Sea Salt Caramel Murder (A Maple Hills Cozy Mystery Book 4) (7 page)

T
ara hesitated
. Looking at the closed cabin door Matt was behind, she thought about the life they had planned together. “It's not fair,” she told Nikki. “All Matt and I want to do is get married and love each other. Why do things like this keep happening?”

“Honey, go back to your cabin and—”

“No,” Tara told Nikki, feeling anger rise up in her chest. “Ms. Bates, Detective Daily, you two are not familiar with this ship the way Matt is. If anyone can find a bomb, it's him. Please, let us try. I'm being very selfish because I'm only thinking of Matt and the life I want to share with him.”

Hawk eased back to Lei Johnson's cabin door, took out a key from his pocket, and unlocked it. “Matt, Johnson, get out here,” he ordered.

Lei Johnson and Matt appeared like two wet hornets. Matt stared at Hawk with eyes that could have melted hot iron. “What is it?” he demanded.

Using his left hand while holding his gun in his right, Hawk fished the handcuff key out of his front pocket, tossed it to Tara, and told her to unlock Matt from Lei. “Listen to me,” he explained in a tough voice, “we believe there is a bomb on this ship. Matt, we need you to find that bomb. If you don't, son, we're all dead.”

Lei's face went white. His anger was instantly replaced with fear. “My diamonds,” he whispered.

Hawk nodded his head. “Your diamonds will soon be at the bottom of the sea if that bomb isn't found. We believe the killer is the man who owns this ship.”

“Mr. Fench? Matt asked. “No way, that old coot is wheelchair-bound. I'd put my money on his son, though. Thorn Fench is a crummy guy. He thinks just because he rides around in a fancy Porsche and lives off his daddy's money he's better than anyone else.”

Nikki looked at Hawk and then back at Matt. The ship was really struggling against the storm, causing everyone to struggle for balance at times. If a bomb was going to go off, it would be soon, before the ship managed to fight its way through the deadly sea. “Matt, did you ever see Captain Mayfield and this Thorn Fench together?”

“Oh sure,” Matt said watching Tara take the handcuffs off his wrist, “those two were real chummy.”

“What does this guy look like?” Hawk asked.

Matt rubbed his wrist. “He's around your age, I guess...wavy blond hair, athletic-looking, the kind of guy that talks lies to the ladies, you know.”

“What else?” Nikki pressed Matt. “Please, any detail, no matter how small, could be very helpful.”

Matt watched Lei try to ease back into his cabin. Hawk grabbed him and shook his head. Lei, tempted to put Hawk down onto to the floor with a single, skilled martial arts move, hesitated. Hawk was holding a gun, and Lei knew he would not hesitate to use it. Besides, Lei thought, what was the point of making matters worse? Even if he did escape and retrieve his diamonds, where could he run to? Like everyone else, he was trapped. His only chance of survival was to assist Hawk. “How can I be of assistance?” he asked, caving in.

Nikki handed Matt her gun. Hawk began to object, but Nikki shook her head at him. “Protect Tara and go find that bomb.”

“You trust me?” Matt asked in a cynical voice, taking the gun from Nikki. “Lady, I could vanish so easily on this ship, and you and Tarzan over there would never find me.”

“Don't,” Tara told Matt in a desperate voice. Softly touching his face, she pulled his eyes to her. “Matt, you're better than this. We all are. People's lives are at stake—
our
lives are at stake. Please, don't be a jerk. Be the guy I've fallen in love with. Be my hero.”

Matt stared into Tara's pleading eyes. He felt something stir deep inside his chest. “Okay,” he promised Tara. Looking at Hawk, he steadied his attitude. “Detective, what do I do if I find the bomb? Can you disarm it?”

“I've had a little training,” Hawk told Matt. “Son, all I can promise is that I'll do what I can.”

“That doesn't make me feel better,” Matt confessed. Shaking his head, he grabbed Tara's left hand. “Okay, I'll find that bomb. If we're gonna die, we might as well die trying to be heroes.”

“Be careful,” Nikki begged Matt. “I want to come to your wedding someday, okay?”

Matt nodded. “I'll be down in the engine room.”

“Wait...wait a minute!” Lei called out. Against his better judgment, he made a confession: “I can disarm a bomb. I have training.”

“Where?” Hawk asked.

“My secret,” Lei replied. “I will go with Romeo and Juliet.”

Hawk hesitated. “Okay,” he said, giving in, “but if you try anything—”

“Detective,” Lei said, “what would I try? Where can I run? Enough with the tough cop act, already. You do your job, and I'll do mine.”

Hawk grabbed Lei by his jacket. “I'm not putting on an act. My main concern is for the lives of everyone on this ship. You may not have a conscience, but I do. Now get moving.” Hawk shoved Lei toward Matt and Tara.

“I too once had a conscience,” Lei told Hawk, “but life took that away. Another time, Detective, when the odds are even.”

“Anytime,” Hawk promised.

Nikki watched Matt, Tara, and Lei walk to the stairwell and disappear. “I hope that young man holds to his word,” she told Hawk.

“In life,” Hawk replied, “you work with what tools you have in the old toolbox. The question now is, what do we do?”

“Go inform Mr. Lane about the bomb,” Nikki told Hawk. “After that, go back to my cabin and wait.”

Something in Nikki's voice struck Hawk as strange. Nikki had a plan, a plan she didn't want prying ears to hear. It occurred to him that she was manipulating the killer. As scary as it was to realize that the killer was close by, hidden in some shadow, listening to every word being spoken, Hawk found himself grateful, as well. “All we can do is wait and hope that boy finds the bomb,” Hawk told Nikki.

Taking Hawk's hand, Nikki nodded up toward the ceiling. “Let's go see Mr. Lane.”

H
awk knocked
on the bridge door. The storm had now fully enveloped the ship. Thunderous waves, screaming winds, and pouring rain hollered above the dark sea with razor-sharp teeth. “Mr. Lane,” Nikki yelled, “it's Ms. Bates and Detective Daily. We need to speak with you. It's urgent.”

The bridge door opened up. Brody appeared. “What is it?” he asked in a voice that told Nikki and Hawk the ship was in real danger.

“We believe there is a bomb on the ship, and the killer will detonate it before the ship is able to escape this storm,” Nikki explained quickly. “Mr. Lane, how much longer will this storm hold us captive?”

Brody's face went pale. “Uh, hard to tell, the system is massive. Even if I wanted to push the ship west, I couldn't. We're trapped.”

Feeling the bow of the ship dip dangerously forward, Nikki flung her arms out for balance and managed to grab onto Hawk. “Okay,” Nikki told Brody, “Detective Daily and I will be in my cabin. It's too dangerous to be out anymore.”

“Are we going to sink?” Hawk asked Brody, reading the man's worried face.

“Engine room is reporting minor flooding,” Brody confessed. “The hull of this ship is old, Detective. As you can feel, we're being knocked around like peas in a can. We've been knocked off course, and there is nothing I can do about it, I'm afraid.”

“Do your best,” Nikki told Brody. “We'll be in my cabin. All we ask is that you send some men out to find the bomb, okay? There's nothing else we can do.”

Nikki stuck out her hand to shake Brody's. Brody, without thinking, shook Nikki's hand. “I'll do what I can, but the chances may be slim,” he replied in a calm voice. Returning back to the bridge, Brody closed the wooden door behind him.

Nikki quickly gave Hawk a look that told him not to ask any questions. “Come on, let's get to my cabin and wait,” she told him.

Hawk stared at the door leading into the bridge. His gut began to nibble at him. What did Nikki know that he didn't? Fighting to stand upright as a wave crashed against the port side of the ship, rocking it violently, Hawk knew that whatever Nikki knew, she would soon reveal it to him.

* * *

O
n the bridge
, Brody ordered an officer named John Brownfield to keep the ship heading due north at all cost. “We have a killer loose. Try and keep on course no matter what. It's prudent we do as the killer has ordered.”

“I'll do my best, Lane,” the man replied, fighting to keep the ship on its set course.

“I'll be back in two hours. I have to go check on the passengers and then see how much water the engine room is taking on.”

“I understand. I'll hold her steady.”

Brody nodded, walked to the back wall, and exited the bridge through a private hallway.

* * *

“
H
awk
,” Nikki said, sitting down on a wooden chair in her cabin, “we can talk openly now.”

“Without the killer hearing us,” Hawk added watching the cabin door.

“Hawk,” Nikki explained, “you may not believe me, but it was beneficial for us that the killer somehow listened in on our conversations. I'm confident that the killer recorded our every word.”

Hawk watched Nikki lean forward and rest her face in her hands. “Nikki, don't lose steam on me,” he said.

She drew in a deep breath. “The killer isn't Mr. Fench's son, Hawk. I think we have it backwards.”

“How so?”

“You heard Matt—Mr. Fench's son drives around in a Porsche. He's a country club brat. Why would he risk losing this diamond in the rough? This ship brings in good money. Look at the interior architecture. I don't believe this much money and effort was put into this ship simply to send it to the bottom of the sea. Also, did you notice that Dr. Rowen knew about Mr. Lane's past?”

Hawk rubbed his chin. “Nikki, are you saying Mr. Lane is the killer? That doesn't make any sense. That man needs money to take care of his wife. What would he gain from sinking this ship?”

“Exactly,” Nikki told Hawk. Leaning up she looked at Hawk with tired eyes. Fighting back a yawn, she glanced at the comfortable bed in her cabin. “Hawk, why did Captain Mayfield really hire Mr. Lane? If the man was crooked, he wouldn't just hire anyone. Mr. Lane was hired on as second in command for a reason.”

Hawk took a minute to soak in the information Nikki was throwing at him. “But why would he want to sink this ship, Nikki? He has a sick wife.”

“Right,” Nikki said. “Hawk, I think Mr. Lane lied about his wife being home. I think that woman is right here on this ship. I think Mr. Lane is going to do something very horrible. You see his face, Hawk. He is tired, hurt, broken, and beaten down. I don't doubt he tried to go straight and live an honest life, but for the sake of his wife, he allowed Captain Mayfield to pull him back into a life of crime. I think he wants to end it all for himself and his wife, who may be much sicker than he's letting on.”

“That theory is out there, Nikki.”

“Hawk, after Dr. Rowen was murdered and you chased after the killer, you didn't find him, did you? No. And when Mr. Lane saw Dr. Rowen's dead body, he had sweat on the side of his temples, like he had been running. Whoever the killer is, he knows this ship better than anyone. He understands how to maneuver without being seen or caught. Also, we both need to realize something that is vital, Hawk.”

“What?”

“If the killer wanted us dead, we would be dead by now. Why would the killer give you a warning? He could easily have killed us at any moment, Hawk. The killer has only killed two men who knew him on a personal level.”

Hawk looked at Nikki's beautiful face. He imagined Nikki being ill, suffering, hurting. And then he imagined his own life caught in a web of crime, forced to sit at the tables with common criminals against his will. When a man is desperate, he does desperate things. “I'm a cop—that must not sit well with him.”

“That's why he wrote that fake note saying the killer told him to keep this ship on course. The handwriting on each piece of paper belongs to Mr. Lane, Hawk.” Nikki pulled out the letter from the killer and the piece of paper she found on Dr. Rowen's body. “See the X I made with the pen I borrowed from Mr. Lane? I marked those papers with X's for a reason. Hawk, the ink from the pen Mr. Lane gave me matches the ink on the killer's letter, the paper I found on Dr. Rowen and the warning letter in the medical bay. When I used the bathroom a few minutes ago, I examined the papers.”

“Could be anyone's pen. That won't hold up in a court of law,” Hawk warned Nikki as he examined the ink marks. “We need proof Lane is the killer.”

“I wasn't sure Mr. Lane was the killer until a few minutes ago when we spoke with him on the bridge. “Mr. Lane didn't become upset when I mentioned the bomb to him. Hawk, he already knew that we were aware of the bomb. If you hadn't found the note in Dr. Rowen's brandy bottle...”

Hawk thought back to the warning letter. Nikki was right. If the killer wanted them dead, they would be dead. The two men who were dead knew Brody on a personal level. And, Hawk thought, Brody would know the layout of the ship as well as anyone. Closing his eyes, he saw the pain on Brody's face when the man confessed how poor his wife's health was. Was it possible Brody wanted to end it all for himself and his wife while at the same time sinking a ship and in the process killing off anyone who might be able to incriminate him in a court of law? Anything was possible, Hawk concluded. “All right, Nikki, what's your game plan?”

“I've given it enough time,” Nikki said forcing her body to stand up. “Now we go to Mr. Lane's quarters.”

“Shouldn't we find Matt, Tara, and Johnson? If Lane is the killer, he surely knows that we have those three searching for the bomb.”

“They won't find the bomb,” Nikki sighed. “If there was any chance they could, I'm afraid we wouldn't have found Mr. Lane on the bridge.”

“Because he would have been out on a hunt,” Hawk quickly understood what Nikki was driving at. “Nikki, are you sure this man is the killer? I mean, are you certain?”

“Now I am,” Nikki said in a miserable voice. “Hawk, I read his face. And his concern about this storm, it's all rehearsed, Hawk.”

“But the conversation I heard him have with Mayfield during dinner, Nikki? Lane wasn't too keen on taking this ship through the storm.”

“Hawk,” Nikki said, “I've considered that conversation between Captain Mayfield and Mr. Lane. I think Mr. Lane manipulated Captain Mayfield. I'm certain there is some criminal cargo on this ship, as we speak, that Captain Mayfield wanted to arrive at our vacation port. But you did say he told Mr. Lane to call around to other ports with the hopes that he could dock the ship until the storm passed.”

“Yes, but Lane said the ports were all full.”

“Were they?” Nikki asked. “Didn't you say that Captain Mayfield told Mr. Lane if no ports were available then they would ride the storm?”

“Yeah, he did say that,” Hawk agreed. Like a man watching a strange puzzle come together, Hawk began to follow Nikki. “Lane manipulated Captain Mayfield. Lane wanted to make sure this ship was caught by the storm. So why kill Mayfield? The guy seemed to be on the same page with Lane's desire to take this ship into the storm.”

“You,” Nikki pointed at Hawk. “You make Mr. Lane nervous. I believe Mr. Lane was going to send everyone who knew him on a personal basis to the bottom of the ocean. But then you showed up, Hawk. Remember what Captain Mayfield told us in the passenger lounge when he greeted us?”

Hawk thought back. “He said he was told that a man of the law would be taking this cruise,” Hawk remembered.

“Kinda strange, don't you think, that he would say that? I mean, Hawk, I'm sorry, you're not exactly a world-famous detective.”

“Hey, that's right.” Hawk replied and then kicked himself. “Man, I'm getting slow in my old age. Nikki, are you sure you want a senile old man at your side?”

Nikki smiled. “I'm sure. Now,” she said getting serious, “I believe Mr. Lane killed Captain Mayfield to make you look away from him. Sleight-of-hand trick.”

“Could have been,” Hawk agreed. “And in order to keep us at sea, Lane writes that phony note, right?”

“Could be,” Nikki agreed and then became very sad. “Hawk, Mr. Lane is a torn man. It's obvious he loves his wife. It's also obvious he's a man beaten down, ripped apart in his heart, defeated. Maybe his life was going well when he was captain of the
Blue Pearl
, and maybe he was the scapegoat as he claims. I think it's possible—otherwise, why would he crawl under Captain Mayfield's thumb?”

“That's no excuse for murder, Nikki.”

“I agree, but when a man has nothing else to lose because he's already losing everything...” Nikki stopped talking. Tears began to fall from her eyes. Walking over to Hawk, she threw her arms around him and began crying. “I've lost it all, once, too, Hawk,” she cried. “I loved my ex-husband, I truly did. He ripped my heart out.”

“It's okay, let it out,” Hawk soothed Nikki, gently embracing her. Nikki cried until it hurt. “Cry all you want, you hear me?”

When Nikki was able to control her tears, she leaned up and looked Hawk in the eyes. Wiping at her tears, she sighed. “Hawk, love makes a person's actions become very unstable and desperate when that person believes he or she is losing everything. I know Mr. Lane's murderous actions are not justified...it's just that I feel so sorry for him. I understand how he feels. When a marriage ends, it's like one spouse is dying of a terminal disease.”

“I know,” Hawk agreed. “I was married once, too. But Nikki, right now, we have innocent lives to save.”

Nikki wiped at her tears some more. “I guess we better get to Mr. Lane's quarters. He should be there with his wife. We have to be careful, though.”

“He might detonate the bomb,” Hawk warned.

“I don't think so. Not now, anyway. I think Mr. Lane is waiting for something.”

Hawk stared at Nikki. “Yeah?” he asked. “Nikki, you seem awful calm for a woman who knows full well there is a bomb that could go off on this ship at any minute.”

Nikki scratched her nose. “Hawk, when I shook Mr. Lane's hand, I did so for a reason. I wanted to see the man's watch. His watch is stopped exactly at midnight, two hours from now. I think that's when the bomb will detonate.”