Free Sea Salt Caramel Murder (A Maple Hills Cozy Mystery Book 4) by Wendy Meadows

replied. “I will go with Romeo and Juliet.”
    Hawk hesitated. “Okay,” he said, giving in, “but if you try anything—”
    “Detective,” Lei said, “what would I try? Where can I run? Enough with the tough cop act, already. You do your job, and I'll do mine.”
    Hawk grabbed Lei by his jacket. “I'm not putting on an act. My main concern is for the lives of everyone on this ship. You may not have a conscience, but I do. Now get moving.” Hawk shoved Lei toward Matt and Tara.
    “I too once had a conscience,” Lei told Hawk, “but life took that away. Another time, Detective, when the odds are even.”
    “Anytime,” Hawk promised.
    Nikki watched Matt, Tara, and Lei walk to the stairwell and disappear. “I hope that young man holds to his word,” she told Hawk.
    “In life,” Hawk replied, “you work with what tools you have in the old toolbox. The question now is, what do we do?”
    “Go inform Mr. Lane about the bomb,” Nikki told Hawk. “After that, go back to my cabin and wait.”
    Something in Nikki's voice struck Hawk as strange. Nikki had a plan, a plan she didn't want prying ears to hear. It occurred to him that she was manipulating the killer. As scary as it was to realize that the killer was close by, hidden in some shadow, listening to every word being spoken, Hawk found himself grateful, as well. “All we can do is wait and hope that boy finds the bomb,” Hawk told Nikki.
    Taking Hawk's hand, Nikki nodded up toward the ceiling. “Let's go see Mr. Lane.”

Chapter Fourteen
    H awk knocked on the bridge door. The storm had now fully enveloped the ship. Thunderous waves, screaming winds, and pouring rain hollered above the dark sea with razor-sharp teeth. “Mr. Lane,” Nikki yelled, “it's Ms. Bates and Detective Daily. We need to speak with you. It's urgent.”
    The bridge door opened up. Brody appeared. “What is it?” he asked in a voice that told Nikki and Hawk the ship was in real danger.
    “We believe there is a bomb on the ship, and the killer will detonate it before the ship is able to escape this storm,” Nikki explained quickly. “Mr. Lane, how much longer will this storm hold us captive?”
    Brody's face went pale. “Uh, hard to tell, the system is massive. Even if I wanted to push the ship west, I couldn't. We're trapped.”
    Feeling the bow of the ship dip dangerously forward, Nikki flung her arms out for balance and managed to grab onto Hawk. “Okay,” Nikki told Brody, “Detective Daily and I will be in my cabin. It's too dangerous to be out anymore.”
    “Are we going to sink?” Hawk asked Brody, reading the man's worried face.
    “Engine room is reporting minor flooding,” Brody confessed. “The hull of this ship is old, Detective. As you can feel, we're being knocked around like peas in a can. We've been knocked off course, and there is nothing I can do about it, I'm afraid.”
    “Do your best,” Nikki told Brody. “We'll be in my cabin. All we ask is that you send some men out to find the bomb, okay? There's nothing else we can do.”
    Nikki stuck out her hand to shake Brody's. Brody, without thinking, shook Nikki's hand. “I'll do what I can, but the chances may be slim,” he replied in a calm voice. Returning back to the bridge, Brody closed the wooden door behind him.
    Nikki quickly gave Hawk a look that told him not to ask any questions. “Come on, let's get to my cabin and wait,” she told him.
    Hawk stared at the door leading into the bridge. His gut began to nibble at him. What did Nikki know that he didn't? Fighting to stand upright as a wave crashed against the port side of the ship, rocking it violently, Hawk knew that whatever Nikki knew, she would soon reveal it to him.

    * * *
    O n the bridge , Brody ordered an officer named John Brownfield to keep the ship heading due north at all cost. “We have a killer loose. Try and keep on course no matter what. It's prudent we do as the killer has ordered.”
    “I'll do my best, Lane,” the man