I put my hands to my forehead and closed my eyes. I had never seen anyone jump to their death before. I wanted to erase the vision. Camile standing on the railing. Looking desperate. Holding my backpack in her hand, then tossing it onto the deck. I opened my eyes. The bag lay at my feet. The last thing she had touched. I picked it up, held it against my chest, and stared at the water. The Muse that had sailed behind us had slowed, and the distance between us grew until Athena’s toy boat turned and headed in another direction.
“It’s Carlo, he’s getting away.”
“He won’t get far. We’ve got a tracker on board. Come with me. Professor Braun and Greta have been locked in their cabin, Captain Rob’s been relieved of his duties, and Byard’s back on the bridge where he belongs. Let’s head back to Dede’s cabin.”
Residents had already begun their morning stroll along the Lido deck. A few had stopped to chat with each other, and as we passed, I noticed a few nervous looks. Judging from their whispers, they were aware something unusual had happened.
Neil put his arm around my shoulder and hustled me to the mid-deck elevator. “Don’t worry, Kat. It’ll all be fine. As soon as we get back to Dede’s cabin, I’ll make a ship-wide announcement to settle any rumors circulating. People are going to need to be reassured.”
I didn’t know what I expected to find when Neil and I arrived outside Dede’s door. Across the hall, an armed guard stood outside the Brauns’ cabin and nodded curtly to Neil as we passed. Neil returned the nod, didn’t say anything, and knocked lightly on Dede’s door. Elli answered. She looked relieved, kissed her cousin on the cheek, and stepped back so we could enter.
Irene was seated on the couch in the living room. Tatiana was on one of the small swivel chairs opposite her. On the bar was an open bottle of red wine, and from the kitchen, I could smell the warm scent of garlic bread and roasted tomatoes. Dede was cooking.
Dede came as far as the kitchen door, clutching a potholder. “I hope you’re hungry. I called Chef Louie and had him send up what I needed to make lasagna. All this stress. We need to eat something. Give me a few minutes, and we can sit and discuss. Help yourself to a glass of wine or something harder if you like. We deserve it.”
Neil excused himself, said he needed to take care of something, and went to Dede’s house phone and called the Bridge. Moments later, he was patched into the ship’s public address system.
“Ladies and Gentlemen, this is Neil Webster. I’m sorry to report that we’ve had an unfortunate incident aboard that requires Athena’s immediate return to Naples. I apologize for the inconvenience. I’m sure you’ve heard some pretty wild rumors by now. News travels fast on a ship like this, but you have nothing to worry about. In fact, we actually have something to celebrate. Several residents, Dede Drummerhausen, Marco Marcopoulos, and our visiting travel writer, Kat Lawson, have been instrumental in uncovering a smuggling operation aboard Athena. And, because of their bravery and personal sacrifice, I’m happy to say we’re returning to Naples with those responsible and a cache of stolen antiquities. I want to thank them and each of you for your patience. We expect to reach Naples no later than five p.m., and we plan to resume our previously scheduled itinerary as soon as possible. In the meantime, to make up for this sudden change in our travel schedule, please visit any of Athena’s restaurants. Her movie theater. The spa. Enjoy a swim in the pool. A massage, or if you like, a workout in the gym. It’s on us, folks.”
Neil hung up the phone, and I handed him a red wine. “The gym? I thought we left Antonio, Inspector Garnier, and Chief Sully tied up in the gym.”
“We did. But Marco and Finn moved them to a more secure lock-up. They emptied several of the caged storage units and created a makeshift brig. Looks pretty good. And after Byard caught up with Captain Rob, I relieved him of his duties and sent Captain Rob and Doctor Jon to the Brig as well.”
“So there’s five of them downstairs. Four of the Gang of Eight, plus Captain Rob.”
“That’s right. And with Professor Braun and Greta confined to their cabin, we’ve got all but two. Carlo and Camile are on the run. That is if Camile’s still alive. But we’ll find out soon enough. The Muse can’t pull into any port in the Med and not be noticed, and when she does, we’ll have them as well.”
“And Captain Rob? Do you think he was part of this all along?”
“I have trouble believing Captain Rob knew what was happening. But put enough money in front of someone, and you never know. Once Camile murdered Ida, and the Gang realized that Captain Byard might be suspicious of them, they made Captain Rob an offer he couldn’t refuse.”
“Maybe so, but it wasn’t Camile who murdered Ida. It was her husband.”
“Camile told you that?” Neil sounded surprised.
“Right before she jumped.” I explained that Camile had confessed to me she had stolen the Professor’s signet ring the night of his lecture and that when her husband found out, he had insisted she return it. “They were on their way to the Braun’s apartment when they ran into Ida outside Dede’s door and overheard Ida talking about some secret cache she thought the Professor was smuggling.”
“So, Inspector Garnier murdered Ida to shut her up.”
“It looks that way. After taking the ring from Camile and strangling Ida, the Inspector threw the ring into the isolation tank. And when Sully found the Professor’s signet ring in the tank, the Inspector told Camile not to worry. Everyone on board would think Ida had found Marco with the ring and that the two of them had argued, and Marco killed her. But however it happened, I don’t believe Ida’s murder was planned. And much as I don’t like to agree with Antonio, I believe him when he says they’re thieves and not murderers. I don’t think he knows that it was the Inspector who killed Ida. None of them would have wanted to risk an investigation or being stuck in Positano. And when Captain Byard refused to leave Positano until investigators had come on board—”
“Antonio got worried.” Neil touched his brow. It had started to swell. “The Gang couldn’t risk any of their cache being uncovered, so Antonio organized a mutiny. He cut a deal with Captain Rob and put him in command. Once Rob was in command, I was called to the Bridge. And by the time I arrived, Captain Byard had been overpowered. His hands were tied behind his back, and someone knocked me over the head. Next thing I know, I’m sitting on the gym floor.”
“Neil?” Dede’s voice echoed from the kitchen. “I need a word, please. Could you come here?”
“If you’ll excuse me. I’m being summoned.” Neil headed to the kitchen. I followed, stopping at the dining table to grab a couple of grapes, then leaned against the archway between the kitchen and dining area, where I was close enough to eavesdrop on their conversation. I still had a lot of questions about Neil Webster and Dede Drummerhausen.
“Does this mean it’s over?” Dede closed the oven door and wiped her hands on her apron.
“I think so, but we’ll know more when we get to Naples and the investigators have had a chance to go through Athena’s hold.”
“Then I think you should take these now.” Dede took the salt grinder off the counter, unscrewed the bottom, and emptied its contents into her hand. “Here, just in case.”
Neil slipped what looked like a handful of white diamonds into his pocket, then looked over his shoulder and, seeing me, took a step back and exhaled.
“Damn it, Kat. It’s not what you think.”
“I’m not sure what to think.”
Neil reached back into his pocket and held out a small mound of diamonds. “If you think they’re stolen, you’d be right. They’re part of what Marco took from my father’s safe before my uncle claimed my inheritance.”
“And…Dede has your diamonds because?”
“It’s complicated.”
I was about to ask how complicated when Marco and Finn entered the apartment. Neil put the diamonds back in his pocket. Finn went immediately to Neil and hugged him.
“You okay?” Finn touched Neil’s head and looked into his eyes.
“It’s nothing. I’ll be fine. What’s happening below?” Neil took Finn’s hands from his head. “Your makeshift brig okay? No possibility of a breakout?”
“Not a chance. Captain Byard sent a couple of armed midshipmen down to relieve us. There’s no way any of them are getting away.”
I left Neil and Finn and joined Marco at the bar. “I owe you. I don’t think I’d be here if it weren’t for you.”
“Probably not.” Marco filled a glass of wine and tipped it to me. “But then, if Inspector Garnier had had his way, Dede and I might be the ones investigators would want to talk to regarding Ida’s murder. But I trust you’ve determined I had nothing to do with it by now.”
“Camile confirmed it. Right before she took a swan dive off the Lido Deck.”
