“I don’t know whose ring this is. But it’s the Chief’s job from here on in.” Doctor Jon handed the ring to Sully. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, folks, I’ve got a job to do.”
Marco sidled up next to me. “I know what you’re thinking. But I didn’t do it.”
Chapter Thirty-One
“People!” Chief Sully stepped over Ida’s body and raised his hands. “I realize this is a shock, but you all need to remain calm. Right now, this is a crime scene, and until I alert the authorities, nobody leaves the ship or says a word about what you’ve seen until I say you can.”
“So what does that mean? We’re all under some sort of suspicion?” Camile yanked her hand from her husband’s and crossed her arms.
“It means exactly what I said it means. Nobody leaves to go ashore until I say so. Elli, you take Irene back to her cabin and stay with her, and don’t talk to anyone about this. You got that?” Elli stepped forward, slipped her hand behind Irene’s elbow, and started toward the elevator. “Captain, I need you to stay with me. Dede, you, and Ms. Lawson return to your cabin and stay there.”
“What about me? Can I go with them?” Marco raised his hand. “If there’s a killer on board, I don’t want to be alone.”
“Nobody said anything about a killer—”
“Well, what else would you call it, Chief? Another accidental drowning?” The sarcasm in Dede’s voice cut thick.
Sully clenched his jaw and, for a second, looked like he might respond, but the Inspector stepped forward.
“Dede, how about we let Sully do his job before we start throwing accusations around? Like it or not, the Chief’s right. He needs to investigate, and the best thing you can do right now is get out of his way. Go back to your suite with Ms. Lawson, and I’ll get word to you as soon as we know what’s happened.”
Dede stood her ground, her face red. “Don’t for a second think you can patronize me, Inspector. You may be friends with Irene, and maybe you can convince her this was another accidental drowning, but not me. I’m friends with Neil. Ida Churchill was his aunt and one of my best friends. I intend to let Neil know exactly what I think happened here, and believe me,” Dede scowled at Camile, “whoever is responsible for Ida’s murder will pay for it. No matter who it is.”
Camile fisted her hand and looked like she was about to throw a punch in Dede’s direction, but the Inspector seized her arm. “That’s enough, Dede. You need to leave. Now.”
“Oh, don’t worry. I’m leaving, but you haven’t heard the last from me. Kat, you coming?”
Marco and I followed Dede back to the elevator. Behind us, the Inspector shouted to those remaining.
“Captain, you and I need to go to the Bridge with Sully. The Doc here knows what he needs to do. Professor. Greta. If you don’t mind, take Camile with you back to the café. I’ll meet you there.”
* * *
Dede, Marco, Irene, Elli, and I shuffled into the elevator and waited in silence for the gold-filagreed mirrored doors to close. As soon as they shut, Dede turned to Irene and apologized.
“I am such a fool. I should have believed Ida, and now I think I might have been the last person to see her alive. Other than the killer, that is.”
“Dede, what are you saying?” I couldn’t believe what I was hearing, but even as I questioned her, bits and pieces of what I had heard early that morning when Dede returned from visiting the Churchill sisters replayed in my mind. Don’t worry. I’m sure it’ll be fine. Just don’t say anything. Was it Ida she had been talking to?
“After I left the Churchill sisters last night, Ida came after me. She followed me back to my cabin. She tried to convince me she thought something was going on. That the Professor and Greta were up to no good and that Oleg’s death wasn’t an accident. Of course, I didn’t believe her. Not until I saw her body just now. I should have paid more attention.”
Marco stared at our reflection in the mirrored doors. “You better hope they don’t try to pin Ida’s murder on you, Dede. Believe me, the Inspector is very good at deflecting guilt. I’m the first one they come to when one of their own steals something from them. Like the Professor’s signet ring? I didn’t take it. But I’d bet that Ida found it, and whoever had it murdered her for it and left before they could take it back.”
“Or left it behind deliberately to make Ida look guilty.” The words spilled from my mouth as I imagined how the Chief and Inspector might spin Ida’s death.
Marco added to my unfinished thought. “It would be easy enough to say Ida was trying to hide the ring inside the tank when her scarf got caught up in the drain and pulled her in.”
“But the tank wasn’t full. It shouldn’t have been, anyway. I make certain it’s empty every night.” Elli shook her head. “And, there’re all kinds of safety features. That couldn’t happen.”
“You and I both know that. Doesn’t mean the Inspector and Sully won’t say it happened that way.” Marco stared at our reflection in the mirrored doors as the elevator stopped, then motioned with a finger to his lips for us not to say another word.
When the doors slid open, standing directly in front of us were Carlo and Captain Byard’s second-in-command, Captain Rob. Both men had holstered sidearms and stood with their hands folded on their belt buckles, forming an impenetrable wall in front of us.
Captain Rob was the first to speak. “Ladies. Marco. The Chief has asked me to escort you to your cabins and to remind you not to talk with anyone about what you’ve seen. And to make sure, he’s asked me to collect your cell phones until his investigation is complete.”
Carlo held out a bag. Reluctantly, I tossed my phone in the bag. Marco and Elli did the same. Irene, looking like a deer in headlights, said she didn’t have a phone, and Dede said her phone was still in her cabin.
“Not a problem. Carlo can get it when he drops you back at your cabin.” Then, motioning for us to step forward, he instructed Elli and Irene to follow him. “Dede and Ms. Lawson, you go with Carlo—”
“What about me?” Marco asked.
“You can go with them as well. But remember, nobody leaves their cabin or talks to anyone outside until the Chief says so.”
Chapter Thirty-Two
Dede didn’t wait for Carlo to lead the way to her cabin. She pushed him aside and walked stiffly down the hall with Marco and me behind her. When Dede reached the door, she opened it quickly and nodded for us to enter.
“But not you!” Dede pointed to Carlo. “You can wait here.” Then, marching back into her apartment, Dede retrieved her phone, threw it at Carlo’s feet, and slammed the door shut.
Marco stumbled ahead of me into the entry, nearly tripping over the rolie bag I had left in the hall. “Looks like you won’t be leaving us today, Kat.”
“Or anytime soon,” I said.
“Nonsense. Neil’ll be along shortly. He’ll set the Chief straight. We need to wait until he’s back.” Dede went to the living room blinds, opened them, and slid open the door to the deck. “
“I’m not so sure about that.” I took the backpack I had been carrying from my shoulder and put it on the dining table. “If Neil has any idea what’s going on, then none of us may be getting off this ship.”
“You can’t possibly think that Neil’s involved. Why would he be?”
