“That’s no way to talk about your second husband,” Ted said.
“Oh, I forgot. When you blow yourself up, Mike has dibs on Mia,” Mason said. “Don’t worry, Mia has better taste than that.”
Mia snuggled up to Ted’s arm.
“Are you cold? I could run back and get your sweater.”
“No, I was just feeling chilled for a moment,” Mia said. “I would, however, love to have a whiskey to warm me up.”
“I’ll order it first thing. How about one of them Manhattans?” he asked. “This looks like a place that can make one.”
Mia and Mason looked around as they followed the host. There were a few families seated, but for the most part, the clientele was over forty. There was a small dance floor with a three-piece combo playing. Mia was seated facing the stage with Mason and Ted on either side. She leaned over and whispered to Ted, “There is a tragic looking woman walking around the dance floor with only one shoe on.”
“That would have been you if Mason hadn’t intervened,” Ted teased.
“I wonder what her story is?” Mia said.
“Wait until we’re on the clock, pumpkin,” Ted pleaded. “Let’s enjoy ourselves.”
“Even with Mason here?” Mia asked.
“Especially with Mason here,” Ted said wryly. “Where did you get that sports coat?” he asked him. “It looks familiar.”
“Ralph’s friend Dash was throwing it out.”
“I think you look really nice, Mason,” Mia said, still distracted by the woman with one shoe. She was doing a slow strip tease to the music.
Mason looked at the wine list and whistled. “Whose dime is this on?”
“Mine,” Ted said.
“Do you want me to be frugal?”
“No, but maybe look at a wine from this century,” Ted suggested.
“Gotcha, chief.”
The waiter came and presented the specials. Mia gave him her full attention, and when he left, she turned back to the dance floor. The woman had gone. She sighed.
“Are you alright?”
“Sorry, it’s just that ghost. She was hard to ignore.”
Mia’s drink arrived, and she sipped it. The warmth spread through her. She took another sip and the ghost no longer bothered her, a third and she was giggling.
Ted rarely saw Mia this way. The atmosphere of the hotel was really making her loopy.
Mason looked at Mia and realized that she was quickly headed for a meltdown. “Ted, may I dance with your wife?” he asked.
“Yes, sure. I hope she can stand.”
Mia let Mason lead her to the dance floor. “Now, girly-girl, what’s going on?”
“There are so many of them. This place is filled with unhappiness. I’m not sure I can stop it from taking over me.”
“Concentrate on my face,” he said, lifting her chin. “Yes, this is your asshole friend Mason.”
“You look like him. Kevin looks like him. I fucking left him in the middle of the fucking ocean.”
“No. Look at me again. I’m this sexy beast of a man. I radiate sex…”
Mia frowned. “Says who?”
Mason smiled. “Says me. You’re going to dump your husband and crawl in with me tonight.”
“I am not,” Mia growled. “You’re a child!”
Mason laughed. “Welcome back, Mia.”
Mason gave Ted a thumbs up. He danced her around the room and brought a happy, but obstinate, Mia back to the table.
“Sorry, I don’t know what came over me. It was such melancholy, I couldn’t breathe.” Mia picked up her drink and noticed it was empty except for the plastic sword full of cherries.
“You gulped it down,” Ted said.
“Oh,” Mia said as she put the garnish in her mouth, closed her lips, and pulled out the straw. She tucked it behind her ear, announcing, “I’m hungry. When is our meal coming?”
Ted and Mason looked at each other. Mia was back.
Chapter Thirty
Stephen enjoyed the camaraderie of the crew. They may have been mostly criminals in life, but death had given them a second chance in the GSD. He and the crew got along famously, except for Harley, who shook his head whenever his glance connected with Stephen’s. They were all hard workers and had blossomed under the new captain. Henry Waite stepped up when they found the captain pinned to the main mast with the blade that was taken from Abigor’s Emissary. Waite noticed the new chain the captain sported was missing from his neck.
“I guess she came for her birdmen and found them gone,” he said, not privy to Mia’s note that Crocker had burnt. “It’s what you get when you make deals with demons. Adjust that harpoon gun; we will no longer hunt birdmen.”
Murphy entered the galley and found it empty except for Harley. He decided to introduce himself and find out what the navigator’s problem was with him.
“Stephen Murphy,” he said, extending his hand.
“I know who you are,” Harley answered, both his hands not leaving the mug of coffee.
“Have I done something to offend you?” Stephen asked. “If so, I would like to make amends.”
“That’s very civilized of you, but you have not caused me any personal offense. It’s someone else you should be making amends to.”
“I don’t understand.”
“Farmer, let me explain this to you. I hope you can pick it up, because you appear to be rather slow.”
Stephen’s fists balled, but he let the anger go.
“I don’t pretend to understand how or why, but I’m in communication with a clairvoyant named Kai. He asks me from time to time to deliver messages to men on this side of the veil from their loved ones. Even after years of being here, they seem to appreciate that someone is thinking of them. And it eases the feeling of loss on the other side too. Now, you’re a whole ’nother case. I told Kai where you were, and your loved one came across the veil to bring you home. It’s never happened before. I
