A Splash of Murder (A Seabreeze Bookshop Cozy Mystery Book 11) by Penny Brooke

Author:Penny Brooke [Brooke, Penny]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2024-01-14T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER NINE

“But I was just in Dimple’s room, and…” I let my words trail off as I took in the news. I didn’t want to think Jenson was “the one.”

Sure, he’d been acting weird. But I could not imagine it was Jenson all up in Helen’s face the first night of the cruise, causing her to shake with terror. Could that have been the same man who’d smiled at her so sweetly from across the sun deck earlier that day, his eyes filled with pride?

I couldn’t picture Jenson, so smooth and capable, as the fumbling towel folder. Making his own penguin (and failing spectacularly at the task) hardly seemed to be a Jenson kind of thing. But, then again, the cruise staff had encouraged all of us to mingle with the paying guests as much as possible, playing bingo, singing karaoke, or whatever.

But records didn’t lie, and it was indeed suspicious that both Jenson and the bully pirate were fans of butterscotch. Especially when I thought about the rage and despair I’d observed in Jenson despite his reassurances that his wife was fine.

“I have news as well,” I said to Andy as we made our way to our connected rooms. “You won’t believe what Precious pulled out from under Dimple’s bed.” As we made it to my room and settled in on my private deck, I also caught him up on Wilbur’s unusual request for “private time” in port the day Helen disappeared.

Andy let out a low whistle as he stared out at the waves. “Everyone looks guilty. What a crazy case.” He stood up from his chair. “Let me head back where I came from and fill in those guys. This is stuff they need to know.” He paused. “And the good news is, I think they finally understand they need to start looking hard at what might be going on.”

“About time,” I said.

“They’ve left a guy in Nassau, who will travel to White Shells and see what he can find.”

“What a relief,” I said. “It’s really not our job, but someone has to act when a woman might be…dead.” I didn’t want to think it. But I was getting such bad vibes from so many people that I was filled with dread.

“Hey, when I’m done with those guys, I think I’m gonna go get some more of that good ice cream. Shall I come get you first?”

“I don’t think so, Andy. Something about a swim with pigs makes me want a nice long shower. And then don’t forget—I have that presentation.”

That is when my phone buzzed with Elizabeth on FaceTime. “Ooh!” I showed the screen to Andy. “I hope she’s calling me to say that the books came in!” I had filled him in on the “call” earlier from Gatsby and the news from home.

Eagerly I hit “Accept,” and there was my furry pal again, his tongue hanging from his mouth while his tail was an ecstatic blur behind him.

“You did it again!” I said, delighted, as Andy threw his head back and laughed.

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