“Hell’s teeth, woman!” Rawley exclaimed behind her. She felt his firm grip on her arm, holding her back.
She pulled, but was unable to dislodge him. “Let go.”
“Think for a minute, instead of leaping willy-nilly in your usual manner.”
That stung, but he had a point. She crossed her arms. Well, as best as she could with him gripping one of them.
“How do you know it’s the killer?” he asked, his voice calm.
“Remember? I saw him that morning before the first murder. He was chasing poor Jenny. I didn’t see him full on, just his profile. I didn’t think I had enough to go on, but that’s him, I’m sure of it.”
“How can you be certain?”
“He caught my notice, because he seemed rather interested in watching us. His eyes were close together, like Jenny said. When you spooked him, I saw his profile. It’s the same man I saw running after her. It’s him.” She tugged on her arm.
“Hold on.” His grip tightened. “If you’re correct, you’re about to follow a known killer, with no plan, no weapons. Let’s stop and think this through.”
Damn it all. He was right. “Let’s return to my cabin, then.”
Once back in the safety of their cabin, Adele turned the locking mechanism to be safe. “I don’t like that we didn’t follow him. He could be anywhere by now.”
“Yes, except that ‘anywhere’ is still on this ship.”
She crossed to the picture window. “What about when we dock in Tampa in a few hours?”
“That is a risk. But he’s obviously here for a reason, and until he accomplishes it, or finds it impossible to, he’ll remain, I think. His aim couldn’t have been solely to watch you, and my glancing his way could not be the agent that destroys his plans.”
“Maybe.”
Rawley joined her and stared into the Gulf’s murky depths. “He may not know we’re aware of his description. Maybe we left before the police started asking around. Our notice of him could have been simply surprise someone was watching us, no more.”
“So what do we do now?”
“We should alert the captain at the very least. And he could station marines at the exits when we dock in Tampa. Which reminds me, I forgot to inform him of the loose tile.” He strolled to the wall panel and thumbed the service call buzzer.
She rubbed her arms. “So he’s figured out it was me who had the plans.”
He leaned against the wall, arms crossed, lips set in a straight line. “I would agree. There’s a chance his regard of you was pure coincidence, but I don’t want to take that chance.”
“Why would he think I’d bring them with me?”
He pushed away with a roll of his shoulder. “He’s probably thinking everyone would hold them as precious as he. Never would he leave without them, ergo you wouldn’t.”
A sharp knock sounded on their door. Rawley answered it and waved inside one of the blue armband people. “My good fellow, we have urgent news we need to share with the captain.”
“Sure, I can put you in contact with him now.” He moved to the wall that held the buzzer. He sprang a hidden catch in the wall, and a portion of the wood panel slid away and revealed a speaker box and a number pad. He punched in a few numbers and held a blue button near the speaker. “Captain? This is Reynolds. Miss de la Pointe and er...” He looked to Rawley.
“Dr. Rawley.”
“...Dr. Rawley wish to speak with you. Something urgent.”
“Certainly. Go ahead,” came the captain’s voice through the box, though it had a mechanical timbre.
Rawley looked with confusion at the panel and at Adele. “No, it’s not something we should discuss in this manner. May we speak with you in private at your earliest convenience?”
“If you feel it necessary. Reynolds, escort them to my cabin.”
Reynolds closed the panel and clicked it back into place.
“That’s amazing,” Adele said. “So each room has the ability to talk to the captain?”
“Actually, each room can talk to any other, if you know the proper code. We haven’t yet figured out the protocols for it, however, so we didn’t provide instructions on this voyage. But we hope to in the future.”
“I can see where that would be handy,” she replied. Adele held out her hand. “Wait. We can’t go like this.”
“Why not?” Rawley asked.
“What if the...” She glanced at Reynolds. “...that man sees us? Heading to the captain’s quarters so soon after we spotted him will put him on the alert.”
“What do you suggest we do? Go in disguise?”
“Not a bad idea, but...” Her gaze settled on her recorder and camera. “We should carry my equipment. Make it look like we’re going to do an interview. If he’s been watching me, he knows of my role on this ship and will think I’m going there to interview the captain in private. Which I haven’t done, actually.”
“Let’s focus on one thing at a time.” Rawley stepped across the room and grabbed one of the cases. He handed this to Reynolds and grabbed her camera bag. “Ready?”
“Yes.”
As they walked across the bridge connecting them to the other half of the ship, Phillip clasped the handle of Adele’s case firmer in his grip.
The killer was on board. Who was most likely after Adele.
Rational thinking almost abandoned him, but he gripped his control tightly and forced himself to think. Surely a passenger manifest existed. But how could that help?
Their arrival at the captain’s quarters interrupted his thoughts. Reynolds gave a perfunctory knock and opened the door for them.
“Come inside, come inside,” came the voice of the gregarious captain. “Welcome.”
They filed through the door and set down the equipment. The captain stepped forward and shook their hands. “You wish to interview me?” he asked, turning to Adele.
“No. Well, yes, eventually. But we brought these along to keep up the ruse, give our visit an explanation,” Adele finished, motioning to her equipment.
“This sounds interesting.” He nodded at Reynolds. “Thank you for escorting them. I’ll buzz if I need anyone.”
“Very good, sir.”
When the door shut behind him, the captain motioned to his sitting area, arranged, like theirs, in front of his picture window. “Now, what is this all about?”
They took their seats. Phillip looked to Adele; it was her story to tell.
She leaned forward. “Captain, I don’t know how best to say this, but I believe we have a killer on board.”
The captain bolted from his chair. “What?”
“You heard, of course, of the so-called Jack the Ripper murders that recently plagued our city?”
“Of course.” He eyed her and eased himself back into his chair.
Adele filled him in, starting from the beginning of her investigation. It was good to hear it recited again, in the sequence it happened. It helped firmly settle his mind in a rational thought pattern. Although he couldn’t help but admire how calmly she told the tale—no histrionics, just the facts plainly stated. His mother would have utilized the opportunity to have all attention and sympathy zeroed in on her and would have played it up to great effect. And his father would have exacerbated the situation by completely ignoring her, walling himself off even more, which in turn further fueled his mother’s craving for attention.
When Adele finished, the captain sat back, face grave. Having a killer on board the maiden voyage of a luxury submarine cruise was certainly not what he’d pictured. Moreover, he had to be thinking of his position. Phillip had read about and witnessed the huge strides this region of the country had made in integrating the races, but the good captain surely felt an extra weight of responsibility.
The captain rubbed his face with both hands and blew a harsh breath. “What you tell me is serious indeed. Do you think the other passengers are in danger?”
“No.” Adele shook her head. “Only myself, I believe. The other murders were all about getting those plans, you see. He believes I have them on my person.”
“But you don’t.”
“No, I turned them into the police.”
He leaned back and clasped his hands in his lap. “How do you wish to proceed? I see several courses of action. We could assign a marine guard detail to escort you everywhere while you are on board—”
“That would alert him we are aware of his presence.”
“Is that a bad thing?” the captain asked.
Adele looked into the Gulf through the picture window. She blew a breath. “I’m not sure. I feel like we need to somehow flush him out.”
“Are you mad?” Phillip’s newfound calm shattered.
She eyed him, her face a study in detachment. “I do not believe I am, sir.”
He leaned forward. “The mad often don’t.”
She lifted her chin and turned her attention back to the captain. “What other options do you have in mind?”
“Would the passenger manifest aid you in any way?”
She appeared to think on this a moment. “No. He’s probably using a false name. I...”
“What is it?” Phillip asked. “Whatever you’re thinking, say it.”
“Remember the Spanish name I found on those plans? But it’s only supposition. I hate to name him.”
“What was the name?” the captain asked.
“Don Diego Albardo-Castenada. And Jenny said her attacker went by the nickname Guerrero.”
“Meaning ‘warrior’ in Spanish.” The captain scratched his cheek. “I will check the manifest, just in case. We could also have the Welcome Committee Corps systematically call on each cabin and report back any who fit your description.”
“Is that the blue armband people?” Phillip asked.
“Yes,” the captain replied. “They could divide up the rooms and mark which ones had no answer, so they could return later.”
“They’d need a reason for the call,” Adele chimed in.
“That would be easy enough. We could say we’re inquiring whether they’re enjoying their stay and if we could do anything for them.”
She tapped her lip. “I suppose that would work.”
“You would need to be clear with your staff that they must not engage this man if they should find him,” Phillip added.
“Believe me, I will. In fact, no one outside this room should be told of this. I will inform my staff we’re looking for this man, but I won’t give them a reason. They won’t question it. I trust my staff.”
“That sounds like it will work,” Adele said. “What shall we do in the meantime?”
Phillip shifted in his chair. “I think we should proceed as usual. You still have passenger interviews to do. I shall not leave your side, of course.”
“What about Tampa?”
“What about it?”
“Should we get off and sightsee like we’d planned?”
“I don’t think so. It’s an unfamiliar city. We don’t know anyone and can’t control the variables. I say we remain on board.”
The captain stood. “But the killer might not remain. I will post a guard when we dock. We shouldn’t lose any time. I’ll inform my staff of the search. They should find most in their cabins in the hour before our docking, since they’ll be wanting to prepare for their day trip.”
“My great-aunt.” Adele stood. “She will surely disembark, and she may be in danger too.”
“Should we inform her of the situation?”
“I don’t want to unduly alarm her, but I also don’t want her wandering without protection.”
The captain raised a hand. “I can assist with that. I will have a marine guard detailed to follow her and her party and keep them safe.”
Adele’s relief was clear. Phillip stood and held out an arm for her. “We appreciate your assistance, Captain. We will take our leave so you can make the arrangements. Will you keep us informed of any developments?”
“Yes, I’ll be sure to do so. And thank you for bringing this to my attention.” They shook hands. “Believe me, the last thing I want is for anything to go wrong on this voyage.”
“Captain, I almost forgot,” Adele said. “The other night, I stepped through a loose plating outside my door and sustained a mild sprain, but I thought you should know so it could be fixed and no one else is hurt.”
The captain frowned. “But that’s impossible.”
“I assure you, it happened.”
“No, no, dear, didn’t mean to doubt your word. It’s just not something that could happen on its own. We inspected the ship top to bottom before we took on our first passengers.”
Phillip stiffened. “So it’s been tampered with?”
The captain nodded, face set in grim lines. “In light of what you told me, I won’t rule that out. I’ll have a repairman look to it straightaway.”
A man paced outside Adele’s cabin carrying a box of tools when they arrived. He held up a hand. “Captain said there was a loose plate here somewhere?”
“Yes, indeed.” Adele ushered them closer to the door and tapped her foot around the area against the wall. Finally, one of them moved.
The man scratched his head and set down his tools. “I’ll look to this straightaway.”
Once they were inside the cabin, she asked, “Should I order refreshments?”
“I think I’ve had enough for this morning.”
“Well, then.”
The door opened, and in came Great-Aunt Linette, her cheeks glowing. “There you are, my dears. I’ve had the most delightful morning.”
Rawley caught her gaze and raised an eyebrow. She gave a slight shake. She still didn’t want to alarm her great-aunt.
Her great-aunt pressed the buzzer and ordered refreshments. Rawley groaned.
“What are we doing standing here? Let’s sit at least,” exclaimed her great-aunt, shooing them to the sitting area. “Are you all ready for the trip into Tampa? I’m so excited. I’ve never been to Florida. My friends will be joining us.”
Adele leaned back in the settee. “I’m afraid you’ll have to go without me.”
“Oh?” Her great-aunt cast a speculative glance between them.
“Yes, I’d like to be able to file my story as soon as we land in Mobile. I thought I’d use this downtime to transcribe all the interviews I’ve conducted so far. If I don’t start doing that now, it’ll be too overwhelming when I return.”
“That sounds like an excellent notion, dear.” She looked to Rawley and lifted an eyebrow. “Will you be joining us?”
He sat forward, elbows on knees. “I will remain as well.”
Adele held her breath. She was counting on her great-aunt’s desire to see her so thoroughly compromised it could end only in a wedding. That way he’d be able to stay with her for protection.
Great-Aunt Linette tipped her head lightly. “I’m not sure if this is quite proper. I’m sure it’s not.”
Adele slumped as much as she could in her corset. Why the attack of conscience now? “What if we promise to do the transcribing in one of the public parlors?” It was a lie only of omission, she told herself. Since they wouldn’t be transcribing at all...
Her great-aunt studied the both of them. “I suppose that might be all right.”
Rawley leaned forward. “Mrs. Rochon, you have my word as a gentleman I will not act in any improper way.”
Aunt Linette frowned. “You sound quite serious.”
“I assure you, I am.”
“Humpf. Very well, then.” She looked Adele up and down, still frowning. “I will see you this afternoon. Good luck with the transcribing.”
With that, she changed her bonnet to one that had more of a brim, picked up her reticule, and swept from the room. Leaving them alone.
“So did you want to transcribe your cylinders?” Rawley asked.
“Actually, I made that up, but sure, why not? What I said made perfect sense—I should start working on them.”
Twenty minutes later, they were settled in one of the public parlors available to them on the first-class deck, Loki set up in a corner with his favorite toys. She’d been neglecting him during most of the trip and felt compelled to bring him along.
She fitted the first cylinder in place and peeked at Rawley. His mood? Still surly. “It occurred to me we have not fully explored this ship. We haven’t seen the Topdeck Gardens. Maybe we could explore later?”
“If you so desire.”
She sighed. How could she make him understand? They wanted two different things out of life.
“Looks like they fixed the floor,” she tried again.
“Indeed.”
Finally, she had the cylinder wrestled into place. She was about to turn the playback knob, when a thought occurred. “We should let the captain know where we are in case he needs to apprise us of anything.”
“I’ll take care of it.” He strode to the buzzer on the wall. When he heard a reply, he said, “Can you inform the captain Miss de la Pointe is in Parlor...” He stepped out and looked at the doorframe. “...in the Mermaid Parlor on the first-class deck?”
“Yes, we can see where this call originates. I will inform the captain.”
Adele turned the knob on the recorder and took up her pen. This would be a long afternoon.
Some time later, Adele stopped playback, set down her pen, and stretched. This was taking longer than she thought. She glanced at Rawley. He lounged in a seat across the room reading a book, legs crossed.
“Where did you get the book?”
“There’s a bookcase there.” He pointed with the spine and continued reading.
A desire to ruffle him overcame her. He’d retreated into the shell he’d worn when she’d first met him, and it irked her. “What are you reading?”
He flipped the book and looked at the spine. “The Mysterious Island. By Jules Verne.” He went back to reading.
A pause. “Are you enjoying it?”
“I’d enjoy it much more uninterrupted.”
She flicked her gaze upward and shook her head. “Have you read anything else by Verne?”
“No.”
Now she was actually curious. “No? You don’t know what you’ve been missing.”
“I certainly won’t at this rate.”
She stuck her tongue out at him. A rustle and a throat clearing came from the door.
She jumped and pretended as if she’d been licking her lips. It was a Blue Armband. “Yes?”
Rawley shut the book, an index finger marking his spot.
The Blue Armband cocked an eyebrow. “Miss de la Pointe?”
“That’s me.”
“I have a message for you.” He looked both ways down the corridor and stepped inside. He shut the door and handed her a note. “I’m to relay any reply.”
“Thank you.” She opened the missive. From the captain, it informed her that the Welcome Committee Corps had all been set their task and had started their search. Some had already reported back, but without success.
“Tell the captain thank you.”
Blue Armband bowed and left the room. She picked up the next cylinder. “Odd.”
“What?”
“I could swear I had only three etched cylinders—one of the captain, and two containing the passenger interviews, but there are four here.”
“Maybe you used one more for the interviews than you remembered?”
“Maybe.” She placed the cylinder in the playback and thumbed it on.
Instead of her voice introducing the date, time, location, and subject, she heard a clanking noise and—was that muttering?
Then a rustle and Loki’s distinctive chatter.
“Loki, did you mess with the recording machine?” She remembered his brief obsession when they’d returned to the room the night she’d sprained her ankle.
Loki ran over, but instead of looking guilty, he looked...eager?
She reached to turn it off, when a voice blared through the speaker.
For you, Father. All for you. Followed by a string of Spanish. But while loud, it sounded distant, as if heard through a barrier.
Stop it. I do not... Yes, I hear you, Father. A sigh. Silence. More clanking. Get out of my head! I will make you proud. You will see. I need only set this up.
Another minute passed with nothing but the clanking noise, and then silence.
Icy fear spread up her back, and she locked gazes with Rawley.
“Was that...?”
He nodded. “I think so.”
They both stared at Loki who preened before them.
“Could this have been from the night I sprained my ankle?”
“What was he doing, though? And where was he? He hadn’t broken into the room, I feel sure.”
A throat cleared by the door, and they both jumped. Another Blue Armband stood there, missive in hand.
It was from the Chief of Maintenance letting her know the floor outside her cabin had been fixed. But the rest of the message had her hands shaking.
Good God. “Thank the maintenance chief for me, thank you.”
“Very good, miss. I also wanted to personally inform you that all of us are looking for this man, even as we make our regular rounds of the ship. If we find him, we’ll keep an eye on him to discover his identity, you may rest assured.”
Adele was momentarily startled. The captain had let the Blue Armbands know of her involvement? Perhaps he thought it would stimulate male chivalry.
“You have my thanks.” She gave him her best smile and was gratified to see him blush. Yes, the captain was a smart man.
He bowed again, lower this time, and hustled from the room, leaving the door open.
“Those Blue Armbands are everywhere, so one is bound to see our fellow,” Rawley said.
“Rawley, listen to this. The Chief of Maintenance says it looked as if the tile had come loose after being pried open. He discovered a curious contraption in the cavity between floors that had not been there at launch. He thinks it’s a listening tube attached to a wire, which they are attempting to trace now.” She handed him the second message.
“Good Lord. Does this mean a listening device was installed there by someone?”
“And that someone being the killer? Yes, I believe so. And that Loki had heard him banging in the hall and recorded him as he was installing it.” She blushed, thinking of the noise they’d made the first night it had been placed.
“Maybe the wire will lead to his cabin?”
“We can hope so.”
They both looked at the recording device.
“Well, I’ll be damned,” Rawley said. “Loki recorded the killer.”
“Come on. Let’s go see if they’ve learned anything more.” Adele stood and shook out her skirts.
He snagged a nearby napkin, marked his spot in Verne’s book, and returned it to the shelf.
He helped her pack, and after collecting Loki, they returned to her cabin to drop off the equipment.
She slid the key into the lock, but the door swung inward at the movement.
“Didn’t you lock it before we left?” he asked.
“I most certainly did.”