American library books Β» Other Β» The Daddy P.I. Casefiles: The First Collection by Frost, J (great novels .txt) πŸ“•

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is that it doesn’t tally with Black saying he was going to relax with a β€œlittle pink friend.”

β€œNo, absolutely not,” Merullo says. β€œOther than the occasional request to use coconut oil rather than almond, I’ve never had a problem. I’m trained. I know what’s safe to use, even on people with allergies.”

β€œUh-huh. Do you keep your herbal stuff with the medical supplies or with the spa supplies?”

β€œThe spa supplies. You don’t need a prescription for cod liver oil.”

True, that. β€œDo you dispense anything else to guests?”

He shrugs. β€œI’ll be handing out sea-sickness pills when the storm hits today, like everyone else.”

β€œAnything else?” I ask.

β€œLube. Condoms. I think that’s about it.”

β€œAnything else you can remember about Black or the other four now that you’ve had some time to look at their pictures?”

β€œNope.” He stretches back into the couch again, face relaxing. He thinks I’m wrapping up and he’s gotten away with it.

β€œJust one more thing.” I turn the laptop, tap up Rod and Sarah McCall’s social media pictures, and turn it back around so he can see the images. β€œDo you know these guests?”

His jaw knots, but he shakes his head. β€œThey don’t look familiar.”

β€œNever given either of them a massage? Never had them in class? Never done a scene with them?”

β€œNot that I remember. Who are they?”

β€œRod and Sarah McCall. Ring any bells?”

There’s a vein throbbing in his forehead. β€œDon’t think so. Why?”

β€œThey did a number of scenes with Bill Black, including one the morning of his death. Can’t place them at all?”

β€œNo, sorry.”

He lifts his hands innocently, but there’s nothing innocent in his eyes.

β€œOkay.” I rise and hold out my hand. β€œThanks for your time.”

He rises and shakes a little warily, but when I gesture towards the door, his shoulders relax. He definitely thinks he’s gotten away with it.

β€œYou’re not going to give me the usual line about calling you if I remember anything else?” Merullo asks, on the way to the door.

No, because I’m sure I’m going to be speaking to him again soon, but it makes me wonder if he’s been investigated before. Or just watched too many CSI programs. β€œNope, but if you do, please call the cabin.”

Fuck if I’m giving my number or email to this bastard.

β€œOkay.” At the door, he stops and offers his hand. β€œLook, maybe I was a little hard on your sub yesterday. I have to keep control or the class just devolves into high school sex ed, you know? Send her to the spa and I’ll give her half off any treatment.”

No chance am I letting Emily anywhere near this guy. But I’ll keep up appearances for now. I shake and say, β€œSure, thanks for the offer.”

He claps me on the shoulder before he leaves, like we’re mates. Bastard.

The next call I make isn’t to Sarah McCall; it’s to Ed Isaak.

β€œHow well do you know the spa manager, Jason Merullo?” I ask, after we exchange quick greetings.

β€œNot very well. I didn’t hire him. I think I’ve only met him in person at one or two of the company functions. I’ll give the guy points for cost-effectiveness, though. He’s trimmed down the spa services and made the spa profitable, finally.”

But has he made it profitable by focusing the spa’s services or by offering submissive men suffering from sexual dysfunction a solution for a fat price?

β€œHe’s lying through his teeth about his interactions with Black,” I say. β€œMerullo gave Black seven, ninety-minute massages three weeks ago, but claims he doesn’t remember Black at all. He barely remembers Kam-Magruder, who had four massages and did a scene with him. I haven’t gone through the spa bills for the other three yet, but he’s the common denominator so far, and he’s hiding something.”

β€œYou think he’s hiding the brick?”

β€œI do. Can you have your people look into his orders from a place called Hidden Emerald Ranch? He evidently orders herbs from them directly for a class he does on sub-drop. What, exactly, is he ordering and how much is he paying for it? Payment would go through your accounts department, right?”

β€œProbably. Some of the senior officers have company credit cards and can pay for things directly, but I don’t think he’s one of them. I’ll have the accounts department check. What should we look for?”

β€œWhere is Hidden Emerald Ranch for a start? Is it outside the US? Michael told me that you can get Viagra shipped from Canada just by ordering it online. No prescription necessary. What’s Merullo ordering, exactly? How much? How often? Get the weight of the shipments, if you can. That might tell us if the brick is being hidden in the other stuff he’s ordering.”

I hear Isaak scribbling as he makes notes. β€œWhile I don’t want to believe one of our own people would do this, Logan, this is excellent work.”

β€œIt’s a start. I need to find the brick.”

β€œOkay. What do you need?”

β€œAccess to the spa’s storage spaces. I’m assuming they’ll be locked.”

β€œYes, they will. I hate to say it, but we’ve had problems with guests helping themselves. All the storage is locked. I’ve arranged an interview with Kofi Palmer, our chief purser, at three. I’ll have him bring you a master key card. It’ll open all the electronic locks on the ship except for guest rooms and the bridge.”

β€œThanks. I also spoke to Rod McCall this morning.”

Ed clears his throat. β€œI thought you were going to hold off until after you’d interviewed the staff?”

When did I say that?

β€œNo. I took a look at his social media accounts. He’s definitely the man who went into Black’s cabin on Saturday. I’m pretty sure you’re right about him being a pro top. He knows about the brick.”

β€œWhat? He admitted it?”

β€œNo, and I didn’t ask him directly. But I need to. I also need to ask him if he knows any of our other victims. I held off because you told me to handle him with kid gloves, but he knows, and we need to pin him down.”

I hear Ed tapping his pen against

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