Read Online Haunted Destiny by Heather Graham - Free Book Online

regarding Alexi Cromwell.
    â€œStay close to Ms. Cromwell,” Jackson told him. “She might be our key.”
    Key to insanity! Jude thought. But there was no point in saying anything else.
    He’d been dismissed.
    â€œGood night, Jackson,” he said as he stepped into the deserted hallway.
    The ship was quiet for the night, although somewhere, members of the crew were still working.
    He prayed that a killer wasn’t doing so, as well.
    * * *
    â€œAt least we’ve narrowed down the possible number of needles in a haystack,” Jackson said. He sipped from a steaming mug of coffee. Jude had met him at the café on the Promenade Deck. There were a number of tables, spread out a fair distance apart. It was a great area for people-watching, while carrying on a conversation without being overheard.
    That morning they were attired in outfits acquired on board. Jude was in navy blue board shorts and a short-sleeved flower-patterned cotton shirt; Jackson wore khakis and a T-shirt with an image of Janice Joplin on the front. Jude figured they looked like the tourists they were pretending to be—or perhaps “bigwigs” disguised as tourists...
    Jude nodded as they both studied their phones.
    Their task had been made easier than it might have been. Computer programs had allowed tech support workers at the home office to narrow down who, of the several thousand crew and passengers, had been where when. With the majority of the passengers, it must have been pretty straightforward. They’d been in their home states working—until it was time for their vacations. With those who traveled for work, the task was somewhat harder. Their movements had to be traced through hotel and restaurant bills. Same with those who were independently wealthy.
    Big Brother might not always be watching—mainly because Big Brother wasn’t interested most of the time, Jude thought wryly—but Big Brother was capable of a great deal of research.
    â€œAngela went through every report personally,” Jackson explained, perusing the list. “She’s meticulous.”
    â€œYour wife, right? Unusual that you’re in the same unit,” Jude said. There was no problem with agents being partners or married, but they were generally required to be in separate units.
    Jackson glanced up. “It’s different with the Krewe. Angela and I met when the Krewe of Hunters was first formed. The unofficial name is the Krewe because, as I’m sure you’ve assumed, our first case was in New Orleans.”
    â€œYes, of course. I know about that,” Jude said.
    Jackson returned to studying the list on his phone.
    Jude studied his own list. Jackson Crow didn’t act as if he wished he’d managed to have one of his own people on this case.
    But neither did he see him as a particularly valuable asset. Or at least that was what Jude sensed.
    â€œSo the possible suspects,” Jackson began.
    â€œPassengers Roger Antrim and Hank Osprey,” Jude said.
    â€œAnd we have an interesting list of entertainers.” Jackson took another sip of his coffee. “Larry Hepburn, Ralph Martini, Simon Green—and head of entertainment, Bradley Wilcox.” He nodded at Jude. “Your friend from the piano bar should be able to help us as far as the entertainers go.”
    For a moment Jude wished he had real printouts—paper he could actually write on, the old-fashioned way—and wasn’t working on his cell phone. He refrained from saying so to Jackson.
    â€œEveryone on this list could have been in each city where the murders took place,” Jackson went on. “These are the entertainers who were between contracts. As far as the two passengers go, both are businessmen with deep pockets. And judging by the number of times they’ve sailed on Celtic American ships, there’s every chance they were in the port cities where the previous victims were