Page 51 of The Situation Ship
Poppy remembered that the captain had slipped away from the performance. That explained where she’d gone, but was it really a storm warning?
“So you aren’t going to do anything? Just going to chalk this up to my imagination?” If they didn’t believe her, she would discover the truth. Talking to them was a waste of time.
“We’ve no evidence of this guest even boarding the ship. The cameras sadly couldn’t offer anything, so there is no reason for us to investigate further– no body, no crime.” Tight Bun’s partner dismissed them. “I suggest you and Ms Roe return to your suite for the night and get some rest. I’m sure things will feel clearer in the morning. Or, if you insist on pressing the issue, we can take you to the medical wing to be assessed.”
To be assessed?Poppy opened her mouth to argue, but Isaiah held her close to his side. She glared at him, and he shook his head.
“Thank you for your help; it’s been an exhausting evening, and some rest will help us relax,” he said calmly. Poppy wished she was as good as him at bullshitting.
“Goodnight, then. We hope you enjoy the rest of your voyage,” Tight Bun said pointedly.
“Fuck you too,” Poppy hissed with a forced smile. She stormed out of the lounge and back into the cool night air to try and calm herself down. If she looked at their dismissive faces a second longer, she would end up locked up in the belly of the ship.
“You really are more vinegar than honey, aren’t you,” Isaiah said, following her to the observation deck, where she had left her shoes.
“It wouldn’t have mattered if I lathered them in maple syrup and licked them clean – they weren’t going to listen to me,” Poppy said, heading to the lounger she’d been sitting on.
“Now, that’s an image I’m not going to be able to get out of my head in a hurry. But I don’t think you can lather maple syrup,” Isaiah pointed out, following her.
“Can you stop being so logical for one minute? Where the hell were you when I needed you?” she shot back.
“I tried to reach you during the stampede, but one of the guests got trampled right in front of me. I had to help him out before he got crushed. After that, security wouldn’t let me back in. When I tried to resist, they cuffed me and called First Mate Davide,” Isaiah explained. “I didn’t even know Calliope had died until he told me she was supposed to perform as a special guest during the final act. Her body had already been taken away, and Davide questioned me about what had happened. He took me to her dressing room as a second set of eyes and warned me the only way I was getting out of the cuffs to get to you was to help.” He shook his head. “Calliope’s dressing room was a mess. There was a bloody hairpin that we think was used to pierce her jugular. When Davide finally released me, you were already gone. I tracked your bracelet and found you in cuffs.”
“Who would’ve thought a night at the opera would end with us both in handcuffs?” Poppy said, searching each row of loungers for her missing shoes.
“What happened after the theatre?” he asked, eager to hear her side of the story.
Poppy told him how she tried to help Calliope. She swallowed hard, trying to block out the memory of her fading eyes. “I followed Joshua outside, and found him in the jacuzzi. I think someone stabbed him.”
“Joshua and Calliope were working together?”
“I think so, but from the recording, it sounded like she didn’t know he was onboard.”
“Maybe she heard he’d boarded the ship and thought he’d changed his mind about their plans, so she wanted to meet up,” Isaiah reasoned.
“Pretending not to board certainly gives him a great alibi,” Poppy said, “but it doesn’t matter now if he’s dead. I tried to ask him who was behind all this, but he wasn’t making any sense.”
“If we assume that Calliope and Joshua are dead, then whoever’s behind the scheme to kill you is cleaning house. They clearly don’t want to leave any traces.”
“But shouldn’t they do thatafterkilling me?”
“Unless whoever is behind this wants you to know they’re coming.”
“That’s a comforting thought,” Poppy said sarcastically.
“Still don’t think it could be your ex-manager?”
She shook her head. “I think he was just the middleman. He wanted money from Calliope and intended to use Joshua as a scapegoat. I believe someone hired Dug to put the pieces in place because there’s no way he’s smart enough to pull this off, and he wouldn’t want to get his hands dirty.”
“Is there anyone you can think of that connects to each person– not just those on theMidasbut in the file I showed you?”
Her stomach sank as he brought up that damned file again.“Yes,” she sighed.
“Who?” He placed his hands on her shoulders, looking directly into her eyes.
“Me.”
“But you didn’t kill Patrice, Calliope and Joshua.”
