Logically, that made sense to Rowan. That didn’t mean she was happy with it.
“Fine.” She blew out a world-weary sigh. “I’ll take photos like a good little girl and we’ll go from there.”
He smiled indulgently at her pronounced pout. “That’s all I ask. And, since you’re going to be a good girl, I promise to reward you to your heart’s content later.”
Rowan didn’t want to smile. It would only encourage him. She couldn’t stop herself, though. “I want cheesecake.”
“Sold.”
3
Three
Rowan thought taking photographs of the incoming passengers would be pure torture. She was right … for the first twenty minutes. After that, she got in the flow and started engaging with the newcomers as she usually did. After a bit, her mind drifted and she sank into her work.
It felt good to be normal, even if it was only for a little bit.
“Hello.” She greeted a woman struggling with an oversized suitcase with a bright smile. The woman seemed to be having trouble navigating through the crowd with the item and Rowan eagerly offered her help. “Here. Let’s put this over here and get a photo, shall we?”
The woman wore a visor that tied underneath her ponytail and a pair of ridiculous sunglasses. They were so large they almost obliterated her entire face.
“Oh, you take photographs?” She smiled at Rowan and watched as the photographer easily shifted the suitcase to a spot off the path. “That sounds like a cool job.”
“It definitely has perks.” Rowan was used to people obsessing about her job. To almost everybody, the idea of being a photographer on a cruise ship sounded like the ideal career. Continuous travel through paradise held a certain appeal. “I recommend hanging around the ocean as much as I possibly can. It’s soothing.”
“I bet.” The woman reached for her sunglasses. “Do I have to do something specific?”
“Just give me your name.” Rowan had her iPad open on a nearby table so she could keep track of the guests. “I just need to mark it off.”
“Oh, right. Darcy Walker.”
Rowan’s body went rigid and cool dread washed over her as she swallowed hard. “Darcy, huh? That’s a nice name.”
“I actually hate it. I prefer a name that can be professional and then shortened to something cutesy. Like Jennifer becomes Jenny, you know? With Darcy, it was adorable when I was a kid — at least if you believe my mother — but it’s not as adorable now.”
Rowan wasn’t sure she could make her mouth work correctly. “I never really thought about it that way. It makes sense, though.”
“Yeah. What’s your name?”
Rowan considered lying and then thought better of it. That was ridiculous. The woman was probably on the ship looking for her. That meant she knew all about Rowan, including that she was the lone ship photographer. Lying would make her look suspicious.
“Rowan Gray,” she answered, hoping she sounded breezy and gracious. The whole point was to make these people believe they were getting away with something. If Rowan were to act suspicious, they would be dead in the water before they even left port.
“Oh, that’s a cool name. I bet your mother picked it, huh?”
“I never really heard where my name came from,” Rowan replied, hating how alien her voice sounded. It was a good bit higher than normal, which frustrated her to no end. She was supposed to be playing it cool. In the spy game, she would be woefully outplayed. “I’ve always liked my name, though.” She decided being friendly and open was the way to go. It was the best way to put these people at ease. “A lot of kids I grew up with hated their names, but I never had that problem.”
“No, I would guess not.” Darcy shifted her eyes toward a brunette who looked to be joining them. “This is my co-worker Julia Benson. This is a work trip for us.”
“A work trip, huh?” Rowan was used to making small talk with the guests. She’d done it so many times she’d lost count. She fell back on the routine here as she tried to keep her eyes from darting to the other side of the room, to where she knew Quinn was watching. He’d taken up position close to the front desk, a tablet in his hand as he pretended to work. To all outside appearances he looked like a man entrenched in a task. Rowan knew better. “Where do you work?”
“We’re accountants,” Julia answered smoothly. “We work in the accounting department of a big law firm.”
That was a lie. Rowan couldn’t exactly call her on it, though. “I’ve never been good with numbers. I’m impressed whenever anyone can make sense of all those tables and graphs. I just see gibberish.”
“Not mathematically inclined, huh?” Julia looked amused. “I think it takes a specific brain type to be interested in accounting. I mean ... creatives obviously drift toward the arts, like you. I’m betting you were always taking photos when you were a kid, huh? Was this always your dream?”
“Taking photographs was my dream,” Rowan confirmed. “I’ve always wanted there to be a more artistic bend to my work, but I have to pay the bills. This job is really the best of both worlds. I can cover room and board and take beautiful photographs of the ocean and places we visit. It’s great.”
“I bet. Much better than sitting in a stuffy office.” Julia gestured toward the backdrop in front of Rowan. It was a standard “Welcome to The Bounding Storm” backdrop since there was no theme for this cruise. “Should we just stand in front of it?”
Rowan nodded. “Yes. Is this your entire group?”
“Our boss is here, too.” Julia gestured toward a dark-haired man standing to the side. Rowan hadn’t initially seen him, which she kicked herself for. Now that she looked, it was obvious the man had been standing slightly apart from the others so he could watch and observe her behavior. She didn’t think she’d acted out of sorts, but it was nerve-wracking all the same.
“Can we get a group photo?” Darcy asked.
“Absolutely.” Rowan perfunctorily bobbed her head and gestured for Spencer to join the group. “Sir, I need your name to mark off my list.” She was surprisingly calm now that they were in front of her. It seemed the anticipation was worse than the actual meeting.
“Leon Spencer,” he drawled in a rich and gravelly voice. “I’m the head of Spencer, Blake and Young Law Firm.”
Oh, well, they’d really gone all out, Rowan internally mused. They put enough effort in to create a fake law firm. “I’ve never heard of your firm, but I’m guessing you’re popular if you can afford to take your employees on a cruise.”
“We do okay.” His smile was indulgent, but Rowan didn’t miss the way his keen eyes roamed her face. He was taking it all in, absorbing the first meeting to the best of his ability. He wanted to feel her out. Well, she wasn’t going to give him anything to be suspicious of.
“Well, let’s get to this photo.” Rowan beamed and pointed to the backdrop. “Sir, you should stand right here. Yes, just like that. Darcy, you should be to his right. Yup. Just a little bit forward. And Julia, you should be on his left. Yes, just like that.”
Rowan raised her camera and pointed it at them, reveling in the moment because she could close her eyes and involuntarily shudder without them realizing what she was doing. “We’ll take three photos and I will look at them to make sure they’re okay before you’re done,” she explained. “I will also be taking photographs during your time on the ship and they will be loaded into a digital portal. You can peruse that portal at any time and order prints to be shipped to your home. If you prefer digital files, the photos are cheaper that way and can be emailed.”
“Well, I definitely think we’ll be ordering photos,” Spencer enthused. “This is the sort of trip we’ll want to remember.”
She wanted to ask why. Actually, Rowan wanted to toss away the camera and jump on him, wrap her hands around his neck and shake until he told her exactly what he wanted from her. She held it together, though.
“That’s great. Welcome to The Bounding Storm. I hope you have a fabulous trip an
d accomplish everything you’re set to do.”
“Oh, don’t worry about that.” Spencer winked in such a manner it made Rowan’s blood run cold. “I think this trip is going to be fruitful.”
“SHE LOOKS CONSTIPATED,” Fred complained as he watched Rowan interact with the Phoenix Society representatives from across the lobby. “I mean ... seriously. Can’t you loosen her up or something?”
Quinn slid his friend a quelling look. “How do you suggest I do that?”
“Hey, from the way you two look at one another, I’m guessing you have mad skills when it comes to relaxing her. That’s all you two seem to talk about. Sex, sex, sex. You guys are animals.”
Paul, who was making a big show of perusing the brochures on the desk, slid his eyes to Fred and glared. “You and I are going to talk later,” he warned in a low voice. “That’s still my baby.”
Quinn glanced at the front desk clerk to make sure she wasn’t listening to the conversation — thankfully she was busy with a rush of guests — and scowled at his two comrades. “Watch what you say out in the open like this,” he warned.
“I’m not the one being inappropriate,” Paul said primly.
Fred paused. “If it makes you feel better, I didn’t know you were standing there. I wouldn’t have said it in front of you on purpose.”
“Just to Quinn, huh?” Paul didn’t look thrilled at the prospect. “Is that what you guys talk about over beers when she’s not around?”
Quinn bit back a sigh. This wasn’t the conversation he wanted to be having when the Phoenix Society — the ultimate enemy — was in the room with them. Of course, if he had his druthers, he would never have this conversation at all. “Listen ... .”
Fred ignored his friend and kept his attention on Paul. “Actually, when we’re at the bar we talk about what a gooey mess Quinn is about Rowan. All he wants to talk about is her. How cute she is ... how sweet she is ... how she can eat her weight in crab legs and still have room for dessert. It’s disgusting, and completely above board.”
Paul opened his mouth to argue and then snapped it shut. “I’m sorry,” he offered after a beat. “I didn’t mean to jump all over you. I’m just nervous.”
Fred nodded amiably. “I get it. Everything is finally coming together, and a lot faster than you envisioned. You need to settle, though. We’ve got days of this in front of us. If you melt down now, we can’t go back in time and fix it.”
“I know.” Paul slid his eyes to Quinn. “I’ll do better.”
“I know.” Quinn flashed a smile. “This is a big deal for all of us. We both love her. We both want her safe above all else. We need to work together, though. I’m not the enemy. In fact, if all goes as planned, you and I are going to be in each other’s lives for a very long time. You can’t always freak out over a few jokes.”
“Yeah, well ... we’re still going to talk, Fred,” Paul warned. “I feel it’s my duty.”
“I can live with that.” Fred was blasé as he turned back to where Spencer, Darcy, and Julia were gathering their luggage and heading toward the elevator. “I wonder what they said to her.”
“We’re going to find out,” Quinn promised. “Not until after she’s done with these photos, though. It’s not normal for me to interrupt her while she’s working. I’m not breaking form and doing it as soon as they leave ... and neither are you.”
“I think that’s probably a good idea,” Fred capitulated. “Where do you want to meet?”
“The tiki bar.” Quinn checked his watch. “She should be done in an hour and a half. We’ll meet you there.”
Sounds like a plan.
QUINN WANTED TO GATHER ROWAN to him and bury her in hugs and kisses once the check-ins were complete but that wasn’t normally how they operated — at least in such a public place — so instead he greeted her with a friendly smile as he helped her pack her camera and tablet.
“A lot of faces, huh?” he noted as she grabbed her camera bag.
“Yeah. It’s a full cruise.” She understood what he was doing. It was doubtful the Phoenix Society had anyone else on the ship they were unaware of, but they couldn’t be too careful. “I have a lot of photos to sort through later.”
“Okay.” He took the bag from her and slung it over his shoulder. “It’s a nice day. Let’s get some iced tea at the tiki bar. Nick is up there and wants to tell us about the new dive.”
“Oh, great.” Rowan brightened considerably. “That sounds like a fabulous way to take a break.”
“I thought you would like it.”
Nick, Paul, Fred, and Dave were seated at a table in the corner of the tiki bar when Quinn and Rowan entered. Quinn waved at Demarcus behind the bar and held up two fingers. “Iced tea when you get a chance,” he called out.
Demarcus nodded. “I’ll bring it over.”
Quinn put his hand to the small of Rowan’s back and prodded her forward. “Let’s get comfortable.”
Rowan took the open seat next to Fred, and Quinn settled beside her. The men made a big show of greeting each other with hearty handshakes and guffaws, a bunch of old friends saying hello after an extended period apart. Then things turned serious.
“What did they say to you?” Paul asked, focusing on Rowan. “Did they ask you anything personal?”
“They asked me a few questions,” Rowan hedged. “I can’t decide if they were really trying to dig or if I just imagined it because I’m hyper-aware of what they’re doing.” She launched into the short tale. When she was done, Quinn merely shook his head.
“You played it well, sweetie.” He moved his hand to the back of her neck and attacked some of the tension building there. “You did really well.”
“I was so nervous I thought I might pee my pants,” she admitted, rueful. “I didn’t know what to do. The more they talked, though, the more annoyed I got. I used the annoyance to fuel my act. That probably sounds weird, huh?”
“No.” Quinn brushed his lips against her temple. “We all use what we can. You did amazingly well.”
“I wanted to strangle him.”
“You’re going to have to get in line for that,” Paul grumbled.
“It’s going to be a long line,” Quinn agreed. “The most important thing to do is not draw attention to ourselves. As far as they know, we’re a group of individuals interested in talking about a dive. We’ll use my history as a catalyst and make sure it’s known that I’m going to be participating in the dive because Nick is doing me a favor.”
“I have dive schematics that will pass a cursory inspection,” Nick volunteered. “From all outward appearances, it will look as if we’re doing exactly what we’re supposed to be doing.”
“I expect one or both of the women to try and bond with Rowan,” Quinn supplied. “That’s probably why he brought them. They look sweet and unassuming. One is more serious than the other. He wanted to make sure he had someone who would appeal to Rowan.”
“What do you want me to do?” Rowan was legitimately curious. “Do you want me to pretend to be friendly with them?” The idea made her sick to her stomach.
“I want you to be friendly but not too open,” he countered. “If you open your arms to welcome them, they might become suspicious. You’re not exactly known for bonding with the guests ... a few notable exceptions notwithstanding. If you make it too easy for them, they might realize that we’re the ones running the con on them.”
“How would they know I don’t bond with the guests, though?” Something occurred to her. “Oh, geez. You think they’ve had someone on the ship, watching me, before this trip. How did they manage that without us knowing?”
“Don’t freak out,” Quinn admonished her. “We don’t know they’ve done anything of the sort. That’s just an assumption. It would make sense for them to send an investigator to check you out from a distance, someone who was ordered not to engage with you but simply watch. That way they would ensure that he was never on your radar.”
“Ugh. I hate these people.” She
made a face. “I wish they would just mind their own business and go away.”
“That’s the ultimate plan here. We need to feel them out, though. For right now, I want you to take photographs like you usually would. If they try to engage you in conversation, be friendly but don’t go out of your way to spend time with them.
“Remember, you’re the only photographer on the ship,” he continued. “You don’t have time to worry about one set of customers. You have to worry about them all. Don’t be rude. Don’t hide from them. Don’t seek them out either. If I’m right, I expect them to keep close enough to watch you and attempt random engagements. I want to see how they work it before we decide on our next step.”
Rowan sighed and rubbed the tender spot between her eyebrows. “Do you remember when we were just a couple getting to know one another and falling in love without having to be spies on the side?”
He took pity on her and leaned close. “We’re going to get back there,” he reassured her. “Not the falling in love part, of course. If I fall any farther then I’ll have to be unearthed with one of those big scoop things they use to dig pools. We’re going to get back to our relaxing life, though. I promise you that.”
He was so earnest Rowan believed him. Maybe it was because she needed to. “Then I guess I should get to taking photos,” she said finally. “That’s what I would normally do, so that’s what I’ll do.”
“After your iced tea. You need to hydrate.”
“I believe I’m the one who should be nagging her about hydrating,” Paul pointed out. “That seems to fall under my job description.”
“You’re going to have to learn to share,” Quinn admonished. “We can both be nags.”
Paul grinned.
4
Four
Rowan made it through the day. It was more difficult than she initially envisioned. Quinn was right about the trio setting up shop on the deck so they could watch her work. All afternoon she could feel their eyes on her. It took everything she had not to stare them down, or stride across the deck and demand they answer the questions she had lining up for dominance in her mind. She didn’t, of course, but she really wanted to.
Raging Seas (A Rowan Gray Mystery Book 9) Page 3
