Danger on the Atlantic by Erica Ruth Neubauer

Author:Erica Ruth Neubauer [Neubauer, Erica Ruth]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2022-01-13T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

We headed to the first-class lounge, where I could see that the band was setting up for the evening. Redvers ordered our drinks at the bar while I scanned the crowd. There was no one I recognized—of course, I hadn’t met many other travelers other than Naumann and the Goulds, and Eloise and her sister were most likely spending their evening in the dining lounge where the captain had said the entertainment was being held. They were welcome to it.

Redvers brought our drinks to the small table I managed to snag near the back. Even in a large room full of people it felt somewhat private, but perhaps that was because I was the recipient of Redvers’ warm and undivided attention. My cheeks flushed a bit under his thoughtful gaze, but I took a sip of my gin rickey and pointed my thoughts toward the issue at hand. I had the opportunity to run through some questions with Redvers and I was going to use it.

“If Vanessa’s husband was never on the manifest, how was he on board at all when we left?”

“That’s a good question. But I think the first thing we need to establish is who made the travel arrangements. You’ll have to ask Vanessa about that when she wakes up. It’s entirely possible that Van de Meter made them in her name.”

“That would make sense. It would explain her confusion about the rooms.” I sipped at my drink. “And it would mean that he planned this from the very beginning. But where is he? Neither she nor I have seen him anywhere on board. I know the crew haven’t exactly done a thorough job of searching for the man, but I think he would have been found by someone if he was stowed away somewhere.”

“I think you’re correct there. It’s likely he would have been discovered by now.”

“Unless he was staying in the other suite,” I said. It would have been the perfect hiding place, especially if Vanessa didn’t know both suites were in her name.

Redvers and I exchanged a long look. “But now that we know about it, he can’t use that room anymore. So where would he have gone?” We were obviously going to search the suite Vanessa had been moved out of, and the man had to realize the room would eventually be looked at once Vanessa’s things were moved. To complete the ruse, the other room had to appear completely unoccupied.

“Unless he got off when we docked at Cherbourg. But wouldn’t someone have seen him?”

“The docks are awfully busy. It’s possible that he could have slipped away. But I agree. It’s unlikely that no one saw him disembark.”

“And then who moved her things from one suite to another? I can’t imagine her maid pulling off such a ruse. And why would she?”

Redvers nodded. “Unless she’s being paid to do so. But if he is no longer on board, she would have been paid in advance, with little incentive to go through with such a cruel trick.

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