Free Haunted Destiny by Heather Graham

“I’ll find a chair for her.”
    Clara joined them a moment later. “You look peaked, girl!” Ralph said to her. “You up all night?”
    â€œNightmares,” Clara said shortly. “Hi,” she greeted Jude.
    Alexi quickly introduced them.
    â€œNightmares?” Simon asked her. “On the ship?”
    â€œI shouldn’t have, but I stayed up watching the news,” Clara replied. “That Archangel killer out there—he was in New Orleans!”
    â€œAnd he’s probably already moved on,” Simon said gently. “He goes from city to city. You’re safe on this ship. And we’re all here with you,” he added.
    â€œThey don’t seem to have anything on this guy, nothing at all! They can’t even find some of the actual crime scenes,” Clara said, shivering.
    Jude considered himself a good judge of character. He believed that the men at the table were as concerned for their friend as they appeared to be. Their empathy and determination to assure her seemed completely genuine. He was as confident of that as he could possibly be.
    A good thing, since this young woman, like Alexi, would certainly appeal to the killer.
    He lowered his head.
    The ship has many beautiful young women aboard. A veritable feast for the so-called Archangel.
    Clara shivered again, then managed a smile. “I’m going to stick close to all of you.”
    â€œThe cops aren’t sharing much information,” Simon said. “I read somewhere that the women weren’t just found in churches, but that they were all posed, with saints’ medallions around their necks. What do you suppose it means?”
    â€œI didn’t hear about that,” Ralph said. “I’ll bet the cops weren’t supposed to give out that information. I guess some of ’em talk when they’re off duty. And once the media gets hold of something...well, you know! Of course, I don’t think anyone could miss the news that he leaves his victims in churches. Or sometimes on the steps.”
    Jude was intent on watching their faces and was startled when Alexi Cromwell suddenly rose. Her meal was only half-eaten.
    She seemed to notice that everyone was staring at her.
    She was thinking fast, Jude thought, looking for a plausible lie. Why, he wasn’t sure yet.
    â€œI just saw someone you need to meet,” Alexi said, turning to Jude. “Ralph, would you mind returning our trays? Um, Mr. McCoy, would you come with me?”
    â€œNo problem,” Ralph said, but he watched curiously as Jude excused himself and followed Alexi out of the cafeteria.
    Then Jude saw why she’d left so abruptly, why she’d summoned him.
    The man in the hooded sweatshirt was moving along the hallway.
    * * *
    â€œWait, please!” Alexi called out. The young man who’d tried so hard to speak to her—who’d disappeared at Jude McCoy’s arrival last night—had popped his head into the cafeteria.
    Now he was hurrying down the hallway.
    If nothing else, she somehow had to convince the FBI man that she was telling the truth.
    His quarry was a dead man.
    â€œPlease!” she called again.
    He stopped and glanced back at her and then nervously scanned the hallway.
    Alexi realized that Jude McCoy—once again—saw him, too.
    â€œI need to speak with you,” the agent said. His voice was calm and even.
    The young man remained where he was.
    Alexi kept walking toward him, with Jude a few steps behind. There was no one in the hallway just then, but at any minute there could be workers coming through, either to get to their gigs or to eat or return to their cabins if their shifts were during the off-hours.
    â€œMy cabin,” she whispered.
    She reached her door and used her key card to open it. The young man paused, looked at her—and then at Jude McCoy.
    Then he stepped into her cabin; McCoy followed.
    â€œWho are you and what’s going