Her heart raced.
Someone was here.
Was it Thatcher?
Or the killer?
Or maybe Thatcher was the killer . . .
Kenzie quickly glanced around, her heart racing out of control.
What should she do?
Whatever it was, she needed to decide quickly.
Chapter Twelve
Jimmy James glanced at the circle of people around him. All the crew members were here . . . everyone but Kenzie.
Had she gotten upset and left?
He didn’t think Kenzie was the type to do that. Then again, the two of them didn’t know each other that well. Still, Jimmy James had trouble thinking about where she could be if not here.
He observed the group surrounding him.
Eddie Ramos would pull double duty, serving as the first mate who helped operate the boat when Jimmy James wasn’t on the bridge as well as the bosun.
Owen Hemlock was also a deckhand who’d keep the outside of the boat clean as well as handle any water toys their guests wanted to use while in route.
Sunni Briggs served as the chief steward. She oversaw the interior—including hospitality and all housekeeping as well as helping serve meals.
Kenzie would be the second stew, whenever she arrived here.
And Chef Durango was their cook. He had a French accent, but Kenzie had confided in Jimmy James that it was fake. Apparently, Kenzie had called him out on that during their last charter. He told her he used it so people would take his culinary skills more seriously.
The only new person in the group was a man named Pat Reynolds who’d serve as their new engineer as well as helping with other tasks on the boat.
Jimmy James glanced at his watch and saw that Kenzie was ten minutes late. He let out a breath, remembering that he couldn’t show her any favoritism just because he was starting to fall in love with her.
Starting to fall in love with her?
That thought was ridiculous—and not true. It was too soon to fall in love. Besides, just as quickly as they’d gotten together, they’d broken up.
Things were over.
He glanced at his watch one more time before clearing his throat and turning to the crew. They all stood on the dock in front of Almost Paradise, and the heat felt sweltering without any shade.
No one would want to stand here very long, and he couldn’t blame them.
“Let’s go ahead and get started,” Jimmy James said. “We don’t want to run out of time.”
“Where’s Kenzie?” Eddie glanced around, his gaze concealed by his sunglasses, but his voice sounding genuinely confused.
“She should be here any minute,” Jimmy James said.
Eddie’s eyebrows flickered up as if that news surprised him.
Jimmy James sucked in a deep breath before running through some information on their guests, their itinerary, and the requested menu. When he finished, he disbursed everybody to begin their assigned tasks.
Then he glanced around the marina one more time.
His gaze stopped on Kenzie’s car, which was still parked in the lot, right where she’d left it this morning.
Jimmy James’ spine stiffened.
If her car was here and she wasn’t, then something was wrong.
He had to find Kenzie.
His gut told him that she was in trouble.
Kenzie raced from the master stateroom, into the hallway, and froze.
Where should she go now?
She couldn’t risk darting to the main salon. She’d be caught if she did.
Glancing behind her, she saw only one viable option.
She rushed to the stairway leading below into the area where the engine room and storage closets were located.
Reaching the bottom, Kenzie frantically glanced around. She needed a place to hide, and she needed to find it quickly.
A door in the distance caught her eye. That was going to have to work.
She rushed toward it, threw it open, and a small closet stared back at her.
Knowing she didn’t have much time, she slipped inside and pulled the door closed. She then pressed herself against the wall and held her breath, making a conscious effort not to move any more than necessary. The last thing she wanted was to give away her presence here.
Doing so would be a death wish.
Her heart pounded in her ears.
Kenzie should have never come aboard this boat. She’d known better. What had she been thinking?
Just stay still. Just stay still.
She continued to listen as footsteps pounded above her. She tried to imagine who it might be.
Thatcher? Or someone else?
She tried to picture what this person might be doing. Did he—the footsteps were heavy, leading her to believe it had to be a male—have any idea that Kenzie was onboard?
She didn’t know.
As silence fell, she remembered the phone in her pocket. She could call for help!
But from whom?
Jimmy James had just broken up with her before they were even official.
She could call Cassidy, but then she’d have to admit she sneaked onto a boat.
She nibbled her lip and decided to wait.
Instead, she turned on the flashlight app and shone the beam around the space.
Mostly cleaning supplies surrounded her. In the corner, a rack stood with a broom and a mop. A shelf in front of her contained various sponges and rags. A small box had been shoved onto the bottom shelf.
Though Kenzie willed herself not to move, the sight of something lacy protruding from the box drew her curiosity.
Why would there be something lacy in a cleaning closet?
Against her better instincts, Kenzie leaned forward and tugged the box from the shelf. Grabbing the edge of the item with just the tips of her fingers, she lifted it from its container.
It was lingerie . . . lacy black lingerie.
There was nothing wrong with lingerie, she supposed.
But hiding lingerie in a cleaning closet aroused her suspicions. Somebody was clearly trying to hide this negligee.
But why? The only reason Kenzie could think of was . . . if somebody was having an affair and didn’t want his wife to see this.
Kenzie’s heart pounded harder.
Was that what had happened? Had that woman on the deck last night been a secret lover? And had Thatcher tried to get rid of the woman in order to cover up their involvement together?
Kenzie didn’t know, but that theory made the most sense right now.
As she heard a footstep overhead, she dropped the lingerie back into the box on the shelf and pressed herself against the wall again.
She went to turn off her flashlight when the phone slipped out of her hands.
She gasped as it tumbled behind the shelf. The flashlight flickered off before she could find the device.
But that was the least of her problems right now.
Had the person above her heard the phone drop?
She froze.
She heard the footsteps again, but this time they were closer.
Really close.
Whoever was on the boat had come downstairs, she realized.
She had a feeling he was right outside her door.
Kenzie’s throat tightened.
If this man found her, what would he do with her?
Every possibility that fluttered through her mind caused her anxiety to ratchet up. Her theories ranged from being sent to jail . . . to being killed.
She didn’t like either of those extremes.
Chapter Thirteen
Jimmy James strode around the harbor, asking everyone he ran into if they’d seen Kenzie. There weren’t that many people here, but those he did encounter each said no.
He paused on the docks and placed his hands on his hips as he glanced around the area, trying to figure out his next step. As he did, the sun beat down on him and seagulls squawked overhead, circling as if they thought he had their next
meal.
He frowned.
He knew Kenzie was mad at him—and rightfully so. But would she have done something foolish as a result?
He didn’t think so, didn’t think it was in her character. But . . . he felt more and more unsettled by the moment.
Should he call Kenzie?
Maybe. But he would hold off for now. She probably wouldn’t welcome a call from him—she might not even answer.
Should he call Chief Chambers?
Jimmy James shook his head. Not yet.
He didn’t want to overreact here.
He’d only been on the bridge for thirty minutes before his meeting with the crew. That wasn’t much time—but probably enough for trouble to strike.
Kenzie had been in the parking lot before he boarded Almost Paradise. Where could she have gone?
What if her father had picked her up? Maybe the two of them had gone to grab coffee together or maybe she’d gone back with him.
It was a possibility.
But why would she leave her car?
She wouldn’t.
Jimmy James wasn’t accustomed to thinking in worst-case scenarios, but right now, he couldn’t seem to stop himself.
That settled it. He was going to call her.
He was her captain so it wouldn’t be out of line for him to see where she’d gone instead of coming to the meeting.
Before Jimmy James dialed her number, he glanced around one more time. His gaze stopped on Seas the Day.
His stomach turned as he stared at the boat. Why did all the trouble in this area seem to go back to that boat right now? And what exactly had happened onboard last night?
Part of him wanted to brush it off and pretend Kenzie hadn’t seen anything. But he didn’t think that was the case, especially since someone had tried to run them down.
Still, he had a lot of questions.
If a woman had been killed, what happened to her body? How had the crime been covered up so quickly?
He remembered seeing a boat in the water last night, the one without any lights on. Was that a coincidence?
He was inclined to think that it wasn’t.
Wasting no more time, he grabbed his phone, dialed Kenzie’s number, and waited.
Sweat trickled down Kenzie’s temples as she pressed herself against the wall.
Unfortunately, there wasn’t a lock inside this closet. So, someone could easily open the door . . . and she’d be cornered.
Her pulse quickened. She should have never done this. Then again, she’d known that before she ever boarded this boat. That’s why her father had always told her not to make impulsive choices. Even with his overbearing tendencies, he could be right sometimes.
She pressed her eyes shut, hardly able to breathe.
Then she heard footsteps again . . .
The paces paused outside the closet door.
Kenzie was certain of it.
She squeezed her eyes together even harder as she envisioned a man on the other side wearing all black and staring at the door with malice.
Maybe . . . maybe this guy would walk away. Maybe he’d never discover Kenzie was hidden here. Eventually, maybe she could slip out and make it back to Almost Paradise.
Wait . . . Almost Paradise.
The breath left her lungs.
She was supposed to meet with the crew.
What time was it?
She wasn’t sure, but she felt certain the meeting had already started.
When Jimmy James noticed Kenzie wasn’t there, what would he do? Would he look for her? Or was he still too upset over the conversation with her dad to take any action?
She nibbled on her lip for a minute, unsure of the answer.
Come on . . . move!
It sounded like the footsteps outside the door had been paused forever. What was this guy doing? Did she really want to know?
As the thought entered her mind, she heard the footsteps start again. The paces . . . they almost made it sound like the person on the other side was moving away from the closet.
Kenzie released a breath. Maybe she wouldn’t go to jail or die after all.
Just then, her cell phone chirped on the floor.
Panic rushed through her.
Quickly, she reached for it, the lit screen guiding the way and desperation fueling her actions.
How could she have been so stupid? She should have put it on silent.
She reached behind the shelf until her fingers reached the device.
She quickly hit the button and the phone went quiet.
The question was, was it too late?
Chapter Fourteen
Jimmy James scowled as he put his phone away.
Kenzie hadn’t answered. That wasn’t like her. When he’d called her in the past, she’d picked up right away. But, again, maybe she was upset with him. Or maybe she was involved in a deep conversation.
But the uneasy feeling wouldn’t leave him.
He let out a sigh and scanned the marina around him one more time.
As he glanced at Almost Paradise, he saw Eddie and Owen on the deck, scrubbing the floors there. On occasion, they glanced at him as if wondering what he was doing.
Jimmy James wouldn’t alert anybody that Kenzie was missing. Not yet, he decided. Not until he was sure that she wasn’t okay.
Maybe for now the best thing he could do was just to get back onboard Almost Paradise and wait for Kenzie to show up.
As he started that way, Tom emerged from the marina office and waved.
“I’m about to head back out,” Tom said. “Sure wish you could come with me.”
“Me too,” Jimmy James said. “But Danny will do a good job for you.”
Danny was a teen they’d been training as a first mate on some of the fishing boats around here. The sixteen-year-old was anxious for the extra work in the summer, so it had worked out well.
“I’m glad I ran into you,” Tom said as he approached. “You were asking about Thatcher this morning, right?”
Jimmy James nodded. “Right . . .”
“I remembered something after we talked. When I was at Watermen’s last night, I saw him there.”
“Okay . . .” Jimmy James wasn’t sure what his friend was getting at.
“This may not mean anything, but he was with . . . Stevie-o. The two were talking like they were old friends or something. They seemed like a mismatched duo if I’ve ever seen one.”
His breath caught. “Is that right?”
Tom nodded. “Just thought I’d let you know. Everything else okay?”
“I suppose. You haven’t seen Kenzie by chance, have you?”
“Kenzie?” Tom pushed his sunglasses up higher. “When I went back to my boat earlier, I thought I saw her.”
His breath caught. “When was that?”
Tom shrugged. “Thirty or forty minutes ago probably.”
Jimmy James’ heart pounded harder. “Did you see where she was heading?”
“I can’t say for sure. But unless my eyes were deceiving me, I thought she was walking toward Seas the Day.” Tom nodded toward the boat.
Jimmy James’ breath caught. That was what he was afraid of.
What if Kenzie had gone aboard that boat? What if her disappearance was somehow connected to last night’s crime?
“Was she by herself?” Jimmy James rushed.
Tom shrugged again. “Maybe. But I really wasn’t paying much attention. Sorry.”
Jimmy James took his phone out again.
Should he call Cassidy?
Or should he check out Seas the Day himself?
Kenzie couldn’t breathe. Her lungs were too tight. Her heart pounded too hard. Fear paralyzed her.
If someone hadn’t known she was in this closet, they did now.
What was the person on the other side of the door doing?
The footsteps had paused again.
Think, Kenzie. Think!
She might be an intruder on somebody else’s boat, but there could
be a killer onboard. She couldn’t just stand here helpless and wait for someone to harm her.
Moving quickly, she grabbed a bottle of cleaner from the shelf and clutched it to her chest. If someone opened the door and tried to hurt her, she would spray detergent in their face.
Maybe the act would buy her a few minutes. Long enough to get away. To run up the steps and call for help.
Speaking of help, who had called her? She’d slipped the phone back into her pocket. She could grab it again and try to call or text someone.
But then she wouldn’t be prepared to spray the cleaner in someone’s face when they opened the door.
She decided to keep hold of the cleaner instead.
At once, she heard something slide. Heard the jangle of metal.
More fear trickled down her spine.
Then there was silence.
Kenzie remained frozen, unsure what the best thing was to do. She halfway expected someone to open the door and grab her. She waited for what felt like an hour, but it was probably only five or ten minutes.
Were those footsteps again? Were they getting softer? Moving away from her?
That’s what it sounded like.
She prayed that was the case.
Finally, when she didn’t hear anything else, she reached for the doorknob and twisted it. Maybe now was the time she should try to escape.
But as she pushed on the door, it didn’t open—not even a little.
She shoved harder.
But the door still wouldn’t budge.
That’s when Kenzie realized somebody had locked her in here. Maybe shoved something against the door or jammed something into the lock. She didn’t know.
Fear ran down her spine, causing her entire body to tremble.
If she didn’t get out of here . . . then she didn’t know what would happen to her next.
Chapter Fifteen
Jimmy James was going to board Seas the Day. He had no other choice.
He wouldn’t call Chief Chambers—not yet, at least.
As he took a step closer, a man emerged from the salon onboard.
Dead Reckoning (Lantern Beach Mayday Book 2) Page 6
