Murder for Glacier Blue (High Seas Mystery Series Book 3)

by Diane Rapp

  Natalia cast an “I told you so” glance at Kayla and asked, “Did Jason say anything special happened at the bachelor party?”

  Patricia frowned and gestured at Jonathan. “Tell them about the party, dear.”

  “We drank pints of ale and tossed darts until the wee hours. No strippers or other female entertainment was provided, since their boss might frown at such frolicking about. It was ever so dull.” He grinned and shoveled in another bite of egg and toast.

  Natalia slid into her chair and poured a cup of coffee from a thermos pitcher. “You ladies look fresh and lovely this morning while the men look a bit haggard. Aren’t you glad we opted for an evening in the spa rather than drinking?”

  “It was lovely, dear.” Julia grinned.

  Patricia added, “We really enjoyed the full-body massage. I awoke very refreshed and eager for the day to start, while Jonathan literally dragged himself out of bed.”

  The girls made their way to search the buffet counters filled with food. Patricia pointed at the windows which were speckled with raindrops. “I hope this weather clears up before we reach the glacier. I want to get some good wedding pictures with a wall of ice in the background.”

  Clint said, “The ship’s weather report says things will clear up by this afternoon.” He gazed through the window at the lush forest rising to a snowcapped mountain. “I’m sure we’ll have beautiful scenery for photos all along the route. Did you bring your raincoats?”

  “Do the English go anywhere without slickers and umbrellas?” Jonathan asked. “We’re set for all types of weather and adhere to the queen’s tenet, ‘We never change our schedule for weather.’ She’s always right!”

  “The Boy Scouts motto is ‘Be Prepared’ so they must agree with her,” Clint said. “Look, the map of the park shows how far glaciers were at different dates.” He held up the printed map.

  Julia looked over his shoulder to read. “In 1794 the mouth of Glacier Bay was completely choked by ice. By the time John Muir arrived in 1879, the ice had retreated almost 48 miles. The Muir Glacier was once the most spectacular glacier in the park with two miles of ice across its face.” She glanced at her watch and shifted in her chair. “That reminds me. The copy of Thomas Hill’s John Muir Glacier is due to be auctioned at 11:00 a.m. I really want to see that painting.”

  Patricia said, “Me, too. Now that we’re in Glacier Bay, I wonder if bids will increase.”

  Clint chuckled. “Wet weather might encourage people to buy a nice dry picture of a glacier.”

  “Well, by the 1990s the Muir Glacier retreated so far that it’s no longer approachable by big ships. If we had a canoe we could paddle up the canyon to see it.” Julia studied the map of the park again. “It says here that Margerie Glacier is about 65 miles from the entrance to the park…wonder how long it will take to reach it.”

  Clint patted her hand and winked. “Don’t worry, you’ll have plenty of time to spare. You girls have appointments in the hair salon this morning, the auction, and then you’ll need to dress for the wedding by 1:00 p.m. Let the ship take its time to reach the glacier.”

  Julia slapped his shoulder playfully. “Go out and take pictures of interesting wildlife while we’re stuck in the salon.” She pointed at his camera bag. “You’ve got extra batteries and video tape, don’t you? We still have the wedding to film.”

  “I stocked up on everything and got all the batteries charged.” He kissed her on the cheek. “Your cameraman will be on duty as requested.”

  Kayla and Natalia returned with plates filled with muffins, salmon, and eggs. Kayla said, “Dad, you’d better get to the stern. I saw a message flash on the monitor that whales were spotted on the starboard side of the ship’s bow. We’re moving slow, so you might be able to film them if you hurry outside.”

  Clint gathered his equipment and scurried off, followed by Jonathan. “Do you think we’ll see anything through these windows?” Patricia moved closer to the glass and peered out.

  Natalia chewed an English muffin with cream cheese and smoked salmon. “Keep your eye on the water. Small icebergs float by with eagles or Steller sea lions on them, and a whale might breach if you’re lucky.”

  Julia moved to the far side of the table and looked out the window. “Oh! I just saw a whale spout water and another one’s tail flipped out as it dove under the water.”

  The women gazed out the window through speckles of rain and enjoyed the scenery as they drank hot coffee and finished breakfast. The peaceful scene outside seemed contradictory to the bustling waiters clearing tables and the sound of silverware clinking as fellow passengers ate.

  Steven and Jason arrived unnoticed. “You think someone waved a magic wand and froze them all into beautiful statues?” Jason asked, startling the women into motion.

  “Guess you said the magic word, Jason. The spell is broken, and I’ve got my lovely bride back in time for a wedding.” Steven slid into a chair next to Kayla and kissed her cheek. “How are you this wonderful morning, Luv?”

  Kayla remembered Cynthia strutting down their corridor. “I’d feel better if your ex-wife fell overboard. What was Cynthia doing in your cabin this morning?” She didn’t mean for her voice to sound so shrill. Nearby passengers fell silent and stared at Kayla’s red face.

  Startled, Steven leaned close. “Causing trouble, as usual. It seems Phillip kicked her out of their cabin after Jason got her to confess to being Miller’s lover and accomplice. Jason’s got it under control, don’t you, mate?” He cast a stern glance at his friend.

  “I won’t let her ruin your nuptials, Kayla. Rest assured.” Jason reached over and snagged a muffin laden with salmon from Natalia’s plate. She hit his hand with her butter knife but relented.

  Kayla sounded hopeful as she said, “Jason, can you lock her in the brig until after the ceremony?”

  “It’s a thought, but I actually planned to tail her today. I need to see if anyone nefarious tries to make contact. You realize, we must find the stolen painting?” Jason took a large bite of the salmon sandwich and cream cheese oozed down his chin.

  “You think a buyer might still contact her?” Kayla asked.

  Jason wiped his mouth with a linen napkin, nodding. “If Miller stashed the painting before he died, the buyer might still be searching for it. We’ve made it difficult. Perhaps he’d seek out the victim’s girlfriend to get the merchandise.”

  “Makes sense. Do you want me to help?” Kayla asked.

  “No!” everyone said at the same time.

  Steven laughed and stroked her hand. “You’ve got plenty to do before the wedding, and Jason has several men watching her. Just relax and enjoy our special day.”

  Kayla glanced at her mother, who pointed at her watch. “We all have hair appointments soon, so I guess I’ll let you work out the problem.” She stood and kissed Steven with more passion than he was prepared to receive in public. “See you at the altar and don’t be late.”

  Steven watched Kayla wind through the tables, followed closely by Julia and Patricia. He looked more concerned than he had let on.

  Natalia’s fork clanged onto her plate. “What’s going on?” she asked. “You don’t plan to set a trap for the painting’s buyer on your wedding day, do you?”

  Steven and Jason both looked startled. Natalia groaned. “You do! If you mess up this wedding, I’ll wring both of your necks!”

  Jason stroked her hand soothingly. “With people flocking to see the glacier and staff tied up preparing for a wedding, it’s the perfect opportunity for the culprit to surface. We’ve got spotters in place around the ship. If anything goes down, we’ll get a ping on our wireless radios and be there in a flash. We won’t ruin the wedding, darling.”

  “No! You won’t ruin the wedding!” She turned to Steven and delivered orders, “Jason will take care of the ‘pings’ without disturbing Kayla’s big day! You concentrate on being a groom, Steven. Promise?”

  Steven and Jason nodded in unison.

  “Oka
y! I’ve got a nail appointment and need plenty of time to dress for the wedding, so I’m off. Remember! I’ll be watching both of you.” She folded her napkin and placed it on her plate. Rising with fluid grace, she glided around busy waiters like a dancer executing a difficult routine.

  Jason sighed. “Isn’t she marvelous? I can’t hide anything from her mind-reading instincts.”

  “You realize she can’t really read minds? She’s got a network of spies feeding her information for her act. Who’s helping you today?” Steven asked, a hint of worry in his voice.

  “Emily established a squad of stewards, busboys, and officers on alert. No one will move that painting or make contact with Cynthia without sending me word. Lucky for us, there’s no place to go since the ship remains at sea for the next two days.”

  “I’d better get something to eat.” Steven headed to the buffet while Jason pressed a speed dial number on his phone.

  “Does everyone understand their orders?” he asked Emily. “Good. I just assured our groom that his wedding will run smoothly. Press the call button to my wireless radio once if you need me. I’ll make sure I find a safe place where I can talk. When the ceremony starts we must maintain radio silence. Sorry, my mobile phone is breaking up…” He frowned and gazed at the phone. The bars indicated service had dropped to zero. “Glad we have reliable radios on this venture,” he murmured.

  Steven sat down at the table with a ham and cheese omelet. He sliced into the food and moaned with pleasure as he ate. Stopping for a sip of tea he said, “We should interview that rich Texan, Carson Allbright before today’s auction. We still need to find out why Miller called him.”

  Jason reached across the table to stab a piece of Steven’s omelet and nodded. “I asked Jeremy Greene to make contact with Allbright this morning, thought it might be less intimidating for him to ask questions. Emily arranged to have Greene sit at their breakfast table in the formal dining room.”

  “Good idea. Jerry’s a clever detective, capable of drawing out information with his easy going Caribbean demeanor.”

  Jason nodded and filched another piece of omelet.

  “Hey! You realize food is included in the price of the cruise! Get your own!”

  “Food from a friend’s plate always tastes better, but you should add more salt.” He grabbed a salt shaker and liberally dosed the omelet.

  Steven frowned and shoved the plate in front of Jason. “I don’t care for that much salt, thanks. I’ll secure a fresh serving.”

  “Bring back a sweet roll while you’re at it.”

  *****

  Jeremy Greene followed the waiter to a large round table in the formal dining room. He recognized golfers and their wives and shook hands while Carson Allbright made introductions. “Happy to make your acquaintance,” he said, “I’m Jeremy Greene from the island of St. Kitts in the Caribbean.”

  He slid into the padded dining chair and placed the linen napkin across his lap. The waiter filled his crystal water goblet and poured hot coffee from a silver carafe. He placed a menu atop the gleaming china plate and used tongs to serve a crusty roll onto the bread plate.

  Jeremy perused the menu but knew what he’d order. “I’ll have the Belgium waffle with cinnamon apple slices and walnuts,” he told the waiter. Apples were expensive and hard to find in the islands. The delicacy always tempted him, although he also loved blueberry pancakes.

  He sliced the crusty roll and spread unsalted butter on the soft center, looking up to find Carson Allbright’s gaze fixed on him. “Didn’t I see you in the baggage storage when I ventured down to check on my golf clubs?” Carson asked.

  Jeremy nodded. “I’m an experienced policeman in my country, so local officers asked me to assist them in the investigation.”

  “Any progress on finding the stolen painting?” Becky Allbright asked, her false eyelashes fluttering.

  He shrugged and took another bite of his roll. “We’re following clues, but I can’t discuss the case, sorry.”

  Carson grinned and told his wife, “You watch enough TV to know that, honey. He’s probably here to grill us about what we know.” Becky giggled and fluttered her eyelashes again. “So do you have any questions, Jerry?”

  The waiter arrived with the waffle, piled high with sticky-sweet apple slices and decorated with swirls of whipped cream and nuts. Jeremy carefully drizzled syrup over the combination and sliced into the edge of the waffle. “I’ve always got questions, Mr. Allbright.”

  “Oh! Call me Carson. Mr. Allbright is my daddy, and we’re eating a meal together. That makes us friends, don’t it?”

  Jeremy smiled and meticulously cut an appropriate bite of waffle. Suddenly someone in the dining room exclaimed, “There are whales outside!”

  Silverware clanked and chairs slid away from tables as passengers jostled to move closer to the windows that wrapped around the edge of the dining room, including most of the golfers at their table. Carson remained seated, but his wife squealed and rushed to see the whales.

  “Now that we’re alone, tell me what you want to know, Jerry.”

  Jeremy set his silverware on the edge of the plate with his long fingers folded together under his chin. “We discovered that the murder victim, Jeffrey Miller made a mobile phone call to you the night he was killed. Why did he call?”

  Carson’s eyebrows lifted in surprise, and he sipped his coffee before answering. “I’ve been lucky in my jewelry business, mostly because I pay the price to get my goods. It’s been real fun to buy those fake paintings at the auctions, but one fella overpaid. I missed out on that glacier painting.”

  “That painting was stolen the same evening Mr. Miller died.”

  Carson frowned. “I hope you don’t figure I’d hire a fella to steal a painting and then kill him as payment! Sure, he called that night, don’t know how he got my number, but it was to offer me another copy of that glacier painting. Seems the guy painted two and offered to deliver a copy after we left the ship.”

  “Did you make a deal to buy the copy?”

  Carson shook his head and set his coffee cup down with a clang. “He wanted half a million dollars for a danged copy. I wouldn’t pay that kind of money during the auction, and I’d be blasted if I’d pay it in a private deal. I figured he’d come down some and told him to call me when I got back to Texas.”

  Jeremy Greene stared into Carson’s eyes and lowered his voice. “Miller didn’t offer to sell you the fake, did he?” He paused. “He offered to sell you the stolen original.”

  Carson didn’t seem surprised. He sat quietly moving the remains of his food around the plate. “I won’t admit to dealing in stolen goods if that’s what you’re after. Miller mentioned he could sell me the original, but I’m not an idiot. A fancy painting like that, those auction dudes claim it was worth millions, well it wouldn’t be worth jail time to own. I figured he wanted to pawn off another fake, trying to convince me it was the real thing.”

  “How did he say he’d get the painting to you?” Jeremy sliced another piece of waffle and took a bite while he waited for Allbright to decide about his answer. Moments ticked by and the golfers filtered through the crowd, returning to their table.

  Carson leaned close to Jeremy. “He claimed he would deliver the goods to me in Texas in a couple of months, said he had to attend a funeral first. I don’t figure he knew it might be his own.” He leaned back in his chair and smiled. “I told him to contact me in Texas.”

  Becky chattered about the whales with the other wives as they took their seats around the table. Carson listened to the conversation as Jeremy finished enjoying his apples and waffle. As the dining room emptied, Jeremy stood. “I enjoyed sharing breakfast with you. Thank you for allowing me to join your table today.”

  Carson said, “Any time, Jerry. We like meeting folks from all over the world. Let us know when y’all catch your killer.”

  “I’m sure the press will spread the story when it unfolds. Good day.” Jeremy slid the heavy chair back again
st the linen tablecloth and maneuvered out of the dining room, aware that Carson’s gaze followed his progress.

  *****

  Cynthia made her way outside, suddenly hot in her full-length fur. She thought about the morning as she sat on a deck chair watching small icebergs float past. Steven’s reaction to her surprise visit was not entirely unexpected. Men often resisted her charms in the beginning but persistence usually paid off.

  She’d lied to Steven about Phillip kicking her out of their cabin.

  After Jason dropped the bombshell about her affair with Jeffrey, the investigator gave up interrogating her. Phillip shut the door, and Cynthia stole a look at his face. He shook his head sadly and opened the door to flag down a room steward.

  “I must move to another cabin. The lady will remain in this cabin, but I’ll need to move out today.”

  The room steward nodded and spoke into his radio for a moment. “Sir, there is one room available, but it will cost extra.”

  “I’ll take it. Tell them to charge both cabins to my account.” He peered at Cynthia as she slumped onto the sofa wiping tears with trembling fingers. “Please send a steward to help move my luggage when the new room is ready.”

  He dragged luggage out of the closet. “If you don’t mind, Cynthia, I need the room to myself for a couple of hours. I must pack my things. Come back later, and you can have the cabin to yourself—it’s all paid for.” His drooping basset eyes examined her face with a hopeless expression. “I always knew we wouldn’t marry, Cynthia, but it was ever so much fun to pretend. People actually thought we were an attractive couple, at least I felt more attractive with you on my arm.”

  “You don’t hate me?” she asked. “I didn’t want to hurt you.”

  He shrugged and kept folding his shirts. “Why hate you? You’re a beautiful woman, and I’m just an ordinary bloke.”

  “You won’t want me working at your shop anymore, will you?” Her voice cracked, making it sound like she pleaded for mercy.