“Pauline! We are frantic. Are you all right?” Miles asked. “We hear talking. Are you…oh, God. Someone is not in there harming you!”

Bam! Bam! Bam!

I looked at Jagger. “Open the door before they hurt themselves.”

When he opened it, Goldie and Miles rushed in, grabbed both my hands then turned and shouted, “Jagger! Thank goodness it’s you. We were worried about our girl.”

Miles leaned forward. “You’re pale. What happened?” He touched my hair to push it back and must have felt the bandage beneath my locks. “Oh! Oh! What really happened?”

I rolled my eyes and figured it was a losing battle. With Miles being a nurse, Jagger a topnotch PI and, well, Goldie being darling Goldie, I never could make up a lie good enough to fool all of them.

So I spilled my guts, including how I ran into my parents and finished with, “Hey, I never had lunch. I’m starving. Oh, and Miles, please call and let them know I’m fine.”

He nodded.

Jagger stood up. “I’ll go get us something to eat.” He looked at Miles and Goldie. “You two stay here with her.”

Great. Now he’d frightened them with his guilt order and they’d never leave.

They nodded in unison and plopped down like obedient children, one in each white chair.

As soon as the door closed behind Jagger, I said, “You guys go. I’ll be fine.”

Miles merely looked at me.

Goldie mumbled. “Jagger said-”

I waved my hand. No use in getting them into trouble with Jagger-but I had to get out of there soon and find out if Remy had been caught. Something told me Tim would not give me a buzz and nonchalantly say they had the guy. I know his loyalty to his job had to come first.

So, how to get out of here before Jagger arrived?

Goldie sat very still, barely taking his eyes off of me. How sweet. Every once in a while I’d smile at him.

Miles, being an OR nurse and less worried, yet definitely concerned, dozed in Betty’s chair. Hmm.

I motioned with my index finger for Goldie to come near.

He looked at Miles and tiptoed over. “What is it, Suga? Need something?” he whispered.

“Actually, I do. Jagger is taking way too long. I’m dying for a Coke. I think the caffeine would be good for me right now.” Good thing Goldie wasn’t up on medical stuff. “I’m feeling a bit nauseous.”

“Oooooooh.”

“Shh!” I looked at Miles. “Please just go to the machines near the infirmary, out to the right, and get me a can of Coke. Would you be a dear and do that?” How I hated lying to my precious friend.

Goldie put his finger to his lips, motioned toward Miles and winked at me. “Done.”

When I heard the door click and noticed Miles hadn’t stirred, I made my move. In slow motion, which I was hoping would cause less ruffling of sheets or any other kind of noise, I got up, grabbed my shoes, and was out the door, guiding it very slowly so it wouldn’t shut with a bang.

I said a short prayer that Jagger would not take my escape out on my friends as I hurried down the hallway to the left. At the end, I leaned against the wall to put on my shoes. With one foot in the air, I bent to slip one on. The elevator door opened.

Out walked Jagger!

I flung myself around a corner as fast as I could before he saw me. Remaining like a statue, I waited. Nothing. No footsteps on the carpeted floor but also no Jagger peeking at me from around the corner. Phew. I made it.

Soon I was in the elevator, all alone, thank you very much, and on my way down to who knew where.

I had to find out more about my case, since I knew Remy was no longer on the ship. And I knew Jagger, Miles and Goldie would be out looking for me any second. Where would they go first?

The main lobby, thinking I was leaving the ship.

I looked across the room to the north elevator and…bingo! The three of them were on the elevator going down!

Quickly I swung to the side and leaned against the wall so they wouldn’t see me. Knowing Jagger, I had to be really careful, so I slunk down below the glass, nearly sitting on the floor. I couldn’t even peek out to see if they saw me. Too dangerous. So I remained there until the elevator stopped and the door opened.

“What the hell are you doing, Pauline?” Betty asked before I could jump up.

Thank goodness it was my roomie. “Oh, I fell today and felt a bit woozy.” I got up. “I’m fine now.”

“I heard about your fall.” She still gave me an odd look. “You all right?”

“Peachy,” I said and laughed. “Who told you about my…accident?”

“I stopped by the infirmary to get my jumper.” She held out her white sweater. “Rico and Peter told me. I’ll check on you throughout the night if you’d like.”

“I wouldn’t like to get woken up, but a few times may be necessary. Thanks.”

She nodded. “Where you off to?”

Yikes. I had no idea. Maybe I could feign confusion. Then again, they’d take my job away from me. “Actually, with my accident, I missed lunch. I guess I’ll go for an early meal.”

“I’ll join you. Just in case you get a bit loony.” She chuckled.

I smiled and was actually glad for the company. When we got our trays of food, Betty and I sat near the window. The place was practically empty, since it was around three and so early for dinner, but the food was warm and good. We talked about our pasts and Betty wanted to know all about what it was like to grow up in America and about my nursing jobs.

I had to pretend I still worked at St. Greg’s, the last hospital that I did management in OB/GYN. She seemed to buy it and told me about the jobs that she’d had. I really got the sense that Betty came from money.

“I love the way the British have their royal family, Betty. It’s so interesting and historical at the same time.”

She looked across the room. “My grandfather was an earl.”

Wouldn’t that mean his children would be royals also? I thought, but Betty didn’t look open to questions. How interesting. Europeans had such wonderful histories behind their lineage.

“Wow. An earl. That is neat.” We finished our meal and each had two cups of tea. Mine was decaf. Betty crinkled her nose at that and teased me that I didn’t drink real tea. I’d never spent this much time with my roommate, since our shifts often kept us apart. After she asked me a bit more about my current job, we cleaned up our trays and headed out of the place.

“Pauline, I’ve always wondered how they found you so fast to replace…Remy. How was that?” she asked as we walked toward the elevator.

Oops. First I shivered at the thought of Remy, and then I fumbled for a lie and wondered why Betty would care. How’d she come up with the question? “That’s an interesting question. I believe that my boss had connections with someone that had something to do with the ship. The Golden Dolphin line, that is.” Oh, damn. Even I wouldn’t believe that.

“Well, I’m off.” She got into the elevator and really didn’t look as if she expected me to join her.

I stood and watched the door close, then got another chill up my spine.

But this time it didn’t have to do with Remy.

I needed to find Jagger, so I made myself obvious by going out on the deck where the passengers were embarking from their tour of Bermuda. Saddened to see the island for the last time, I had to concentrate on work, and wondered if Tim would be sailing back or staying on the island to find Remy.

“You should be ashamed of yourself.”

I swung around at the sound of Jagger’s voice and smiled to myself. Did I know the guy or what? “What are you talking about?”

“Involving those two in your trick. They’re just about in pieces over your escape.”

Damn it.

“You didn’t holler at them or make them feel worse did you?”

He shook his head.

I’d have to call Goldie and Miles’s room and apologize. But first I had to talk to Jagger. “Come with me.”