Darkest Journey (Krewe of Hunters #20)(69)

An older woman whose skin appeared to be a pale shade of green came out to the small triage area and smiled at them. “I feel much better already!” she said to Mindy, then turned to Ethan. “I’m sorry—did I keep you waiting? You certainly look healthy to me.”

“You didn’t keep me waiting at all, Mrs. Vineland,” Ethan said.

“Hmmph,” she murmured, glancing back at Dr. Amerind. “How does he know my name?”

“I’m Ethan Delaney, Mrs. Vineland,” Ethan said.

“He’s with the FBI,” Haley added.

“That explains it. Big Brother is watching. No wonder you knew my name.”

“Mrs. Vineland, trust me, Big Brother is too busy elsewhere to tell me your name,” Ethan said, smiling at her. “I know your name because someone mentioned that Dr. Amerind was in with you.”

“Oh. Well, this is small and intimate, as cruising goes. We’re very friendly on the Journey,” she said, as if she had joined the ranks of the employees. “You may call me Mildred. And I’ll call you Ethan. No Agent Delaney for me.”

“That will be fine, Mrs. Vineland,” he said.

“Mildred.”

“Sorry, I grew up around here and had it drummed into me not to be too familiar with women I didn’t know well. I’ll do my best to remember to call you Mildred.”

She smiled, satisfied. “Lovely. I’m off to get some toast. I’m actually quite hungry now.”

“Stay topside to eat. That will help,” Dr. Amerind told her.

“Whatever you say, Gerard,” Mildred said, and waved. “Pleased to meet you, Ethan.”

“You, too—Mildred.”

Once she was gone, the doctor turned to Ethan. “You brought your pictures?”

“Yes, and Mindy has already been very helpful. I’m just wondering if you saw any of these people around once the reenactment was over.”

Gerard Amerind stared carefully at the pictures, with Haley looking over his shoulder. “I remember this woman. She played a nurse.”

“Jennie McPherson,” Ethan said.

“She’s tiny, but she has a temper. Now that I think about it, I’m pretty sure she was the one arguing with Mr. Corley on deck. I didn’t see her, of course, but it’s the voice. I can’t be a hundred percent sure, but I think it was her.” He pulled the pictures of Brad and Mike. “I saw them leave, but the others, they all hung around. There was some talk about a movie they were all making.”

“Yes, they’re filming up in St. Francisville,” Ethan said.

“I’d talk to that little blonde if I were you,” Dr. Amerind said. “She was definitely upset about something. Very pretty, but also very upset.”

*

“Want to come ashore for a brief excursion?” Ethan asked.

Charlie was perched on the bed in her small cabin, going through DC-area housing brochures with Alexi and Clara. Alexi and Jude were set. Jude had snagged a great rent-to-own property near the Krewe offices in Northern Virginia. Clara and Thor were in a short-term rental but looking for something more permanent. Clara had told Charlie it was actually a difficult search because everyone kept trying to make it so easy. “There are about thirty-five agents working out of the office now—not to mention the tech department!—and they’re all giving Thor leads, which makes for dozens of places for us to look at. Thing is, we have to have space and I’d like a yard—we have a husky.”

Charlie had just laughed at that. Of course, they had a husky. Thor was from Alaska.

Then Ethan had knocked and identified himself, and they’d opened the door. Charlie felt as if they were being a bit overcautious, but plenty of people were killed in broad daylight, so there was no point taking chances.

Charlie was curious as to where he wanted to take her. They were docked at Oak Alley, which she’d seen plenty of times before, but the truth was that she would be happy to go anywhere with him, so she said, “Sure.”

“We’ll be back in an hour or so—plenty of time for you to set up for tonight’s show,” Ethan said, adding quietly, “We’re going to see Shelley Corley.”

“Poor woman,” Alexi said. “First, she lost a cousin, and then she lost her fiancé.”

Ethan nodded. “We’ll be as sensitive as possible, but the truth is, when you’ve lost someone you love, you do want justice for them.”

“I worry about myself. I think I might flat-out want vengeance,” Alexi said. “Not nice, not right, but...true.”

After a quick promise to see them in plenty of time to get set up to greet the early dinner seating, Charlie joined Ethan, and they left the ship. On shore, she saw a woman standing beside a Chevy sedan. Ethan must have told her whom to look for, because she waved as soon as she saw them.

Shelley Corley was about fifty and was also one of the most attractive women Charlie had ever seen. Her skin was a beautiful café au lait color, her hair was dark, and her eyes were a true amber. She was dressed in a pale blue business suit and a large sun hat in a matching shade. Her features were strong and arresting, and though she smiled as she greeted them and shook hands, her smile was grim.

“When Special Agent Crow spoke with me this morning...well, I realized immediately I needed to speak with you. I want to help in any way possible. There’s a small place down the road where we can talk, past Oak Alley and just on the other side of Laura Plantation.”