Murder for the Halibut (20 page)

Jordan debated whether to tell Ray about seeing Goose go back into the bar, and then
decided to wait until Rosie wasn’t standing right next to her. It was probably nothing,
anyway, and Ray had mentioned that Goose had checked all the crew quarters
after
the ship had sailed from Puerto Rico. At least they could be certain he had reboarded
and hadn’t lost track of time while he “talked business” with the young woman at the
bar.

“That’s weird,” Rosie said. “It’s like the two of you were inseparable for the first
few days of the cruise, and now you can’t even get him to return your phone calls.”

Ray shook his head. “It does seem strange. I wonder if Goose uncovered something about
the robbery that he doesn’t want me to know. That would explain why he’s avoiding
me like the plague.”

“I’m sure that isn’t the case, darling. Now, let’s get in
there before Victor blows a gasket. You know how he is when he doesn’t eat on time.”
Lola nudged Ray into the restaurant where the maître d’ greeted them and led them
to their table.

“What took you guys so long?” Victor asked, a little annoyed. “Well, I’ll be! Is that
who I think it is?”

Jordan nodded, laughing when her friend jumped up and embraced Alex in a bear hug.
Michael followed suit.

“What in the world are you doing here, Alex?” Victor held him at arm’s length before
whistling. “Hmm. You do clean up well, my friend, if I have to say so myself.”

While they feasted on appetizers and salad, Alex mesmerized them with stories about
his latest undercover assignment. When he got to the parts about being in dangerous
situations, Jordan had to restrain herself from freaking out. She knew his job was
not without risks, but she hated actually hearing how quickly things could have gone
bad, imagining all sorts of scenarios, none of them good. Snuggling closer to him,
she reached for his hand under the table.

By the time the main course was served, it was like old times with everybody, including
Alex, laughing and chatting as if it had been days instead of months since they’d
all seen him.

Victor had him in stitches relating the story about Jordan and the sweetbread in the
appetizer competition a few nights back.

“Honestly, Jordan, I’ll eat just about anything, but even I don’t think I could stomach
that,” Alex said, sympathizing with her while giving her hand another squeeze under
the table.

She rewarded him with a promising smile, wondering
how much longer she could sit next to him without jumping into his arms. She kept
glancing at her watch, praying the time would fly and she could finally be alone with
him.

Just as dessert was served, a fortyish man with dark hair that grayed at the temples
walked up to their table and tapped Ray’s shoulder. Ray stood, then excused himself
as he and the man he had introduced as Goose’s next in command left the restaurant.

“Was it just me or did that guy look upset?” Rosie asked. “I hope everything is all
right.”

For the next few minutes, there was little conversation at the table. Everyone kept
checking out the entrance, waiting for Ray to return and tell them what was going
on. By the time they finished their dessert, he still hadn’t made it back to the table,
and although nobody verbalized their fears, they were all concerned.

“Here he comes,” Jordan said, finally spying Ray walking back into the restaurant
alone. “And he doesn’t look real happy.”

When he reached the table, Ray pulled out his chair and sat down, reaching for what
was left of his beer and finishing it off.

Rosie, who was not known for her patience, looked past Alex and asked the question
that was in everyone’s mind. “Did they find Goose?”

Ray shook his head. “No, but we now have another problem on our hands.”

“What kind of problem, Ray?” Alex asked.

“One I’d like to talk about with you for a few minutes after we finish, if that’s
okay.”

Alex glanced toward Jordan, probably remembering—as she was—how their last time together
was also
interrupted by cop stuff. Knowing how much Ray valued Alex’s investigative instincts,
Jordan decided now was not the time to whine about it. She nodded.

Ray met her stare and smiled before turning to Alex. “We can go down to the security
office where the others will be waiting. Hopefully, it won’t take long to figure out
what our next move should be.” He made eye contact again with Jordan. “I’m sorry,
sweetie. I promise to send him back to you as soon as we get this figured out.”

“Get what figured out?” Victor asked.

Ray blew out a frustrated breath. “The security staff questioned the steward, and
he told them Goose’s room was unslept in as of this morning.” He surveyed the gang
around the table, almost if he were deciding how much to tell them. “As I said, they
still don’t know where Goose is, but they did find something in his room that was
quite disturbing.”

“Come on, Ray,” Rosie begged. “Don’t leave us with only our imaginations. You, of
all people, know how scary that can be. What could they have possibly found in Goose’s
room tonight that has you this upset?

Ray lowered his voice. “Charlese Lincoln’s diamond necklace.”

“So it’s true? Goose found the necklace and kept you in the dark?” Lola patted Ray’s
hand, something she did to comfort him when he was upset.

He turned to face her. “I wish I could say that’s the worst of it, but I can’t.” He
stopped to cover her hand with his other one. “They also found a diamond ring and
several thousand dollars hidden in his drawer.”

“Did Beau even know he was also missing the ring and the cash?” Jordan asked. “I only
remember you saying he lost the necklace.”

Ray studied them for a minute as if trying to decide whether he should tell them the
rest. Finally, he said, “They weren’t Beau’s. The ring was reported missing on the
first day of the cruise, and the cash, the following day from two different rooms.”
He paused to allow his meaning to sink in.

“Holy smokes!” Victor exclaimed. “Are you saying what I think you’re saying, Ray?”

“Unfortunately, I am, Vic. There’s a strong possibility that Goose dressed up like
a cabin attendant and robbed Beau and God only knows how many other passengers. Orlando
said they didn’t recover any of the stolen items when they searched the employees’
cabins yesterday. There’s only one way the stuff could have ended up in Goose’s room.”

Again, Lola patted his hand, probably thinking the same thing as Jordan: that Ray
was blaming himself for not suspecting his newfound friend. But how could he have
known? Goose’s interaction with the woman in the bar in Puerto Rico had left the impression
he might be a womanizer, but he’d not done anything to suggest he might be a thief
as well.

“There’s more,” Ray said.

Immediately the chatter around the table ceased, and everyone moved closer.

“They also found a powerful sedative in his room. Orlando said the other robbery victims
slept right through the whole ordeal, just like Beau and Charlese. And in all the
cases, the victims complained of a headache the next day. The doctor said that’s a
common side effect for this particular sedative.”

Jordan gasped. “Goose drugged them before robbing them?”

She made eye contact with Rosie from across the table. Rosie, who was the chatterbox
of the group, especially when there was drama or gossip involved, hadn’t said a word
since Ray began speaking. She shook her head,
making Jordan wonder if she was also blaming herself for being so wrong about Goose.

“Hold on,” Alex interjected. “Even though it looks like that’s the way this whole
thing went down, don’t forget we’re Americans. A man is innocent until proven guilty—not
the other way around.” He turned to Ray. “How can I help?”

Ray’s eyes lit up with gratitude. “I don’t know yet. The first thing we have to do
is find Goose and hear his version. There may be a perfectly logical explanation for
all this, but I seriously doubt it. In my experience on the job, if it walks like
a duck and talks like a duck…”

“Unfortunately, I agree,” Alex said. “But every now and then there’s an exception
to that rule. I’ve never met Goose, but I’m willing to give him the benefit of the
doubt until he has a chance to defend himself.” He cocked his eyebrow. “What does
his next in command think?”

“Orlando said it’s all starting to make sense. He mentioned that theft has been on
the increase lately. Not on every cruise, but at least one or two every six weeks
or so over the past year.”

“Do you think he’s using the money to pay for his wife’s care?” Lola asked.

Jordan’s heart warmed as she stared at her friend. Lola always tried to see the good
in people. Like the time a woman from Ranchero was accused of embezzling from the
local bank. Lola immediately wondered if the woman had a sick child at home and felt
she had no choice.

Until the
Ranchero Globe
posted a picture of the woman at a racetrack in Dallas.

“Ha!” Rosie said, finally. “If there even is a wife with Alzheimer’s back in Miami.”

After dinner, Alex
and Ray left to meet up with Orlando at the security office. From the moment Alex
had offered to help, it seemed like a weight had been lifted off Ray’s shoulders.
As much as Jordan wanted the FBI man all to herself, she couldn’t help smiling, knowing
this was one small way to give back to Ray for every nice thing he’d ever done for
her.

And he’d done a lot of them. Ray Varga had assumed the role of her adoptive father
the first day she’d walked into Empire Apartments, and God help anyone who messed
with her.

Victor and the others were going to hit the sack after dinner to get ready for another
early start the following morning when they docked at Saint Kitts. Without Goose setting
them up with a driver and a tour, the plan was to hang out at the beach, do a little
sightseeing and shopping, and then reboard the ship early.

They wanted to take advantage of the
Carnation Queen
’s awesome entertainment in the theater tomorrow night where a comedian named Donnie
Steinman was performing. Lola had done a tarot card reading for Donnie earlier in
the week and had taken a shine to him. Said he’d kept her in stitches the whole time
she was trying to read his cards.

The gang was going to hit the seven o’clock family show in the theater, have dinner,
and then go to an R-rated delivery in the Starlight Lounge at midnight. After that,
Donnie was joining them in the bar for a few drinks.

Jordan decided to wait for Alex in the Jacuzzi. As soon as he and Ray finished consulting
with the acting head of security, he would join her for a little relaxation before
she showed him how glad she was to see him.

After walking back to the room with Rosie, she slipped on a bikini, wishing she looked
half as good in it as Emily did in hers. That would all but guarantee Alex’s undivided
attention. But no amount of hoping would fill out her purple and pink swimsuit the
way Emily filled out hers.

Thinking about Emily, Jordan made a mental note to call her new friend in the morning
to see if she wanted to join them when they disembarked at Saint Kitts. She’d do whatever
she could to convince her to take off her business hat at least for a few hours and
just enjoy time with friends. The last several days had convinced Jordan more than
ever that she’d rather be poor and surrounded by friends than rolling in money and
alone.

Stepping off the elevator, she stopped for a quick ice cream cone on her way to the
spa. If tonight went as she hoped, she’d need a lot of extra carbs for energy. And
ice cream always had a way of cheering her up.

Because tomorrow was the last day ashore before heading back to Miami, most of the
passengers were doing exactly as her friends were and calling it an early night. Consequently,
the pool and Jacuzzi tubs were nearly deserted. She made her way toward the farthest
one in the back, hoping for a little privacy for her and Alex.

Approaching the tub, she was relieved to see only one other passenger enjoying the
hot bubbles; to her delight, it was George Christakis.

Perfect!
It would give her another opportunity to tell him how much she appreciated his kindness
earlier that week at the competition. He could have made a big fuss and exposed her
for the fraud she was instead of slipping her a mint under the table.

“I was just thinking about how nice it was soaking in the water, and now my night
has gotten even better,” George said. “I’ve been waiting for a chance to get to know
you better, Jordan. I’m guessing there is nothing dull and boring about you.”

Jordan laughed, slipping off her cover-up and sliding in across from the famous chef.
“Yes, if there’s any drama for miles around, I can promise I’m in the middle of it
somehow.”

He smiled. “I have to admit, I had a lot of fun watching you eat the sweetbread the
other night. I sensed immediately that you were not a connoisseur of that kind of
dish, especially after seeing how the other gourmet appetizers ended up in your spare
napkin.”