Читать книгу Undercurrent - Sara K. Parker - Страница 13
ОглавлениеThe sharp scent of burned wiring stung Sam’s nose as he made his way down the nearly empty stairway. He expected voices echoing up from the atrium, but the ship was eerily quiet. He hurried down the stairs, anxious for a good look at the scene, wanting to get a better feel for what had happened.
He hoped it was simply an electrical malfunction, but his gut told him otherwise. The timing had been too convenient—a lot of people had been streaming through the atrium while Kathryn performed and could have been taken out by the explosion. It was a hallmark of a terrorist act: injure as many people as possible. Ship security was tight, but criminals always managed to find a way.
An image of Kat flashed in his mind: the horror that washed over her face as the flames burst right above her.
He’d seen that same look on his wife’s face many times in his nightmares. For months after the car accident, he saw those terror-stricken eyes whenever he turned out the lights. Had Marissa seen the broken-down truck at the last minute and known her life was about to end? If he’d cut out on work and come home just a day earlier, would she still be alive today? Would he be at home right now, playing with their two-year-old daughter?
He would never find the answers to satisfy his feelings of guilt. Sam wasn’t used to failing, and he didn’t plan to make a habit of it. He would find answers for Kat, and he would make sure that she and his grandmother both made it safely off the ship and back home.
“Sir!” someone called, drawing Sam’s thoughts back to the present. To the musty, smoke-filled air. To the broken bits of piano two floors down. To the two cruise employees who were moving up the stairs, heading straight for Sam.
Neither looked old enough to have graduated high school. The taller of the two caught up with Sam and attempted to stand in his way. Lanky and awkward, he wore a white uniform that was just a little short in the pants and arms.
“We’ve been asked to remind passengers to stay in their cabins until further notice,” he said.
Sam narrowed his gaze and waited a beat. Watched the young men shift uncomfortably.
“Thank you for the reminder,” he finally said. “But I don’t intend to stay in my cabin.”
“I’m afraid you don’t have a choice.” The second crew member joined the first, jogging up behind his coworker as if to offer moral and physical support.
He could offer whatever he wanted, but Sam would go where he desired.
“No?” He took a step closer, and the two exchanged worried glances. Sam didn’t make a habit of physically intimidating people, but he towered over both kids and probably had fifty pounds of muscle on each of them. He doubted they’d attempt to detain him.
“It’s for passenger safety,” the second of the two said. Much shorter than his buddy, he had freckled skin and dark brown eyes behind round glasses. He pushed them higher up the bridge of his nose and shifted anxiously. “It should only be for a couple of hours.”
“Look, you’ve done your job,” Sam responded. “You’ve warned me. I’ve decided to ignore you. If something happens, you can tell your boss and anyone who asks that you did your due diligence.”
“But—” the freckle-faced kid began.
“Go ahead and let your boss know.” Sam walked past them, ignoring the sputtered protests and unhappy shouts. They’d call Security, and he’d deal with that, too. He’d been hardwired from day one to be proactive. His parents said he’d always been a daredevil. His siblings said he was too independent for his own good. They were right, but he used both qualities to his advantage in his work.
In his personal life? Sometimes they got him into trouble. Sometimes they kept him from remembering important dates like birthdays and anniversaries. And 3-D sonogram pictures. Memories of his failures were never on short supply lately, hadn’t been for the past two years. His work kept him from falling too deeply into a pattern of regret. With a job to do, there was simply no time to dwell on the past.
Two uniformed security officers and a firefighter met him as he turned onto the second flight of steps, their expressions hard. Unlike the kids who’d tried to stop him before, these three looked as if they meant business.
“Sir, you’re going to have to return to your cabin,” a bulky guy with a menacing demeanor said. His name badge said “Larsen,” but he didn’t bother to introduce himself. He stared hard at Sam, arms crossed, feet in a wide stance that was meant to intimidate. “We’re investigating a fire that occurred in the lobby below,” the man continued. “All passengers need to stay clear of the area for their own safety.”
Sam pulled out his wallet. He didn’t have his credentials, but he handed over a business card. “Sam West, Secret Service,” he said. “I was there when the incident occurred. I think we all know it wasn’t a simple fire.”
“We don’t know anything,” the second officer said. A few years younger than Larsen and at least three inches taller, the officer looked fit and strong in his tailored uniform, his blond hair in a high fade cut. Sam pegged him as former military, and that might play to Sam’s advantage. “I don’t guess we need the Secret Service involved,” the officer said. “We’re trying to avoid contaminating evidence.”
“Before the Secret Service, I worked for the Miami PD,” Sam added. “I’m not trying to get in your way. I just figured the more hands, the better.”
“Right.” Larsen’s eyes gleamed black with anger. No one liked other departments nosing in on their investigations. “I don’t think we need any more hands. We’ve got things—”
“Actually—” the younger man cut him off “—it might not be a bad thing to have an extra set of eyes. I’m Nick Callahan. A good friend of mine works for the Miami PD—his name’s Brent Mitchem.” He held a hand out toward Sam, and they shook.
“Brent Mitchem, solid officer,” Sam said. “Got to know him pretty well on the night shift a few years back.”
“How ’bout that?” Nick said with a brief smile that didn’t quite meet his eyes. Then it was gone, and he was all business again. “Been working cruises for nine years, and I’ve never seen anything like this before. Come on. I’ll bring you down. Don’t touch anything, though. We need to preserve the scene.”
“Now, hold on a minute,” Larsen said, face ruddy with agitation. “Policy—”
“Policy,” Nick cut in, “should welcome an extra pair of eyes. We’ve got six thousand people on board with no way to evacuate.” He looked pointedly at his partner. “Why don’t you check on his creds? As long as they check out, and I’m sure they will, there’s no reason to keep him in the dark about what’s going on.”
“You’re the boss,” Larsen muttered as he brushed past them, and Nick motioned toward the man next to him.
“This is Colton Hughes. He heads up our firefighting team.”
“Nice to meet you.” Sam offered a hand, appreciated the firefighter’s firm grip and steady gaze.
“Appreciate your coming down,” Hughes said as Nick finally began to lead the way down two more flights of stairs to the atrium.
Sam was anxious to get to the scene, observe what he could and return to the room to check on Grandma and Kathryn. He didn’t want to leave them alone for long, especially Kat.
Back home, he’d have the discipline to keep his distance from a woman like Kat, the kind of woman whose smile alone could stir up dreams he hadn’t entertained for two years. But here on the ship Sam felt he had a duty to stay close. At least that was what he tried to tell himself, even as Kathryn’s liquid amber eyes flashed in his mind. He’d seen sadness there behind her easy sense of humor, and an inner strength that drew him in.
Sam denied the thought almost as soon as it rose, focusing instead on the atrium ahead as he and the other two men exited the stairwell on deck eight.
The smoke had cleared, leaving behind a gray film over every surface and an acrid scent Sam couldn’t quite place. Shards of crystal lay heaped with splintered wood and twisted piano strings. Yellow tape cordoned off most of the atrium. Sam’s gaze traveled straight up from the mess to the scorched opening in the ceiling.
“That’s a lot of damage,” he said. “Will we dock at the nearest port?”
“The closest port is where we’re headed.”
Sam had expected as much, but had hoped to hear otherwise. A week ago, they’d departed from São Paulo, Brazil, making two other stops in the country before embarking on the next leg of their trip—a seven-night journey to the Canary Islands.
Impeccable timing, for sure, with three days left at sea before reaching their destination. The realization only fed his suspicion that it wasn’t an accident that had caused the chandelier to fall.
“Any leads on what happened?”
Sam had expected to see a crew of officers combing through the debris for evidence, but he counted only three officers in the area other than Nick, and they stood outside the borders of the yellow tape.
Nick shook his head. “We don’t have the means to perform a thorough investigation on a cruise ship. Our job is to preserve the scene until we dock.”
Sam didn’t like the sounds of that. With three days until they reached land, they needed to discover the origin of the explosion in the atrium before something worse happened.
“What about security footage?”
Nick pointed to a spot two decks above, parallel to where the chandelier had hung. “I’ve got men scrolling through footage from that camera specifically. Hopefully, we’ll be able to get a closer view of how it all started.”
“What are your initial thoughts on the cause?” Sam asked.
Nick was quiet for a moment, not taking his eyes off the wreckage. Finally, he gestured toward Colton. “Colton suggested it could have started with a bulb exploding. That could account for the popping sound many people heard.”
“Is that a common malfunction?”
Colton shook his head. “Rare. And not likely to cause such a big fire.”
“Could it have caused the chandelier to come down?” Sam pressed, because the theory didn’t sit right with him.
“Not unless one exploded and caused several others to explode in succession.”
“Is that possible?”
Colton nodded. “Sure. Anything’s possible. Could also be faulty wiring. Ship’s pretty new—this is only her second year at sea.”
“So, we’re talking a long shot.” Sam peered up at the hole in the ceiling. “I’d say there was more to it than a few bulbs popping. Do you agree?”
Neither man seemed eager to share more, but Sam was sure they were all following the same line of thought. Someone had caused the chandelier to fall. Deliberately.
“Off the record,” he assured them. “I’d be the last one to spread word that could incite panic.”
Nick turned to Sam, a troubled expression in his eyes. “The most unlikely scenario, of course—it could have been a bomb.”
Sam said nothing. The theory didn’t surprise him. Several times he had replayed the sounds he’d heard, the loud pop, the explosion. And that chemical scent.
“Why unlikely?” Sam asked. In his opinion, a bomb was the most likely possibility.
“Our security policies are tighter than even air-travel policies. It’d be tough to get explosives on board,” Nick said.
“Looks to me like someone may have figured out a way,” Sam said. “You can’t ignore the extent of the damage.”
“Hard to believe the pianist made it out alive,” Nick said. “You said you were there when it happened?”
“I was a few feet away.”
Nick glanced at him, assessing. “Some witnesses said an unknown man pushed the pianist out of the way just before the chandelier came down. That you?”
“Yes.”
“You see anything or hear anything before then?”
“Thought I did,” Sam said. “Saw a man rushing through the crowd and into the coffee shop over there.” He pointed in the direction of the shop. “Almost as soon as he was gone, I heard the loud pop, and the chandelier burst into flames.”
“Did you get a good look at him?” Nick asked, eyes lit with interest.
“No. Just saw his back in a passing glimpse. Dark jacket, black ball cap, dark pants, maybe cargo-style.”
Nick turned toward the coffee shop. “I’ll have my team pay close attention to footage from that angle, too.”
“Excuse me, I’ve got a briefing with my team,” Colton said from behind them. “Callahan, we’ll catch up later. Sam, good to meet you.” He hurried back toward the steps and away from the accident scene.
“Any chance I can get a look at that security footage?” Sam asked, and Nick hesitated.
“Let me get back to you on that,” he said. “I’ll need you to verify the person you saw when we get ahold of the image. And I may ask for your assistance if I need more hands. If this was just an accident, that’s one thing. If it wasn’t...”
He let the thought trail off, but Sam knew where he was going.
If it wasn’t, there could be more trouble to come, and days from land, they were in a vulnerable position. Getting six thousand people safely into lifeboats would be a nightmare. Sam had stood through the muster station drill before the cruise set out, and he’d listened as a fresh-out-of-high-school crew member instructed them on ship-evacuation procedures. As if everyone would simply follow the muster rules in the case of an emergency. Sam had spent nearly a decade in law enforcement, and he’d seen people in desperation. Knew one human truth: in times of disaster, most people cling to just one rule—every man for himself.
* * *
Black water stretched before them under a moonless sky. Dark clouds had rolled in, bringing a cool breeze. Kat tugged the blanket around her shoulders. She was chilled, but happier outside than in. Couldn’t stand another minute breathing in the stench of smoke from her dress. At least out here, the breeze carried the odor away.
“Nothing as far as the eye can see. Just water and sky and stars. All of it a testimony to God’s creative genius.” Alice spoke the words softly. “I always wanted to go on a cruise with my Frank. I wish we’d had the chance.”
“Frank?”
“My husband. He had an artist’s soul and would have enjoyed every moment. It wasn’t meant to be, though. He passed away a little over a year ago. We had booked this trip already. It was to be our fiftieth-anniversary celebration.”
“I’m sorry.” Words were never enough, but they were all Kat had. “This trip must be hard for you.”
Alice watched the waves, silent for a moment. “I do wish he was here. But God’s been good to me. Frank and I spent forty-nine wonderful years together, raised four children, became grandparents. We even got to be great-grandparents. Many people don’t get that chance. I can’t complain. Plus, Frank wouldn’t have wanted me to come on this cruise and moon over the past.”
“I’m sure it gets lonely, though, sometimes.” Kat knew the feeling all too well.
“If I let it,” Alice said. “Happily, I’m not alone on this cruise.”
“Sam came with you.”
“Sam. Yes.” She sighed deeply. “My babysitter. He can be a stick-in-the-mud, such a rule-follower. Always has been. But my Red Hat Society ladies make up for it. Three of them came, actually, to make sure I had a good time. And let me tell you.” She leaned close, eyes sparkling. “We’ve been having a blast!”
“Does that mean you’ve been causing trouble?” Kat asked, amused with Alice’s sense of mischief.
“Causing it? Never! Trouble just seems to find me.”
“So you really are a trouble magnet, Alice?”
“That’s what my family says. All because of a few very minor incidents. But let’s not talk about that. Let’s talk about Sammy. He’s a lot like my Frank.”
“Is he?” Kat murmured, resistant to the turn in conversation. Alice clearly had an agenda that included finding a woman for her grandson, and Kat didn’t want to encourage her. She’d learned at a young age to take care of herself, and she’d done it well until Max had come along with his charming words and pretty promises. She’d let herself start dreaming then. What a mistake that had been.
“Oh, yes. He likes rules and quiet and order.” She said it as if it was a bad word, and Kat laughed.
“I like those things, too,” she admitted.
Alice smiled. “But Sammy, he’s got an edge to him, too. His mom calls him her adrenaline junky.”
“I guess that explains the Secret Service job.”
“Yes. And he even looks the part,” she said slyly. “Quite a good-looking young man, isn’t he?”
Kat laughed again, heat flushing her cheeks. Good-looking wasn’t the right term. Devastating. Yes, that was the one. And Kat had experienced enough devastation for one year. For a lifetime, really. “Very, and you’re quite the matchmaker, aren’t you?”
“Guilty as charged.” Alice smiled. “I can’t help myself. After nearly fifty years with the love of my life, I’m always eager to see others find their perfect match.”
“Nothing is perfect in this life,” Kat responded, pushing back the image of Max as it rose in her mind. If he wasn’t happy, he should have broken off their relationship. Instead, he got involved with another woman. While Kat was in the hospital. She didn’t want him back, but the betrayal still burned.
“You’re right, but there are some things that come very close. This moment, for one.” Alice gestured to the broad expanse of dark ocean. “The soft sound of waves lapping against the ship. The dark swirl of clouds filling the night sky. Is that not close to perfect?”
Kat was cold, the sky looked dreary, and the clouds seemed a little foreboding. “I think your Frank wasn’t the only one in the family with an artistic soul.”
“You’re right about that, dear. Maybe that’s why we had such a wonderful marriage.”
Someone knocked on the door before Kat could ask more questions about Alice and her husband, about the family that seemed almost too good to be true. For a while, her own family had seemed that way, too...but she’d learned that most things that were too good to be true simply didn’t last.
“Sit tight, Kat,” Alice said as she stood. “You’ve been through a big scare. And it does these bones good to move around.”
“I’m ready to go inside anyway,” Kat said, following behind as Alice answered the door.
“I have a keycard for Kathryn Brooks.” Johann stood just outside the door, blond hair pulled back into a ponytail, a tight smile on his angular face. “May I do anything else for you ladies this evening?”
“Not unless you can break us out of this joint.”
Kat laughed behind Alice, but Johann cocked his head, the joke lost in translation.
“Just a little joke,” Alice said. “Actually, would it be too much trouble to get some tea brought up?”
Johann nodded and quickly headed back down the hall.
“I’m sure the cabin stewards are getting a run for their money right now with everyone trapped in their rooms,” Alice said as she handed Kat her key. “Now, you go on down to your room and take that shower you’ve been waiting on.”
Kat hesitated. As desperate as she was to get into her room, Sam wasn’t back yet. “I told Sam I’d stay—”
“Actually, you didn’t. You said you’d stay while you waited for your key. You did. Now, go on to your room, clean up and come back to share some tea with me. I guess my Red Hat friends are stuck in their rooms, too, and I get lonely without company.”
Next thing Kat knew, she was out in the corridor, her keycard in hand, not quite sure how she’d gotten there. She considered knocking on Alice’s door, but she was just relieved and more than ready to change out of the smoky, wet clothes.
The hall was silent and empty, unusual and eerie for eight in the evening on a cruise ship. She hurried along the teal carpet, unsettled by the quiet. She almost turned back. Everyone else was following the captain’s instructions to stay in their rooms. Except her. But the promise of a hot shower was too enticing to pass up. She ignored the unnatural silence, the hairs rising at the nape of her neck. What had happened down in the atrium had been a freak accident, she was sure, and she wouldn’t let it throw her into an anxiety attack.
Maybe cruising hadn’t been the best idea, so soon after so much trauma. But the stint had seemed to come at the perfect time. She had needed desperately to get away. To find some solace. To regroup.
The hall seemed longer than it had been earlier. And much emptier. Yet she had a haunting feeling she wasn’t alone.
She glanced behind her. No one there. She quickened her steps, the quiet settling around her, eerie and thick. She looked back again. Hunted. That was how she felt, but she shook the thought away. She’d almost been killed a few hours ago, and she was probably still shaken from that.
Trust your instincts.
Wasn’t that what every police officer who taught women’s safety classes said? Go with your gut. Listen to your instincts. When you think you’re in danger, don’t second-guess yourself.
She shivered, quickening her pace even more, anxious to get to her cabin. Almost there. When she finally reached her door, Kat moved to swipe her keycard. But she sensed movement to her right. She peered down the hallway to where it darkened and veered left. Empty and quiet and lonely.
And then a shadowy figure emerged and sharp terror washed over her. She couldn’t see his eyes behind the dark glasses he wore and the black cap he’d pulled low. But there was no mistaking his stride was aimed at her.
