“Oh, dear,” said Marge, shaking her head. “This really isn’t your week, is it, honey?”

  He gave her a sort of searching look, and said in feeble tones, “Poste de Secours again?”

  Now that Odelia had received permission to interview the guests and crew of the Audrey, she had also been awarded an office to conduct these interviews. And as we discovered when Steven took us there, it was actually the captain’s personal office he had selected for this purpose. The captain himself was a garrulous man with tanned features and a bristling white beard.

  “I was asleep in my cabin last night,” the old sailor said when we arrived. “And so was my purser. But feel free to interview us and any member of my crew. I’ve told them a detective is conducting an inquiry.” He gave Odelia a quizzical look. “So you think Miss King is innocent, do you? I have to admit I can’t imagine she would be capable of such a heinous crime, so I hope you’re right, and that you can prove it.”

  “Do you have any ideas or suspicions you would like to share with me, captain?” asked Odelia.

  He thought for a moment. “Well, Steven tells me that the door to Miss King’s room was locked from the inside. So if a third party murdered this man, they must have had a key to the room, and snuck in while she was asleep. Along with this man, I imagine, if it’s true that Miss King never saw this person before. But the thing is that apart from the passengers the only keys are kept in this office.”

  “You have a set of spare keys?”

  “I do. They’re in there.” He pointed to a lockbox attached to the wall. It was about a foot tall and was, as the name indicated, locked. “I have to say I keep my office under lock and key at all times, and also that lockbox, so…” He lifted a pair of inquisitive and audaciously bushy white brows. “I’m not sure how anyone could have gotten hold of Miss King’s spare cabin key, you understand?”

  “Okay, so you’re the only person with access to this office and to that lockbox?”

  “No, there’s the purser. He also has a key to both this office and the lockbox. But apart from him and myself, no one could have gained access. Which poses us with a very unique problem.”

  “Yes, I can see that,” Odelia admitted. “Well, thank you, captain.”

  “You’re welcome, Mrs. Henderson. Or is it Kingsley?”

  “It’s Kingsley. Odelia Kingsley.”

  The captain regarded her with a twinkle in his eye. “Well, good luck, Mrs. Kingsley. I hope you find your killer.”

  The captain left, and then it was just me, Dooley and Odelia.

  “Okay, so how are we going to do this?” asked our human.

  “You just do what you always do,” I suggested. “Talk to everyone involved and try to figure out where they were when Daniel Taylor was murdered.”

  “Which was…” Odelia consulted her notebook. “Between midnight and three o’clock last night, according to the police.” She blew out a sigh. “I just wish Chase was here. He’s so much better at this kind of thing than I am. I don’t even know where to begin, to be honest.”

  “Before Chase arrived on the scene you handled these investigations all by yourself,” I reminded her. “And if memory serves you didn’t do so badly. In fact your track record was better than Chase’s.”

  “I know,” she said. “But I guess teaming up with Chase has made me a little rusty.” She placed her hands flat on the desk. “Okay, let’s just do this. I’m sure it’ll be fine. Who’s our first suspect, Max?”

  I grinned. “I’m not sure I’d call them that to their face. Nobody likes to be called a suspect. Or a person of interest,” I hastened to say.

  “No, I guess you’re right,” she said musingly. “Okay, so I’ll just call them witnesses. That sounds a little less threatening, doesn’t it?”

  “Witnesses it is,” I agreed.

  “And we’re here to protect them,” said Dooley. When we both stared at him, he explained, “We’re witness protectors, aren’t we? It’s our job to protect the witnesses. And so protect them is what we’ll do.”

  “You’re absolutely right, Dooley,” said Odelia with a smile.

  “If only we hadn’t left Emily’s cabin last night,” I said, “this might never have happened.”

  “What’s done is done, Max,” said Odelia. “And you left her for a good reason. Because you didn’t want to intrude on her private time with Harry.”

  “Too bad Harry left Emily,” said Dooley. “If he had stuck around, this person wouldn’t have walked into her room and dropped dead.”

  “He didn’t drop dead, Dooley,” I said. “He was murdered. And besides, Harry was under strict instructions from his mother not to spend the night in Emily’s room.” ‘Not under my roof!’ had been the woman’s exact words, according to Harry.

  A knock sounded at the door, and Sarah Dawson poked her head in. “Is this where I need to be for the interview?” she asked.

  Odelia gave the royal her brightest smile. “That’s right, Miss Dawson. Come in, please, and take a seat. This won’t take long.”

  And so our investigation began.

  CHAPTER 35

  “Just a few simple questions,” Odelia assured the royal.

  “So if what Steven told me is correct you’re investigating the murder of that poor man last night. And you don’t believe that Emily is the murderer—is that correct?” asked Sarah, having taken a seat.

  “That’s right. We’re working on the assumption that Emily is innocent and that someone else murdered Daniel Taylor.”

  “Is that the name of the murdered man?”

  “Yes, according to the police he’s an American tourist who was staying at a local hotel in Saint-Tropez. And so we’re trying to find out how he ended up in Emily’s cabin with a knife in his chest.”

  Sarah shivered. “When I accepted Amanda’s invitation I never imagined I’d be this close to a gruesome murder case. People like us simply never come into contact with such violence, do we?”

  “Well, as a reporter in my home town I have,” said Odelia. “Which is why Harry thought it was a good idea for me to investigate a little further. So did you notice anything out of the ordinary last night, Sarah? Any noises or sounds of a quarrel? This would have been between midnight and three, according to the police.”

  “Nothing,” said Sarah. “Of course my cabin is on the other side of the corridor from Emily’s, so I wouldn’t have heard if there was a fight or a quarrel. And also, I still take medication for that seasickness I’ve been suffering from, and it has the added effect that I sleep like a baby. The moment my head hits the pillow I’m out like a light.” She gave Odelia an apologetic look. “I told Steven I didn’t think I’d be much help to you, but he insisted you wanted to talk to all of us.”

  “It’s important to create a picture in my mind of what exactly happened last night and where everyone was at the time of the murder,” Odelia explained.

  “Oh no, I understand,” said Sarah. She hesitated. “Honestly I don’t think that Emily could have done it either. She’s such a sweetheart. Doesn’t have a violent bone in her body. But then she’s suffered so much abuse here on board—mainly from Harry’s family—that it wouldn’t surprise me if this is somehow connected to that.”

  “And what abuse would that be?” asked Odelia, interested.

  “Oh, you know. The same old story,” said Sarah with a shrug. “Harry’s parents don’t think she’s the right girl for him, and so they give her the cold shoulder. His friends are worried that she will come between them, so they’re mean to her. I talked to Emily about it yesterday, and told her my mother went through much the same experience when she married my father, who’s the Duke of Alderley. His family didn’t think she was good enough. But fortunately for her, my father never wavered in his support, and really stood up against his own family. Just like Harry.” She smiled. “Emily is so lucky to have him. If she makes it through this ordeal, it will be thanks to him—but in spite of his family and friends.”

  “Sounds like you’re in her corner, too,” said Odelia.

  “I try to be,” said Sarah. “Kindred spirits, you know.”

  “Okay, Sarah. I think that will be all,” said Odelia, getting up. She shook the woman’s hand warmly, and we watched as she left. “So what do you think, Max?” asked Odelia.

  “I think it’s very brave of Sarah to stand up for Emily like this,” I said. “She didn’t need to do that, considering she’s Amanda’s guest.”

  “She’s very pretty, isn’t she?” said Dooley. “That’s probably because her blood is blue. Did you notice her blood is blue, Max?”

  “Her blood isn’t blue, Dooley,” I said. “It’s red, just like ours.”

  “But she’s a blue blood, isn’t she?”

  “She is, but that doesn’t mean her blood is blue,” I said.

  “Oh,” said Dooley, and I could tell that he found this all very confusing.

  “So she’s the Duke of Alderley’s daughter,” I said. “Does that make Sarah a duchess?”

  “I think it makes her a lady,” said Odelia. “I’m not sure. I’d have to ask her.”

  The next person to drift into our ken was Kim. She looked like someone with a burden to get off her chest. “I tried to tell Emily this morning,” she said as soon as she had taken a seat in front of Odelia. “But then of course all hell broke loose and I didn’t get the chance.”

  “What did you want to tell her, Kim?” asked Odelia.

  “That it was me who sent those messages from her phone.” Harry’s sister seemed nervous, chewing her fingernails and shifting in her seat. “I took Emily’s phone yesterday afternoon,” she explained when Odelia gave her a questioning look, “and sent a couple of messages from her phone to Eric. Lovey-dovey kind of stuff. I don’t know why I did it,” she said, looking down at her hands. “Although actually I do know. I hated her, and figured she was bad news for my brother. And so if I sent those messages and then Eric would show them to Harry, he might break up with her. And then we would finally be rid of her. And also…” Her hunch became more pronounced, as if she was sinking in on herself, out of embarrassment.

  “Also?” Odelia prompted.

  “No, nothing,” said Kim. “It’s not important.”

  “Could it be that you planted those messages to cause a rift between Eric and his girlfriend Chloe?” asked Odelia, speaking in kind tones. “Because you’re in love with Eric and wouldn’t mind if he and Chloe broke up?”

  Kim looked up with a jerk. “How do you know that?”

  “Oh, I have my sources,” said Odelia. “So is it true?”

  Kim hesitated for a moment, then nodded. “Yeah, it is. Though a fat lot of good it did me, this whole business with the messages.”

  “Eric isn’t in love with you?”

  She shook her head. “Nope. Never was, never will be.”

  “So about last night,” said Odelia. “Where were you between the hours of midnight and three o’clock, Kim?”

  “In bed. Alone,” she added with a touch of bitterness. “Beating myself up about how stupid I’ve been. I kissed him, you know.”

  “Who, Eric?”

  She nodded. “But he made it all too clear that he doesn’t want anything to do with me. I should have known.”

  “You’ve been in love with him for a long time, haven’t you?”

  “I have,” she said, and there was a definite sob in her voice now. “Probably for as long as I can remember. In love with my big brother’s best friend. What a cliché, right? And all the while…”

  “All the while he was in love with Harry?”

  She frowned. “It’s uncanny how much you know. Yeah, apparently Eric isn’t even into women. Serves me right for making a total fool of myself. Chloe told me,” she explained. “Apparently Eric came clean to Harry last night. And then Harry told Chloe, and she told me.”

  “So Eric and Chloe…”

  Kim shrugged. “They’re probably finished. She didn’t even look sorry. I have a sneaking suspicion Chloe has been in love with Harry all along, which might explain why she hates Emily so much.” She gave a bitter laugh. “What a great bunch we are, right?”

  “Human relationships are complicated,” said Odelia. “And we don’t get to choose who we fall in love with, Kim. So there’s nothing for you to feel bad about.”

  She scratched her arm distractedly. “I want to go home. I asked my dad but he says we all have to stick around until this whole business with Emily and the murder is cleared up. Is that true, Mrs. Kingsley?”

  “Not exactly,” said Odelia. “The police are convinced that Emily is the killer. So there’s no reason for you to stick around unless the police tells you to, which I don’t think they will.”

  “But you don’t believe that, do you? That Emily is guilty?”

  “No, I happen to believe that Emily is being framed.”

  Kim nodded. “I’ve been very mean to Emily. So maybe I’ll stay. Just to make sure that whoever is behind this business is caught.”

  “That’s very kind of you, Kim. And I’m sure that once Emily is released, and you tell her your side of the story, she’ll understand.”

  “I hope so,” said Kim, and she actually seemed sincere. “She’s a good person. And I think Harry will be very happy with her.”

  “I happen to think so too.” She paused and consulted her notes. “There was actually one other thing I wanted to discuss with you.” She placed her phone in front of the girl and Kim took a look.

  “’Tourist murdered in a suspected mugging,’” she read. “So?”

  “So you don’t recognize the woman?” asked Odelia.

  Kim studied the picture. “Can’t say that I do. Should I?”

  “Remember yesterday when a woman started calling out your name? We were in front of that café.”

  “Oh, that.” She studied the picture some more. “You’re saying this is the same woman?”

  “Yes, it is. According to the article her name is Stephanie Gomez and she was mugged and killed within minutes after we ran into her. I’m sure the French papers will have more information but this is all I could find in English.”

  “Huh. Well, I’ve never seen her before in my life. Must be a case of mistaken identity.”

  “Are you absolutely sure about that?”

  “Yes, I am,” said Kim, getting a little annoyed. “Besides, what does this have to do with Emily?”

  “I’m not sure. But it’s an odd coincidence, wouldn’t you agree? Especially considering the way she was killed.” She tapped the article.

  “Stabbed with a knife,” Kim read. “Okay, so she was stabbed. It’s tragic, but that doesn’t mean anything. Tourists get mugged all the time. It’s one of those sad facts of life, Mrs. Kingsley.”

  Odelia leaned forward and fixed Kim with an intent look. “I couldn’t help but notice that the moment we arrived in that café you disappeared. Where did you go?”

  “Seriously?” she said, exasperated. “To the toilet. I needed a wee.”

  “So you didn’t sneak out the back—”

  “And mugged and stabbed some woman I’ve never seen before in my life? No, I didn’t. In case you haven’t noticed, my family is pretty well off, so I don’t need to go around mugging tourists, all right?”

  “Fair enough,” said Odelia. “I had to ask, that’s all.”

  “Fine. You asked, and I told you. So can I go now?”

  Odelia gestured to the door, and Kim stomped out, then stuck her head back in. “So do I call in the next person or how does this work?”

  “Yes, please do,” said Odelia.

  “Bye.”

  “I think Emily and Kim might actually become great friends,” said Dooley.

  “I’m not so sure about that,” I said. “But at least she doesn’t seem to hate her as much as she did.”

  “Progress, Max!” said Dooley. “It’s all about progress! And second chances, of course. I’m big on second chances.”

  “Unless Kim killed that man to frame Emily,” I said. “In which case I don’t think she deserves a second chance.”

  Dooley’s face sagged. “I hope she’s innocent. In fact I hope they’re all innocent and that this man simply stepped onto the wrong boat, stumbled into the wrong room, and died of heart failure.”

  “Like I told you, he was murdered, Dooley,” I pointed out. “Stabbed in the chest with a big knife.”

  “Maybe that was an accident? People stumble and stab themselves all the time, don’t they?”

  I smiled. “We’ll definitely take it on board,” I said.

  “Excellent,” he said, perking up. “Cause I think you’ll find that that’s what happened. He mistakenly walked into Emily’s room, dropped into bed, and accidentally stabbed himself and died. Case solved!”

  CHAPTER 36

  “What was all that about the mugging?” I asked Odelia.

  “I just don’t think it’s a coincidence,” said our human. “This woman calls out Kim’s name, then gets herself stabbed? I’m not saying Kim killed her, but there’s something going on here, Max. I can feel it.”

  “Yeah, you’re right,” I said. “Especially considering the way she was killed. But what’s the connection, you think?”

  She threw up her hands. “No idea. I mean, is there a connection? Or is it just a coincidence? Too bad we’re not in Hampton Cove, or I could have asked my uncle to investigate this poor woman’s death.”

  “You could always go to the police with your suspicions.”

  “Yeah, right. They’d laugh me out of the precinct. No, it’s up to us, Max. We need to figure this out.”

  “So do you think Kim is a murderer?” asked Dooley.

  “She doesn’t look like a killer,” said Odelia. “But I think we all know that looks can be deceiving. And maybe there’s more to Harry’s sister than meets the eye.”

  “She could have picked up a knife in the kitchen of that café, snuck out the back, stabbed that woman, and returned,” I said thoughtfully. “But why? And what is the possible connection to Daniel Taylor?”