Page 18 of Transatlantic Terror Cruise

A spike of heat bisects my stomach when he calls me his wife. I can’t help it, the title is still new, and—oh, who am I kidding? That will never get old.

“Ransom,” Wes growls.

“Wes,” Ransom growls back. “I’m the trained professional here. Need I remind you I was in the FBI and I’m a licensed private detective. The rest of my men are prolific in nothing more than nabbing a shoplifter. There is a killer on this ship, in the event you’ve forgotten. They are dangerous. They’ve already ended one life. What’s to say they won’t end another? What’s to say it won’t be your life on the line once you start sniffing around?”

Wes tips his head back and closes his eyes. “Let me work with you, then. At least that way there’s a chance of catching them twice as fast. Quinn was medevacked off the ship this morning. I’m all you got.”

I clear my throat. “I may have apprehended the last almost dozen killers we’ve had on theEmerald Queen. With a little help from you, of course.” I nod in Ransom’s direction.

“Hear that?” Wes chuckles. “It was a little help. Very little, if I recall correctly.”

“Not even true by a longshot,” Ransom counters as he looks my way. “You apprehended them all on your own, Trixie. I would never try to take credit for that. I was simply there to land them in cuffs.” He sighs hard. “You’re good at what you do. Wes and I both know that. But Wes and I both want you safe as well.”

I sniff at the thought. “Believe me, I’d like to remain safe as can be.” I run my finger over the rim of my coffee mug. “And since my safety and that of the passengers is on the line, why don’t you two let me in on your investigation? Going along with your point, Wes, with the three of us working together we might just solve this case three times as fast. What could be better than that?”

Ransom frowns. “Me—going at it alone.”

Wes shakes his head. “You meanmeworking with you.”

“Don’t forget me,” I say, raising a hand slightly.

Ransom’s phone pings and he sighs at the screen. “I’ve gotta run. There’s an entire slew of messages piling up from the local authorities.” He tips his head toward Wes. “I’ll need you to speak with a few of the investigators with me.”

“I’m all yours,” he tells him.

Ransom lands a kiss on my lips. “And I’m all yours as soon as I’m done. Try not to nab a killer without me.”

I cross my heart with a laugh.

“Speaking of killers”—Wes says as they both rise from their seats—“have any apparitions appeared ready to toss their ghostly hat in the ring when it comes to solving this thing?”

An entire reel of last night’s supernatural surveillance flashes through my mind, complete with Sassy’s running commentary and enthusiastic applause. She really does know how to cheer us on at just the right moments.

“We’ll talk later,” I say, wrinkling my nose as they both take off with a wave.

I glance around the deck and there’s no sign of Sassy anywhere.

Figures.

Ransom and I must have exhausted her ghostly energy reserves.

Not shocking, considering the rather acrobatic performance that went on for hours.

I’m about to take another bite of a waffle when Bess and Nettie stop short at my table.

“Well, well,” Bess muses with a grin. “Look who’s vertical again.”

“And dressed to kill,” Nettie adds with a wink. “Although I would have stayed horizontal if I were you.”

“Very funny,” I say. “Ransom is busy. Why don’t you join me?”

“We were just on our way to enjoy a bite ourselves,” Bess says as they land at the table, and the three of us make short work of both my breakfast and Ransom’s abandoned plate.

“So where are we headed?” I ask, watching the last of my waffle disappear. “The formal dining room?”

It’s our tradition to have first breakfast here and second breakfast there. There’s just something about fine china and white tablecloths that makes gluttony feel downright sophisticated.

“We’re headed to the Luscious and Lethally Delicious Beauty Brunch,” Bess says as she takes a sip from Ransom’s pumpkin spice latte and moans with approval. “Elvie Whipple’s team is hosting their big beauty shindig. Apparently, it was all planned before that man’s unfortunate demise. I hear it’s going to be glam and carbs all rolled into one. What could be better?”

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