Read Cruel Capers on the Caribbean: A Kate on Vacation Mystery (The Kate on Vacation mysteries) for Free Online Page B

get a ticket and follow you all on board.”
    Wait, the daughter was staying with her stepfather, according to the phone conversation Kate had witnessed two days ago. “Or could he have hired someone to come on the cruise?”
    Clem’s mouth dropped open. “A hit man?”
    Kate shrugged. “If you’re sure she didn’t kill herself, then someone else did.”
    He clenched his jaw and nodded.
    Kate sat back in her chair as a new thought struck her. “Clem, I know you want justice for Cora, but you might not want to push the idea of murder with the authorities.”
    “Why not?”
    “Because you will be their prime suspect.”
    ~~~~~~~~
    A s Kate hurried back to her cabin to get showered and dressed for the day, she passed Dr. Hudson and his wife in a corridor. The latter was carrying a bulging straw bag that looked new–no doubt bought in one of the shops at Cozumel. She looked downright jittery.
    Dr. Hudson smiled pleasantly. “Good morning.”
    Anger surged in Kate’s chest, threatening to overwhelm her manners. She shoved a “Good morning” through gritted teeth and hustled past the couple. Then her churning emotions shifted to guilt. It wasn’t the man’s fault that Cora was dead. She was projecting the anger coming from her own grief onto him.
    Over breakfast, she told Skip and the Franklins about her conversation with Clem.
    Skip held his hands out in front of him, palms out. “Whoa, darlin’. We’re on vacation. We’re not investigating this.”
    Kate pursed her lips in irritation. “I wasn’t suggesting that we should.”
    Rob jumped in to smooth the waters. “I’m sure the captain is reporting her death to the New Orleans authorities as we speak.”
    Kate shook her head. “I doubt that, not after what the ship’s doctor said.”
    Rob gave her a blank look.
    “Oh, yeah, you’d left to get the camera. He said that at sea, the captain was king, and when we asked about turning the case over to the New Orleans police, he just shrugged.”
    Liz pulled a tablet out of her over-sized purse.
    “Does that work onboard?” Kate asked.
    “Yeah, the ship has a satellite dish,” Liz said without looking up. She was poking at the tablet’s screen.
    The others ate while Liz muttered under her breath, poked some more at the tablet, then finally set it down on the table and picked up her fork again. “Looks like you’re right, Kate. Crimes on cruise ships are not always reported. It’s a little fuzzy even who they should report them to. The next port of call or the country they’re registered in?”
    “Which is Panama in this case,” Skip said.
    Kate digested that as she finished her eggs and toast. She hated the idea of someone getting away with murder, but if they made a fuss, Clem would then be the most likely suspect. She was fairly sure his grief was genuine, and he didn’t kill Cora.
    What about the socialite’s husband? Would he inherit her money, or had she already changed her will? If the latter was the case, she was worth more to him alive than dead. Estates couldn’t be sued for alimony, although there might be a trust fund involved for the daughter.
    Kate shook her head slightly. If it turned out that Cora’s husband had killed her, then her daughter would be left with no parent at all. Was that better or worse than being raised by your mother’s murderer?
    Skip’s hand covered hers on the table. “Try to let it go, darlin’. At least for today. We can check on the status of things when we get back on board this afternoon.”
    Kate nodded and mustered a smile for him.

CHAPTER SIX
    S ince they only had a day, they’d decided to stick to the French Quarter. There were very few reminders of Hurricane Katrina here. Kate doubted that would be the case if they traveled to some of the other sections of New Orleans.
    The day remained on the cool side. She was glad she’d thought to pack a light jacket.
    They started with St. Louis Cathedral, with its white facade and steeples gleaming