Page 31 of Too Far To Sea
“Yes. She even brought it up today when we were at the cafe.”
Alvaro sighed. “I’m deleting this report. There is no reason for it to go on your record, especially if you want to be rehired.”
“But—”
“No buts. If anyone else on this ship turned in a report like this, would we keep it?”
“No. But I am not anyone else. I am an officer. I am held to a higher standard.”
“You didn’t even hold hands.”
“No, but I wanted to.”
Alvaro ran his hand over his salt and pepper hair. “So you are preemptively turning this in so you won’t need to turn in a real one?”
“Something like that.”
“Noted. Deleted. Talk to Miss Knight as much as you want to in the public areas. Don’t use security resources to locate her. Is that what you needed to hear?”
“I just needed someone else to be aware so I would be accountable.”
“Done. Good night.” With his dismissal, Alvaro turned his attention back to the tablet.
McKay checked the time. He had an hour before his nightly phone call to his sister. As much as he wanted to go searching the decks for Dana, it wasn’t a wise move at the moment. He needed to figure out how to deal with Chandler Fairfax and the redhead or he might say something to Dana he shouldn’t.
He walked down the corridor and stood in the blind spot, looking for inspiration. Without proof of a crime, there was nothing they could do. Judging from the passionate kiss, the elevator camera captured the redhead, whom he recognized from the wedding party, seemed very willing to be with Mr. Fairfax. The suspicion that Mr. Fairfax or the redhead were not enough to act upon. But if they were right, and someone purchased the information with evil intent—assault on board was not taken lightly. If he could prevent even one, he would. A couple returning to their cabin prompted him to move on.
Once in his cabin, McKay shed his uniform and put it on a hanger with a laundry tag. He double checked the pockets.
The bags from his shopping trip sat on the bed waiting for him to find a place in his already crowded luggage for them. The jewelry store purchase went into an inner pocket of his backpack. Better to keep that with him on the plane. The sweater for Jen found a spot in his suitcase, filling the last corner. He had yet to pack the last of his civilian clothing.
There was no helping it. He would need to check a third bag to go home. How had he gathered so much stuff in the last six months? He refolded a Cancun t-shirt. It was two years old. Since he hadn’t renegotiated his next contract, there wasn’t an option to leave his personal items in company storage. When he came back, he’d need to remember to cull his ever-increasing T-shirt collection or start collecting postcards.
He’d leave Gracie’s sheep in its bag until he found a space for it.
His phone rang.
Jen’s face appeared on the screen. She was sitting in her car. “Sorry for calling early. I got called into work and I am taking Gracie to Mom’s.”
“Is Mom up to that?”
“I hope so.” Jen handed the phone to the back seat.
Gracie’s face appeared on the screen. “I’m gonna be very good. I get to take your music.” Her voice lowered to a whisper. “I will try not to talk too much, but it is so hard not to tell Grandma all the things.”
“Save some things to tell her tomorrow.” McKay hoped his advice would work.
Lights of passing cars illuminated Gracie’s face. “I’ll be good. I know Grandma is sick and is tired like I used to be, before my new heart.”
McKay tamped down his emotions. As much as they all tried to treat Gracie like a normal kid, his niece understood sickness, hospitals, and death better than most people three times her age. “Did your mom tell you about counting sheep?”
“I read a book about counting sheep. It’s silly.”
“I didn’t understand it either until I saw all the sheep on a farm in Ireland.”
“Is that the one where you saw the dogs?” Gracie referred to a conversation over a month ago, the first time he’d sailed around the Emerald Isle.
“Yes. From the ship you can see the hills are covered with white dots.” McKay reached into the bag to show her the lamb he bought. His hand closed around two lambs. “One second, I need to put my phone down.”
