Haunted Destiny by Heather Graham Page A

murders according to some schedule of his own. Going strictly by age, Hank is a more likely suspect, but...” He looked at her intently. “It’s common knowledge that murderers can be the boy-next-door type. Nice as can be, polite, even charming. Don’t trust anyone .”
    That was a nearly impossible directive. She lived on the ship!
    A couple entered the room and took a seat at one of the cocktail tables. A family group came in soon afterward, and Dixie, one of the cocktail waitresses, started toward them.
    â€œI need to begin my show,” Alexi said.
    â€œYep, sorry. Your friends come in here, too, right? Fellow entertainers, from the shows and bands and all.”
    â€œYes.”
    â€œDid you ever get any—vibes, I guess—from any of them? Particularly Larry Hepburn, Simon Green, Ralph Martini or the head guy, Bradley Wilcox?”
    She shook her head. “No, but Ralph’s the only one I really know. Wait—not true. Bradley Wilcox is a jerk. I already told you that, but please don’t repeat it. He’s just curt and rude and treats us all as if we’re his personal servants. Ralph—I’d have a hard time believing he’s guilty of anything.”
    â€œThanks. Okay. I’ll be here. That chair over there okay?” He pointed to one of the comfortable wingback chairs set around some of the cocktail tables.
    â€œSure.” She’d been playing the piano and singing for as long as she could remember.
    Yet she suddenly felt a little intimidated. She wished Minnie and Blake weren’t still strolling...wherever. Minnie would have harassed her about playing a certain song or other, and she would’ve been busy trying to pretend a ghost wasn’t whispering in her ear. All while she was speaking, playing and singing.
    She decided to begin with a Carole King number—trying to ignore Agent McCoy. After that a woman wanted to sing another Carole King song and Alexi was happy to pass her the mic.
    The lounge had filled up quickly, and she nearly missed a note when she saw that Roger Antrim had arrived with his wife, Lorna. They waved at her with wide smiles, taking a seat at one of the few empty tables left.
    She greeted them by name, something she often did, and then teased a couple who’d just arrived, which made everyone laugh. Then she suggested that Roger come up and sing.
    He agreed.
    He loved anything by Billy Joel, and had a pleasant voice.
    Alexi smiled as she played for him.
    And wondered if he could be a brutal killer.
    Thirty minutes later she’d almost forgotten that Agent McCoy was in the lounge. That was when Clara arrived with Simon Green.
    Simon wouldn’t be just chorus for long, Alexi thought, as the two began a duet from Jekyll & Hyde . He was very good. So, of course, was Clara.
    Alexi did a Kid Rock and Sheryl Crow number with Simon.
    Larry Hepburn—blond, beautiful beach boy—arrived next. He sang a few Beatles tunes. Every woman in the audience seemed to be breathing a little harder.
    Then Ralph Martini showed up and graced them with a fantastic version of a Meat Loaf song. In the middle of it, she realized that McCoy had managed to drag his chair over to the table where Roger Antrim and his wife were sitting. In fact, he was engaged in conversation with them.
    Hank Osprey didn’t make an appearance until almost eleven. He was with a very pretty young woman in a skintight cocktail gown and five-inch heels. They made quite a pair.
    He waved to Alexi as he entered, and she waved back.
    When the Meat Loaf song had ended and the applause for Ralph subsided, she greeted Hank, introducing him as a regular who could croon out a great Tony Bennett. Hank flushed, excused himself to the young woman and came up to take the mic.
    The night went on without incident. Blake and Minnie didn’t reappear. She teased, she joked, kept the passengers singing, and when there was a lull, she sang a few favorite show