“The gun is missing,” I said when I found Kate in the hallway outside the gym. I could hear the hiss of the steam jets as I breathed in the faint smell of eucalyptus. I felt a momentary pang of jealousy toward the person relaxing inside the steam room.
“What gun?” Kate’s eyes darted around me. “Has someone been shot?”
“No.” I grasped both of her hands in mine. “The antique gun that was in Mr. Barbery’s study. The really old one.”
Kate narrowed her eyes at me. “I don’t remember a gun.”
I tapped my toe on the carpet. “Did you notice anything in the study aside from Kristie’s father?”
“There’s leather,” she said, “and a desk.”
I forced myself not to roll my eyes. “There are also several artifacts from Mr. Barbery’s career as a wreck diver. One of them was an antique gun, and now it’s missing.”
“What does that mean?” Kate asked. “Should I be worried that someone’s going to try to shoot us with an ancient gun?”
“I don’t think that gun could fire it’s so old and rusted, but it did look heavy. What if it was used to knock the harbormaster over the head?” I said. “Reese mentioned that flakes of rust were found in the harbormaster’s wound.”
Kate made a face. “So someone hit the guy over the head with a heavy old gun and then pushed him overboard?”
“It’s the best explanation we have,” I said, lowering my voice as I heard the door from the steam room open and the hissing of the steam grow louder. I tugged Kate by the arm as I made my way to the staircase at the end of the hall.
“Miss Archer!” The shrill voice stopped me in my tracks.
I slowly turned to find Mrs. Barbery standing in the hall, wrapped in a beige towel, her cleavage spilling over the top. The fragrant steam filled the narrow hall before evaporating into the air. I coughed and concentrated on keeping my eyes averted from her overflowing bosom. “Yes, Mrs. Barbery?”
“I am not happy that there’s a security team on board this ship.” She put a hand to the mass of red curls piled on top of her head.
“It’s really for the protection of everyone on board—,” I began.
Mrs. Barbery cut me off with a snap of her fingers. “It’s an inconvenience and a nuisance, and it’s the last thing I need during an already stressful time.”
I swallowed hard. I wasn’t sure why she was so stressed since it wasn’t even her wedding. And if she was stressed by a few inconspicuous men patrolling the ship, she really wouldn’t be happy when the cops arrived to question everyone about the dead crew member. “We’re doing all we can to ensure that the wedding goes off without a hitch.”
She took a step toward me. “Well, it’s not enough.”
“It’s enough for me and they’re my wedding planners.” Kristie came down the staircase behind us.
I turned to see her wearing black yoga pants and a lavender T-shirt with a yin-yang symbol on the front. Her hair was swept up in a messy ponytail, and she held a black duffel bag in her hand.
Mrs. Barbery’s lips curled up in a predatory smile. “When did you come back on board, dear?”
“Just now.” Kristie put an arm around Kate’s shoulders. “Since I’m going to spend the next six months on board for my honeymoon, I figured I should start stocking my room.”
I glanced at the duffel bag in her hand and wondered if it was filled with crystals and scented candles.
Mrs. Barbery crossed her arms across her chest. “It’s absurd that you’re taking a six month honeymoon on my yacht.”
Kristie gave her a sticky smile. “Don’t you mean my father’s yacht? Let me know if you need me to help you pack up your things, Babs.”
Kate looked at me with wide eyes as Mrs. Barbery stamped one bare foot and huffed off to her room.
“Are you okay?” I asked Kristie once her stepmother was out of earshot.
She nodded. “I’m fine. It felt good to stand up to her for a change.”
“Well, you sure did that.” Kate laughed. “I thought her head was about to pop off.”
Kristie leaned in to us. “No such luck, right?”
“So you’re feeling better then?” I asked.
“You bet. Fern gave me a pep talk and a little liquid courage.”
Now this was making sense. Fern had gotten her both whipped up and liquored up before she came over. Luckily, the combination seemed to work for Kristie.
“Do you need any help setting up your room?” Kate asked.
Kristie reached out and squeezed her hand. “I should be fine, but thanks. I’m finally getting excited about my wedding and honeymoon around the world.”
“It’s going to be fun, isn’t it, Kris?” Brody came down the stairs at the far end of the hall wearing black gym shorts and white T-shirt.
“Absolutely,” Kristie said, pulling him into a hug when he’d reached us. “It’s a good thing you and Matt get along like brothers.”
I reminded myself that Matt was the groom. Since he lived in California, we’d only met him once during the planning process.
Brody gave her a playful nudge. “Hopefully I won’t be on board long enough to cramp your style.”
Kristie laughed. “You could never cramp my style. Unlike some other people we know.”
“At least your dad had your back on that one,” Brody said. “It would not have been fun to have my mother along for the ride.”
Kristine shuddered. “Talk about a long six months. I’d rather have walked the plank.”
Brody put a finger over his lips as the two collapsed against each other in a fit of giggles. “Shhhh. She might hear us.”
It was hard not to join in their contagious laughter. Seeing how excited the bride was for her wedding and honeymoon made me feel even more determined.
“That settles it,” I said so only Kate could hear me. “We have got to figure out what’s happening on this ship before it wrecks her wedding.”