Dead in the Water (Kate Ryan Mysteries Book 10) (16 page)

“Oh, no,” Shirley said to her. “I’m so sorry for you.”

Paul and I exchanged shrugs.

“What’s your line of work, Kate?” Paul asked.

“Oh, I was a photographer, nature mostly. But now I’ve gotten back into the PI business.” I waited for their reaction. I loved to see this.

The Adamses exchanged curious glances. But it was Shirley’s reaction that had me chuckling.

“Really?” she asked enthusiastically. “Any good cases?”

Maggie laughed outright. “Oh, Shirley, we could write a book.”

“You’re a PI, as well?” Paul asked Maggie.

“In name only,” Maggie conceded with a nod to me. “I’m a doctor. What do you do, Shirley?”

Shirley glared at her husband when he let out a sarcastic snort into his wineglass. I liked these two. They seemed down to earth.

“What?” Maggie asked, looking from one to the other. “Should I not have asked?”

“Oh, no,” Paul said happily. “Tell them, honey.”

“Paul….”

“My lovely wife is a conspiracy theorist. She put her master’s to good use.”

I hid my grin when Shirley playfully stuck out her tongue at her husband. “There’s more truth to some of my theories than you like to admit, Paul Adams.”

Maggie rested the palm of her hand on her chin. “I’d love to hear some.”

Paul groaned. “Not tonight, please. This is supposed to be a relaxing weekend. Not trying to figure out who’s done what to whom and why.”

Shirley pouted. “You’re no fun. I bet Kate has some stories.”

“Well…” I laughed nervously. I thought of the case we were working on right now with Phil Bledsoe. I wondered how Costello was getting along.

“You’re working on something, aren’t you?” Shirley asked with a wicked gleam in her eye.

“Yes. But I really can’t go into it,” I said, sipping my wine and glancing at Maggie.

“Oh,” she said, full of disappointment. “I suppose.”

Paul laughed; he leaned over and kissed his wife on the cheek. “There, there. We can still have fun.”

“So when Monty asked for your help with this?” I asked.

“We couldn’t say no.” Shirley smiled. “So here we are.”

“That’s very nice,” Maggie said. “You’re good friends.”

“Thanks,” Paul said. “What hooked us was his idea to try to attract the wealthy and the average guy, ya know. And I think he can do that.”

When Maggie struck a thoughtful pose, I saw the pecuniary ideas flash across her lovely face.

“I wish my aunt was here,” Maggie said.

I nearly choked on my wine. “Why?” My voice came out in a squeak.

“You know as well as I do, Kate.” Maggie regarded the couple. “My aunt has a soft spot for charity work and good causes. She’d probably have her checkbook open if she were here.”

“Oh,” I said, as if I just discovered uranium. “Right. Right.”

Maggie gave me a curious look. “What other reason would I want Aunt Hannah here?”

“What? No, no other reason.” I looked at Paul and Shirley. “Her aunt is like that. She loves to spend money, especially if it’s for a good cause. She’s on the board of directors for a slew of charities in Chicago. She’s always on some…” My voice drifted off as I tried to stop rambling.

I tried not to look at the Adams couple, who exchanged glances, probably looking for another table. Maggie just looked at me as if I had grown another head, preferably one with a functioning brain.

So dinner, what I remember of it, went on pleasantly enough. Simon kept everyone laughing…Blah, blah…My mind was elsewhere, and every time I felt the ring box in my jeans pocket, my stomach flipped. I could barely eat my steak, and I loved steak.

I absently listened to the dinner conversation that ran the gambit of Monty, who stopped by our table and shared a few stories about living in New York and meeting Paul and his wife; Simon’s adventures with his inn in New England; and Mr. Whitehead’s heart problem, complete with the newest pacemaker implant years ago.

“He really shouldn’t be here,” Shirley whispered, leaning in.

With that, we heard a crash coming from the kitchen. We all looked up to see the swinging door and caught a glimpse of two men lying on the floor, one scrambling to pick up the broken dishes and the other running away.

“What in the world was that?” Simon sighed. “Hired help.
 
Let’s get back to the gossip. What do you mean he shouldn’t be here? Alive or just here on the cruise?”

Shirley chuckled. “Alive.”

When everyone leaned in, it caught my attention—good ole American gossip.

“Why?” Maggie asked.

“His heart is really bad. Spent a small fortune on an experimental pacemaker. Really high-tech,” she said. “And he won’t stop smoking or drinking. His wife divorced him over it.”

“Really?” Simon said.

“Well, that and his mistress,” Paul added, cutting into his steak. “And the mansion he bought for her.”

“Really?” Simon said again, glancing at Mr. Whitehead’s table. I could tell he was enjoying the gossip. “You seem to know the lowdown. Fascinating.”

And so the dinner conversation carried on until the Adamses excused themselves for the evening. Simon winked at me before leaving, as well.

“I have to check with Monty,” Simon said, kissing Maggie on the cheek. “Have a wonderful evening, my dear.”

“Thanks, Simon. We’ll see you in the morning.”

Simon placed his hands on my shoulders. “Full speed ahead, Kate.”

“Good night,” I said in a clipped voice.

“What did he mean?” Maggie asked as we walked out of the dining room.

“I have no idea. He thinks he’s an admiral, so…” I nervously glanced at my watch. It was nearly ten o’clock.

“So what’s the plan?”

I heard Maggie’s soft voice; we stood by the railing. Maggie had her eyes closed as the summer wind blew through her hair.

The night was warm, the moon was shining, and I was going to ask Maggie to marry me. That was the plan. Right?

I smiled as I watched her. As if she knew this, she opened her eyes and looked at me. “What?” she asked softly.

“Nothing.” I knew I was still grinning. My heart was pounding in my chest. “I love you.”

“That’s more of a declaration than a plan.” She raised an eyebrow and smiled along with me. “But I’ll take it. I’d hate to have to jump overboard.”

“No. No jumping,” I whispered. “Let’s go back to the room and use that ‘do not disturb’ thingy.”

“Now that’s a plan.”

As she grabbed my hand, I looked behind her to see Hannah poking her head around the corner. She gave me the thumbs-up, then quickly disappeared.

Oh, that woman.

Chapter 14

I stood there like a jackass, not knowing what to do next. I heard Maggie humming in the shower. She wanted me to join her. When I declined, she thought it was odd and gave me that look again as if I had just landed from the mother ship. But I needed to assess what in the hell I was going to do next. And I knew once I was naked with Maggie, that wasn’t going to happen.

I lit a few candles and turned the lights down low. Good ambience, right? I paced back and forth at the foot of the bed, holding the ring box in my hand. Do I get on one knee? Do I just say, “Hey, wanna get married?” Or maybe I’d use a good line from an old movie. “Here’s looking at you, kid.”

Oh, good Lord, I can’t do this. What was I thinking? Maggie knew something was up. Especially when I hardly touched my steak at dinner. Usually, I inhaled the damn thing. I’d been acting like a fool since we boarded this crazy ship. I should have known anything that Simon Merriweather was associated with would be screwy. Oy. And now I felt that old familiar feeling creep up from my toes. The room got smaller, and my breathing became labored as if I had just run a race; I felt like an elephant was sitting on my chest. In a minute, I’d be screaming at absolutely nothing.

The knock on the door saved me from running around in circles like Butterfly McQueen. I ran to it, and there stood Hannah, wild-eyed and smiling.

“What are you doing here?” I asked.

“We’re not really going to go through this again, are we? I like the candle effect. Very romantic. You’re doing fine. Did you do it?” she asked quickly. “I saw you pacing. You need to close your blinds, even with the candlelight.”

“No! She’s in the shower. Hannah, I don’t think I can do this.” I swiped my hand over my sweating brow. “Look at me. I’m a mess!”

“Shh,” Hannah hissed, looking over my shoulder. She pushed me back into the room. “Calm down. You love Margaret. This is what you want, isn’t it?”

“Of course, it is…” That questioning tone again. “Of course, it is. I do love her. Do you have a paper bag on you?”

Hannah laughed. “Don’t be silly. You’re fine. You’re not going to pass out.”

“Says you.”

“Did you rehearse anything?”

“Like what—the last act of
Hamlet
? Of course, I didn’t. I was just going to wing it.”

“Wing it?” Hannah repeated dryly. “This is like the engagement ring all over again.”

“Why aren’t you locked in your stateroom?” I frantically looked toward the bathroom door.

“I thought you might need my help. Besides, I got bored in my room.
 
And you looked like you were floundering.”

“Of course, I’m floundering!” I said in a hissed whisper.

“All right, calm down. Take a deep breath. In and out…”

I did as instructed while Hannah breathed along with me. In the next moment, I swayed back and forth.

“There, you’re fine,” she said, looking around. “This is nicer than my stateroom. Ooh, a fruit basket—”

“Oh, God help me. Hannah, you have to get out of here.” I rubbed my sternum again. “I’m going to have a heart attack.”

“No, you’re not. Just be yourself.”

“That’s it? That’s your advice?” I knew my jaw dropped. “Go away.”

Hannah laughed again; she was truly enjoying this. “You know Margaret loves you. And deep in your heart, you know she will say yes. So don’t you see, dear? Even you can’t screw this up.”

Oddly, that did make me feel better.

With that, we heard the bathroom door.

“Heavens, here she comes!” Hannah said.

“Shit. You have to get out of here.”

We bumped into each other before I unceremoniously pushed Hannah out and closed the door. I heard her giggling fade down the poop deck. I whirled around just in time to see Maggie towel-drying her hair. She wore the big white robe they provided.

“We’re buying these robes,” she assured me. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing, why?” The inside of my mouth felt like the Sahara when I swallowed. I tried to look nonchalant by picking up a piece of fruit from the gift basket. I rubbed the apple on my sleeve to shine it.

“Because you’re rubbing a mango on your sleeve,” Maggie said, watching me cautiously.

I looked at the fruit. “Oh.” I put the mango back in the basket. “Who gives mangos in a gift basket anyway?”

Maggie laughed. “Simon Merriweather.”

I knew she was watching me. “I like the candlelight,” she said softly. “Did you have something in mind?”

My heart raced at what I was about to do. Then something amazing happened. I recalled the recent conversations with Mr. Totino, Dave, and Lidia. Good friends giving good advice. A calm feeling settled in when I saw Maggie’s eyes sparkling in the candlelight. This was the woman I loved, the woman I would spend the rest of my sorry life with, if she’d have me. There was no doubt any longer.

“Kate?” She walked up and stood in front of me. “What’s on your mind? You’ve been so far away lately. Something is wrong, I know it. Please…”

I took her hands and guided her to the foot of the bed. “Sit down, please.”

“Oh, God, something is wrong…”

“Shh,” I whispered and knelt in front of her. I grabbed her hands and caressed them. “Nothing is wrong. You see, Maggie, everything is right…” I swallowed, trying to get some moisture back in my mouth and to avoid crying like a baby. “You know I love you,” I said, holding her hand. I looked up to see tears welling in her eyes.

“I do,” she whispered.

She held on to my hand, which I knew was shaking; I couldn’t help it. I looked down once again at my old college ring on her finger. Lifting her hand, I gently kissed the ring.

“You have no idea how much you’ve saved me,” I whispered, not wanting to sound like a stupid sap but at the same time not caring one damned bit.

I felt Maggie’s hand caress the top of my head, running her fingers through my hair. When her hand wandered down the back of my neck and she ran her fingertips along the jagged scar there, I choked back the sob that threatened to overwhelm me. Then she caressed my cheek and lifted my face to her. Man, I so did not want to start crying right now, but when I saw the tears streaming down her lovely face, I had no choice. My chest felt tight; I couldn’t swallow. I couldn’t breathe—I could do nothing but look into the eyes of the woman who loved me.

No matter how stupid I would be in times to come, and I knew I would be, I knew one thing: Maggie Winfield loved me. Only me. And I was in paradise. At that moment, I didn’t care about my anxiety attacks. I didn’t care about the memory of how asinine I was over Liz Eddington. Nothing mattered. I was in a moment, a moment of pure bliss. Maggie loved me—only Maggie.

“In all my life, Kate.” She gently cupped my face and whispered, “In all my life, I’ve never loved anyone the way I love you. I never dreamed I could be this lucky.”

She kissed me so sweetly on the lips I knew I would never deserve someone so lovely, but at the same time, I thanked God for the blessing. Her lips were warm, and in that kiss, I knew she loved me. Oh, I’d known for a while, but until that one kiss, I never really understood the depth of Maggie’s love.

The room shimmered, bathed in the soft glow of the candlelight—my idea, thank you. I looked into her eyes again and smiled.

I gently pulled the college ring off her finger. “This has served its purpose well,” I whispered.

“But…”

Maggie’s eyes grew wide as I slipped that ring in my breast pocket. I pulled the ring box out of my pocket and heard her surprised gasp. I looked into her eyes, filled with so much emotion.

“I’ve never loved someone as much as I love you. I never hoped to. I know I’m not the best…but if you let me, I’ll spend the rest of my life loving you and taking care of you. Maggie, please, marry me?” I chuckled nervously. “I’m really lost without you.”

Tears streamed down her face; she tried to wipe them away. My hands shook as I tried to open the damned box.

“Say yes, Maggie.”

That wonderful smile appeared; the dimples cut deep lines in her cheeks—then she let out a bloodcurdling scream. I nearly dropped the ring box.

“Not the reaction I was hoping for,” I said as Maggie ran past me.

Still kneeling by the bed, but alone, I turned around on my knees to see Maggie running out of our stateroom. “Um…okay. You could have just stabbed me in the heart. A simple no would be less painful…” I called after her.

At that same moment, I saw a man, his face plastered against our window in a grimace of pain. Then he slid down the window out of sight. I forgot to close the blinds as Hannah suggested. I hoped this was why Maggie ran…

After struggling to get off my knees, I ran out the door and found Maggie crouched beside the man, who was sprawled out on the deck.

“What the fuck happened?” I asked Maggie as if she knew.

She paid no attention to me. She proceeded to start CPR and all that stuff emergency people do.

“Kate,” Maggie said urgently. “Go get Monty. I think this man had a heart attack. Hurry.”

I started to run, but I had no idea where the shit I was going. It was completely dark. I mean pitch-black. There were no lights anywhere on the deck. No security lights, no exit signs—nothing. I knew this was not normal. I ran, trying to find the stairs to the…whatever, cockpit? Helm? I had no clue.

As I turned the corner, I ran into someone so hard, we both flew backward. I landed on my ass.

“Kate?”

I heard Simon’s groan as he stood. “Good Lord, you’re strong. Where are you going?”

“Simon,” I said, scrambling to my feet. “Some guy is having a heart attack. Maggie is doing CPR.”

“Is that why the lights went out?”

“Simon, I’m serious. What are you talking about?”

“Um…if you haven’t noticed, Kate dear, we’re in the dark in more ways than one,” he said, looking around into the darkness.

It was eerie. The ship seemed dead in the water. No sounds of the engines, no music playing from the dining hall. There were no lights anywhere, not even emergency exit lights. And it was just as eerily quiet for about two seconds. Then I heard Hannah.

“What in the good Lord has happened?” Hannah ran down the staircase to us. She wore a silky long robe and equally silky slippers.

How could a woman look so put together at midnight?

“Hannah, are you all right?” I asked, holding on to her arm.

“Yes. I was about to go to bed when every light went out. I was in complete darkness.”

“What the shit?” I said, turning to Simon. “Go get the ship’s doctor.”

“Um…”

“Oh, geesus, that’s right.”

Simon leaned in. “And between us, I wouldn’t want that to get around. Especially not at this juncture.”

I glared at him in the darkness. “Simon, Maggie is giving CPR to some poor slob around the corner who’s apparently having a heart attack.”

“Good Lord,” Hannah said again and ran toward our stateroom.

Simon and I followed her. I looked at Simon as we ran. “No doctor?”

“Well,” he said breathlessly, “we have Maggie.”

By the time we reached Maggie, she was sitting back on her heels.