Celebrity in Death (In Death #34)(98)

She paused a moment, let out a breath. “I haven’t thought of that in years, but I guess it would’ve been better if we hadn’t. Joel certainly would have had his flight records and so on, but the media would have been all over the trip to Mexico, and spoiled the surprise. And Lana was wonderfully surprised when he threw the most amazing party for her at their villa. My first real bash,” Violet said with a smile.

“Now that surprise isn’t a factor, would you mind clearing up the discrepancy for the record—for the files,” Eve said.

“Oh. All right, sure. If it’s really necessary.”

“Just cleaner,” Eve said casually. “We’ll take care of it later. Would you mind if we took a look at Simone?”

“Not at all.” At the gate, Violet swiped a card, entered a code. “She’s in six. My lucky number.”

“Have you been out on it—her—lately?” Eve asked.

“Not in a couple weeks. I’ve been in Baltimore, on a location shoot for a new series. I only got back to New York yesterday afternoon.”

“Does anyone else have access to the boat?”

“Phillip—Phillip Decater. We’ve been cohabbing for the last couple years. But he hasn’t taken her out. He was with me in Baltimore, and he’s a shaky sailor. His only flaw,” she said with a smile as she gestured to a pretty white boat, with shining brass and gleaming wood.

“You take friends out for rides, I imagine.”

“Yes, friends, family. When we can arrange it. What is this about?”

“It may be nothing. Is there a way for you to tell if the boat was taken out during your absence?”

“If you’re thinking somebody took her out for a joyride, I don’t see how. They’d have to get through the gate, then get through the security in the wheelhouse, then access the start code. If you went through all that successfully, why not keep sailing and sell the boat up in Nova Scotia?”

“Good point. But, if someone did, can you tell?”

“I can check the digi-log. It would have a record of the last use, the coordinates, the time elapsed.”

“Really?”

“A new toy,” Violet admitted with a grin. “Phillip got it for me for my birthday last month. Hardly something I need on a pleasure boat, but he knows I love Simone, and I enjoy gadgets.”

“Can we check your gadget?”

“Why not? Come on board. The galley’s always stocked,” Violet said as she stepped nimbly from the dock to the boat. “Can I offer you anything?”

“We’re fine, thanks.”

“Gosh, it’s beautiful.” Peabody brushed her fingers over the trim. “I don’t really know much about boats, but I know wood. This is really gorgeous.”

“Reclaimed teak. We do a lot of entertaining on her in the summer. She’ll sleep eight if we want to make a weekend of it with friends.”

She climbed up a narrow flight of stairs, entered another code at a glass-fronted door.

Though the room looked like a command center, it held an old-fashioned ship’s wheel—the helm, Eve supposed.

And a view out the wide ribbon of glass of the harbor.

Eve tried not to think about the way the floor swayed, gently, under her feet.

“Here now.” Violet moved to the right. “Gadgets. Sonar, which is fun for tracking schools of fish, or whales if we take her out far enough. Various global weather stations. And this is the digi-log.” She opened a counter screen, spoke her name, the name of the boat. “Phillip had this voice-activated, for fun.

“Display full log,” she ordered. “You’ll see,” she said to Eve, “we haven’t been able to take her out much since … This doesn’t make sense.”

It did to Eve. “Am I reading this right? The boat was taken out yesterday morning zero-one-sixteen and returned to dock just over an hour later at zero-two-twenty-two. For a total of two-point-six miles. And this is the average speed?”

“Yes, the knots.” Violet pulled off her cap, raked her fingers through her hair. “This is very upsetting.”

“And these numbers, the coordinates? That’s where the boat was taken, how it got there.”

“Yes, yes. Damn it. I’m going to be speaking to marina security about this. If someone on staff decided they could help themselves to Simone, they’re going to find out differently.”

“Maybe you want to check the boat,” Peabody suggested. “Just to make sure nothing’s been disturbed, or nothing’s been taken.”

“God. Yes, of course. Damn it!” As she strode out, she dragged out her ’link. Eve heard her say, “Phillip, someone’s been at Simone. No, no, she’s fine. I have the police right here.”

“He didn’t know about the gadget,” Eve said. “It’s new. I bet he knew she was in Baltimore, knew the boat would be here. Knew how to get through the gate, through the door, and start her up.”

“They used to be lovers,” Peabody whispered. “She lied for him once that we know of, in an official inquiry.”

“Because—my read—she was young, grateful, naive. And whether she knew it or can admit it, felt obligated because he gave her the money for the consultant—was supporting her for the role she wanted. She told us about it too easily—no worries, no evasions.”