Page 28 of Wicked Trouble

Chapter Ten

“But I do think you’re on to something. There’s a connection between the dead guy in your room and my case.” Zane clicked a few more tabs, closing the list he’d just opened. “I can do a search through the crew database.” He should have started with the staff, and he was kicking himself now for not even considering it. He’d believed that Cammie had seen a dead guy in her room almost from the beginning, but he’d focused on the travelers rather than the staff because…well…because he was a jerk. He assumed that their cases were separate and that there was no way that whatever happened in her room was connected to missing money on board the ship. It had been short-sighted of him, if only because he hadn’t remembered seeing anyone who might resemble Cammie’s description…when he’d skimmed and scanned the staff photos back at home, weeks ago. “Each staff has a profile and a photo.”

He started scrolling, waiting as the photos loaded one by one. Cammie’s eyes darted quickly from frame to frame. He scrolled lower, giving her time to look at every one that came up.

On the third page, his eyes immediately plucked a guy out and he cursed under his breath. Dark hair, blue eyes, young, totally could be Cammie’s dead body.

Seconds later, Cammie’s gasp confirmed it for Zane.

“That’s him.” She jabbed her finger at the screen.

“You’re sure?” Zane shifted the tab so that she could read the man’s identifying information.

“Yes, positive!” She leaned closer. “Francesco Maccino, twenty-two, five-foot-nine, one-hundred and seventy pounds.”

“Not reported missing,” Zane noted. “Which means that you were right all along. Our cases have got to be connected. Someone is covering up Francesco’s death, and it’s got to be someone working on the ship, because there’s no way this guy hasn’t been missed.”

“Where does he work?” Cammie motioned for Zane to move his cursor so she could continue reading. “Sous chef, event staging, tech crew and look…” She pointed to the next line. “He’s been on every cruise for the last six months. No breaks.”

Which means he’d been on every cruise with Bill Haversmith. Wheels were turning, connections forming. Zane’s brain jumped all over the place, trying to link more dots.

“We have to tell someone!” Cammie jumped up from the bed then immediately sat back down again. “I just don’t know who we can trust.”

“Exactly, so we don’t tell anyone.” When she started to argue, Zane touched her hand. “Yet. We don’t tell anyone, yet. We’ve got to give this a little more time to play out. Someone is moving behind the scenes, thinking they’re invisible, and now that we’re watching, we’re going to catch them in the act.”

“The act of what?” Cammie shook her head. “What if they’re going to murder someone else? Shouldn’t we alert security? Maybe not Dilan but someone?”

He noted that she hadn’t suggested the captain, and he could tell by her expression that she knew going to the security chief wasn’t going to work, either. She’d made all the same connections as he had. She wanted a solution—he understood that—but with the way things were, not knowing who was involved, they’d have to wait.

“Let’s consider the evidence we have so far.” Zane pushed his laptop to the side then arranged himself, somewhat awkwardly, on the bed so he could face her. “We have a dead man but no body to prove it.”

Cammie opened her mouth but closed it just as quickly. She let out a sigh that was edged with exhaustion, and he had to wonder if she was getting tired of him or the situation.

“We have a crew member who matches the description but doesn’t appear to be reported missing, although we don’t know for sure if anything is happening behind the scenes to look for him. It is possible that the crew is aware and that they’re searching for Francesco without alerting the guests, so as not to induce panic.”

Cammie nodded but kept her lips sealed and her eyes narrowed.

“We have missing money from six separate trips. One point one million, to be exact.” He hadn’t told Cammie any of the details of his investigation before this, so her eyes widened when he revealed just how much money had been stolen. “I figure the money is being siphoned in small increments from the casino.” He pointed to the computer. “Or from the add-ons that guests purchase once they’re on board.” His algorithm had also created a list of guests who’d dropped considerable amounts of cash on amenities that were not included in the price of the ticket. If money was being laundered through one or both of these zones, it wouldn’t be hard to skim off the top as well. “And we have a ‘people of interest’ list that starts with the captain and includes Bill Haversmith and the security chief.”

“You think the captain is involved?” Cammie didn’t look shocked so much as impressed, which only confirmed what Zane had already guessed. Cammie understood way more than he’d given her credit for, and she’d definitely connected more dots quicker than he had.

“I think there’s a reason why he brushed you off, and it’s not because he’s an idiot.” Zane nodded. “By Bill Haversmith’s own admission, he and the captain have business to discuss. I suspect that business involves my case in some way.”

“And Chief Ross?” Cammie asked. “You think he’s involved too somehow?”

“It would make sense. Maybe he’s strongarming the captain or maybe he’s just one of the captain’s henchmen. If our hypothesis is true and the dead man in your room and the missing money are connected, then it’s possible that Dilan Ross is connected in some way with Francesco’s death.”

“Murder,” Cammie corrected.

“Not sure we can say that conclusively.” Zane lifted his hand for her to hear him out. “Did you see any signs that might indicate murder? A stab or gunshot wound? Ligature marks?”

“I’m not exactly a coroner.” Cammie shook her head. “But it didn’t look like his death had been violent. Could have been a drug overdose or poison. He kinda looked surprised? Or my imagination is totally out of control and I’m remembering wrong.” She sighed.

“Or it’s possible that Francesco died by accident or even natural causes, somehow ended up in your room, then disappeared. It’s possible someone is covering up his death, if only to keep the other guests comfortable and unaware.”

Cammie seemed to roll that information around in her head for a bit. “That’s not what my gut is saying.”

“Mine either, but we need proof, and we need to get close to our suspects and dig deeper.”

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