In the Black (13 page)

“But still, there it is. She saw competition where there was none and lived her life in constant conflict.”

Daniel took a bite of his own cookie. “You’re quite a philosopher, Mr. Harrison.”

His blue eyes twinkled. “Well, I am Irish. Not by birth but by blood.”

“You’re also the medic on board. You treated April after she found the body.”

“I did.” Sean gave him a sly look. “Ah. Now you’re wondering if I’m a drug pusher and Halley fell into my evil clutches? I’m some sort of evil genius scientist mastermind plying my secret drug trade on the
Belle?
”

Daniel couldn’t help chuckling at the wording.

“Marshal, I’m a hack. I only have the cheapest of supplies provided by the Guild. I’m not allowed to add to it and whatever I use I have to account for. The strongest we have is a mild tranq, something the ladies use when they get muscle aches and pains, maybe cramps—that’s what I gave April. Belle’s got the best stuff on board with that knock-out gas.” He nodded toward the wall. “Halley never came to me with so much as a headache. She tried to stay away from any medication from what I knew of her.”

“And your equipment?”

Sean laughed. “Personal? Well, I like to think—”

“Your medical equipment,” Daniel quickly said. “Scalpels, needles, that sort of thing.”

“Oh.” Sean frowned. “Not much there, I’m sorry to say. Plenty of bandages and nothing else, nothing with an edge. Standard Guild supplies, as I said. We do land at a base every two weeks so the Guild assumes we’ll survive with what we have until then.”

“And if there’s an emergency?”

“In theory Sam could call for assistance from any ship nearby and they’d be compelled to respond for a medical emergency,” Sean said. “Same as it’s always been.”

“I see.” Daniel mentally struck a line through Sean’s name. “Do you have any idea who would want to kill her?”

Sean drank the last of his tea. “No idea, Marshal. No idea.”

* * *

Dane Morris’s quarters were decorated in a sports theme, with a miniature boxing ring set around the bed in the client’s room. The sports posters dotting the walls bragged of his victories before he’d joined the Guild.

He’d taken Daniel on the grand tour before returning to the negotiation table with two tubes of energy water, the orange liquid almost glowing with the additional minerals and vitamins.

He didn’t turn the gravity on.

“Why do this?” Daniel couldn’t hold back the obvious question. “You had a good start, if I recall correctly. Came on the circuit, burst out and grabbed a few belts, and then you disappeared off the charts.”

“You’re a fan?” Dane couldn’t hold back the wide smile.

“I followed your career.” Daniel chose his words carefully. “It wasn’t hard. You came out of nowhere and rocked the boat, took a few lumps but handed out more.” He waved at the front hatch. “So what brought you here?”

“Manager stole all my money and spent it on whores and drugs. Same old story, never changes.” He growled. “Son of a bitch was my uncle. I figured if you couldn’t trust family, who can you trust? Guess what—can’t trust family. Or mine, at least.” The blond muscleman scratched the back of his head. “Bastard got us audited when the books looked a little funny to the taxman, and I found out I had nothing. Not even enough to pay to stay registered for the games and try to make the money back. They tossed his ass in prison and cut me loose.” He spread his hands and smiled, showing off perfect white teeth. “Decided to make my money without risking my pretty face.”

Daniel didn’t offer his opinion on Dane’s appearance. “What did you think of Halley?”

“She was a stupid c—” He stopped, seeing the disapproving expression on Daniel’s face. “The woman was trouble. Bad enough she was screwing one of our own—she kept stealing my customers too. Offered them threesomes with Bianca off the books.” Dane waved his hands. “Off the books as in not on the official listing of what we offer on the sheet they fill out when they make reservations.”

“Is that illegal?”

“Not if you clear it with the Guild first. They’ll take anything you’re willing to do as long as they get their cut. They just don’t want that sort of thing going public, get some of those tight-assed folks all riled up. They don’t need more ammo to hate us, you know?” He glanced toward the hatch. “Damned shame she got herself killed but I ain’t going to shed more tears for her than she deserved. And that wasn’t a lot.”

* * *

Daniel rubbed his eyes as he exited Morris’s cabin. Three interviews down. He had a better idea of what the crew of the
Belle
was all about, but not much else.

He reached down and tapped the sides of his boots. Without the magnets activated he floated upward, just enough to take the pressure off his knees. There was something to be said for zero-g, especially when it came to aching joints. He needed more workout time at the portable gym on the
Razor’s Edge
.

“Hey.”

Daniel’s hand flew down toward his sidearm. The young blonde woman staring down at him from an overhead vent smiled and waved.

“Hey,” he replied. “Let me guess. Jenny Bonaventure?”

She nodded. “How’s it going?”

“Fine.” Daniel glanced around the empty corridor. “You get around, don’t you?”

“It’s my job to.” The mechanic stayed in the square opening, only her head and shoulders visible. “Got to keep things running.”

“You got a moment to chat?” He hadn’t intended to interview the mechanic so soon but he wasn’t going to pass up an opportunity.

“Sure. Come on up.” Jenny waved him toward the ceiling. “We can get to my room from here easy. Just don’t get stuck.” She laughed and backed into the darkness.

He took hold of one of the straps and pulled himself up into the vent. Etts gave a cautionary beep as the narrow walls closed around him.

“Go down at the first intersection. Head for the light,” Jenny called from somewhere to his right. “One turn and you’re there.”

He wasn’t one for claustrophobia but Daniel gained a new appreciation for ship mechanics as he floated and crawled along the vent, using metal handholds to pull himself along.

“Here.” Jenny’s hand poked up through a lit square.

Daniel pulled himself down into a small room, slightly smaller than his own back on the
Razor
. He was somewhere under the courtesans’ quarters in the
Belle’s
undercarriage.

Jenny smiled at him. “Welcome to my home.”

Images of spaceships plastered the walls—luxurious liners carrying tourists out to the Rim and back, small scout ships not unlike his own darting over the white panels, expensive private yachts and tiny racing crafts.

“Can I get you anything to drink?” she asked.

“Oh, no.” He patted his stomach. “Any more courtesy and I’ll burst. You’re quite the fan, hmm?” He waved at the walls.

She nodded. “I love good ships. I’d like to work on one of those liners, get my hands on those huge engines.” She pulled an oil-stained rag from a pocket and wiped her hands. “Get me some more experience on the
Belle
and then I’ll apply. Only the best get to work on those ships.”

“Not searching for Prince Charming?”

“Only if he drives one of these.” Jenny pointed at the pictures and then laughed. “And then it’ll depend on his horsepower.”

Daniel settled himself against a wall, trying not to press against the taped pictures. “So you can get around this ship pretty easily.”

“The
Belle’s
a complicated craft.” Jenny sat on an imaginary chair. “Every inch, every foot’s got stuff packed into her. One thing goes wrong and it dominoes all over the place. I need to get there fast and fix ’er up before it gets serious.”

“These tunnels—any of them go into the private quarters?”

She frowned. “No way. The Guild built these ships. No way they’d want people like me sneaking in and watching.”

“Would you?”

“Not a chance.” Jenny laughed. “I’m an old-fashioned girl, Marshal. I like my sex sweet and romantic, not paid by the hour. Don’t get me wrong, I love the crew, but it’s not for me.”

“How about Halley? How did you feel about her?”

Jenny rolled her head from side to side before answering. “Marshal, all the women here got their good sides and bad sides. I usually only see their bad sides, when they need something fixed right away and I have to explain to them they gotta wait in line.” She pointed at the wall. “Halley wasn’t so bad. I’ve seen worse on the
Belle
over the years.”

“I can imagine.”

“No.” Jenny shook her head, surprising Daniel. “You can’t. This ship is a living, breathing thing and she takes priority over clogged toilets or lube stains on dresses or shoe heels being glued back on. Most of them don’t get that.” A soft smile appeared. “Kendra’s pretty good about things, though. And Sam. She helps me out when she can, more than the last captain did.”

Daniel looked around the sparse decorations. “Do you have a workshop, some place where you keep your tools?”

“Not here.” Jenny motioned upward at the door they’d entered by. “The
Belle
has small tool lockers spread around so I don’t have to drag wrenches and pliers all over the place.” She stared at him. “You think I killed Halley?”

“I’m collecting statements right now, that’s all.” He didn’t want to tell her she’d been cleared by the
Belle
. She was replacing some bad wiring at the approximate time Halley had been killed. “But if you were me who would you suspect?”

“Ooh. That’s a tough one.” She scratched the back of her head. “I can’t say. I mean, they’re all yelling at each other one minute and the next they’re trading outfits. Not my world, you know? Don’t think I can help you there.”

“No problem.” Daniel looked up at the hatch. “Time for me to get back to work.” He smiled. “Thanks for the break. You’re a welcome change from dealing with the others.” He pointed up at the ceiling and the courtesans above them.

Jenny laughed. “It’s a strange world, Marshal. We can peek in and I can wash their sheets and Sam can run the
Belle,
but it’s something we won’t ever be totally allowed into, you know?”

* * *

April Osano answered her door wearing a cream-colored kimono with cherry blossoms sprinkled over the delicate fabric. She waved Daniel to a seat and offered him green tea, allowing him to look around the room as she went through the preparation.

Osano was a registered BDSM mistress but he couldn’t tell it from the delicate flower arrangement on the table. The items of her trade would be in the back, hidden from plain view.

She placed the two tiny cups on the table, the teapot between them. A second later she took her seat opposite him, the fabric flowing around her.

Taking hold of the delicate china pot, April poured out a thin stream of almost colorless tea into Daniel’s cup.

She filled her own up and placed the pot down to one side, leaving the table space between them clear.

Daniel studied the cup. Off-white with a tiny pink flower painted on the side.

“Thank you. Are you feeling up to talking right now?” He startled himself with the sound of his own voice breaking the silence.

“I’m well enough. It was a shock, I won’t deny it.” She nodded as he placed the black box on the table between them. “And I know my rights, so please—I’m ready to give my statement.”

“Thank you.” Daniel took a sip from the delicate cup first. “Lovely drink.”

She bowed her head in acknowledgement.

This wasn’t the strong British tea he’d drunk with Sean. This was a slightly bitter-tasting tea that reminded him of the aches and pains of life.

Which was exactly what it was supposed to do.

No courtesan ever did anything without purpose. Not the good ones, and Osano was a good one.

She took a tiny sip of tea.

He almost hated to start the questioning.

“You’re an accomplished martial artist.”

It was an understatement. She was a one-woman army according to her resume, and he knew the Guild was a stickler for honesty in detailing their courtesans’ skills. No exaggeration here.

April nodded. “That’s true. But I wouldn’t ever use my skills to kill another person, much less one of our own.”

Her dark hair was pulled back into a tight bun, two pale pink chopsticks sticking out. For a second Daniel imagined her attacking someone with them.

“Halley was... complicated. Youth is wasted on the young, as the saying goes.” April sipped her tea.

“Do you know anyone who had a grudge against her?”

She poured the last of the tea into their cups, draining the tiny pot. “Marshal, everyone loves a Mercy girl.”

“Obviously not everyone.” The dregs of the green tea were even more bitter than the first sips.

“Obviously. As for whether you should have me on the suspect list or not—I am sworn to not use my skills against another. That includes killing someone.”

“You found the body. Or you say you did.”

The mask slipped a fraction. “I came to ask her if she wanted to share lunch.”

“Your competition? Do you expect me to believe that bullshit?”

The word seemed more profane in the tranquil atmosphere.

“What?”

“Don’t screw with me, Osano. You went to her quarters and killed her before calling for help. What was it—did she steal one of your regulars? Did she decide to expand her expertise and start paddling asses for more money?”

“What I do—”

Daniel waved his hand. “What you do is give the client what he wants, I know that. But you’re getting older and Halley was searching for more clients. Maybe she decided to add another specialty to her list and you didn’t like the idea of competition.”

“Fuck no,” she snarled, letting the mask drop. “That little bitch couldn’t do half the stuff I do and wouldn’t be able to pull it off. All she was good for was straight fucking and number-crunching.”

Daniel drank the tea, pleased to see her real face.

April laughed—not a low twitter as he’d expected a few minutes ago but a deep belly laugh. “You got me, Marshal. Got under my skin.” She wagged a finger at him. “But I still didn’t kill Halley.”