I closed my hand around the bagged coin. How had I gotten myself into the middle of such a mess? This was supposed to be a vacation, and now I feared I had stumbled upon a murder and a possible high-stakes smuggling operation. What was I supposed to do? Part of me wanted to return the coin to the bag and have nothing to do with it. And the other part of me, the part that knew better, wouldn’t let go of the idea that I was on to a really big story, and if I didn’t cover it, I’d regret it. Damnit.

Rather than slide the bagged coin back inside Dede’s bag, I went to the safe in the guest room, where I peeled back the safe’s carpeted lining and, with the EID MAR coin safely inside the plastic bag, slid it beneath the padding then smoothed the lining back in place. If someone were to come searching for the coin and suspected I had hidden it inside, even if they could unlock the safe, it would appear empty. Satisfied I had done what I could, I shut the safe’s door and locked it, using Dede’s condo number 1-2-2-1 as the entry code. I then returned to the living room and took Dede’s black bag from the dining table, and this time, rather than leave it on top of the entry table in plain sight, I placed the bag inside the top drawer. But before I had a chance to close the drawer, the apartment phone rang. Startled, I looked over my shoulder to make sure I was alone, then slammed the drawer shut and reached for the wall phone.

“Hello?”

“Kat, it’s Byard. We on for dinner tonight?”

I clutched the phone to my ear. I would have liked nothing better than dinner with the captain, followed by a late-night stroll along the deck. But after meeting with the Professor and his wife this afternoon and learning that the coin hidden inside Dede’s bag might be worth four million dollars, I was torn. I sensed a story. Not the story I’d been assigned to, but something sinister. Something to do with the Professor, Dede, and the Brutus Coin, and perhaps the unexplained drowning of the previous captain. The only way to find out what was going on would be to get to know as many of the residents aboard Athena as I could without being obvious. And broken dinner date or not, that’s exactly what I would do.

“Rain check?” I apologized and told Byard the Churchill sisters had insisted I dine with them. “They have reservations at Romanos with Inspector Garnier and his wife.”

“Let me guess, they have more to tell you about Dede.”

I dismissed Byard’s remark with a laugh. “It’s a nice gesture, and I really can’t refuse.”

“I’m sure you couldn’t. Nor should you. Enjoy.” Byard hung up. I wasn’t sure if he felt slighted that I had accepted another dinner invite or if his response was merely a polite way of maintaining a professional distance.

I looked out the bedroom’s glass doors at Procida’s port. I could feel the vibrations of Athena’s heavy anchor as it was pulled from the deep waters beneath us. The lights of Terra Murata slowly began to fade as we began to move. Feeling like I had my sea legs, I showered, washed my hair, dressed, slipped into the simple black shift I had brought for dinner, and grabbed my camera.

* * *

As I locked the door to Dede’s suite behind me, I noticed Finn in front of Braun’s cabin door. He was dressed in his butler’s attire, a three-piece grey pinstriped suit with white gloves. He held a passkey in one hand and a vase with a bouquet of white lilies in the other.

“Lovely, aren’t they? They’re the national symbol of Italy. Very fragrant with a light scent of sandalwood.” Finn tipped the vase in my direction so I might smell them. “They’re a surprise for the Professor’s wife. It’s their anniversary.”

“So, I’ve heard.” I explained how I had met the Professor and his wife while visiting the island that afternoon and shared a bottle of limoncello. “It was very nice.”

“I’m happy to hear you’re enjoying your trip.” Finn palmed the passkey to the Professor’s suite. “Will you be going for dinner now?”

“Yes,” I said.

“And will you be attending tonight’s lecture afterward?”

“Possibly. I haven’t decided yet.” I was unaccustomed to anyone monitoring my comings and goings. And now that I had learned the gold coin I had found inside Dede’s bag might be worth four million dollars, I was uncomfortable with the idea of anyone entering my suite without my knowledge.

“Will you require a turndown? Dede always liked her pillows fluffed.”

“No, thank you, Finn. I’ll be fine on my own. Have a good night.”

I left Finn at the door to the Professor’s suite and took the elevator midship to the fourteenth floor where the Churchill sisters had made reservations at Romano’s.

* * *

Romano’s was warm with candlelight; the tables were set with white linen tablecloths, a string quartet played in the corner, while the subtle rich smells of roasted garlic and tomatoes wafted throughout. I allowed my eyes to adjust to the lower light while I waited inside the etched glass doors for the maître d.

“Ms. Lawson. Welcome. The Churchill sisters are already seated. Allow me to show you to your table.”

The maître d escorted me to a window table set for five with sterling silver, crystal goblets, and a small bouquet of flowers in a glass vase with a small candle. Irene stood as I approached. She was dressed in a long yellow caftan and clasped her hands together as I took the empty seat beside Ida.

“Ida and I are happy you decided to join us. I hope your day was satisfactory.”

“It was more than satisfactory. I feel as though I’ve gone back in history more than four hundred years. Terra Murata was fascinating.” I placed my napkin in my lap. “And thank you for asking me for dinner. I’m looking forward to getting to know more of the passengers. I met Professor Braun and his wife Irene while in Procida this afternoon. Interesting couple.”

“Humph! “Ida unfolded her napkin and slapped it on her lap. “I suppose if one can call pompous interesting. You ask me, the Professor is boorish and overbearing.”

“Shush.” Irene put a finger to her lips, then pointed to the door. “The Inspector and Camile have arrived. We mustn’t be talking about the Professor like that. You’ll get yourself in trouble. You know better.”

Irene stood up and gestured to the two empty seats at the table. The Inspector, a solid, stern-looking man wearing a navy jacket with a neck scarf, and his wife, Camile, in a sparkling gold lame jumpsuit, cut an imposing figure as they crossed the room. Heads turned, followed by a low murmur. I stood as they approached while Ida remained seated, her fingers wrapped around the stem of her empty wine glass.

“Thank you for joining us tonight.” With a hand on the Inspector’s shoulder, Irene air-kissed each side of his face, then did the same to Camile. “I’m most anxious for you to meet our guest, Ms. Kat Lawson.”

I offered the Inspector my hand. He took the tips of my fingers, held them slightly longer than I felt necessary, and stared at me through his steel-framed glasses. “Ah, yes. The reporter. I’ve heard rumors of your arrival.”

“All good, I hope.” I dropped his hand, then turned to Camile. Her back was to me, her hand in the air. She had hailed the waiter.

“Garcon!” Camile snapped her fingers.

The Inspector, aware of his wife’s impatience, pointed to the waiter. “Champagne, please. For everyone.” Then, looking across the table at me, he added. “After all, we are here to celebrate new friendships, no?”

“Absolutely.” I smoothed the napkin on my lap, thankful Camile’s impatience with the waiter had taken her husband’s attention off me. But not long enough.

“So, Ms. Lawson, I was surprised when I heard a reporter was aboard and planning to write a feature about us. Seniors at Sea, something about our sailing into the sunset, is that correct?”

“Yes. I—” I began to explain my assignment when Irene interrupted.

“Please, Kat, stop!” With both hands on the table, Irene shot me a look that only a retired schoolmarm knew how to give. Had she a ruler, I would have expected her to slap my knuckles. I stopped mid-sentence. Irene continued. “You can talk about what you do later, Kat. But I’ve asked you to meet the Inspector tonight because, as you know, Ida and I believe something awful happened to our friend, Dede. And we have high hopes that somehow you and the Inspector might be able to work together to find her.”

The Inspector jerked his head. “I’m sorry. Are you saying you think something has happened to Ms. Drummerhausen?”

“She’s missing, Inspector. Perhaps fallen overboard. We don’t know for sure. Captain Byard and Chief Sully think we’re imagining things. But we’re not, and we thought, with your experience and Kat’s investigative reporting skills, that the two of you could help.”

This was not at all what I expected. I sat back and folded my hands in my lap. I didn’t want any undue attention. I needed to remain low-key, keep my head down, and maintain my presence as nothing more than a travel writer. Certainly not as an investigator.

“Champagne?” The waiter returned, balancing a tray with five tall glasses. Bowing politely, he served the Inspector and his wife.

The Inspector paused until we had all been served, then picked up his glass and, tipping it to Irene and Ida, said, “To investigations.” Then, clicking his glass to mine, added, “And new acquaintances.”

I smiled.

“And you, Ms. Lawson. You’re a reporter. Strange, we’ve never had a reporter on board before. We’re not a tourist vessel. Most of our residents enjoy their privacy. But I am curious. Do you have any suspicions?”

“Me?” This was not the time to brag about my checkered past as an investigative reporter. If there was anything at all to the coin I had found in Dede’s bag, and the growing feeling I had that something had happened to her and maybe the previous captain, I wasn’t about to say. “I’m afraid I’m still getting my sea legs.”

The Inspector put his glass down. “Alright, Irene, tell us what you think happened? I haven’t heard a word. Camile and I only returned to the ship last night. We left two weeks ago to visit our home in Paris, then flew to Rome to spend a few days with friends before coming aboard again in Naples.”

“Then you really don’t know?” Irene put both hands around the stem of her drink and pulled it closer to her.

“About Dede?” The inspector shook his head. “Irene, I’m sorry, but this is the first I’ve heard of it. I thought you invited Camile and me to join you because you wanted us to meet Ms. Lawson.”