Death on the Aisle by Laura Durham

Author:Laura Durham [Durham, Laura]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Laura Durham

Chapter 27

“The gun is missing,” I said when I found Kate in the hallway outside the gym. I could hear the hiss of the steam jets as I breathed in the faint smell of eucalyptus. I felt a momentary pang of jealousy toward the person relaxing inside the steam room.

“What gun?” Kate’s eyes darted around me. “Has someone been shot?”

“No.” I grasped both of her hands in mine. “The antique gun that was in Mr. Barbery’s study. The really old one.”

Kate narrowed her eyes at me. “I don’t remember a gun.”

I tapped my toe on the carpet. “Did you notice anything in the study aside from Kristie’s father?”

“There’s leather,” she said, “and a desk.”

I forced myself not to roll my eyes. “There are also several artifacts from Mr. Barbery’s career as a wreck diver. One of them was an antique gun, and now it’s missing.”

“What does that mean?” Kate asked. “Should I be worried that someone’s going to try to shoot us with an ancient gun?”

“I don’t think that gun could fire it’s so old and rusted, but it did look heavy. What if it was used to knock the harbormaster over the head?” I said. “Reese mentioned that flakes of rust were found in the harbormaster’s wound.”

Kate made a face. “So someone hit the guy over the head with a heavy old gun and then pushed him overboard?”

“It’s the best explanation we have,” I said, lowering my voice as I heard the door from the steam room open and the hissing of the steam grow louder. I tugged Kate by the arm as I made my way to the staircase at the end of the hall.

“Miss Archer!” The shrill voice stopped me in my tracks.

I slowly turned to find Mrs. Barbery standing in the hall, wrapped in a beige towel, her cleavage spilling over the top. The fragrant steam filled the narrow hall before evaporating into the air. I coughed and concentrated on keeping my eyes averted from her overflowing bosom. “Yes, Mrs. Barbery?”

“I am not happy that there’s a security team on board this ship.” She put a hand to the mass of red curls piled on top of her head.

“It’s really for the protection of everyone on board—,” I began.

Mrs. Barbery cut me off with a snap of her fingers. “It’s an inconvenience and a nuisance, and it’s the last thing I need during an already stressful time.”

I swallowed hard. I wasn’t sure why she was so stressed since it wasn’t even her wedding. And if she was stressed by a few inconspicuous men patrolling the ship, she really wouldn’t be happy when the cops arrived to question everyone about the dead crew member. “We’re doing all we can to ensure that the wedding goes off without a hitch.”

She took a step toward me. “Well, it’s not enough.”

“It’s enough for me and they’re my wedding planners.” Kristie came down the staircase behind us.

I turned to see her wearing black yoga pants and a lavender T-shirt with a yin-yang symbol on the front.

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