Free psychic crystal 03 - killer cruise by Marilyn Baron Page A

breasts and her stomach. His hands paused on her bare midriff and he sat up suddenly.
    “Kate.”
    Kate’s mouth turned up.
    “Katherine Crystal Hale, is there something you’d like to tell me?”
    Kate kept quiet and swallowed a smile.
    “Are you…are we…Kate?” Jack stared at her.
    “Yes, Daddy.”
    “Oh, my God, I knew it. How did it happen?”
    “I think you know how it happened.”
    “I mean, when? How far along are you?”
    “I think it happened on our honeymoon, but I haven’t seen a doctor yet. I took a pregnancy test with Juliette.”
    “With Juliette. When did you know?”
    “Last night. After I got sick.”
    “I thought that was seasickness.”
    “So did I, but Juliette knew. She’s known for a while. She says she saw a vision when we were together in Casa Spirito.”
    Jack wrapped his arms around her and hugged her.
    “I didn’t hurt you, did I? Before, I mean?”
    “No, of course not.”
    Jack paced the cabin, his voice was full of energy. “Kate, I am thrilled. How do you feel about it?”
    “I was shocked, at first. It’s happened so soon. But I’m getting used to the idea.”
    “Honey,” said Jack, planting a loud kiss on her mouth and hugging her again. “I couldn’t be happier. I can’t wait to tell my mother. Do you think Juliette knows if it’s a boy or a girl?”
    “I wouldn’t be surprised, but I don’t want to find out that way.”
    “Okay, we’ll find out the regular way. Have you been getting any feelings at all? Did you know?”
    “No. I thought I was seasick, too.”
    “Do you think our baby will be psychic?”
    “It’s possible. It runs in the family. We’d better prepare ourselves.”

Chapter Twelve
    Juliette and Will dined at the outdoor café on the pool deck. From their vantage point, they observed the medevac helicopter from Barcelona hovering over the deck. The ship’s physician and the captain and a small contingent of the crew had fastened the body, wrapped like a mummy in a white sheet, to the waiting winch while it was raised into the medevac. The wind whipped up furiously around the copter, twisting the cargo. Juliette wrapped a shawl around her shoulders to ward off the chill, both physical and cosmic.
    “I thought bodies aboard ship were supposed to be buried at sea,” said Juliette.
    “Normally, yes, since we’re so far out in the ocean. But in this case, since the man was murdered, the captain is sending the body back to the mainland for further investigation. We’re too far out to sea to turn around.”
    The helicopter circled back, and Juliette watched it until it was nothing more than a black speck in the sky.
    “The crew is growing restless,” Will said, finishing his sandwich. “They’re spooked about the death threat to the European Union banking conference, and then the murder, although we’ve tried to keep it a secret. But the crew knows, and now anyone out on deck can see it. The news will spread like wildfire. And a murderer is loose on the ship. All bad signs. The crew is convinced this cruise is jinxed, cursed. Isn’t there something you can do? Some kind of spell you can weave, or a ritual you can perform?”
    “Will, I’m not a magician or a witch. The truth is, this cruise is cursed. The crow we saw earlier was on the railing when I woke up this morning.”
    “Crowzilla was back?” Will piped up.
    “Yes, and with his two brothers,” Juliette added. “There were three of them, all in a row. It’s a classic sign. I did do a protective spell, but I’m not sure it will cover us out at sea.”
    “Is that why you lit all those candles in the cabin?”
    “Yes.”
    “I thought maybe you were trying to send me a message by setting a romantic mood, but then you acted like you didn’t want to be around me, as usual.”
    “This has nothing to do with you, Will Bradley. The world doesn’t revolve around you.”
    “I’ve been on my best behavior, in case you haven’t noticed.”
    “I’ve noticed.”