“Frau Braun accused Marco of stealing her husband’s red signet ring last night during his presentation. I was in the café early this morning when she started yelling at him. What a Scene! She attacked him, and security had to come and pull her away.”

“That couldn’t have been good. How’s Marco doing?”

I couldn’t believe I had missed the scene. It must have happened before I joined the residents going ashore.

“Strange, like usual. But I’m not sure he took the ring. Between you and me, Marco gets blamed for anything that goes missing. He wouldn’t still be here if he was crazy and guilty of things everyone says he is.” Elli tapped me lightly on the back. She’d finished my massage. “Anyway, let’s hope Chief Sully finds the ring. Frau Braun is frantic. She says the ring is one of a kind. It was used by some Roman dignitary to sign documents. It’s probably worth thousands.”

Chapter Fifteen

No wonder Neil was so guarded about his past. If Webster’s International wasn’t as well funded as Neil liked to let on, it shed a different light on Athena’s Seniors at Sea program. It might explain why Neil didn’t want to talk about his personal life or business affairs. I thanked Elli for the massage and suggested we get together again, then headed directly back to Dede’s cabin. After learning about the Professor’s missing signet ring and that Frau Braun thought that Marco might be responsible, I was anxious to check that the Ides of March coin was still neatly hidden beneath the safe’s lining.

Finding everything as I had left it, I closed the safe, pulled my journal from within my bag, and walked barefoot to the living room, where I poured myself a glass of red wine. I then retreated to the outside deck, where I planned to make a few notes about some of Athena’s more interesting residents, starting with Neil Webster. Was he the mega-rich billionaire the world thought him to be or a fraud? And while his relationship with the Churchill sisters appeared to be one of extended family, was that all it was? And then there was Professor Braun, his wife Greta, and Inspector Garnier and his wife, Camile. I put a few dollar signs and question marks behind their names. None of them had the type of money to afford such a luxurious lifestyle. The more I thought about it, the more I began to believe that the picture-perfect Athena with her gleaming white hull, sailing through the Mediterranean’s turquoise blue waters with her happy Seniors at Sea program was more of a cover for a group of geriatric smugglers than innocent seniors sailing peacefully into their sunset years.

Tap. Tap. Tap. “Hello?” From the entry, I heard Finn enter the apartment. “Anyone home?”

I closed my journal and, holding it against my chest, entered the living room. Finn had let himself in and had a tray of chocolates in his hand.

“Oh, there you are.” Finn waltzed by me and put the chocolates on the dining table. “I was hoping you might be in. I brought these. I thought perhaps you might like them. It’s lonely with Dede away, and Neil’s so busy this week with plans for Ida Churchill’s party, I was hoping we might chat.”

“I’m so sorry. It’s very thoughtful of you, Finn, but I can’t, not tonight.”

Finn picked a chocolate up from the tray and put it in his mouth. “Forgive me. I should have known. I’m sure you’re busy.” Finn started for the door, then stopped halfway. “Will you be going out this evening?”

“Yes. Neil invited me for dinner.”

“Oh?” Finn looked surprised. “Strange he didn’t mention it.”

I shrugged and walked to the door. “I don’t know why.”

“Well, then. I’ll not keep you. Have a nice evening.”

Finn shut the door behind him, and I stood staring at the door with my notepad against my chest. Finn was close to Neil, and as a butler, he was in and out of the Brauns’ and the Garnier’s apartments as much as Dede’s. I would need to keep Finn close if I hoped to learn what he knew about Neil and some of Athena’s more interesting residents. I scribbled Finn’s name on my pad, then returned to the bedroom, where I decided it might be a good idea to lock my journal inside the closet safe, just in case anyone came looking.

After dressing quickly, I chose a pair of black Palazzo pants and a sleeveless tank top, something that showed off my tan, and headed out of the apartment to the elevator, one floor up to Neil’s cabin. Halfway down the hall, I passed Camile. She rushed past me, head bowed, arms wrapped tightly around herself, and said nothing. I watched as she stopped in front of the elevator and pounded the button. She looked as though she were about to cry. Then, giving up on the elevator, ran to the other end of the hall and disappeared behind the door to the stairs. Moments later, the door to Neil’s cabin opened, and Professor Braun entered the hall.

“Good evening, Ms. Lawson.” The Professor shut the door behind him. “I understand you’ll be joining Neil for dinner tonight.”

“I am.” I forced a smile while trying to process Camile’s rushed exit and the Professor’s unexpected appearance from Neil’s apartment. Was there a connection? Fearing my suspicion might suddenly play out on my face, I blurted the first thought that came to mind. “And from what Neil tells me, he’s quite the gourmand.”

“The best. And I happen to know Neil’s planning one of his specialties for tonight. You won’t be disappointed.” The Professor patted me on the back and started toward the elevator, then stopped suddenly as though a second thought had occurred to him. “You haven’t forgotten about tomorrow’s dive, I hope. I’m looking forward to showing you.”

My throat tightened. If the Professor had any idea that I thought he might be involved in a high-stakes smuggling operation, I might never get off this ship alive. Still, I had a job to do and needed to keep my cover. I could barely get the words out.

“I wouldn’t miss it.”

“Good. Until tomorrow, then.”

I waited until I saw the Professor enter the elevator, then walked further down the hall and tapped lightly on Neil’s door. Whatever I was about to walk into, this wasn’t going to be a casual, friendly dinner. With everything I had learned about Neil and suspected about the Professor and the Garniers, I felt tonight’s dinner was more of a game of chess, and I’d need to keep my concerns hidden well beneath the surface.

Neil answered the door. “Kat, I’m so glad you came. Please, come in.”

I stepped inside, and Neil hugged me hello. When he let go, I was dumbfounded. I had never expected such a suite, particularly on a ship. Two-story, glass floor-to-ceiling windows looked out onto a deep wooden deck facing the ship’s stern. And directly beyond it, the sun was just beginning to sink slowly into the water like a yellow ball on the horizon. To my left, a dramatic, black-lacquered spiral staircase wound from the great room to the second story. Directly in front of me was a spacious living area with an oversized circular couch facing the windows, a baby grand piano on one side, bookshelves, and a full bar on the other, and further to my right, a formal dining room complete with a crystal chandelier and candelabras.

“Kat, you remember Antonio from this morning. I invited him to join us. I hope you don’t mind.”

Antonio handed me a glass of red wine and lifted his glass to me. “We’ve white wine if you prefer, but I figured you to be more of a red wine type of woman.”

“I’m not sure I have a type. But thank you.” I held the glass up to the light and then took a sip. Smooth. Dry. And dusty. With just the slightest hint of blackberries.

“It’s very rare. And quite expensive. You like?”

“It’s delicious.”

“To friendship.” Neil clicked his glass to mine, then to Antonio’s. “I asked Antonio to join us for dinner tonight. He’s on his way to Sorrento, and I suggested he come with us. He’ll be staying on board for a couple of days. We’ll drop him on our way up the coast.”

I wandered deeper into the great room, stopped at the long buffet, and traced the edge of the table with my finger. On top were several ancient-looking face masks, one stone, the other, a death mask made of gold, and several urns of various sizes.

Antonio followed me to the buffet and picked up one of the urns. “Neil tells me this is your first cruise. Are you enjoying yourself?”

“Very much,” I said. “I suppose you’ve sailed these waters many times.”

“A few. It’s one of my favorite parts of the world. Neil and I’ve enjoyed quite a few dives in the area.”

“Oh?”

“Don’t bore her with ancient history, Antonio.” Neil took the urn from him and placed it back on the buffet. “I doubt she’s interested.”

“No, really. I’d like to know. How did the two of you meet?”

Neil answered. “Alright, but this isn’t for public knowledge. It’s off the record. But, if you must know, Antonio and I met years ago in Israel. I was going through a difficult time. I had some personal setbacks and had gone on a pilgrimage. I suppose you might say I was looking for answers.” I hadn’t thought of Neil as a particularly religious man. Still, if by personal setbacks, Neil was referring to his uncle’s move to disinherit Neil from the family trust, it lined up with what Elli had shared with me about her cousin’s financial situation. “When I was there, I met Antonio. If ever there was a Renaissance man, I believe he’s it.”

“Neil’s very generous.” Antonio walked deeper into the room, twisting the stem of his wine glass as he spoke. “I’m hardly a Renaissance man. I’m an archaeologist by trade. In the late 60s, I was just getting started and worked with a group of researchers looking for the lost city of Atlit Yam. Have you ever heard of it?”

I shook my head.

“It’s a Neolithic village off the Levantine coast, in the Eastern Med.

“And did you find it?”

“We did. Although the world wouldn’t be aware of it for another fifteen years. Atlit Yam was submerged 25 to 30 feet below the sea. The remains of a once vibrant city. It had been there for maybe 8 or 9 thousand years.” Antonio picked up one of the face masks, held it against his face, then handed it to me. It was heavy and rough. The facial features were primitive.

“Is this from there?” I held the mask against my face.

“It was.”

I picked up the second mask, a thin piece of gold metal placed over an oval-shaped stone. “And this one? Is it from Atlit Yam as well?”

“No,” Antonio shook his head. “That’s a piece I picked up in Turkey. I gave it to Neil as a gift. It’s a death mask. Similar to the Mask of Agamemnon, found in Mycenae in 1876 by Heinrich Schliemann, a German archaeologist. The real mask, sometimes known as the Mona Lisa of prehistory, is now on display in the Pushkin Museum in Moscow.”