by Amy Boyles
Alistair leaned forward. “Well, from what she told me, the child wasn’t satisfied with their friendship.”
“It wasn’t?”
“No. Wanted more. Money.”
I leaned back. “No.”
Alistair nodded. “The most important thing to Griselda was her reputation. That was all she could take with her when she died. The illegitimate child—”
“Was it a boy or a girl?” Grandma said.
Alistair glanced back. “You know, I really don’t know.”
“Hmm,” she said thoughtfully. “I was only wondering.”
I rolled my eyes. “Okay, what did the child want?”
Alistair lowered his voice and said, “Griselda started receiving blackmail letters. If she didn’t pay, then the whole world would know that Griselda had conceived a child and hidden it away. Her social reputation would be ruined and her fortune gone.”
“Why would her fortune be gone?” I said.
“Because that was one of the stipulations of her marriage contract. If any children were discovered to have been conceived by her with anyone other than her husband, either before or after the marriage, she would lose everything.”
Alistair wiggled his eyebrows. “Exactly. So she put up with the blackmail, sending checks regularly.”
Hmm. “But what if she stopped sending them? That would be enough for someone to be angry, possibly angry enough to commit murder.”
Grandma poked the air. “That’s less than enough for someone to commit murder.”
I turned to Alistair. “But how would we ever know who the child was? I mean, you were Griselda’s friend and even you didn’t know their identity.”
“There’s at least one person who would have that knowledge,” he said.
The realization struck me like a thunderbolt. “Of course. Her assistant, right?”
Alistair nodded. “She’d be the most likely person to ask.”
My mind whirled as Roman returned to the table. How could I get Annie to tell me the truth? That’s one secret she’d take to the grave with her, no doubt. She loved Griselda and wouldn’t betray her, especially not after death.
Hmm. This would take some thought.
Roman leaned over and brushed his lips against my cheek. “How’s the gossip session going?”
I swatted him. “I think it’s over. Oh, is that chocolate cake you’ve got there?”
Roman forked a wedge and held it out for me. Rich, thick mousse melted on my tongue, followed by light, fluffy cake. I moaned. “Oh, that’s amazing. Thank you.”
He smiled. “You can thank me later.”
“Everyone, we need your attention.”
My head snapped to the front of the dining room. Detective Daniel Downey stood with his badge raised. “We’re looking for someone. I need all of you to remain in your seats while we search for her.”
He flashed a picture of Maria. “If any of you have seen this woman, we need you to tell us now. She’s wanted for questioning in the death of one of the passengers.”
Grandma raised her hand. My eyes widened as she caught the detective’s attention and said, “I’ve seen the gypsy. I can tell you exactly where she is.”
NINE
I pressed my trembling fingers under the table. “What are you doing?” I hissed.
Alistair and Roman’s gazes flickered to me. I pinched my lips together and drew back, knowing I was calling more attention to myself by saying something than I would be if I simply did nothing.
Detective Downey swooped to our table. “You saw her?” he said to Grandma.
She flicked her hands toward the door. “She read my palm. I saw that woman and the child at the carnival.”
The detective’s expression fell. “Thank you.”
He walked away and wove through the tables, interviewing people. Several other detectives marched through the dining room, all of them following Downey’s lead.
“Well,” I said enthusiastically, “that was awesome, but I think I’m ready to head back.”
I rose abruptly, my nerves frayed and my mind whirling. Why the heck would Grandma almost give me a heart attack like that?
I shot her a dark look as Roman and I threaded our way to the exit.
“You want to tell me what’s going on?” he said.
“Not really.”
“Darlin’, if you want to stay married to me, you’re going to confess it all right now.”
I whisked my fan to my face and sighed. “Do you promise not to have a coronary?”
He laughed. “Of all the crazy things you’ve ever done, how could this be any worse?”
I grimaced. “Watch out. This might top them all.”
He coiled a hand around my arm and led me back to the cabin. When we got inside, I inhaled a deep breath and said, “Sniff is searching for us. We found the murder weapon used on Griselda. It was the gypsy’s crystal ball. Well, we found it with Maria, who seemed as shocked to see it as we did. She begged us to help her because her daughter had just been accused of stealing the diamond earring, you know.”
Roman nestled onto the bed and hooked his arms behind his head. “This just gets better and better.”
If he only knew. Wait. He was about to know.
“Maria begged me, and I could see she wasn’t guilty. Thing was, I didn’t think Detective Downey would believe her, so she’s hiding in Grandma’s room.”
Roman’s jaw dropped. Now, I’d known my husband awhile, and never, not once had I seen such a look of surprise on his face.
Until now.
He scrubbed his palm over his jaw. “You’re telling me that you’re aiding and abetting a person wanted for questioning in the mysterious death of a rich socialite.”
“Yeah,” I said quietly. “That sounds about right.”
His nostrils flared and his jaw clenched. “You promised you were going to stay out of it.”
I cringed. I tugged the ends of my hair, twisting them until they wouldn’t coil anymore. “I know. I tried. Honestly I did. But you should’ve seen the look on her face. The woman is innocent, Roman.”
“Dylan,” he said, dragging out my name, “you promised you weren’t going to get involved, and now you’re practically a criminal as well.”
I sank onto the bed. “I know. I’m sorry. Listen, it’s all Grandma’s fault. If she’d never shown up here, none of this would’ve happened. But before you pass judgment and feel the need to tell the detectives we’re harboring a stowaway along with fugitives, go talk to Maria and her daughter. See what they have to say.”
I took his hand and pressed it to my lips. “Ask her. See what I’m saying.”
Roman frowned, but he pushed himself off the bed and crossed to the door. “I guess you’re right. Before I decide to annul this marriage, I need to at least see if you’re telling the truth.”
My throat dropped to my stomach. “Annul?”
He winked at me. “You’d only wish. You’re stuck with me, darlin’.”
“And you with me.”
He sighed. “That’s the harder part, isn’t it?”
“I guess so,” I said glumly.
Roman blew me a kiss. “I’ll be right back.”
I changed into my pajamas after he left. My stomach was full of knots and butterflies. I could only hope he believed that what I’d done had been for the right reasons.
When Roman returned a few minutes later, he nodded. “I believe Maria, and more importantly, I believe you. But Dylan, we can’t hide her forever.”
I smiled brightly, the twists and clumps in my stomach untying and righting themselves. “I know, but we can hide her until the real killer is found.”
Roman sighed. “I’m guessing this is the part where you tell me that it’s now up to us to solve the mystery, put the world to right before we sail off into the sunset.”
I grinned. “How’d you know?”
“Land ahoy! Land ahoy!”
The call rang out crisp the next morning. I jumped
off the bed and peered through the porthole. A bud of land shone on the horizon. I ran to Roman and shook him awake.
“We’re here! You can see the island from the porthole. Want to go on deck and see?”
Roman opened one sleepy eye and then the other. “You go on. I’ll be up in a few.”
I pulled on some clothes, not bothering to shower because I wanted a bird’s eye view of Celestial Island. Never before in my whole life had I witnessed a floating square of land. This might be a one-time opportunity, and I didn’t want to risk missing it.
I practically ran to the deck. Fresh salt air filled my lungs. I crossed to the rail, where a small crowd had already formed. A wave of airsickness shifted my stomach, and I quickly stepped back far enough that I could see but wouldn’t have a lethal case of vertigo.
I gasped.
Celestial Island floated in the air as if gravity didn’t exist. It looked like God’s hand had scooped out a patch of earth and suspended it from a string in the sky. A voluminous mountain towered through a misty atmosphere, and water plummeted from falls straight down to the ocean hundreds of feet below.
It was truly spectacular.
My heart raced as we neared. I planned to stay on deck until we docked, because it was that freakin’ cool, y’all.
True story.
“Beautiful, isn’t it?”
I turned to see Captain Byrd gaze with longing at the island.
“Yes, it is. I can’t wait to get on there, explore it all.”
“You won’t be disappointed, lass,” he said, wiping moisture from his single good eye. “It’s a beauty that is beyond reach. Many a woman’s looks has been compared to the island’s beauty, but her wildness and elegance is beyond anything a mortal woman could hold.”
Oh, well, okay.
“What do you think we should do first?” I said.
Byrd scratched his beard. “Well, there’s the treasure hunting. I’d recommend that. It’s a lot of fun. Or you could visit one of the beaches, soak in some sand.”
He glanced over his shoulder as if to make sure no one was watching. “To be honest, my heart’s not in it. You’ve been very helpful with Maria. You know if it wasn’t for you, Lillian would’ve been in deep trouble with the authorities. I want to thank you. Of course, now there’s that other thing.” His gaze darkened, and I knew what he meant.
I reached out, touched his shoulder. “I know she didn’t do it. She wouldn’t have killed Griselda. I don’t believe it for a moment.”
The captain nodded. “If you see her, she’s always safe with me. Maria should know that.”
Should I tell the captain where Maria was located? I realized Byrd would only do what was right for Maria. Maybe I’d ask her if she wanted to stay with him instead of Grandma. Or maybe I’d just tell him where she was—he was the captain and the whole thing wasn’t my business. If anyone could protect her, it would be him—not me, a regular passenger on the ship.
The captain took his leave, and I watched while we docked at Celestial Port. I went back down to fetch Roman, who had probably fallen back asleep while I was enjoying the majesty of the island.
I showered and dressed for the day. “Do you know where the captain’s room is?”
Roman dragged his gaze from the mirror to me. “Why?”
I shook my head. “No reason, I was just wondering. You know, in case I needed to stop by, ask him a question.”
Roman ran his fingers through his hair. “That’s frowned upon.”
“Okay, well, just because I’m nosy. That’s why I want to know.”
“I’ll tell you, but you have to promise to keep it to yourself.”
I crossed my heart. “I swear it.”
So he told me where the captain’s cabin was. I tucked the location to memory as we prepared to leave for the island. We left the cabin and were in line to depart the airship when I said, “Oh crap. I forgot my bathing suit. I’ll be right back.”
“Bathing suit?” Roman said.
I winked at him. “Yes. Unless you prefer we swim bareback.”
Roman chuckled. “It did occur to me.”
I frowned. “There aren’t any nude beaches on the island.” I kissed his cheek. “I’ll be right back.”
I shuffled from the line and headed back to the cabin. When I reached our deck, I walked straight past, heading for the captain’s quarters. It was several decks up, toward the bridge, but I managed to find the unmarked door easily enough.
I slipped a piece of paper under the bottom and headed back to the line.
Roman wrapped a hand around me when I popped up beside him. “Got our swimsuits?”
“You know it.”
If I thought the island was cool beans from the deck, it was even more awesome once my feet touched ground.
We were welcomed with necklaces made of shells and could either take a shuttle to various parts or we could stroll around, which is what Roman and I did, hand in hand.
“So you want to go treasure hunting first, right?” he said.
“Definitely.”
Roman sighed. “You sure you don’t just want to go lie somewhere? Drink some tropical beverages? Enjoy the sunshine?”
I laughed. “I know you want to relax, but doing things is my way of relaxing. So treasure hunting first, then swimsuits.”
“Okay,” Roman said, exhaling a shot of air. “Let’s do it.”
We found the tiki hut where we could start our treasure-hunting adventure. The man who ran it was the same man from the carnival, Max Devereaux.
“Welcome. Are you ready to do some treasure hunting?”
I shook my head, confused. “Wait a minute. So you work on board and on the island?”
Max nodded. “Sure thing. I pull double duty a lot. This is the fun part, giving you a map and seeing if you find gold, silver or jewels buried in this fertile soil.”
“Oh boy,” Roman whispered.
I elbowed his ribs. “Calm down. It’ll be fun.”
We took a map and set off following the series of dotted lines and markers that consisted of large palm trees, huge boulders and babbling streams. After about an hour of winding through the island, we finally arrived at X marks the spot.
I clapped with childlike glee. “Sweet! This is awesome. Do we dig with our hands? Should I just start?”
I dropped to my knees and paddled at the sand. Roman tapped my shoulder. “Hold on there, Rover. I found a shovel.”
I felt like a total idiot for going at the treasure like a dog in heat, but whatever. I wanted to find gold, dang it, like a real pirate.
Or at least a pretend pirate.
I plunged the shovel into the soft sand. About thirty seconds later the blade hit metal. I shot Roman a bright smile. “I think we’ve found buried treasure.”
“I think it’s rigged,” he said.
I frowned. “Can you at least try to pretend that we’re pirates looking for treasure? It would help.”
He smiled. “Okay. I’ll try.”
“Thank you.”
He helped me hoist the box from the ground. I broke the lock with the shovel and popped it open.
Inside lay several gold-wrapped chocolate coins and a note that we’d successfully won the game. I rolled my eyes at the chocolate but did unwrap one and devour it. Who knew that treasure hunting could make a girl so hungry?
Max stepped out from behind a palm tree. “Congratulations! You found the treasure. Great job. For that, you win a shell necklace.”
He draped a necklace over my and Roman’s necks.
Roman rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. “Thanks.”
Max beamed at us. “You’re welcome. You may not have known it when you started, but Celestial Island is believed to be a haven for pirate treasure. For centuries pirates came to the island to bury their gold. Some of it has been found; some of it hasn’t. That’s why we do the hunt. Give you a taste of what it was really like for pirates returning to the island to find their booty.”
“Just like it,” Roman said.
I smirked. “We were talking to Alistair Krause, who’s aboard the Majestic. He said that in his younger days he used to hunt for treasure. It was one of his pastimes, it sounded from the way he explained it.”
Max nodded. “Oh yes, Alistair Krause is a famous treasure hunter in these parts. Still does it, too.”
I frowned. “He does?”
I could’ve sworn the way Alistair described it, his treasure-hunting days were long over. But maybe I hadn’t heard him correctly.
Yeah, I was sure that was it.
“In fact,” Max continued, “Alistair had a partner in treasure hunting. He put up a lot of his own money, but there was another person who was a major investor.”
That was funny. Alistair hadn’t mentioned an investor. Of course, why should he? It’s not like he had to explain every little detail.
“Who was the investor?” I said. “Of course, I’m sure it’s someone I don’t know.”
Max rubbed his chin. “It’s funny you say that, because you’re very familiar with his investor.”
I quirked a brow. “Oh? Who is it?”
“It’s more of who it was. Alistair’s investor was none other than Griselda. They partnered up for years to find treasure.”
I thumbed jaw. “Funny he didn’t mention it.”
Roman’s green eyes glittered dark. “Funny, or coincidence?”
A knot twisted my gut. Something told me it wasn’t funny at all. In fact, it sounded possibly murderous.
TEN
“You’re making too big a deal about it,” Roman said. “So the guy didn’t mention the fact that Griselda was his business partner in treasure hunting. He may not have thought it was important.”
I shrugged. “It just seems like a detail that shouldn’t have been kept from us, is all.”
Roman handed me a cone dolloped with peppermint-flavored ice cream. I skimmed my tongue over it and moaned.
“Oh, this is awesome.”
Roman bit into his own vanilla cone. “Simple and delicious.”
We walked from an ice-cream hut to a slew of tables sprinkled not far from the treasure-hunting excursion.
