Blowout

by Colleen Cross

  Then she remembered Pete’s comment. He had been hired on in Friday Harbor in Washington State, so the yacht was probably American. She navigated to the U.S. registration site and retyped the numbers. This time she got a match.

  The result returned was not for The Financier, but for Catalyst instead. Finally, she had proof that the boat had been renamed. Since the ship’s registration record was current under Catalyst, it appeared to be stolen and renamed. Raphael’s story about sailing his live-aboard Italian yacht around the world was bogus. She could finally expose him in a lie.

  She navigated to the Majestic Yachts website and checked that the Catalyst’s registration number was still the same. It was. Since it was also listed for sale on the Majestic Yachts website, it was almost certainly stolen. That was easily proven with a phone call when the yacht company reopened tomorrow morning.

  She rose and set her laptop on the desk just as Jace burst into the stateroom.

  “What did you say to Raphael? I just ran into him and he’s furious. He wants to go home immediately.”

  “Finally, some good news for a change.” She placed her hands on her hips. “Gia told me you invested. How could you invest with that scammer and not even tell me?”

  Jace avoided her gaze. “I was going to tell you.”

  “When exactly?”

  “See, this is why I didn’t say anything. He’s not a scammer, Kat. He’s the real deal. But I knew you’d give me the third degree.”

  “Of course I will. I’m the only thing standing between you and losing your money forever.”

  “I knew you were up to something.”

  “Jace, the only one up to something is Raphael. If you and everyone else weren’t so blinded by the promise of riches, you would see through him in a second.”

  “I wasn’t born yesterday. I know a good opportunity when I see it, and I’m not letting this one pass me by.”

  “Well, you just gave your money to a thief.” She swiveled her laptop screen towards him. “Raphael’s yacht is stolen, and here’s proof. The registration number is for a yacht named Catalyst, not The Financier.”

  Jace studied it for a moment. “There’s got to be a logical explanation. Maybe he just bought it and the paperwork hasn’t gone through yet.”

  “It’s registered in Washington State, not Italy. How could he have just bought it when he claims to have sailed here from Italy?”

  “Maybe he registers it in another country. Lots of ships are registered elsewhere, like cruise ships registered in Liberia and stuff.”

  Washington State wasn’t exactly a tax or liability haven. “No one would do that.”

  “True.” Jace scratched his chin. “But I’m sure he has a good reason. Let’s ask him.”

  “No, Jace. You’re completely missing the point. He lied about his so-called Italian ship and his trip halfway across the world. There’s only one reason to change the yacht’s name.”

  A flicker of doubt passed over Jace’s face.

  “It proves the yacht is stolen.”

  “That’s crazy.”

  “No, giving him your money is what’s crazy.” Something was rotten aboard The Financier, and the sooner she exposed the truth the better. But it wasn’t going to be pretty.

  21

  Kat and Jace had finished breakfast by the time Uncle Harry appeared on deck. He emerged from the galley, his plate laden with scrambled eggs, toast, and sausage. A second plate was stacked with pancakes.

  It had been a self-serve affair. Kat and Jace had cooked together, though they barely spoke. Kat was furious about Jace’s secret investment, while Jace accused Kat of being on a witch-hunt.

  “You’re eating all that?” Jace stood and pushed back his chair. “So much for your fitness regime.”

  “I need my energy. Big day today.” Uncle Harry sat opposite them and tucked a napkin into his shirt. His plate was heaped with food, a heart attack waiting to happen.

  Kat raised her brows. “You mean the cave exploration?” Despite her previous experience and her still-sore knee, she actually looked forward to returning.

  “That too, but I was talking about Gia’s wedding. I’ve never married a billionaire before.”

  Kat frowned. “You can’t marry them, Uncle Harry.”

  “Of course I can. I’m a licensed marriage commissioner.” Harry paused with a forkful of eggs midair. “This will be my first wedding at sea! Or should I say, my first nautical nuptials?”

  He swallowed his eggs and buttered his toast.

  “That’s not what I meant. I’m sure you’ll do a bang-up job, Uncle Harry. It’s Gia I’m worried about.”

  “Gia’s fine. Been around long enough to spot people in love, and those two sure are. You’re overreacting, Kat. If I didn’t know you better, I’d even say you’re a little bit jealous.” Harry speared a piece of sausage with his fork.

  Kat stole a glance at Jace, who raised his brows at her.

  “That’s ridiculous. I am not jealous.” Just the only one who sees the truth. “I want Gia to be happy, but with the right man.” Raphael didn’t fit the bill. Her instincts told her he was far more than just the wrong romantic partner—he was a downright dangerous man.

  “He’s the perfect match. He’s rich, and he loves her as much as she loves him.” Uncle Harry grabbed the syrup carafe and smothered his pancakes.

  “You sure about that, Uncle Harry?”

  “Of course. Any fool can see they’re in love. I’ve never seen her happier.”

  Jace cleared his throat. “Harry’s right. Let Gia make her own mistakes. If that’s what this turns out to be.”

  She glared at him. “Gia might be in love, but I’m not convinced Raphael is.”

  “She’ll never do better than him. He’s young, rich, and successful. A real catch for Gia.” Uncle Harry’s generation still held traditional views, and she had to bite her tongue not to respond. Gia didn’t need to catch anyone.

  “Did you ever consider that Gia might be a catch for Raphael?” Kat swallowed a mouthful of coffee. “She’s self-made. She has her own business and is very successful.”

  “She’s done very well for herself.” Harry set his fork down and leaned back in his chair. “But he’s ten thousand times richer than she is. Where’s she gonna find another billionaire?”

  “You never know.” Everyone considered Raphael’s yacht, designer clothes, and possessions as proof of his wealth, but it was so obvious the way he flaunted it that it was fake. “Besides, if they’re so great together, why rush into anything? They have all the time in the world.”

  “Because I want to be the one that marries them, Kat. If they get married somewhere else, I won’t be able to perform the ceremony. They’re ready, I’m ready. What’s the big deal?” Harry shook his head. “Marrying people is what I do for a living.”

  “You’ve only done one other marriage ceremony. Remember, this isn’t about you, Uncle Harry.” Now she understood: Harry saw this as his only chance to perform the wedding ceremony.

  “Okay, so maybe it’s a part-time job.” He bit into his toast. “But it’s the best job I’ve ever had. Watching a couple’s expression when they tie the knot, and knowing I made it happen…it’s priceless.”

  “Your job is very important, but there’s a right time for everything. With Gia so caught up in her whirlwind romance, she might not be thinking clearly.”

  “I guess that’s possible.” He toyed with his food, dejected.

  She needed further proof to convince both Jace and Harry. Without that, all she could do for the moment was delay the wedding. “What do we actually know about Raphael? We’ve known him for a day, he came out of nowhere, and he convinced Gia to invest money with him.”

  “When you put it that way it sounds bad. But look at all this.” Harry waved his arm at the boat. “Proof he’s successful.”

  “Maybe. But success doesn’t make a happy marriage. Gia only met him a couple of weeks ago. Is that enough time to get to know som
eone?”

  Harry looked crestfallen. “I guess not.”

  “You can still marry them later, Uncle Harry. I know Gia wants you to officiate, but let’s convince them to hold off a bit. If they’re meant for each other, it can’t hurt.”

  “But what if they’re traveling or something? This could be my only chance.”

  “I’m sure Gia will want you to perform the ceremony no matter what. She’d fly you in if necessary. Can you find some excuse to hold off for a day or two?”

  Harry paused mid-chew. “All right. I suppose I can have a chat with her.”

  “No—don’t do that.” Kat’s thoughts drifted back to the wallet in her pocket. It was somehow tied to Raphael since she had found it in his stateroom. Whatever the connection, her gut told her that it wasn’t good.

  “I just don’t think Raphael is who he appears to be.”

  “Geez, Kat. You really got it in for this guy.” Jace raised his hands in protest. He was still mad that she had questioned his investment decision. “What’s wrong with Raphael? He’s a great guy for letting me in on the business.”

  Kat’s heart thumped in her chest. Jace still refused to disclose how much he had invested. That scared her. “I think you’re making a big mistake.”

  Harry picked up his empty plate as he rose from the table. “Nah. The Bellissima hair straightener business is gonna make us all rich.”

  Kat grabbed his arm. “Remember your last big investment? You almost lost everything you owned.” Uncle Harry had bought stock in a diamond mining company while Kat investigated the very same company. It had turned out to be a massive fraud, and he had been extremely lucky to get his money back.

  “Go find Raphael right now and tell him to undo whatever you’ve done. You’ll never see your money again unless you get it back now.” Raphael had managed to bilk three of his four guests. They’d never see that money again unless she stopped him.

  “Not a chance. I’m not missing the boat on this one.”

  “You’ll be missing more than the boat, Uncle Harry. Where’s the investment information? I want to see it.”

  Jace glared at her but remained silent.

  Kat was dying to ask Jace the exact same questions, but it would almost certainly provoke an argument. She would wait until later when they were alone.

  Harry shifted his gaze. “It’s back in Vancouver. He’ll mail it to me once we’re back in town.”

  “You invested without reading the fine print?” Raphael had no intention of sending Uncle Harry anything.

  Uncle Harry held his hands up in mock surrender. “I knew you’d say that.”

  “I thought this yacht was his office,” Kat said. “Why isn’t his paperwork on board the ship?”

  “Dunno. He probably meant his lawyer’s office.”

  “Did you sign anything?” Kat frowned.

  “Nope.”

  “You didn’t hand over any money?”

  “Not yet. I can’t get to the bank till Monday.”

  Kat sighed in relief. Thank goodness Harry was old school and didn’t bank online. “Don’t commit to anything else. Not until I check a few things out.”

  “Make it quick. I’m not missing my chance to hit the jackpot.” Uncle Harry waved his arm at the boat. “Maybe I’ll get a yacht too.”

  “You’ve already hit the jackpot. You’ve got a good pension and money in the bank. You always say you have everything you need. Why risk that?”

  “Just once I want to get in on the action. Don’t ruin my chance, Kat.”

  The odds of a missed opportunity were slim, but financial ruin was almost a certainty. The odds were stacked against everyone but Raphael, but she intended to change that.

  22

  Kat was already on her third coffee by the time Gia and Raphael emerged on deck. Raphael grunted good morning at Jace and Harry, but simply glared at Kat. Gia glanced at Kat, then averted her gaze. Gia’s eyes were bloodshot and swollen. She had obviously been crying and appeared again on the verge of tears.

  Harry sprung from his chair and headed to the coffee machine at the bar. He poured two cups of steaming black coffee and handed one to each of them. “Good morning. Sleep well?”

  Raphael muttered something under his breath and set his coffee cup on the table.

  “Hmmph.” Harry turned and disappeared into the galley. He returned seconds later with a couple of chocolate croissants. He offered one to Gia, who shook her head.

  Jace’s late night admission worried Kat. Not only had Jace invested all his savings, he had also added money from a line of credit. He now owed money on an investment that never existed in the first place. While it was his money, she felt betrayed by his actions. They significantly impacted them both, yet he hadn’t even consulted her.

  Kat shifted her gaze to Gia. Her disheveled appearance was uncharacteristic. She appeared tired and instead of her usual fawning over Raphael, she sat slightly apart. Something was amiss, since Gia barely looked at Raphael. Had she finally realized that Raphael was taking advantage of her?

  “Eat up. I can’t wait to go ashore and find the cave.” Harry munched on the second croissant, oblivious to the tension around him.

  “Change of plans, Harry,” Raphael said. “We’ll hold the wedding first and go to the island this afternoon instead.”

  Gia remained silent, though her lower lip trembled slightly.

  Bad news, Kat thought. She had even less time to stop the wedding.

  “Even better,” Harry said. “I’ll get changed. I wish I brought my suit.”

  “Hold on,” Jace turned to Gia. “We’ve got lots of time for the ceremony. Wouldn’t it be better in the afternoon?”

  Gia shrugged. “Whatever Raphael wants is fine with me.”

  If Gia wouldn’t change her mind about the wedding, Kat had to at least convince her to delay it. She’d think of some excuse once she talked to Gia privately. “If that’s the case, let’s go to your stateroom and get ready.”

  Ten minutes later, Kat sat on the bed in Gia’s stateroom, no closer to convincing her to change her mind. Her gregarious, self-assured friend had morphed into a meek, insecure shadow of herself. She simply did whatever Raphael instructed. “What’s a few more hours? The afternoon is much better for a wedding.”

  “It’s not ideal, but Raphael wants to marry me as soon as he can.” Gia pulled her hair back as she studied herself in the mirror.

  Kat scanned the stateroom floor, hoping to find additional evidence tied to the wallet. She saw nothing other than shoes Gia had pulled out of the closet for consideration. She rose from the bed and walked around it as she pretended to stretch. Nothing visible on either nightstand either.

  Gia pulled a half-dozen dresses from the closet and laid them on the bed. Most were brightly colored sleeveless dresses similar to the one she wore. “This is all I’ve got to wear. I always dreamt of a big wedding and imagined myself in a vintage wedding dress. These ones just aren’t special enough. The whole thing just seems so rushed.”

  Kat nodded but didn’t add anything.

  Gia held a black sequined sheath against her body. “How about this one?”

  “Don’t wear black for your wedding.” Kat shook her head. Though marrying Raphael did call for mourning. “Why can’t you wait till we’re back in Vancouver? I’ll help you shop for a dress.”

  “We can’t wait that long.” Gia sighed. “We’re leaving for Costa Rica tomorrow.”

  Pete had mentioned Costa Rica too.

  “Costa Rica? Why? For how long?” If Raphael left the country he’d never come back. She seriously doubted he’d take Gia with him, though, no matter what he said. Gia probably didn’t even have her passport with her.

  “I don’t know. It just depends on Raphael’s business meetings. I wish I had time to plan a bit better. It’s all kind of last minute.”

  “You can say no, Gia. You don’t have to go.”

  Gia wavered momentarily, then shook her head. “Of course I’m going.
I can’t lose him. I’ll never find a guy like him again.”

  Kat could hardly wait for Raphael to get lost, but she had to get everyone’s money back first. “Just don’t rush the wedding. You can fly into San Jose and visit him anytime. Or he can come here.”

  “He’s not staying in San Jose. He’s staying someplace remote on the west coast. It’s only accessible by boat.”

  A strange place to conduct business, Kat thought. “If he can get there, so can you. It’s not a big deal.” She had visited Costa Rica several times. While the roads weren’t great, you could still travel pretty much anywhere. It just took a long time.

  “No, it is a big deal. If I want to help Raphael, I have to support him.” Gia wiped a tear-stained cheek. “I know he earns more than I do, but why is it all or nothing? I have to leave my salon, my home and my friends, just like that.” She snapped her fingers. “It’s not fair.”

  “You’re absolutely right. You shouldn’t have to.” It was totally out of character for Gia to abandon her livelihood and her clients at a moment’s notice. “Why Costa Rica? It’s such an unlikely place to launch a product.”

  “It makes no sense to me, either.” Gia let out a sigh. “But he always knows what he’s doing. I just wish I could get a straight answer out of him.”

  Kat put an arm around her friend’s shoulder. “At least give yourself enough time to get your affairs in order. You’ve got to close your shop and make arrangements for your absence. There’s no reason to rush into things.”

  “I don’t want to say anything in case he changes his mind about me. He’s the best thing that’s ever happened to me.”

  More like the worst thing that had ever happened to her. “If Raphael won’t consider your wishes, maybe he’s not the right guy for you.”

  For once Gia didn’t protest. “I wish we’d do what I want at least some of the time.”

  “Tell him. Starting with the wedding. We’ll explore Valdes Island for a few hours first. Then we’ll all be ready to celebrate.”

  “You’re right.” Gia drew in a deep breath. “It’s time I put my foot down. We’ll keep the wedding this afternoon as planned.”