Read Online Death on the Bella Constance (A Jesse Watson Mystery Series Book 6) by Ann Mullen - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Ann Mullen
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to the captain?”
“No, he’s being informed as we speak.” Billy stepped closer
to Kody and continued, “Kody, would you like to make twenty dollars?”
“Sure,” Kody said, beaming. “If I can, I’d be glad to. What
do you want me to do?”
“I can’t give you this picture, because it’s the only one I
have. Take a good look at it, and if you should see this man again, I want you
to contact me. We’re in room 610. Call us, or try to find us somehow, and let
us know where he is.”
Kody looked at the photo again and said, “His face is burned
in my brain. I’ll keep a lookout for him, and if I see him, I’ll let you know
immediately.” He handed the picture back to Billy.
“One other thing, Kody,” I added. “You can’t tell anyone
about this, okay? Discretion is very important. He might just have an interest
in our friend, but she’s not interested. You know what I mean? We sure don’t
want to make a scene.”
“I understand, Mrs. Blackhawk,” he replied as he smiled.
“How do you know my name?”
“There’s a rumor going around that there are two private
detectives—and one is an Indian—who were hired to protect the owner, Loukas
Constance.” He looked up at Billy. “Crew members talk.”
“It seems that way,” I said looking at Billy and then back to
Kody.
Billy reached into his wallet, pulled out a twenty, folded
it, and then handed it to Kody. “There’s another fifty in it if you can lead us
to the guy. And remember, keep this to yourself.”
Kody took the cash and stuffed it into his pocket. “I’ll keep
my eyes open and my mouth shut,” he said. “I’ll be back to see if you need more
drinks in a little while.” He smiled and then walked away.
“I hope that was a wise move,” I said.
“Crew members talk,” Billy said, sitting back down. “Word
will get out about our guy, and someone will find him. Let’s just hope this
isn’t a witch hunt for a man who’s innocent.”
“Our guy?” I laughed. “Since when did he become our guy?”
“When I told Teresa we’d help her.”
“I have to go along with her,” I said as I nibbled on an
appetizer that looked like a stuffed seashell. “Women don’t forget the face of
a stalker, no matter how much he changes his appearance… unless he’s really,
really good at putting on make-up and dying his hair.”
“It could’ve been a wig.”
“I don’t think so,” I said. “Men look ridiculous in wigs.
They don’t wear them, do they?”
“It could be a good wig.”
“I doubt it.”
Billy and I took a last dip in the pool, and then we headed
back to our room. It had been a long day, and I was looking forward to a hot
shower with my husband before dressing for dinner. We had just rounded the hall
when Maggie and Teresa Anderson met up with us. They were hurried, and both
seemed to be in a tizzy.
“We had a talk with the captain,” Maggie said. “He said he’d
look into it.”
“Yeah, sure,” Teresa added.
They were very unhappy about their conversation with Captain
O’Riley, so I tried to calm them down by saying, “If he said he’d check it out,
he will. He’s always looking out for his passengers. He’s a good captain.”
“I know he’s a busy man,” Maggie went on to say. “But this is
serious. I tried to tell him how dangerous this man is, but he brushed me off.”
“Why don’t we take this to our stateroom?” Billy commanded,
more than asked. “We can talk in private. How about it, ladies?”
The three of us glanced at each other, and then silently
followed Billy to our room. He stuck the card in the slot, opened the door, and
said, “After you.” He waited for us to enter, walked in after us, and then
closed the door.
The drinks I consumed earlier today were wearing off, and I
felt like you do when that happens. I was tired and on the verge of being
cranky. I wanted to shower, dress, and have a good meal. I didn’t want to
listen to two hysterical women, but I did,
“No, he’s being informed as we speak.” Billy stepped closer
to Kody and continued, “Kody, would you like to make twenty dollars?”
“Sure,” Kody said, beaming. “If I can, I’d be glad to. What
do you want me to do?”
“I can’t give you this picture, because it’s the only one I
have. Take a good look at it, and if you should see this man again, I want you
to contact me. We’re in room 610. Call us, or try to find us somehow, and let
us know where he is.”
Kody looked at the photo again and said, “His face is burned
in my brain. I’ll keep a lookout for him, and if I see him, I’ll let you know
immediately.” He handed the picture back to Billy.
“One other thing, Kody,” I added. “You can’t tell anyone
about this, okay? Discretion is very important. He might just have an interest
in our friend, but she’s not interested. You know what I mean? We sure don’t
want to make a scene.”
“I understand, Mrs. Blackhawk,” he replied as he smiled.
“How do you know my name?”
“There’s a rumor going around that there are two private
detectives—and one is an Indian—who were hired to protect the owner, Loukas
Constance.” He looked up at Billy. “Crew members talk.”
“It seems that way,” I said looking at Billy and then back to
Kody.
Billy reached into his wallet, pulled out a twenty, folded
it, and then handed it to Kody. “There’s another fifty in it if you can lead us
to the guy. And remember, keep this to yourself.”
Kody took the cash and stuffed it into his pocket. “I’ll keep
my eyes open and my mouth shut,” he said. “I’ll be back to see if you need more
drinks in a little while.” He smiled and then walked away.
“I hope that was a wise move,” I said.
“Crew members talk,” Billy said, sitting back down. “Word
will get out about our guy, and someone will find him. Let’s just hope this
isn’t a witch hunt for a man who’s innocent.”
“Our guy?” I laughed. “Since when did he become our guy?”
“When I told Teresa we’d help her.”
“I have to go along with her,” I said as I nibbled on an
appetizer that looked like a stuffed seashell. “Women don’t forget the face of
a stalker, no matter how much he changes his appearance… unless he’s really,
really good at putting on make-up and dying his hair.”
“It could’ve been a wig.”
“I don’t think so,” I said. “Men look ridiculous in wigs.
They don’t wear them, do they?”
“It could be a good wig.”
“I doubt it.”
Billy and I took a last dip in the pool, and then we headed
back to our room. It had been a long day, and I was looking forward to a hot
shower with my husband before dressing for dinner. We had just rounded the hall
when Maggie and Teresa Anderson met up with us. They were hurried, and both
seemed to be in a tizzy.
“We had a talk with the captain,” Maggie said. “He said he’d
look into it.”
“Yeah, sure,” Teresa added.
They were very unhappy about their conversation with Captain
O’Riley, so I tried to calm them down by saying, “If he said he’d check it out,
he will. He’s always looking out for his passengers. He’s a good captain.”
“I know he’s a busy man,” Maggie went on to say. “But this is
serious. I tried to tell him how dangerous this man is, but he brushed me off.”
“Why don’t we take this to our stateroom?” Billy commanded,
more than asked. “We can talk in private. How about it, ladies?”
The three of us glanced at each other, and then silently
followed Billy to our room. He stuck the card in the slot, opened the door, and
said, “After you.” He waited for us to enter, walked in after us, and then
closed the door.
The drinks I consumed earlier today were wearing off, and I
felt like you do when that happens. I was tired and on the verge of being
cranky. I wanted to shower, dress, and have a good meal. I didn’t want to
listen to two hysterical women, but I did,
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