Page 25 of Transatlantic Terror Cruise

“Ooh, looks as if there’s a man on the horizon.” Elvie bucks with a laugh as she slathers a hot pink blush all over Tinsley’s cheeks. “How about you, Trixie? How will you be entertaining yourself? If I remember correctly, you’re the ship’s unofficial investigator. And, well, now it seems we all have something to investigate.”

“Trixie is on her honeymoon,” Tinsley answers for me. “But I’d be happy to take on the investigation.”

“Oh, that’s right,” Elvie coos, and if I didn’t know better, I think she looks relieved.

As for Tinsley’s proclamation of taking over the investigation…

I shoot the perky cruise director a wry look. I have a feeling that’s exactly what she plans on doing.

CHAPTER12

“Ahoneymoon on a cruise ship must be magical.” Elvie’s eyes light up as she looks my way right here in the middle of the Luscious and Lethally Delicious Beauty Brunch. “Who’s the lucky guy? Don’t tell me you married the captain. You’re certainly pretty enough to land any man on this ship.”

“Actually, I married the head of vessel security.” I cringe a little when I say it.

Should I have confessed my proximity to the ship’s detective so soon in the investigation? I’m guessing not. But I blame Tinsley for the investigative blunder.

“Oh wow.” Elvie pauses from her whirlwind of brush strokes. “Detective Ransom Baxter? Why, I spoke with him last night. My,my, he is a hunky hunk if ever there was one. No wonder you look so exhausted.” She chortles out a laugh. “And not to mention dressed for success. I’ll admit, when I saw your evening gown, I thought maybe you dressed up formyevent. Heaven knows that dressing up seems to be a dying art these days. I’ve had more women stumble into my shop in pajamas than I care to count. It’s as if our entire society wants to lounge around in bed all day—and it shows.”

A titter of laughter escapes me. “I can’t say I blame them, but only because I get to lounge around with my new handsome hubby.”

“Speaking of which”—Sassy says while inspecting her glossy red nails—“can we hurry with the shakedown? I’m missing that handsome new hubby of yours myself. I’ve never seen a wall of muscles perform so well. And the way he?—”

“Well, regardless”—Elvie interrupts the pesky poltergeist before she can offer me a play-by-play, which I, of all people, do not need—“you certainly look dressed for success.”

“More like dressed forexcess,” Tinsley mutters while Elvie brushes some lipstick onto her kisser.

“Speaking of success, Trixie.” Sassy fans herself with a glowing hand. “That honeymoon of yours is off the charts. Trust me, the two of you are already very successful together.”

I wink her way because I happen to agree.

“Anyway, congratulations,” Elvie adds as she quickly brushes some color onto my lips as well. “And I do apologize. I imagine our little murder interrupted your romantic getaway.” She takes her thumb and begins to blend my cheeks so hard I’m convinced she’s going to leave a bruise.

“Oh, she’s still getting plenty of romance,” Sassy pipes up. “I’d give them a solid nine-point-eight for last night’s performance. It would have been a perfect ten, but someone got tangled in the sheets.”

“Tangled in the sheets!” Elvie bubbles with a laugh and I straighten in horror.

I gasp hard.

Oh my word!

It turns out that if someone—anyone—is touching my flesh, well, then they can hear the dead, too. I’m sort of like a bad game of telephone in that respect—or more to the point, a very good game of telephone. One that specializes in long distance calls.

“You know”—Elvie turns to Tinsley—“you sounded just like my old friend Sassy when you said that.”

Thankfully, Tinsley’s eyes are sealed shut and she seems to have no idea what Elvie is rambling on about, or even the fact that she’s addressing her.

“May I ask what happened to your old friend Sassy?” I ask. I may as well get to the bottom of that mystery, too. After all, something did the woman in. And judging by her youthful face, it did her in well before her prime.

Elvie’s mouth opens as if to say something but closes just as fast as if she’s thought better of it.

“Let’s just say she met a rather tragic end.” Elvie casts a mournful look right at Sassy as if she, too, could see the deceased. “It was unexpected and I still miss her dearly each and every day.”

I turn to the specter among us.

A tragic end? It looks as if I have another mystery on my hands indeed.

“But marrying a detective—” Elvie fans herself with her fingers. “And such a good-looking one at that, I can imagine you’re quite the crime-solving duo.”

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