“Yeah, she failed to mention that to me,” Zander said. “I’m guessing that was on purpose. Apparently I’m not nearly the master spy I thought I was.”
“That’s okay.” Harper patted his arm. “You don’t need to be a spy. You’re an outstanding accountant ... and sidekick.”
He scowled. “You know I don’t like it when you call me a sidekick,” Zander complained. “You’re my sidekick. That’s the only way this relationship works. You’re the Velma to my Fred.”
“I think they were both technically sidekicks,” Jared argued. “Shaggy and Scooby were the leads.”
Zander snorted. “That’s what they wanted you to think. Fred was the lead.”
“I always liked Daphne,” Quinn offered helpfully. “She was totally hot.”
“She was a cartoon character,” Rowan argued.
“Who looked a lot like you.” Quinn turned thoughtful as he looked her up and down. “I totally think you should dress up like Daphne for Halloween. In fact ... yeah.” He bobbed his head. “You would be smoking hot as Daphne.”
“Does that mean you’re going to be Fred?”
“Fred was gay,” Zander interjected. “He can’t be Fred. I’m Fred.”
“You won’t be here for the annual Halloween cruise,” Quinn pointed out. “I haven’t decided if I’m going to be Fred yet. I just know I want Rowan to be Daphne. It would be like a childhood dream come true.”
He was so earnest Rowan could do nothing but bark out a laugh. “I’ll consider it. Are you going to tell us what you found?”
“Yeah, but I figured we should grab our plates first. “We have no less than five suspects on board, and those are only the stories we could track down.”
“Suspects in Tasha’s death?” Harper asked curiously.
“Actually, no,” Quinn hedged. “Suspects in Brady’s disappearance. I’m kind of at a standstill on the murder investigation. I don’t even know where to start looking.”
“Well, that’s not good.”
They ceased talking about murder and kidnapping as they shuffled through the buffet line, not speaking again until they were settled at an isolated table. There was enough food in front of the hungry quintet to feed a small army.
“I’m starving,” Zander announced, grabbing a crab leg. “That cucumber water was fortifying — and healed the scurvy — but now I need protein to bolster me.”
Quinn stilled, his fork clutched in his hand. “What scurvy?”
“Don’t listen to him,” Jared cautioned. “He thinks he had scurvy instead of motion sickness. I can’t have this conversation a second time.”
Quinn chuckled. “How many similar conversations do you have a week?”
“At least one a day.”
“And he’s thankful for them,” Zander said pointedly, practically daring the detective to argue with him. “Every single one of them is a treasured memory that he will hold dear until he finally dies from old age. Of course, I will hold on a full decade after him because I’m just that awesome, so it will be Harper and me treasuring the memories after he passes.”
Jared made a face. “So, I’m dying before you and Harper? That doesn’t seem fair.”
“You stole my best friend,” Zander reminded him. “I deserve those extra ten years.”
“Ugh. I can’t have this conversation again either.”
“Tell us about the suspects you found,” Rowan prodded. “Who are they?”
Quinn started talking — mostly because it seemed safer than watching Jared and Zander murder each other with sharp glares — and he avoided contact as he laid everything out with a studied efficiency.
“The final two we found were Dan Johnston and Corwin Palmer,” he started.
“Corwin can’t be a real name,” Rowan said.
“I’m guessing not, but I haven’t dug deep enough to dig out a real name,” Quinn said. “They had a falling out with Brady over a show in Nashville. They were supposed to be the opening act but, at the last second, Brady moved another woman into their spot and didn’t tell them until they were supposed to go on stage.”
“Another woman?” Harper was intrigued. “Is that perhaps a girlfriend or partner?”
“You know, Jared said you thought like an investigator, and that’s a very good question,” Quinn said to Harper, causing her to beam. “I checked that out myself. The replacement psychic was named Monica Larkspur.”
“Oh, that’s definitely not a real last name,” Zander intoned. “That’s the fakest of the fake last names.”
“I think I’ve actually heard that last name before,” Harper countered.
“Why do you always have to take everyone else’s side?” he complained.
Harper merely held her hands up and shrugged. “Obviously it’s to torture you.”
“You’ve got that right.”
Quinn was becoming adept at ignoring Harper’s and Zander’s verbal calisthenics. “Anyway ... Monica was a cute little thing right off the bus from Louisiana when she met Brady. She had the gift — that’s the story he tells anyway — and he decided to act as her mentor.”
A sick feeling filled the pit in Harper’s stomach. “Please tell me she was legal.”
“She claimed to be eighteen at the time, but I think that’s unlikely,” Quinn replied. “I’m guessing she was closer to sixteen, but I don’t have confirmation on that. I have a friend of mine on the mainland who works as a private investigator tracking down that information.”
“So, Brady picked up a naïve teenager and took her under his wing,” Rowan mused. “I’m guessing that there was some hanky-panky going on.”
“I believe there was both hanky and panky going on,” Quinn agreed. “They toured together for almost a full year. She opened for him. He taught her the tricks of the trade. They were quite the formidable duo.”
“You’re talking about them in the past tense,” Harper pointed out. “That can’t be good.”
“Very smart, Harper.” He smirked at the way she tilted her head. “They broke up at a certain point when a job Brady was supposed to get went to her. Suddenly she was the headliner.”
“And his ego couldn’t take it,” Rowan surmised. “He wanted her subservient to him.”
“Very good, baby.” Quinn squeezed her knee under the table. “I believe the breakup was ugly. Brady said nasty things about her.”
“Is she on the ship?” Harper asked.
Quinn nodded. “She is. She’s also the psychic filling in for Brady this evening because he’s suddenly gone missing.”
Rowan’s mouth dropped open. “You’re kidding. That’s quite the coincidence.”
“Isn’t it, though?”
Sixteen
Monica Larkspur took the stage shortly after dinner was finished. She seemed to have a lot of energy, and she engaged the crowd from the get-go. Since they enjoyed watching her exert her “powers,” she started picking people from the crowd to offer readings. By the time she selected Zander, he was practically dancing in his chair.
Zander didn’t waste time climbing the stage. He waved to the crowd, took a bow, and then blew kisses at Harper.
Quinn shifted to study Jared, worried his new investigative partner might take offense, but the police detective merely smiled.
“He seems fine with another guy flirting with his fiancée,” Quinn mused in a low voice as Rowan snuggled in at his side. “I don’t think I would be okay with that.”
Despite herself, Rowan was amused. “Zander is gay.”
“Yes, but ... he’s still a dude.”
“He’s Harper’s best friend. They’ve been joined at the hip since elementary school.”
“It would still bother me.”
“I don’t really think it would,” she countered. “On the surface, maybe. Jared fell in love with the whole package.”
“He did,” Quinn agreed. “He told me that he knew Zander and Harper came as a set. He wanted Harper, so he took on Zander, too.”
“I do
n’t think that’s so bad. I’ve never had a friendship as tight as the one Harper and Zander share. I kind of think I’ve been missing out.”
Quinn slid her a sidelong look. “You can be my best friend.”
She smiled, warmth washing over her. “That’s sweet, but it’s not the same thing. I love you, there’s no doubt about that, but I can’t tell you everything like I would a best friend.”
“How come?”
“Because there will be times, no matter how sweet you are, that I need to complain about you. Something tells me you’re not going to be as open to the process of listening to my rants as a dedicated best friend.”
“Fair enough.” He slid an arm around her shoulders, kissing her forehead when she rested her cheek against his chest. “Just out of curiosity, does the same go for me? Am I allowed to complain about you?”
Rowan nodded without hesitation. “Absolutely. I assume that’s what you’re doing whenever you have a drink with Michael.”
“Oh, no. Those conversations are all about how fantastic you are.”
Rowan snorted. “Right.”
“They are.”
“Uh-huh. I totally believe you.”
“You should. I’m a truthful guy.”
“You are,” she agreed, taking a moment to tilt her chin and meet his gaze. “Are you afraid we’re running out of time?” she asked, earnest. Her voice was barely a whisper, but Quinn could make out the basics over the din of the crowd. “Do you think we’re going to figure this out before it’s too late?”
Quinn wasn’t sure how to respond. He wanted to make her feel better but lying wasn’t an option. “I’m hopeful we’ll figure it out. I don’t know that we will, though. That simply means you have to be careful going forward. I want you to watch your surroundings, wherever you are, and be prepared to run if it becomes necessary. Can you promise me you’ll do that?”
“I promise to try,” Rowan answered honestly. “I can’t say what I’ll do in the thick of things. You know how that is. I’ll do my very best, though.”
Quinn held her gaze for an extended beat. “I guess that’s the best I can ask for.”
“It is,” she agreed, bobbing her head. “I’ll ask you to do the same. I know that you’ll do your best despite the fact that you won’t be able to turn away from people in need when it happens.”
“If it happens,” he corrected. “We might be able to stop it.”
“I hope so. Otherwise ... .” She trailed off.
“It’s going to be okay.” He kept his lips against her forehead and snuggled her as close as possible so they could watch the show. “We’re going to figure this out. I have faith.”
“Then I have faith, too.”
Quinn knew that was going to have to be enough, although he was terrified he would lose the one thing he loved most in this world if he didn’t do absolutely everything right.
ON THE STAGE, ZANDER basked in being the center of attention. Monica was bright and engaging, and she was fun without being smarmy. Obviously she had surpassed whatever teachings Brady lent her.
“Let’s see what we have here,” Monica said, grabbing Zander’s hand and pressing her eyes shut. “Hmm ... you’re quite the popular fellow, huh?”
Zander preened at the question. “I am,” he agreed. “I’ve always been popular.”
From her spot next to Jared, Harper rolled her eyes but remained silent. She knew better than calling out her best friend in front of a bunch of strangers. He wouldn’t take it well.
“You have a brave heart.” Monica’s smile was wide. “You’re giving ... and selfless ... and always put the needs of others ahead of yourself.”
“That is so me,” Zander intoned.
“You’re also a bit much to take,” Monica added, her smile never slipping. “You overwhelm a room and demand your spot in the sunshine. You want to make sure you eclipse all others, but that’s mostly a defense mechanism.”
Zander stilled, surprised at the serious turn in the reading. “Um ... .”
“You have two soulmates,” Monica continued, unruffled by Zander’s expression. “One is the friend you’ve held dear since childhood. Together, you two have wreaked a lot of havoc. You work together ... and play together ... and now you’re separating your lives.”
Suddenly, Zander was feeling exposed. “We’re not separated,” he argued. “She’s here with me.”
“You feel separated,” Monica pressed. “You think she’s abandoned you.”
Harper straightened in her chair, although Jared kept an arm around her shoulders so she couldn’t rush the stage.
“I don’t think she abandoned me,” Zander clarified, his hackles up. “That’s not who she is. She just ... moved to a different house. She didn’t even move very far. It was just across the road. It’s fine. We still see each other all the time.”
“But your life has changed,” Monica prodded. “It’s not the same as it was a year ago.”
“Things change.” Zander adopted a pragmatic tone. “Life can’t be the same forever. I get that. If you’re trying to say that I’m being childish, don’t bother. I know I am. I’ll ... get better.” He looked to Harper for confirmation and found a small smile playing at the corners of her lips.
“You love your friend with everything you have,” Monica supplied. “You love her so much you didn’t think there was room for anyone else. Surprisingly, you found someone to love, though.
“This person is handsome, warm, interested in listening to whatever you say no matter how crazy he thinks it might be, and patient,” she continued. “It’s the last part that’s most important. He’s patient, which is something you desperately need.”
“Personally, I think I’m a saint,” Zander argued. “I don’t think it’s a case of having to put up with me. It’s a case of delighting in the fact that you get to put up with me. That’s the distinction most people don’t grasp.”
“Of course.” Monica’s voice was soothing as her eyes lit with mirth. “Still, you’re a little sad. It’s not for the reason you keep telling the others, though.”
“Oh, yeah?” Zander challenged. “Why am I sad?”
“You miss your boyfriend.”
“I don’t even understand how you knew I was gay,” he argued. “It’s not as if it’s obvious.”
Twenty feet away, Jared touched his tongue to his top lip but remained silent despite the warning look Zander shot him.
“I’m psychic,” Monica replied simply. “The spirits told me.”
“Oh, well, the spirits,” he muttered.
“Are you telling me you don’t believe in spirits?” The question was pointed.
“No, I believe in spirits. I simply didn’t know they spread gossip.”
“It’s not gossip.” Monica let loose a light laugh that was so melodic it sounded like music as it spread across the room. “You’re sad because you miss your boyfriend. You don’t want to admit that, though, because you’re afraid you’ll look weak. It doesn’t help that your best friend is here and brought her boyfriend along for the ride. Being a third wheel isn’t a comfortable position for you.”
Zander rubbed his forehead as he risked a glance at Harper and found her watching him with open curiosity. “I miss my boyfriend,” he confirmed. “I don’t care about looking weak. I do enjoy messing with my best friend and her fiancé, though. If that’s wrong, I don’t want to be right.”
Monica’s laughter spread across the room. “I could hypnotize you and see if you’re telling the truth. If you’re open to the process, I mean.”
Zander immediately balked. “No. I’m good. You put on quite the show.”
“That’s why I’m here.”
ZANDER OPTED TO REMAIN BEHIND and get a better feel for the psychic after the show. Harper wasn’t thrilled with the notion, but after forcing Rowan to take a photograph of her best friend with her phone — and declaring him omen-free — she acquiesced. She wasn’t Zander’s keeper. She knew that. Asking him to sit al
one in his room while she retired with Jared seemed unfair, though, so she let it go.
“A pickle for your thoughts,” Jared teased, sliding the pickle from his Bloody Mary and waving it in her face as they sat in loungers close to the water and enjoyed the quiet ocean view.
Harper took the pickle — they were her favorite snack, after all — and chomped into it, her expression thoughtful as she chewed.
“Are you going to tell me what you’re thinking?” Jared prodded, amused at the determined look on her face. “I’ve already paid the fee.”
Harper swallowed. “Sorry. I got lost in my own head there for a few seconds.”
“I know. That’s a regular occurrence for you.”
“I’m not sure what I was thinking.”
“I’m sure.” Jared leaned back in his lounger and extended his long legs in front of him. “You’re thinking about Zander, about what the psychic said, and you’re wishing we’d found a way to include Shawn in this trip.”
“How do you know I was thinking that?” Harper was genuinely curious.
“Because I’ve been thinking the same thing.” Jared’s smile was rueful. “I feel like a bit of a jerk. This wasn’t fair to him. None of it.”
Harper shook her head. “I wanted you with me.”
“Yes, and I wanted to be with you. Tagging along on the cruise seemed like a natural fit, especially when we called and found out it would cost very little to add me to your package. Still, this was something you had planned with Zander. I swooped in and stole his thunder. I’m a total thunder stealer.”
Harper’s expression was wry. “Jason is a thunder stealer,” she corrected, referring to a friend and restaurant owner who returned to Michigan recently. Zander constantly accused the man of stealing his thunder and it was a running joke. “You didn’t steal anything from Zander.”
“Didn’t I?” Jared wasn’t convinced. “This trip was supposed to be for you and him. It would’ve been fine if Shawn could come, too. Instead, I came and threw off the entire balance. If I wasn’t here, you would’ve spent all your time with Zander. As it is, he’s spent a lot of time alone.”
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