Page 47 of The Situation Ship
“Mina. If she was willing to help you get rid of Joshua, then she’d have no problem helping you with something as trivial as searching my things,” Isaiah said.
“Has anyone ever told you that you’re paranoid?” She didn’t admit to already having checked his belongings when he was in the shower.
“Yes, but I’ve always had good reason to be,” Isaiah said. “If you had nothing to do with these three victims, then perhaps you can give me more insight into their lives.”
“If I did, you wouldn’t care so much about finding the killer,” Poppy muttered.“If you know the truth about them, then you’d close the case.”
“Sounds like there was no love lost between you.”
“I can say I haven’t lost sleep after hearing about their passing,” Poppy admitted. “Does that make me a monster?”
“I don’t think you’re a monster,” Isaiah said, “I just want the truth. I want to know why bodies keep dropping around you before more die.”
“It’s a good thing you don’t think I’m a monster, because what would that make you, having kissed me? Having wanted me? You thought I was a suspect, yet you couldn’t help but get close to me.” Poppy leaned in. “Do you usually get so close to those you investigate?”
“I’m sorry—”
“For what? Accusing me of murder or kissing me?” she asked, getting off the bar stool to stand between his legs. “For telling me you’d protect me while secretly investigating me?”
Isaiah ran his hands through his hair. Clearly, this conversation wasn’t going the way he hoped. Had he expected that after some flirting and heavy petting, she would roll over and reveal all her secrets, expose her demons? He was a fool.
“I don’t know what happened between you and the victims, but I know that someone is after you. I don’t know if these cases are connected to what’s happening on board, but my gut is telling me you’re hiding something. Tell me, before you or anyone else is hurt.”
Poppy’s heart sank. She hated herself for thinking he was on her side, that he was in her corner. Like everyone else, he had lied and concealed his true desires. She shoved him away as he tipped her chin to meet his gaze. He thought she was a monster, and he was right.
“The only thing I’m telling you is to go back to the suite. I don’t want to look at you right now,” she told him, trying not to let Isaiah see the tears in her eyes.
“Regardless of my investigation, it’s my job to ensure you’re safe. Even if you can’t trust me and don’t want to confide in me, it’s my job to stop you from getting hurt,” Isaiah said, but shecouldn’t trust his words. Was he only proclaiming to care about her safety to encourage her to reveal her secrets?
“I don’t want to confide in you, because if I told you what you so desperately want to know, you wouldn’t look at me the same way. Just leave me alone,” she snapped, hating how hurt she sounded. How could a man she hardly knew hurt her far more than those she’d known for years?
“I’m not leaving you here, and you aren’t going anywhere without me.”
“What will you do if I try to leave? Arrest me? Oh, that’s right – you can’t. Don’t worry about remaining professional or keeping me safe. I wouldn’t want you to burden yourself with protecting a monster a moment longer.”
“Poppy, I’ve never thought you were a monster—”
She cut him off. “Just a murderer.”
He swallowed.
She backed away, desperate for some space.“You’re fired.”
Isaiah reached for her, but a cacophony of screams broke out behind them.
The theatre door was thrown open. Guests came rushing out, some crying while others looked ashen, just focusing on escape. The crowd separated Poppy and Isaiah. Her gut told her to run in the opposite direction of whatever had terrorised the audience. Still, the timing – thinking she saw Joshua, the captain being pulled away before the performance – she had to see with her own eyes.
“What happened?” she asked, stopping Scott as he tried to get past her.
“We thought it was part of the final act, but the actors started screaming. The blood – I think she’s dead!” Scott shoved past her, turning a shade of green.
“Who’s dead?” Poppy asked another guest, who ignored her.
She’d lost sight of Isaiah, but she didn’t have time to think about him, not when there was another potential murder. There was only so much time before security arrived and sealed off the scene, and the captain covered up another murder. Poppy struggled through the crowd and climbed the stairs to the stage, already empty of actors.
A limp body sat on a throne wearing a porcelain mask. Poppy could see a trickle of blood still flowing from beneath the gold collar, coating the front of the cream toga identical to the ones the other dancers had been wearing.She lifted the collar, only to drop it quickly when blood spurted out. An artery had been pierced by something sharp. She left the collar where it was to try and slow the bleeding.
Steadying her nerves, she placed her hand on the woman’s wrist to check for a pulse. It was there but faint. Hoping to help the poor dancer breathe, Poppy pulled off her mask.
