Cruel Capers on the Caribbean: A Kate on Vacation Mystery (The Kate on Vacation mysteries) by Kassandra Lamb Page B
Authors: Kassandra Lamb
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the restaurant attached to the bar.
Liz bulked at first when she saw mostly fried foods on the menu, but she settled on Key West shrimp, steamed in beer, and a salad. Skip munched on conch fritters and fries.
Despite the warm day, Kate had opted for conch chowder. It was a taste sensation she had only found in the Bahamas and Florida. She was famished, but she made herself eat slowly, savoring the rich, tangy broth and the slightly sweet, chewy conch meat.
Liz pointed to Kate’s bowl. “That smells heavenly, but I never could get into conch. Tastes like a clam-flavored rubber band.”
Kate laughed.
“Yeah,” Skip said with a grin. “But I’m from Texas and we’ll eat anything, long as it’s dipped in batter and deep-fried.”
Liz gave an exaggerated shudder.
After lunch, they window-shopped back on Duval Street, the main drag through the tourist area of town. The women left Skip on a bench while they poked around in some of the unusual shops. Kate’s favorite was one devoted to all things Jimmy Buffet. She bought a stuffed toy parrot for her son.
At their last stop, a tiny art gallery, she found a small oil painting of the Mile 0 marker with the ocean behind it. Remembering Liz’s comment about reliving memories every time one walks through a room, she decided to buy it for their living room.
When they returned to the bench, Skip stood up. His expression was grim. “Rob just called. They haven’t arrested Clem, but they’re holding him for now.”
“Is that legal?” Kate asked.
Skip nodded. “In most jurisdictions, the police can hold a suspect for a certain number of hours before they have to either charge him or let him go. Rob’s meeting us back at the ship.”
They walked back to the cruise ship dock. “I’m just as glad we’re cutting the sightseeing short today,” Liz said as she limped down the pier. “My feet are pretty much vacationed out.”
The gangplank was crowded. Apparently many others had the same idea. Kate had opened her mouth to comment on this when she caught sight of a thatch of silver hair ahead of them. She stood on tiptoe and bobbed her head around, trying to get a better look. “I think that’s the Hudsons up there.” She kept her voice low.
“Really?” Liz said.
The line moved forward through security. For a moment the crowd parted, and Kate got a better glimpse of the couple. “I’m pretty sure it’s them.”
Skip rubbed his chin. “Why the hell would they rejoin the ship at this late date?”
“Yeah,” Kate said. “They’re regulars on this cruise so it’s not like they haven’t seen Key West before.” Then she shrugged. One thing she’d learned after being a psychotherapist for over two decades–people do strange things.
“Hey,” Liz said, “can we use this as an excuse to approach Fredericks? We can tell him his friends are back on board.”
“Hmm, do you think he really knows them?” Kate said. “I’m still trying to make sense of that conversation. You’d think he’d be trying to keep a low profile, if he was a hit man.”
The couple in front of them turned and stared. Skip gave them a sheepish smile. “TV show we watched last night.”
After they’d turned back around, Kate whispered, “Sorry. I forgot to keep my voice down.”
Skip just shook his head. They remained silent until they were through security and could get away from the crowd of passengers. “Not we ,” he said, still keeping his voice low. “Me. If this guy’s a hit man, knocking on his door could be dangerous.”
Kate narrowed her eyes at him. “All the more reason you shouldn’t go alone.”
“She’s right,” Liz said.
Skip blew out air. “Okay, but you two are my back-up only. You will stay at the end of the hall. If I say the word drastic you’ll call out my name and come toward me, as if you’ve been looking for me.”
Both women nodded. “Drastic,” Liz said. “Got it.”
They proceeded to Fredericks’ cabin. Kate and Liz lingered
Liz bulked at first when she saw mostly fried foods on the menu, but she settled on Key West shrimp, steamed in beer, and a salad. Skip munched on conch fritters and fries.
Despite the warm day, Kate had opted for conch chowder. It was a taste sensation she had only found in the Bahamas and Florida. She was famished, but she made herself eat slowly, savoring the rich, tangy broth and the slightly sweet, chewy conch meat.
Liz pointed to Kate’s bowl. “That smells heavenly, but I never could get into conch. Tastes like a clam-flavored rubber band.”
Kate laughed.
“Yeah,” Skip said with a grin. “But I’m from Texas and we’ll eat anything, long as it’s dipped in batter and deep-fried.”
Liz gave an exaggerated shudder.
After lunch, they window-shopped back on Duval Street, the main drag through the tourist area of town. The women left Skip on a bench while they poked around in some of the unusual shops. Kate’s favorite was one devoted to all things Jimmy Buffet. She bought a stuffed toy parrot for her son.
At their last stop, a tiny art gallery, she found a small oil painting of the Mile 0 marker with the ocean behind it. Remembering Liz’s comment about reliving memories every time one walks through a room, she decided to buy it for their living room.
When they returned to the bench, Skip stood up. His expression was grim. “Rob just called. They haven’t arrested Clem, but they’re holding him for now.”
“Is that legal?” Kate asked.
Skip nodded. “In most jurisdictions, the police can hold a suspect for a certain number of hours before they have to either charge him or let him go. Rob’s meeting us back at the ship.”
They walked back to the cruise ship dock. “I’m just as glad we’re cutting the sightseeing short today,” Liz said as she limped down the pier. “My feet are pretty much vacationed out.”
The gangplank was crowded. Apparently many others had the same idea. Kate had opened her mouth to comment on this when she caught sight of a thatch of silver hair ahead of them. She stood on tiptoe and bobbed her head around, trying to get a better look. “I think that’s the Hudsons up there.” She kept her voice low.
“Really?” Liz said.
The line moved forward through security. For a moment the crowd parted, and Kate got a better glimpse of the couple. “I’m pretty sure it’s them.”
Skip rubbed his chin. “Why the hell would they rejoin the ship at this late date?”
“Yeah,” Kate said. “They’re regulars on this cruise so it’s not like they haven’t seen Key West before.” Then she shrugged. One thing she’d learned after being a psychotherapist for over two decades–people do strange things.
“Hey,” Liz said, “can we use this as an excuse to approach Fredericks? We can tell him his friends are back on board.”
“Hmm, do you think he really knows them?” Kate said. “I’m still trying to make sense of that conversation. You’d think he’d be trying to keep a low profile, if he was a hit man.”
The couple in front of them turned and stared. Skip gave them a sheepish smile. “TV show we watched last night.”
After they’d turned back around, Kate whispered, “Sorry. I forgot to keep my voice down.”
Skip just shook his head. They remained silent until they were through security and could get away from the crowd of passengers. “Not we ,” he said, still keeping his voice low. “Me. If this guy’s a hit man, knocking on his door could be dangerous.”
Kate narrowed her eyes at him. “All the more reason you shouldn’t go alone.”
“She’s right,” Liz said.
Skip blew out air. “Okay, but you two are my back-up only. You will stay at the end of the hall. If I say the word drastic you’ll call out my name and come toward me, as if you’ve been looking for me.”
Both women nodded. “Drastic,” Liz said. “Got it.”
They proceeded to Fredericks’ cabin. Kate and Liz lingered
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