them. Still, after visiting the museum, my troubles seemed pretty small in comparison to those events, and I had no qualms about heading to the pier to help Hawk. Now I just had to tell Chris and hope he didn’t mind too much.

  “You’re going on a party boat?” he asked. “For real? That seems like a lot to ask for someone who’s not even on the force.”

  “He didn’t ask,” I said, changing into my little black dress. “I volunteered.”

  Chris had followed me into our room so I could get ready. As usual, I’d waited until the last minute to break it to him. I should probably change that habit, but I hated conflict, and putting it off shortened the time he was upset with me.

  “Besides, we might not actually go out on the boat. It all depends on what we find. Hopefully, we’ll figure out which boat she was on and maybe talk to someone who noticed Merilee. It might lead to a clue about who she was with and what happened that night. Other than that, we don’t have a lot to go on. So it’s something I have to do.”

  “But why are you dressing up?” he asked, thinking it looked like I was going undercover and that this was a lot bigger than I let on.

  “I can’t wear my shorts, and this is all I’ve got.” I found my black wedge sandals and slipped them on since they were more comfortable than my strappy heels. “This isn’t too dressed up, but at least I’ll fit in a little better.”

  Chris shook his head, knowing it didn’t help to argue with me. “Fine. Just text me if you’re going to be later than ten, okay?”

  “Of course. Uh… I’m sorry I have to go. I’d much rather stay here and chill with you. I swear, when we get home, I’m going to need a vacation from our vacation.”

  “No kidding,” he agreed. “Sitting around a pool sounds awfully nice about now.” Chris picked up my purse and checked to make sure my stun flashlight was inside. “Is it charged?”

  “Yes, but I’m taking my smaller purse, so it won’t fit.” At his frown, I continued. “I’m sure I won’t need it, I’ll be with Hawk. I’ll be fine.”

  “Yeah… okay. I get it.” He wouldn’t want to lug a big purse around either, and since there were no pockets in my dress, I had to have something for my phone.

  “Exactly.” I smiled and put my phone into the small purse before slipping it over my shoulder. Ready to go, I wrapped my arms around him and held him tight, grateful to have such a wonderful man in my life. “I’d better get going or I’ll be late.”

  “I’ll walk you down.” After saying goodbye to our kids, he took my hand and held it, keeping me close all the way down to the lobby. I caught his wistfulness that I was leaving him behind, but there was nothing he could do about it. He didn’t like it much, but he understood why I had to go.

  As I climbed into the taxi, I caught a tendril of worry that he tried to hide, and my heart melted. “I’ll be back.”

  “I know.”

  He stood on the pavement, watching the taxi drive away, and I kept my gaze on him until he disappeared from view.

  CHAPTER 8

  Hawk waited for me on the pier. He wore jeans and a button-down shirt, looking more casual than I’d seen him. It seemed a bit ironic that he’d traded his suit for jeans, and I’d traded my jeans for a dress. How crazy was that?

  I waved to get his attention, and he smiled with relief that I’d made it. As I approached him, he admired how great I looked and was glad I’d wanted to play the part if the need arose.

  He also had some good news and didn’t waste any time filling me in. “I checked the party boats on my list for those that went out that night and they’re all here, but we’ll have to hurry to talk with each of them before they leave.”

  “Great. Let’s get started,” I replied. We began at one end of the marina, hurrying to the first boat on the list. The seller at the kiosk didn’t want to let us aboard without buying a ticket.

  “It’s police business,” Hawk said, showing his badge. “We just need to ask some questions.”

  “Fine. But you have to disembark before the boat leaves. Otherwise, you’ll have to pay.”

  Hawk agreed, and we boarded the boat. There were two decks inside, with a dance floor on the top deck and a dining hall on the main deck. A few people had already boarded, but it hadn’t filled up yet. Hawk headed to the bar where a server was stocking drinks. Pulling out his phon
e, he asked the server if he remembered seeing Merilee on the boat a few nights ago.

  The server examined the photo and shook his head. “She doesn’t look familiar, but I could be mistaken, we get a lot of people through here.” He took one more look at the photo, and his brows dipped together. “I don’t think the boat is this one.” He pointed to the top of the snapshot. “See that? It looks like it’s got three decks. You might want to check a bigger boat.”

  After thanking him, we hurried off the boat. Circling to the next pier, we both caught sight of the next boat and exchanged smiles. This boat had three decks and looked a lot like the one in the photo.

  “Maybe that’s it,” Hawk said, excitement filling his voice. The ticket agent gave us the same instructions to pay or get off before they left the dock. That didn’t leave us a lot of time, so we hurried onboard.

  With three decks, this boat was at least twice the size of the last one. After boarding, I stopped in my tracks to gape. This boat was huge. The main deck had an atrium-style format with a glass-enclosed elevator and an observation deck on top. There were at least five dining areas, along with that many bars, and also several dance floors.

  Blue lights encompassed the atrium and the hardwood dance floor, giving an elegant and mysterious vibe. I followed Hawk as he showed several of the staff members the picture of Merilee, starting at one of the bars, and circling the boat before heading up to the top deck.

  Not one of the bartenders recognized Merilee, and, in such a large setting, it was easy to determine that she wouldn’t stand out. I kept my mind open in case I heard someone thinking about her who had something to hide, but all of them told the truth.

  We continued to all the other bars and into the dining hall, showing Merilee’s photo as we went, and got the same response at each place. Did that mean this wasn’t the boat? How would we ever know for sure?

  Hawk checked the time and turned to me. “Do you think it’s this boat, or should we move on to the next? We’ve got enough time to make it to the last one if we hurry.”