wrath of the Sea Queen (45 page)

"
We would have been up there already if
the crew would have permitted us to leave.
 
Y
ou
had to know that
Salma would want to check on C
a
eli
, e
specially
since
she
's sick
.
"

"
She told me as much, but how did you know
?
"
  Vin
asked
.

"
Salma
told us
C
a
eli was
feeling a bit
under the weather
earlier
; remember?  She thought
C
a
eli
might be comi
ng down with
the flu. 
I think it might be the same thing she
ha
s been fighting.  I told you she was sick
when I picked her up
at the airport
Friday morning
,
too.
"
Ben refreshed Vin's memory.

"Yes
, I remember; a
nd she was
also
sick
before we left the house
this morning
. 
Between you and me
, I
honestly
didn't think it was the flu
," Vin confi
ded
.

"
Regardless
, Salma wants to
check on her
. 
You know how
protective
she is
of C
a
eli
.  Personally, I think it's Salma's mothering instinct
,
"
Ben
continued
.

"
Believe me
, I know
.
Salma would string me up by my toes if I ever let anything happen to C
a
eli
. 
C
a
eli
, though less demonstratively,
looks out for Salma
as well
.
  Those two are quite a pair.
"

"Yes, and look where it got them
; stranded at sea
. 
And w
e
were forced
to rescue them both," Ben laughed.

"
It
does
seem w
e can't leave them alone for a day without
at least
one of
them
getting into
some sort of mischief
.  This, however, tops the list
," Vin agreed
teasingly
, his tension easing as he talked to Ben.

"So, then we agree?  The ladies have us, and C
a
eli is going to have Salma's company whether she want
s
it or not,
"
Ben proclaimed.

"Actually,
I
insisted on it and
forewarned
C
a
eli. 
She
will be expecting
a barrage of questions from Salma wh
en
we
return,
"
Vin
joined Ben's
laugh
ter
.

"
Vin, I have an answer.  I'm ok.  Please wait for me in the room.
"

As soon as Salma returned with the clothes for C
a
eli,
a sweatshirt and sweat pants,
the three headed to the upper deck
, Vin in the lead
. 
After
hearing
C
a
eli's message
in his head
, Vin couldn't get back quick enough.  He hop
ed
to catch C
a
eli before she left
the room
. 
He didn't know where she was going, only that she planned to leave.  She was not going to be in the room as she had promised. 
The crewman at the exit did not question them or try to detain them, knowing that Vin had specifically come down to
retrieve the doctor
.  They quickly climbed the ladders that led to the upper deck.

When
the
trio
entered the steering room, they were greeted by the captain and two other men.  The captain began introductions, but Vin
grabbed the clothes for C
a
eli and
ducked into the back cabin before
anyone had a chance to entangle him
in social pleasantries.

"
This is Doctor Neal Jacobs, ship's physician, and his nephew Scott, up
-
and
-
coming medical student.  And this is Captain Ben
Erickson, a police detective from
Washington
,
and his wife…oh, in all the commotion, I don't think I ever caught your
first
name,
"
the captain said in embarrassment.

"
Doctor Salma Erickson,
"
Ben answered proudly with a smile beaming across his face.  He enjoyed hearing that name.
  Unlike a lot of modern women, Salma was enthusiastic about taking
Ben’s
last name when they married.

"
Salma Erickson? 
Would you be t
he same Dr. Erickson who will be speaking at the
medical
conference this week?
"
  The ship's doctor asked.

"
Yes
, the same
,
"
Salma replied, surprised to meet someone who knew about
her
and her
s
cheduled
appearance
.

"
What a coincidence.  Scott and I are both
signed up
to attend your seminar.  Your work is revolutionary.  And now, here I stand talking to you in person.  It is truly an honor to meet you, Dr. Erickson.
"

"
Please, you embarrass me.  I'm flattered that you want to attend my seminar.  I
only
hope you won't be too bored.  Are you also in hematology?
"

"
Not as a full specialty yet, but I am working on my credentials.  Scott has a
keen
interest in that area, too," Dr. Jacobs replied.

"
Doc,
people are
dying to know if you used your own blood in your research
.  Did
you really have an anonymous donor as your paper described?
"
  Scott asked boldly.

Upon hearing yet another request to learn
the donor's identity
for Salma's research, Ben became a bit
irritat
ed and decided to cut the conversation short.
             

"
G
entlem
e
n
,
I don't mean to be rude, but my wife has been through quite an ordeal and
needs to check on another passenger.  Plus,
I
woul
d like her to get some rest before she has to focus on
her research
again.  Perhaps you could pick this up at the conference?
"
  Ben interjected.

"
Yes, o
f course.  How inconsiderate of us.  It was a pleasure to meet you both.
"
  Dr. Jacobs moved off to the other side of the cabin where he and Scott busied themselves with a clipboard full of papers that the captain
had
signed and handed to them.

Ben and Salma
entered
the
helmsman's
room where Vin waited for them, pacing the floor.  The wind ruffling
his
hair
as they stepped inside
confirmed that
Vin
was upset.  C
a
eli was nowhere to be seen. 
Giving
the room a cursory review
, Ben noted
two wet blankets and a wet
towel
on the floor beside the bed. 
C
a
eli's socks and shoes were tossed casually off to the side. 
Nothing else in the room gave any indication of where she might have gone
;
and there were no signs of a struggle.  The captain obviously
had not seen
her leave or he would have mentioned it when they were talking
.  H
e most likely would have heard if any sort of commotion had taken place
as well
.  This meant C
a
eli probably snuck out
, but
the clues in the room did not tell
Ben why
she left
or where she might have gone
.