Page 101 of Hearts Aweigh
Emily’s head tilted. “If you own that many books, what brought you to the library?”
Seamus coughed. “Well, paint me scarlet. You caught me.” He peeked at Gerry. “Truth be told, I popped by the security room for a chat with Adrian.”
“Adrian?” Emily struggled to recall a cruise employee with that name. “Is he new?”
“Adrian Everson?”
“Oh, you meant Everson. I thought he was born with aMr.in front of his name and a scowl on his face. I’m surprised he let you in off-limits territory.”
“Adrian’s tough, but he and I get on well. We were chewin’ the fat in the security room. They’ve got that big bank of camera feeds in there, and I beheld a captivating woman sitting alone in the library.” His eyes sparkled Gerry’s direction. “Would you be wanting any company?”
Gerry flipped her novel shut. “If you’re a true reader, Mr. O’Malley, you should already know. A good book is all the company I need.”
“Geraldine,” Emily hissed.
“Oh.” His reddening cheeks bunched. “Uh, yes. So sorry to disturb you.” Seamus stood from the table and tugged on his vest. “I’d better crack on. It’s my first time trying my new trick for the adults in the big theater tonight. Maybe I won’t even need an assistant. I’m embarrassed enough to climb in me own disappearing box.”
He scuttled past the bookcases, and a loud thump of the main door told them he’d gone.
Emily glared at her friend. “Honestly, Gerry”—she thrust her wrist through her purse straps and stood—“I love you, but I can’t ignore stupid. It makes no sense why you treat the poor man with such contempt. He’s delightful.”
“I disagree. And I’d appreciate if we didn’t discuss it further.”
“I’m not asking you to marry Seamus. Just be civil.”
“Is surveilling someone on the CCTV considered good manners?” Gerry sniffed. “In some states, it might qualify as stalking. Who knows how many times he’s peered at me? A person assumes she’s alone with her book, and all the time there was a pair of eyes drilling into her back.”
“Don’t be ridic—” Emily’s head snapped up. She stared at the dark, glass half globe sitting in subtle, unobtrusive silence on the ceiling. Striding across the aisle, she found another one near the door. A third stuck high in the rafters near the balcony. Cameras abounded. Except for private cabins, almost every inch of the MSBuckinghamwas visible if someone sat in the right place.
The security room.
“Hooo-hooo-hooo.” A jubilant sound escaped Emily’s lips. She swiped her friend’s novel.
“Hey”—Gerry grabbed for the book—“I only have sixty pages left.”
Emily held the novel out of reach. “They can wait. You have something more important to do.”
Gerry settled in her chair with a suspicious glower. “What?”
“You, my dear friend, are going to confess to murder.”
CHAPTER 51
“MARRY ME, SPENCE. AGAIN.”
Spencer stopped at the door of his suite and looked over his shoulder, half expecting Priscilla to be thundering down on him. He hadn’t seen her since they parted ways after supper the previous evening.
Again.
The word terrified him in a way no horror movie ever could. He leaned his head against the wall and moaned. “God, please deliver me from this nightmare.”
It wasn’t that he’d actually consider remarrying Priscilla. The hard-earned lessons from their first time were still fresh in his mind. But there was Madeleine to consider. Once Priscilla the pit bull got something into her head, she hung on till the end.
He didn’t want Maddie to suffer because of her mother’s ambition and ruthless determination. His breath wavered. He uttered one more prayer before entering the suite.
Quiet reigned.
Not a sign of Priscilla or Madeleine. Or Abby.
