Gone in a Flash (2 page)

Samantha was furious with her husband, but she clamped her lips shut and allowed him to lead her away without another word.

As they entered the dining hall, she pulled him to the side and rounded on him. “I’m not crazy, Connor, I know what I saw.”

“I didn’t say you were crazy. I believe you.”

“Oh.” She frowned. “Then why did you drag me out of there?”

“Because going in full speed ahead wasn’t going to work with those guys.”

Sam reached up to run a hand through her hair. “You’re right.”

“Thank you.”

“But I know there’s a dead man on this ship somewhere,” she insisted.

“And I believe you. But without the body, there’s nothing the cruise line is going to do. Let’s talk about it over lunch and see if we can come up with some kind of plan to find this disappearing body. Jenna’s in there waiting on us.” His frown matched hers. “Did you know she and Bradley broke up?”

Sam felt her eyebrows shoot north. “She’s finally talking about it?”

“So you knew?” He felt wounded. And yet glad Jenna could talk to Samantha.

“Yes.”

“Figures.” He looked at Andy. “Come on, buddy, you and I are going to go have our own private conversation and we’re not going to tell the girls, okay?”

“Okay, Daddy.”

In spite of all the drama of the past hour or so, Sam couldn’t stop the smile that tugged her lips at her men’s exchange. Back in the dining area, they found Jenna nursing a cup of coffee.

“You guys okay?” she asked.

“Just great.” Sam dropped into the booth beside Jenna.

Connor slid Andy onto the seat next to her.

“I’ll grab the food,” Connor offered. “You can stay here.”

Still disgruntled about the whole incident and unable to get the picture of the wounded—and probably now dead—man out of her mind, Samantha simply nodded.

Her eyes scanned the crowd. Was the murderer even now sitting down to eat lunch as though nothing had happened? She shuddered.
God, we just wanted a little family vacation.

But maybe God had placed them on this ship for a reason.

“Hey, after we eat, you want me to take Andy swimming?” Jenna asked. “You and Dad can hang out or do whatever.”

Samantha flashed her stepdaughter a genuine smile. “That would be great.”

Only she and Connor wouldn’t just be hanging out, they’d be looking for a murderer.

“Is that the kid?”

“Yep.”

“Can you kill a kid? Because I can’t. There’s no way I’m killing a kid.”

“We don’t need to kill him. Just . . . use him for a while.”

And yes, he could kill a kid.

Jenna watched Andy splash in the shallow end of the pool. He grinned and used his left hand to shove the swimmie on his right bicep up a little farther. She shifted on her seat and adjusted her sunglasses.

But she couldn’t help noticing that the man to her left kept staring in her direction. She refused to acknowledge that he was starting to make her nervous.

Seems like she remembered seeing him as they boarded the ship.

Maybe.

Chills crawled up her arms and she shivered.

Connor saw the look on his wife’s face and knew she was planning something. Probably something he didn’t want to know about but wouldn’t be able to ignore. Because he was determined to be involved every step of the way.

“So,” he said. “What’s the plan?”

Her attempt at an innocent look didn’t work. She gave it up and said, “I want to find that body.” She tapped her fingers against her lips. “Where would you stash a body on a cruise ship?”

“I have no idea.”

“I wish I had my crime scene processing equipment. I’d go over that bathroom and the area right outside of it.”

“The area’s been compromised by now,” Connor stated. “But we could still watch those tapes.”

Samantha didn’t waste any time in agreeing with him. “Come on.”

After a quick question to one of the staff, they headed for the security office.

All it took was a flash of Connor’s badge and they were in. Officer Ponder looked a bit put out at their presence, but he didn’t argue. Motioning them over to the middle of the room, he waved a hand at the monitors. “This is the camera you want. The one facing the restroom. I’ve been going through the video and this is what I’ve got.”

He pressed the button.

“Sir?” A young officer approached. “We’ve got a situation near the pool. Young girl with a kid says someone tried to grab the little boy.”

Connor snapped to attention and looked at Sam. “Jenna?”

Samantha went white. “Andy!”

Connor bolted for the door. Samantha and Officer Ponder pounded after him. Her heart thudded. A cold sweat broke over her skin and all she could do was pray,
Please God, not my baby
. Her mind flashed back to when he was six months old. He’d been kidnapped by a serial killer and she’d thought her life would end. They bypassed the elevator and took the stairs two at a time, up nine floors. Adrenaline spurred her on even as her legs threatened to give out.

Dread and terror mingled through her. There was no way she would survive it if Andy disappeared again. The thought gave her strength to rush on.

They pushed past people, the head of security blowing on a whistle to alert those in front of them. The crowd parted and soon she found herself on the pool deck.

Shoving the glass door open, her gaze immediately went to the kiddie pool.

And landed on Jenna sitting on a lounge chair with Andy in her lap. Samantha skidded to a halt, her knees suddenly weak, her breathing came in pants.

Connor grasped her upper arms and she leaned in to him. He stumbled, then caught himself. She realized his own legs might be feeling pretty shaky.

“He’s safe, he’s fine,” she whispered.

“We overreacted?” Connor huffed.

“I don’t know, but . . . I don’t want to go . . . rushing up and scaring them to death. Let me get my breath . . . and we can see what’s going on.”

“Good idea.”

The security officer followed their lead and stood quietly, waiting.

Finally, Samantha gathered herself together enough to walk over. “Jenna, is everything all right?” Her arms ached to snatch Andy into them, to smell his sun-drenched, chlorine-bathed little body. But she resisted.

The girl looked up and Sam belatedly noticed the young security officer had moved to stand next to Jenna and Andy. Jenna’s chin jutted and she narrowed her eyes. “Someone tried to grab Andy.”

Fear fluttered in her stomach as Andy reached for Connor. “Daddy. Hold me.”

Connor did and Sam could see the relief winning out over the fear.

“Tell me everything,” he demanded.

“Andy was playing in the water. The next thing I know, he’s hollering and some guy has him and is trying to hold on to him.” A satisfied glint came into her eyes. “Andy was squirming pretty good, and with all of the sunscreen I put on him, I guess he was a little slippery. Andy slid right out of his hands and landed back in the pool. I ran toward them and the guy took off.” Her face dropped. “I’ve never been so scared in my life.”

Andy still clutched his little truck. He ran it over his father’s head and said, “Vroom!” Then giggled.

Samantha patted his little back. “Well, he doesn’t seem terribly upset about the ordeal, but we’re going to have to keep a close eye on him. Closer than usual.”

“Why would someone try to take your boy?”

The question came from her left and she realized Officer Ponder had been listening and taking notes.

Samantha narrowed her eyes at the man. “I don’t know. Maybe it has something to do with the disappearing dead man. Whoever killed him obviously didn’t want him found. But he knows Andy and I saw him.”

“So he kidnaps Andy, threatens him if you say anything else . . .” Connor said.

“Or wants me to recant my story,” she said.

“I’ll talk with the captain,” Officer Ponder said softly. “We’ll search the ship and see if we can find anything.”

His sudden cooperative spirit sent Sam’s brows north. “You believe me?”

“It’s not that I didn’t believe you before, but with no evidence . . .” He spread his hands in a gesture that asked for their understanding. “You’re asking me to search people’s personal space. To check each and every stateroom, explain that something is wrong on the ship. I must be very careful how I approach that and I must have a good reason for it.”

Sam mulled that over and her eyes met Connor’s. The man was right. “All right. I get that. I’m thinking the body wouldn’t have been stashed in a stateroom. They’re cleaned every day, right?”

“Yes, of course.”

“So, my suggestion is to search every place that isn’t well-traveled. Staff-only areas.”

“What if he tossed him overboard?” Connor murmured.

Sam thought about that. “No. There are too many people. That’s a big risk. Even from a stateroom balcony, I would think that would be too risky.”

Officer Ponder nodded. “Fine. I will gather my staff and instruct them where to search.”

Connor asked, “Could we have a look at the blueprints of the ship?”

The officer’s brow rose. “A most unusual request.”

“And I wouldn’t make it if I didn’t think I could help.”

“I will have to clear it with the captain, but I’m sure he’ll say yes, and I will welcome your help.”

Sam was a little surprised at the easy capitulation, but apparently once the man decided to take action, he liked to delegate. Which would work well for her and Connor.

After making sure the guard would stay with Andy and Jenna, Samantha and Connor followed Officer Ponder back to the security office. He pulled out the blueprints and lay them across the desk.

Connor looked at the massive sheets. “This is going to take forever.”

Samantha agreed. “We’ve got to figure out a better way.”

“I will have security on each floor start covering the staff-only areas of the ship.” He turned and picked up the radio that would allow him to speak to every security officer at once.

While he did that, Samantha studied the blueprints. “Where would you stash him?” she asked Connor.

“Somewhere out of the way, somewhere that would allow the ship’s operations to continue without interruption and with no chance of him being found.”

“And someplace where he wouldn’t cause a stink.”

Connor’s eyes met hers. “A freezer.”

“It would have to be.” She pulled out her phone and started snapping pictures of the blueprints, going in a specific pattern so she would know which picture was what.

“And why wouldn’t you just leave him in the bathroom to die? Why hide him when you knew someone saw him?”

“The killer doesn’t want the ship to stop. Doesn’t want an investigation.”

“So, this may not be just some random killing. Someone is dead because he was going to blow the whistle on something?”

“Possibly. We need to account for every passenger on this ship.”

“You’re talking over five thousand people.” Connor sighed. “So we need the passenger list too.”

“Let’s check out the freezers. Then we can concentrate on the passengers.”

“Sounds like a plan.”

Connor turned to Officer Ponder. “Do you mind giving me an all-access key?”

The man reached in his pocket. “I figured that would be the next thing you would ask for.” He handed the small card to Connor.

Connor thanked him, then said to Samantha, “Come on, let’s get started.”