“Well, you did,” Tabitha snapped. “Mr. Peterson is a great man. He’s … just great. He’s not guilty of anything. You need to find someone else to focus on.”
With those words Tabitha spun on her heel and stormed away from the table. Will watched her helplessly as Mandy cast a sidelong look in James’ direction.
“Well, that went well,” Mandy said, reaching for a lobster tail. “Hand me the butter sauce.”
21
Twenty-One
“Did you see where Tabitha went?”
Sophie met Mandy and Ally near the dessert table thirty minutes later. By tacit agreement, the women decided to let her cool down before approaching her separate from the men. Mandy also wanted to finish shoveling seafood into her mouth, but no one outwardly commented on that. For her part, Emma begged off regarding the adventure. She wasn’t nearly as keen to question a potentially traumatized teenager as the rest of the group.
“No, but we’ll find her,” Mandy said.
“I can’t believe Emma didn’t want to come,” Ally complained. “This is like the only time the guys have given us a sanctioned mission and she’s missing it.”
Sophie made a dubious face. “You watch way too much television. A sanctioned mission?”
“Netflix has Alias,” Ally replied, shrugging. “I think I would make an awesome Sydney Bristow.”
Mandy barked out a laugh, love for her friend warming her heart. She’d missed spending time with her over the past few weeks. That would change once they got home. James would remain her focus, but knew she would be able to branch out more easily now. She felt … lighter.
“Emma doesn’t want to question Tabitha because she’s afraid the worst possible scenario will come true,” Mandy explained. “That’s hitting too close to home for her.”
“What’s the worst possible scenario?” Ally asked.
“Think about it,” Sophie prodded. “Peterson has a history of sleeping with his students. Sure, it technically might’ve been consensual, but Tabitha isn’t old enough to consent under the law. That means it’s rape if he’s done something with her.”
“Oh,” Ally intoned, realization dawning. “I didn’t think about that. Oh, wow.”
“Yeah,” Mandy said. “After seeing Tabitha’s reaction, I’m not sure what I believe. She seemed adamant that Peterson was a good man. Maybe he really was a good teacher and she thinks he’s being railroaded.”
“I got the exact opposite feeling from her,” Sophie said. “I think she knows that Peterson is a bad man but has convinced herself that he’s good so she can rationalize what’s happening.”
“Some people might think you’re cynical,” Mandy said.
“Some people might be right,” Sophie conceded. “What do you think?”
“I honestly have no idea,” Mandy said, shrugging. “I want to find out, though. How about we take a quick trip out to the deck and see if we can find Tabitha? Even if she’s not a victim, she’ll probably end up hurt in all of this.”
“I’m surprised you care so much about her feelings,” Sophie admitted. “After what she said to you … .”
“What did she say?” Mandy challenged. “She was curious. She’s sixteen. When you’re that age, it’s impossible to understand real world ramifications. She’s not a bad kid. I honestly believe that.”
“You’re more forgiving than I am,” Sophie said. “I wanted to smack her in the face when she asked you about your kidnapping.”
“Me, too,” Ally said. “Then, after you smacked her, I wanted to wrestle her down and pull her hair for good measure.”
Mandy giggled at Ally’s fierce expression. “You’re a really good friend. Actually, you’re both really good friends.”
“We’re not friends,” Ally corrected. “We’re sisters. All of us.”
“I’m not your sister yet,” Sophie pointed out.
“Yes, you are,” Mandy corrected. “It might not be official, but you’re already our sister.”
“Besides, given the way Grady has been acting, I’m guessing it’s going to be official soon,” Ally said. “He’s been conspiring with Mandy and James for a reason, and I doubt very much it’s because he wants to see Mandy’s new Jawesome panties.”
Mandy’s mouth dropped open. “How do you know about those?”
“I saw you show them to James.”
Mandy glanced around furtively. “Did anyone else see? James won’t find that funny.”
“I’m fairly certain you’re safe,” Ally said, smirking. “Come on. Let’s find the teenage drama queen and see what’s going on. I’m actually dying to know if Peterson is really a dirtbag or not.”
“That makes two of us,” Sophie said.
“Make that three,” Mandy said, following the women toward the door. “Let’s find her. The faster this is over with, the faster James and I can play sexy mermaid games.”
Ally snorted. “You guys really are sick.”
“I can live with that.”
“I’M SORRY about upsetting Tabitha,” James said, reclining in his chair as he studied Will’s impassive face. “That wasn’t my intention.”
“Mr. Hardy, let’s not play games,” Will suggested. “You might not have set out to upset my daughter, but you certainly wanted to gauge her reaction. Why is that?”
“I … wanted to see how she felt about Peterson,” James admitted. Even though Will was a father and their host, he was also a client and James refused to lie. “The things we’ve found in Peterson’s past are worrisome.”
“And this is about more than the girl who ended up pregnant, isn’t it?”
“There’s another girl from about three years ago who ended up pregnant, too,” James explained. “She disappeared after naming Peterson. She didn’t do it formally, though, and no charges were pursued because her testimony was never taken on the record.”
Will visibly swallowed. “Do you think Jon killed her?”
“I can’t answer that,” James said. “I don’t like jumping to conclusions and we have no proof where Peterson is concerned. What we do have is a trail of … coincidences, so to speak … that when put together make him look like a potential murderer.”
“At the very least, he’s a slime ball,” Grady said. “At the worst, he’s a murderer.”
“That’s on top of the teacher who he openly dated,” James added. “She went missing a few months ago. That’s two people in close proximity to Peterson who have simply disappeared. Do you know the odds of that?”
“And that’s just what we know about because there’s a paper trail,” Grady added. “I’m sure there are stories out there that have never hit official channels and are therefore unsearchable. If Peterson is a predator, it’s doubtful he can stop himself.”
“You think he has a sexual relationship with my daughter, don’t you?” Will was matter-of-fact instead of reactionary. “That’s what you’re really getting at, isn’t it?”
“I honestly don’t know,” James said. “Tabitha took up for him, which could mean he’s a good guy.”
“But?”
“It could also mean that she’s been brainwashed and pretending she’s in love with the man is the only way she can rationalize what’s happening in her head,” James conceded. “I’ve seen that numerous times. It’s impossible to tell unless she’s willing to open up.”
“Let’s say I believe this,” Will said. “How does any of it play into Zoe’s disappearance?”
“That’s an extremely good question,” James said. “I can’t guarantee that Peterson has anything to do with Zoe Walters’ disappearance because we have nothing concrete to go on where she’s concerned. We ran a background check on her, too. She seems clean and there are no red flags in her past. It’s impossible to go really deep without access to friends and family, though, and due to the nature of the case, we simply don’t have the access that we need.”
“Then why focus on Jon Peterson?”
“Because we need to start somewhere,
” James replied. “We ran background checks on all of your employees and got a few hits. I want to go over those with you before anything else. We’re not focused on Peterson to the detriment of everyone else. We can’t rule him out, though.”
“What about Tabitha?” Will asked. “Perhaps I should talk to her.”
“Mandy, Sophie, and Ally are looking for her right now,” Grady supplied. “They’re going to attempt a conversation with her first.”
Will balked. “But she won’t talk to them.”
“She might not talk to her father either,” James said. “At least they’re women. They’re good sounding boards. You might be surprised at what they’re capable of.”
“Well, I’ll let them give it a try,” Will said. “Tell me about these other employees and we’ll go from there. If I haven’t seen Tabitha in thirty minutes, though, I’m going to insist we find her.”
“I think that’s a probably a good idea,” James said, reaching for his iPad. “Let’s get this party started, shall we?”
“IT LOOKS like it’s going to storm.”
Sophie’s eyes were keen as they scanned the horizon and noticed the clouds rolling in.
“I generally love storms, but am I the only one worried about getting sick once the boat starts tossing and turning?” Mandy asked, her hand reflexively landing on her stomach. “I can’t remember if I took my motion sickness medication today.”
“You have a stomach like an infant,” Ally complained. “Actually, you have a stomach worse than an infant. Avery throws up less than you do.”
“It’s not as if I can help it,” Mandy complained, rubbing her cheek. “I have no idea why it happens.”
“I think it’s the universe’s way of telling you to get pregnant,” Ally said. “It’s showering you with morning sickness to prod you in the right direction.”
Mandy rolled her eyes. “Not this again.”
“I want you to have a baby,” Ally argued. “I’m going to have one. I want us to have daughters so they can be close.”
Mandy’s mouth dropped open. “You’re pregnant?”
“She’d better not be,” Sophie said. “She’s been drinking more than a sailor on shore leave since we hit this ship.”
“I’m not pregnant yet,” Ally clarified. “Jake and I have talked about it, though. I’m going to go off my birth control pills as soon as we’re married. I don’t want to be fat for the wedding, but we definitely want a baby … and soon.”
“Well, that’s great,” Mandy said, searching for the right words. “I don’t want a baby, though. James and I want to travel and spend time alone. I’m … sorry.”
Ally jutted out her lower lip. “But … .”
“Knock that off,” Sophie warned, wagging a finger. “First off, this isn’t the time for this conversation. Secondly, you can’t force someone to want the same things as you do. Mandy shouldn’t have to apologize to you for that.
“Ally, it’s great that you want a baby and you’re obviously going to make a terrific mother,” she continued. “Not everyone wants to be a mother, though. I’m pretty sure I don’t. Mandy and James have a right to choose their own future.”
“But I always pictured us going shopping for our daughters and spoiling them,” Ally complained.
“We can go shopping together for your daughter,” Mandy said. “I’ll be a great aunt. I promise. I just don’t want to be a mother. There’s nothing wrong with that.”
Ally heaved out a frustrated sigh. “Fine,” she said. “I know I can’t push you into this. Jake warned me that I was going to pick a fight if I wasn’t careful. I guess he was right.”
“I think he’s right more often than you give him credit for,” Sophie said. “Besides, Mandy is going to be the cool aunt while you’re the annoying mom. Your kid will probably like her better than you … just like Avery.”
Ally scowled. Avery Hardy’s determination to reach for Mandy every time he saw her was a bone of contention in the Hardy family. Ally went out of her way to dote on the youngster and yet he gravitated toward Mandy. It was as if he sensed he wouldn’t be here without her.
“Don’t bring that up,” Ally said, crossing her arms over her chest. “You’re so mean.”
“I’m sorry,” Sophie said, holding up her hands. “I didn’t mean that. I’m just focused on the problem at hand. We need to find Tabitha, and we have to do it before the storm hits and Mandy starts puking everywhere.”
Mandy was affronted. “Hey! We don’t know that’s going to happen.”
“No, we don’t,” Sophie conceded. “If we play the odds, though, you’re going to be a puke factory before the night is over.”
Mandy wanted to argue, but she couldn’t. Instead she shook her head and pointed toward the far end of the deck. “We haven’t checked down there. Let’s see what we can find. Once it starts raining, we’re going to be stuck inside. I’m not risking being washed overboard and eaten by sharks.”
“You have a one-track mind,” Sophie muttered.
“That’s because she’s Jawesome,” Ally teased. “Come on. Let’s hurry. I’m not thrilled with the idea of surviving a storm out in the open either.”
THE WOMEN made a pointed effort of searching every nook and cranny on the ship – including behind the bars, which were shutting down early thanks to the pending storm – but they came up empty in their Tabitha search. They were about to give up when the sound of voices, one of them very angry, drifted across the night sky.
“Don’t tell me to calm down!”
Mandy pressed her finger to her lips as she cocked her head to the side. Without seeing who was speaking, she couldn’t be sure who the female voice belonged to. She had a sneaking suspicion it was Tabitha, though.
“You need to lower your voice.” The second individual was clearly a man, but Mandy couldn’t identify where the duo was located until she glanced around the fence that kept the private pool Will showed them on the day of their tour separate from the rest of the ship.
Mandy’s eyes widened when her gaze fell on Tabitha. She paced next to the pool, gesturing wildly, as Jon Peterson tried to soothe her obviously frazzled nerves.
“Don’t tell me what to do,” Tabitha snapped. “You’re not the boss of me. Haven’t we been over this before? My father got you this job. I’m the boss of you.”
Peterson didn’t look pleased with the outburst. “Yes, you’ve told me that a hundred times,” he said dryly. “I’m not trying to boss you around. I’m merely explaining that there’s no reason to panic.”
“How can you say that?” Tabitha asked, frustrated. “James Hardy knows about your past. He told my father everything.”
“Everything?”
“Er, well, he told him quite a bit before I made a scene and left,” Tabitha replied. “I told him he was mistaken, but I’m not sure he believed me.”
“He still doesn’t have proof,” Peterson pointed out. “All he has are suspicions. He’ll be off this boat in less than forty-eight hours. We can survive until then if we make a point of staying away from one another and give him no reason to question us.”
“I think it’s too late for that,” Tabitha said.
“I think you’re feeling dramatic this evening and you need to calm down,” Peterson said, resting his hand on the girl’s shoulder. “Relax, girl. I’ve got everything under control. I promise.”
Mandy shifted her eyes to Sophie, something unsaid passing between them. Silently they moved to step away from the pool area, making sure to keep to the shadows so they weren’t discovered. Mandy had every intention of running back to the dining room and telling James what they’d found and letting him deal with the fallout.
Unfortunately, that wasn’t in the cards for the dynamic threesome.
Ally inadvertently bumped into one of the fence legs as she swiveled, making a loud clanging sound when her bracelet hit the metal.
Peterson’s head snapped up at the sound, his eyes narrowing and causing Mandy’s blood t
o run cold when they locked gazes.
“Well, well, well,” he sneered, shaking his head as he released Tabitha. “Look what we have here.”
“I told you,” Tabitha crowed. “They know.”
“It appears they do know,” Peterson confirmed. “That’s … unfortunate. I believe we now find ourselves in a very awkward position. How are we going to deal with that?”
Mandy had no idea what he had planned, but she hated the chilly tone of his voice. He sounded evil. “I have a suggestion,” she said, licking her lips. “I think we’re going to run back to the dining room and tell everyone what’s going on. You guys can stay here and continue your lover’s spat. How does that sound?”
“Not good,” Peterson said, taking a step in their direction. “Perhaps we should talk first.”
“I’m going to decline,” Mandy said.
“That’s not an option,” Peterson growled. “This is a mistake. You have no idea what you just witnessed.”
“I know you’re sick and gross,” Mandy countered. “That’s good enough for me. Run!”
22
Twenty-Two
Mandy thought the fence would keep them safe when she yelled for everyone to run. The gunshot echoing throughout the humid night air caused her heart to seize when she realized she was wrong. She dropped to her knees. Sophie and Ally followed suit, shocked disbelief reflecting from their faces.
“I don’t think you’re going anywhere.”
Mandy froze at the voice, shifting her head so she could stare back at the pool and frowning when she saw Tabitha holding a small handgun. “W-what are you doing?” She was beyond confused.
“I’m handling this situation,” Tabitha replied coolly. “I think that’s pretty obvious.”
Instead of joining Tabitha and sharing in her smug satisfaction, Peterson looked dumbfounded. “Where did you get that gun?”
“It belongs to my father,” Tabitha replied, her tone even and controlled. “He keeps it in a travel safe. I grabbed it from our room when I texted you to meet me here.”
Deadly Waves (Hardy Brothers Security Book 23) Page 18
