by Vivi Holt
“That’s Jessie,” stated Callum, crossing his arms.
When the attack happened, they all startled at the suddenness of it. Callum leaned forward, his stomach in a knot. He hated that he hadn’t been there to help her. It was clear to everyone in the room just how close she’d come to getting chucked over the railing and into the water below.
Jessie caught hold of the top rail and held on tight, pushing herself backward. Her hands went up, scratching at the hands around her neck, then at the face of her assailant. She jabbed the attacker with her elbow twice and threw her head back, making obvious contact with the attacker’s face. When the black figure stepped back, releasing their hold on Jessie’s throat, her finger seemed to catch in one eye socket of the ski mask and it pulled up, revealing the figure’s face.
“Stop it there!” cried Callum. “Can you rewind a frame at a time?”
“Sure can.” Mark began rolling the recording back.
Callum stepped closer to the screen, outlining the figure’s head with his finger. “Gotcha.” He grinned and walked toward the exit.
“Did you get what you need?” called Maggie.
He waved. “Yes, I did. Thank you.”
“We’ll have to fill out some paperwork …”
“I’ll be back – could you wake up your security team while I’m gone? I just have to make a call. I’ve identified the attacker and you can have them pick her up before we dock in Georgetown. Otherwise, I think she’ll disembark there, never to be seen again.” Things were coming together in his mind, bits and pieces, theories and guesses forming into a plausible whole.
Maggie’s eyebrows arched as she took another look at the footage. “It’s a woman?”
“She is definitely a woman.” And not who she says she is, Callum thought as he headed for the elevator.
Back in the cabin, Callum stood a moment in the darkness, listening to Jessie’s rhythmic breathing. He hadn’t been gone long, but he’d worried the whole time that something might happen to her. Someone on board wanted her dead, and might not let a little thing like a locked door stop them. But she was safe and sound, fast asleep, a bump under the covers.
He stepped out onto the balcony and checked his phone for a signal, then dialed. Within moments a sleepy Katrina Callahan answered, worry in her voice. “Callum? What is it? Is something wrong?”
He smiled into the darkness. “We’ve had a break in the case and I wanted to make sure you were the first to know so you can get things moving on the mainland.”
“What happened?”
“You were right – there was something very fishy going on with Alton Meer and the inheritance. But it’s not what we thought.”
“I’m glad to hear it, but please don’t leave me in suspense.” Her voice fairly hummed with sudden excitement.
“Okay … the woman who Alton claimed was his wife is not his wife. She’s his mother.”
There was silence on the other end of the line. Then: “What? What do you mean? She’s Susan?”
“Exactly. Remember, Susan’s body was never recovered and Alton was the only witness to her supposed death.” Callum rubbed his eyes. It was late and he hadn’t realized just how much tension he’d been living with until now. “She and Alton must have cooked this up together. Now she’s here pretending to be Liliana Meer. That’s why he called her ‘Susie-Q’ – it’s her actual name – and why he’s pretending to be married to her. After Jessie asked them about the nickname, Susan attacked her and tried to throw her overboard.”
“What?” cried Katrina. “Is she okay?”
“She’s fine.” Callum glanced through the closed glass door at Jessie, relief flooding his heart. “She fought her off, and pulled off Susan’s ski mask in the process. Looking at the security footage was the first time I’d gotten a glimpse of Susan without a scarf and dark glasses to hide behind. Her red hair has been dyed black, but it’s definitely Susan Meer, or Callahan, or whatever. I already had my suspicions, but the footage gave the confirmation I needed.”
“I’m glad to hear it. Actually, I’d planned on calling you in the morning, because my forensic accountant gave me some news on the case as well.”
“Let me guess,” Callum chuckled. “The money landed in a bank account on Grand Cayman Island.”
“Yup. And banking laws in the Caymans are a lot like Switzerland’s – they’d be safe from any attempt to get the money back.”
Callum whistled. “Glad we have proof, since the ship is docking there tomorrow. They probably plan to go ashore, visit the bank, then disappear.”
“Seems that way. Though they won’t be able to now.”
Callum smiled at the thought of the looks on Alton and Susan’s faces when they were arrested. He hoped he’d be there to see them. “I have to go fill out yet another report so the security staff on board can arrest Alton and Susan before we get to port.”
“And I’ll place a call to the GBI to let them know.” Katrina’s voice was full of resolve.
Callum finished the call, hoping the GBI could requisition the money Alton and Susan had funneled offshore and return it to Kyle’s family. He felt satisfied in completing the job and digging to the bottom of things. It also didn’t hurt that the client was happy, or at least would be once the GBI and local authorities in Georgetown took care of Alton and Susan.
And he couldn’t have done it without Jessie running ahead of him.
Callum stepped back into the cabin and stood with his hands on his hips, tempted to wake Jessie to tell her the news. But better that she get some sleep - he’d tell her all about it in the morning. However, he had no intention of leaving her alone again. Security could come to him this time. He tiptoed over to the phone on the wall and hit the button for reception, then asked to be put through to Maggie Gray.
15
Jessie opened her eyes and yawned, then grimaced as the bruises around her neck throbbed. She touched them gingerly, then sat up with a groan. Dim morning light slanted through the draperies and across the foot of her bed.
She glanced around the room, looking for Callum. The covers on the pull-out sofa looked a little mussed, but not enough to indicate someone had slept there. She frowned – the last time she’d seen him he’d been headed to the bridge to report her attack. Carefully she set her feet on the ground, then stood. For some reason, her right knee ached badly … oh yeah, the incident with the Flowrider. She’d almost forgotten about that.
She hobbled toward the bathroom, then saw light shining through the crack at the bottom of the door and heard the buzz of an electric toothbrush. She smiled.
The door opened and Callum grinned at her, a twinkle in his eyes. “Good morning, sleepyhead.”
She chuckled. “Good morning to you,” she croaked and reached for her neck, rubbing it gently.
He frowned. “Sore?”
She nodded. “And it’s early. What are you doing up?”
“Well, I haven’t actually been to bed yet.”
She raised an eyebrow. “What?”
“I’ll tell you about it in a minute, but I have to make a call first. Then we’ll grab some coffee. Trust me, you’ll enjoy this.”
She rubbed her face and inhaled slowly. “That sounds good. Coffee. A big vat of coffee. Actually, skip the vat and get me an IV.”
He laughed and stroked the side of her face with his fingertips, but then his smile faded and his hand dropped to his side. “Okay, one IV of coffee, coming right up.” He left the bathroom, slipping past her.
She went in for her morning ablutions, but could hear his voice through the wall. Likely he was calling the client. Jessie hadn’t had a chance to speak with Katrina yet and hoped she’d get to meet her when they returned to Atlanta. From everything Callum had told her, Katrina Callahan sounded like a nice woman who was looking out for her niece and nephew. If she’d ever had a sister, she’d have wanted one like that.
While she washed her face, she mused over her lack of siblings. It had been hard growin
g up an only child. Everyone always asked if she had a brother or sister. When she said no, it was like a stone lodged in her chest every single time. Then came the pitying looks, the averted gazes, the forced cheerfulness – “I’m sure you find plenty to keep you occupied” or “I bet you’re good at playing make-believe…”
She didn’t want Scott to grow up an only child. She longed for him to have siblings to play with and share life with, who’d have his back when times were tough or take care of his children when he couldn’t. Her throat tightened and she shook her head, studying her reflection in the mirror. The marks around her neck matched the shadows under her eyes. After this vacation, she’d need a vacation.
By the time she was dressed, Callum was off the phone and searching the closet for something to wear. His muscles rippled and his shorts hung on his narrow hips, a hint of white skin accentuating his tanned body. Jessie’s heart skipped, and she forcibly turned herself toward the balcony. She walked toward the draperies that obscured the glass door leading out to the balcony – and directly into the side of the pull-out, banging her shin sharply on a metal hinge. “Ow!” She grabbed at her shin and sat down hard on the edge of the thin mattress, pain radiating through her leg.
Callum reached her in two short strides. “Are you okay?”
She nodded, biting her lip.
He chuckled. “What were you doing?”
“Nothing, just admiring the view – outside, I mean. The view outside.” Her cheeks flushed.
He suppressed a grin. “Oh really?”
She frowned. “I wasn’t looking where I was going. It happens all the time.”
He laughed and crossed his arms. “I’m sure it does.”
“Are you going to put on a shirt?” she griped. All she could think of was running her hands along his arms, wrapping them around his back … she shook her head. She had to snap out of it – they had a case to wrap up. “So what happened after I went to bed last night?”
He chuckled again and walked back to the closet, chose a shirt and pulled it on. Thank Heaven – now she could breathe again. “I reported the attack to the officer of the watch, who reviewed the security footage with me. And guess what?”
“It was Liliana Meer.”
Callum’s eyes narrowed. “How did you know?”
“Well, the attacker wasn’t tall enough to be Alton. So either it was a random thing, or it was the only other person on board that I ticked off.”
“Good point. But there is one more thing –”
“Liliana is actually Susan Callahan.”
Callum stood open-mouthed. “How …?”
Jessie was a little stunned herself. “Really? I mean, I had suspicions, but how do you make that kind of accusation stick? The next trick on my list was to walk up to her and pull that stupid scarf off her head.” She chuckled. “So I guess you saw her clearly in the video footage?”
He grinned. “Yep. When you yanked off her ski mask during the attack, that did it. She’s obviously dyed her hair and may be wearing colored contacts, and that plus the makeup, scarf and glasses was enough to fool most people. It was only a few frames on the video, but it was all I needed. The captain’s sent her photograph and Alton’s to the Georgetown police. After I gave them my full report, ship’s security arrested Alton and Susan and will hand them over to the police when we dock …” He checked his watch. “… in about half an hour.”
Jessie scratched her head, her thoughts in a whirl. “Wow. So we’re done. Alton and Susan were working this for over a year – they must have faked her death.”
He nodded. “Yep. And since Alton has an alibi for the time of Kyle’s murder, it’s likely Susan forced him to write that will and then killed him. It was the perfect crime.”
“Until Susan attacked me and exposed herself.”
Callum ran a hand through his hair. “That’s right – if she hadn’t, we might not have figured it out in time. We both had suspicions, but when I spoke to Katrina last night, she told me the accountant had finally figured out that the money was sent to a bank account on Grand Cayman Island. So we might’ve known they were about to run, but we’d never have had enough evidence to get them arrested. And money in an account in the Caymans might as well be in Fort Knox – they’re worse than the Swiss.”
She sighed. “I’m glad it’s over, at least for us. There’s still a whole case for the police to deal with, but we’ve done our part.”
He nodded. “We have, and we’re free to enjoy the rest of the cruise. Care to take a swim after breakfast? We haven’t really been able to do that together, since Alton and Lili … Susan always went their separate ways on the boat. Most people will be disembarking, but we can stay here and rest if you like.”
Her skin goose-pimpled at the thought of being so close to Callum, now with no work in the way. She nodded. “Sounds perfect – I need time to heal up. And right now I’m famished.”
“Okay, but …” Callum frowned and motioned to his neck. “… you might want to cover up those bruises. Otherwise people could think we’re into something kinky.”
“Good point. I guess it’s my turn to wear a scarf now.” Jessie laughed, and he joined her. It felt good to laugh together.
They ate breakfast, going over the details of the case until they had it all worked out. Callum said he would put together a comprehensive report for the client, and likely the police as well. And while working on a grapefruit half, Jessie saw four burly security officers lead Alton and Susan down the gangplank to the dock, their hands cuffed behind them. She almost felt sorry for them … until she recalled Susan trying to shove her overboard. Then she went back to her breakfast.
The water enveloped Callum with a rush of noise and breathtaking cold when he dove into the pool. He emerged a few feet away and shook his head, spattering the surface around him with droplets of water. He grinned at Jessie, who sat on a concrete step at the end of the pool. She still hadn’t gotten completely wet and insisted that she preferred to inch her way in. He swam slowly toward her, still grinning.
She eyed him, eyebrows low. “I see that look on your face, Callum McKenzie. Don’t even think about it!”
Callum grabbed her feet and pulled hard, yanking her off the step and into the deep water. Her head disappeared beneath the surface mid-sentence.
When she surfaced she coughed and sputtered for a few moments before glaring at him. “I can’t believe you did that!” Callum laughed and backed away, but she came after him and splashed him one-handed. Soon her feet didn’t touch the bottom, but she kept swimming at him until she could take hold of his shoulder. “You deserve to be dunked. Be glad I’m not tall enough.”
He caught his breath, conscious of the effect her touch was having on his skin. It goose pimpled in a wave from where her hand rested. “You can dunk me some other time, then.” His voice deepened and he tipped his head to one side to drink her in with both eyes.
He’d already made a decision - he loved her madly. But he also knew it was way too early to say that to Jessie. She’d told him she wanted them to stay professional, to just be friends. But he couldn’t keep that up any longer. The case was done. He wasn’t her boss now. They were just two people, a man and a woman on a cruise in the middle of paradise. And his desire for her couldn’t be contained any longer. “You know, we’re not working anymore. The job is over.”
Her feet kicked the water slowly beneath her, her hand still on his shoulder. “Yes, it is.”
“So we don’t have to be professional. We can be whatever we’d like to be.” He watched for her reaction, every cell in his body tensed. He’d rehearsed the line in his mind a dozen times over the last hour.
“That’s true …” She paused, her eyes fixed on his.
He found himself getting lost in her gaze, studying the flecks of blue and gold in her brown eyes. The arch of her eyebrows, the way her hair dripped water down her temples and neck back into the pool, the little freckle by the left corner of her mouth. “So …?”
She chewed the inside of her cheek. “So things have changed.”
He smiled. “Yes. Yes, they have.”
Callum flicked through the channels but couldn’t focus on the TV screen. All he could think about was Jessie and their conversation in the pool. She’d finally said she had to give it some thought, and he’d left it there, hadn’t pushed the issue. Now that there wasn’t any job to keep them apart, he wanted to take things slowly, do it right. He knew he could spend the rest of his life with her, but she wasn’t on the same page as him, not yet.
He’d woo her. He’d never done that before – he’d heard the term, but usually scoffed at it. Why woo anyone? If you liked someone and they liked you back, you’d agree to be together and that’s that. Of course, he’d never been in love like this before, never felt what he was feeling now for Jessie.
He adored her. It wasn’t just love. He admired her, respected her, wanted to tell her everything. He waited for her to wake up in the morning so he could tell her what was on his mind. He was miserable whenever he realized that in a few days, he wouldn’t see her wake up, wouldn’t be able to talk to her whenever he felt the urge, couldn’t laugh with her over breakfast.
Callum sighed and ran a hand over his still-damp hair. He’d showered after spending the day with her in the pool, beside the pool, and wandering around the deck. Most people had gone ashore to Georgetown, but they’d decided to stay behind and he was glad. They’d talked for hours about everything – hopes, dreams, failed relationships, Afghanistan, Chicago, Marietta, his messed-up family, her unfaithful husband. All the hard things. They’d both choked back tears, both laughed over funny stories to shake off the pain.
He turned off the TV and set the remote on the sofa beside him. He glanced down at his clothes – he’d decided to wear a suit, no tie. He thought it might work in his favor to dress up a little, considering his plans for the evening.
