Sleeping With the Fishes (A Deadline Cozy Mystery Book 6)

by Sonia Parin

  Amanda talked about her experience working on the cruise ship and the people she’d met along the way. Eve nodded even though she couldn’t hear much of what Amanda said over the hairdryer.

  She’d never been one to sit still and watch the hairdresser perform her magic, so her attention drifted.

  Photographs were pinned around the mirror. They were party shots, but from where she sat she could barely make out the details. Then she caught sight of a turban with what looked to be cherries and a pineapple on it.

  She narrowed her gaze and tried to lean in as far as she could.

  Amanda tapped her shoulder and pointed at the photo. “That’s her. The dead woman. Crystal Reid. She had an appointment for today. When she made the booking, she said she needed something special for a special occasion with a special someone. It broke my heart to have to cross her name off.”

  Had she been planning a rendezvous with someone? A woman’s interest in her personal appearance tended to spike when there was a man involved...

  “Did she mention anyone in particular?”

  “Why do you ask?”

  Eve didn’t want to raise Amanda’s suspicions. “If she planned on meeting with a man then that means there’s someone on board grieving. I wouldn’t want to say anything to upset anyone.”

  Amanda held her gaze for a few seconds and then shook her head. “Sorry, I can’t help you.”

  Eve noticed Amanda pressed her lips and turned her focus to the task at hand.

  She was hiding something...

  “You should drink chamomile tea to soothe the nerves,” the masseuse suggested. “Oh, dear. I found another knot. Just relax.”

  Easier said than done. Eve focused on her breathing. Her nose twitched. The scent of Jasmine and something else she couldn’t identify wafted around her. “There must be something in the air. I swear I felt relaxed when I came on board and then... something happened,” she said over the sound of waves lapping gently against the shore recording playing in the background.

  “You must have picked up a vibe.”

  “That could be it. Have you heard any bad news?” Eve asked.

  The masseuse stopped for a moment and appeared to think about it.

  “You have.” Eve raised her head slightly.

  “We’re not supposed to talk about it.”

  And yet human nature would prevail. “It would help to know so I can focus on getting rid of the feeling.” Eve sighed under her breath and dropped her head back as the smooth strokes worked their magic.

  “There was an incident, but nothing that should really affect the passengers.”

  “Was it something violent? It must have been because I don’t react well to those. I saw a street fight once and I swear I couldn’t move my neck for a week after that. I felt so stressed...”

  “You must be hyper-sensitive.”

  “One with the universe, that’s me.” It’s what Jill would say, Eve thought. “If there’s a disturbance, I pick up on it straight away.”

  “You mean the way birds can sense earthquakes before they hit?”

  “Yes, something like that. It runs in the family. My granny never had to check the weather forecast. She always knew when a storm was approaching.” Eve knew her real granny, who insisted she use her full name, would give her a roll of her eyes.

  “I really shouldn’t tell you this... but... someone went overboard.”

  “No. Really?” So the captain had sanitized the death.

  “Crystal Reid. She was one of my regular customers. Last year she came in with a serious complaint about her neck. It turned out she’d been wearing a real pineapple on her head and all the effort to keep it balanced strained her neck.”

  “Now that I think about it, I’ve heard her name mentioned.”

  “In what context? Hope it wasn’t someone speaking ill of the dead. That never bodes well.”

  “No. Someone mentioned she’d been talking about the rendezvous she’d been planning with someone really special. I’m guessing she had a date lined up.”

  “I wouldn’t know about that.”

  Going by the pressure the masseuse applied on her shoulder, Eve suspected she’d clammed up.

  Out of loyalty?

  To whom?

  Someone higher up. Someone wielding control over the crew. One of the officers would tick the box but anyone in a position of authority could use it to give people the incentive to do as they were told. Especially if they were running some sort of racket on board.

  Chapter Five

  “She knew the killer,” Eve declared as she burst into the cabin.

  Both Mira and David looked up. The delayed reaction told Eve they’d been deep in conversation and were most likely still thinking about what they’d been murmuring to each other. Their eyes looked slightly glazed over as if they’d been lost in each other’s gaze.

  Mira... In love? So soon?

  “Come join us. We’re having coffee.”

  “How about I come back later?” Eve suggested.

  Mira rolled her eyes.

  There were only two chairs out on the balcony. That meant she’d have to lean against the railing. Her theories could wait...

  “You can pull up a chair and sit by the door,” Mira suggested.

  A fair compromise.

  “Your hair looks lovely,” David said.

  A man complimenting a woman’s hair...

  More brownie points.

  “Thank you. I only had it washed but for a moment there I thought I might have to agree to a haircut so the hairdresser would open up,” she said and caught them up on her findings.

  “So you think the impersonators are trying to spread the rumor she jumped. What if it’s true? They knew her best.”

  “No. I’m convinced they’re trying to cover something up. They’re probably protecting someone.” She brushed her hands across her face.

  “Hard day?” Mira asked lightly.

  “You said coming on a cruise would do me a world of good. I’ve just had a massage and I’m already tense.”

  “David, we need to get this sorted out before Eve cracks up.”

  “Go ahead, have fun at my expense.”

  Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Mira exchange a look with David that spoke of resignation. Mira knew her best. Eve wouldn’t let this go...

  “So why do you think she knew the killer?” Mira asked.

  “How else would the killer gain access to her cabin? It would make sense for the killer to be someone she knew or was involved with.” She shrugged. “If it’s not someone from the Carmen Miranda group, perhaps she was having a clandestine affair. The man might be married. I have no idea how we’ll identify him. Both the hairdresser and masseuse clammed up on me. That alone makes me suspicious.” She drew in a deep breath and rolled her shoulders.

  “So you shifted your suspicions from the impersonators to a lover because the hairdresser alluded to a rendezvous.”

  Eve knew Mira was now trying to humor her, and with good reason. A few month’s before, she’d come close to holding the entire island under suspicion. “It’s a lead. At least, I think it is.” Her voice sounded half-hearted. She leaned back and closed her eyes.

  “It could just be a coincidence.”

  Eve shook her head. “A coincidence is Jack finding out there is a detective on board the ship and... not just any detective, but one Jack knows from way back.”

  David smiled. “Don’t mention I told you, but Jack was seriously thinking about finding a way to come on board but he changed his mind when he came across his first grade teacher’s name on the passenger list.”

  His first grade teacher? Eve made a mental note to find out more...

  “Anyway, you might be onto something,” David suggested. “The love interest might be Carlos Bradbury.”

  “Carlos?”

  “It’s actually Charles. He’s a musical theatre director who joins the Carmen Miranda group on their cruises. It’s a sort of working vaca
tion for him. He helps them out with their choreography.”

  The more she thought about it, the more she wanted to believe one of the impersonators had allowed jealousy to get the better of them. Yes, a crime of passion that involved jealousy would make sense... and put her at ease. If this turned out to be a carefully contrived plan to commit murder, she’d never be able to sleep easy. “He’s probably the man I saw bringing the Carmen Miranda group to heel.” Eve nibbled the edge of her lip. “That paves the way for another theory. I got the impression all the ladies had their eyes on him. If Crystal had managed to snag him—”

  “Sorry to interrupt, but who’s Crystal?” Mira asked.

  “The victim. And that reminds me. Jack never mentioned her name. Surely he must know it.”

  David gave a small nod.

  “Why would Jack withhold her name?” Eve couldn’t help thinking it had been a deliberate omission. As soon as the victim’s identity had been established, the name should have tripped off his tongue...

  “He’s not keen on you becoming involved,” David explained.

  “But he said—”

  “To keep your eyes open and ears to the ground,” David nodded.

  “He was humoring me.” Eve huffed out a breath. “He can be so infuriating.”

  “You don’t know the half of it.”

  “I wouldn’t be surprised to learn he’d tried to have the ship turn back so I could get off it.”

  David grinned. “He tried, but the captain refused saying he’d received orders from the top to keep going.”

  “I’m surprised he shared the medical examiner’s findings with me.”

  “Oh, that was meant to put you off. And it worked for a while. Mira tells me you refused to leave your cabin.” David gave her an encouraging pat on the back. “Don’t worry about it. I appreciate your input. You did well. Now we know there are two crew members who know something.”

  “I’m sure they’re withholding vital information,” Eve said.

  “Perhaps I could try to get something more out of them,” Mira suggested. “It might look too suspicious if you try again, Eve.”

  Both Eve and David shook their heads. “Out of the question. You can’t get involved in this, Mira.”

  Her aunt didn’t argue. “So have either of you thought of motives?”

  “You sound just like Jack.”

  “He’s not around, so someone has to.”

  They all sat in silence for a moment.

  Eve was about to suggest they take a break when she sat up. “Okay. We know Crystal was meeting with someone and she had made an appointment at the hair salon. She wanted to look her best for a lover. What if someone else had their eye on him? They might have taken steps to stop Crystal. They confronted her. They warned her to back off. When she refused, the argument escalated and it got out of hand.”

  “I’m impressed. Next time I get stuck with my story, I’m going to use you as my sounding board, Eve.”

  David laughed. “You’ve got it in for the impersonators.”

  “They did this to themselves.” Eve shrugged. “They’re not the nicest people. Their aggressive behavior has made them suspects.”

  David thought about it for a minute. “It sounds plausible.”

  Eve turned to her aunt. “Mira? Is that a good enough motive for you?”

  Mira gave her a small smile. “It’s a start.”

  “How do we follow this up?” she asked and hoped David had forgotten about excluding her.

  “Divide and conquer,” David suggested. “If we speak to the impersonators separately, one of them might give someone else away.”

  Eve sighed.

  “What’s wrong?”

  “Well, I’m not sure they’ll open up. I think they’re covering for someone and that’s why they’re spreading the rumor Crystal jumped.”

  “But you can’t be sure.”

  She slumped back on her chair. “Okay. You’ll have to use your charm on them, David. I get the feeling they don’t like me.”

  “It has to be one of them,” Mira said. “Didn’t you say the hairdresser told you they were all rushing in for appointments? Now Crystal is out of the way, they want to cease the opportunity. And that means the love interest has to be Carlos. Going by what you saw, he has them all under his thumb.”

  “If that’s the case, the killer might be ruthless enough to keep getting rid of her competition.” Eve groaned under her breath. “Now I’m thinking Carlos could be the killer.” She made a helpless gesture. “David, how on earth do the police do it?”

  “They find evidence and support it with motive and opportunity, and they consider all possible scenarios. If they put enough pressure on the right person, they’re bound to crack.”

  She raised a finger. “One. We need to know what Carlos was getting up to between eleven and midday. Right after I saw him breaking up the fight.” It sounded like a solid first step. Eve raised another finger. “Two. After the scuffle on deck, Crystal returned to her cabin. Then... someone followed her. It would help to know who.”

  David smiled but Eve could tell he wanted to laugh.

  “Yes, that would really help,” he agreed.

  Eve clicked her fingers. “Security cameras. Why didn’t we think of those before? Actually, Mira... you mentioned them.”

  “I was only thinking of the cameras installed on some ships to detect anyone going overboard. I think it became law to install them. But you’re right. They must have them around inside the ship.”

  David’s jaw muscles tensed.

  Eve could sense him wondering how he’d missed it. He surged to his feet and strode back inside the cabin and made a beeline for the door. Moments later, he returned.

  “Yes. They’re inconspicuous but they’re there. I suppose no one notices them because they’ve come on the cruise to enjoy themselves.”

  “Do you think we can gain access to the footage?”

  Mira had opened up her laptop. After a brief read of a few articles, she looked up and shook her head. “According to this article the cruise lines tend to protect their own employee’s legal interests, not the passenger’s rights. In some criminal cases, the cruise lines destroy evidence and sanitize the crime scene. I guess we’re lucky they haven’t done that.”

  Eve sat forward. “Not yet.”

  “This goes on to say criminals on cruise ships are rarely prosecuted.”

  “Don’t they have security people... someone... anyone to keep the peace?”

  Mira pointed to the laptop screen. “Unlike airplanes with federal marshals, cruise ships have no police authorities aboard. They do, however, have security guards, but they’re loyal to their employer, not to the passenger.”

  “What is that suppose to mean?”

  “Your guess is as good as mine. For what it’s worth, I think they’ll try anything to avoid litigation.”

  “If I’d known that before, I doubt I would have agreed to come, Mira. I still can’t believe they don’t have personnel on ships to deal with possible crimes.”

  Mira tapped the screen again. “They do follow procedure. Cruise lines respond by notifying their risk management departments and their defense lawyers. No doubt they’ll be boarding at the next port.”

  “A lot of good that’ll do the victim. Just as well we’re here. Otherwise, the killer would get away with murder.”

  Both David and Mira looked at her in silence.

  Eve gave a firm nod. “Yes, I’m committed to doing as much as I possibly can to point the finger of suspicion at someone. When the ship docks, the police can take over. This crime can’t go unpunished.”

  “She sounds offended,” David said.

  Mira nodded.

  “Do you blame me? I came on this cruise to relax and look at me, I’m a nervous wreck.” She turned to David. “Do you think you can gain access to the video footage?”

  Mira sighed.

  “Let me guess. If they find anything incriminating, they’ll tape over
it and get rid of the evidence.”

  “Sorry, Eve. This article is not the only inflammatory one.”

  “Those articles must have been written by victims of crime. I have a good mind to... to ask you, Mira, to write something.”

  Mira shook her head. “You’re not going to like this one.”

  “Read it out loud, please.”

  “A few years back, a cruise line hired a top notch company to carry out a study. After extensive analysis, the experts concluded that misconduct occurred frequently during cruises. Apparently, most crew members were not afraid of being arrested, much less convicted due to lack of evidence. I’m sure things have changed now.”

  Eve sat up. “Well, if they haven’t, they’re in for a rude awakening.”

  “Then there’s this other article which states that cruise ships are floating cities with all the security needs of normal cities. See, that’s reassuring.”

  Nothing but lip service, Eve thought. “Apart from questioning me, the captain hasn’t lifted a finger to open an investigation. We need to pursue this ourselves. David, you’re the only one with any real authority, so you’ll have to gain access to the videos.”

  “Is she always this bossy?” he asked chuckling.

  Mira gave a small nod. “You’re lucky. She asked nicely. I’ve seen her in action in the kitchen. She can be quite ferocious.”

  “Hey, I’m nice to my staff.”

  “Then why do you yell at them?”

  “How else are they going to hear me over all the noise? Besides, they get to yell right back at me.”

  “I’ll have a word with the captain.” David rose to his feet and excused himself. “We’ll catch up at dinner, ladies.”

  Eve barely waited for the door to close before turning to Mira. “I think he’s annoyed he didn’t think about the security cameras. Hope I didn’t wound his pride.”

  “He’s bigger than that.” Mira’s tone carried admiration.

  “So, tell me all.”

  Mira gave her a brisk smile. “There’s nothing to tell.”

  “Oh, come on. You like him.”

  “How can I not like him? He’s read my books.”

  “Yes, but... you really like him.”