The elevator started to move. I had to ignore it. Once I was stuck in an elevator with Jagger and I ended up passing out. Well, stuck was not exactly the correct term. He’d stopped it. I looked at Hunter and told myself Jagger was miles away and that I should just concentrate on the present.

“So, what do you think about the Golden Dolphin so far?”

“I…please press Eleven. Thanks.” I eased back and realized the wall behind me was glass. The entire passenger population could see my butt pressed up against it even though covered in my whites. Pull yourself together, Pauline. “Oh, this is my first cruise, but the boat…ship…is wonderful. I mean you can’t even feel it moving. It’s so…lovely and the purple and green and gold and the passengers look so happy…”

I pushed away from the glass and looked to see Hunter grinning. Once again I had babbled uncontrollably in the presence of a gorgeous guy. I blamed the recent incident on my mother making me flustered.

I had to get “lucky” soon.

Obviously it had been way too long.

The door opened. “Here’s Eleven.” He held the door and said, “I’ve got all kinds of good things planned for this cruise. I hope you will join me in some of them.”

My mouth went dry. Words wouldn’t come until I ordered myself to say, “Sure. I’m sure it will be fun on my time off.”

He smiled.

Yikes.

Before I stepped out, he said, “How about joining me tonight? I have a dance set up for welcoming the passengers. Lots of single ladies, so I’ve hired some male hosts-”

I felt my eyes widen. “Hired?”

He chuckled. “Not like I’m some pimp, Pauline. It’s very common on cruises. Males are needed for escorts to the shows or to dance or just to have dinner with single ladies. I arrange that.”

All I could say was, “I hope they don’t have to pay for their trip.”

He laughed and moved to the side. “It’s taken care of. Part of the deal. Shall I pick you up around nine?”

“P.M.?” I had envisioned myself asleep by then.

He nodded. “I’ll find your cabin.”

With that I stepped off the elevator, not even realizing that I’d successfully ridden it without so much as a heart palpitation from my phobia.

The door closed behind me. I stood and looked around.

Suddenly I’d forgotten where I was or why I was there.

Four

“Suga? Is that you?”

I swung around to see Goldie, dressed in his Sandra Dee outfit and wig, coming down the hallway. Looked lovely and perky all at once. Now I remembered that I’d come here to see my friends. If I ran into any more bronze gods like Hunter and Rico, I might not be able to do either of my jobs.

“Oh, hey, Gold.”

He grabbed me and swung me around. “Don’t you just look precious in that outfit, Suga!”

I laughed. “Thanks. How are you guys doing?”

“Come inside. We are doing fab. Miles is down at the gym doing his Miles thing. I’ve been out looking at the scenery and planning our trip. This ship has a great cruise director…”

I know Goldie was still talking, but my mind flashed back to the elevator-and Hunter Knight. “White knight in shining armor” came to mind, or maybe, since it was a swinging singles cruise, white knight out of his shining armor.

“Suga?”

I felt a tug on my arm.

“You all right?”

“I…met him. The cruise director.”

Goldie whistled. “Ah. Now I see why the trance. Good. Keeps your mind off that dangerous yet infectious Jagger. You know he’s not good for you-”

I didn’t want to hear Goldie’s usual “Jagger is like a drug” routine. He’ll hook you and then hurt you. “He’s not good for anyone. I know. Yes, I met Hunter Knight. As a matter of fact, I’m meeting him tonight-”

“Yippee!” Goldie shouted.

A young couple walking down the hallway hand in hand turned and smiled.

“You go, girl,” Goldie added, a bit more controlled. “I have a very good feeling about this cruise, Suga. Just what the doctor ordered.”

“I thought you were worried we’d get sucked into the Bermuda Triangle.” I chuckled.

Goldie waved a hand. His nails matched the pink in his shirt perfectly. “Sometimes we have to take our chances in life. It’s time for you, Suga. Time.”

Time? Hopefully it wasn’t my time for…you know. “Hey, Gold. Listen to this.” I told him about Betty and Jackie being at odds, not wanting to tell me something, and then dropping the bomb about the missing nurse.

Goldie shrieked, oh-so-very-Goldie-like. “Suga, you have to find out more. A missing nurse? It sounds as if there is more deception going on around here than just your fraud case!”

“That much I already knew. Actually, there has to be much more going on around here. Neither women seemed…scared. They were more evasive, as if hiding something.”

Goldie hugged me. “You be careful-and wear your pink necklace.”

I laughed. “I thought you and Miles were here to protect me, but I guess you’re too busy having fun.”

He looked at me a second. A tiny painful look filled his eyes.

I slapped his arm. “I’m kidding. I know you guys would jump overboard to save me.” I forced a laugh and Goldie smiled.

“We sure would-”

“As long as you were wearing every life jacket that was onboard.” We both laughed this time.

With that, Goldie kissed my cheek, and confident that my friends were having a good cruise already (and deserved it), I headed back to my quarters.

I’d have to get to know Jackie better. She was, after all, my new roomie, and I’d be working with her very soon. Whatever had gone on with her and Betty, I had no idea, but I’d look into it, along with the overcharges-and the missing Remy Girard.

I eased the door to my cabin open very slowly so as not to wake Jackie. When I peeked inside, I saw her sitting on a chair, feet up on my bed, and painting her nails. Between each toe was a wad of cotton. Her hair was pulled up on her head and some orange cream covered her face.

Damn it all, but she still looked good.

“Oh, hi,” I said coming in. She didn’t move from my bed.

“Finding your way around?”

I nodded and watched while she painted the middle nail a deep bronze color. Goldie would love it. Jackie really didn’t look at me as she spoke-more over my head-and I noticed she didn’t address me by name. Guess she forgot it.

“Why, yes. I had a nice tour of the medical facility by Betty-”

Jackie groaned.

“-and Rico.”

Jackie grinned.

Hmm. Very interesting. “I saw on the schedule that I’ll be working with you on Monday.”

She nodded. “That’s fine. Read the manual so you know what the hell to do.”

For a few seconds I stood there speechless. Jackie was an odd duck even if a pretty one. Her dark brown eyes and matching hair, even shoved up in a mess, emphasized her European features. If she were male, I’d call her swarthy, but since she wasn’t, I had to go with exotic.

“Oh, yeah. I’ll be sure to read the manual by then.” I sat on her bed and shoved off my shoes. “There is one thing that will be very different for me, I’m sure.”

“Hmm?”

“Well, I’m not used to dealing with the patients-”

“Passengers,” she corrected without so much as a glance. Her right foot was up on my bed now, and she was gingerly painting the little toe with more care than she had acknowledged toward our conversation.

“Oh, yeah.” I laughed. “I can’t get used to calling them passengers. Anyway, I’m not used to charging them or having anything to do with that end of the care either. Billing is not my thing.”

Her hand stopped. The nail-polish brush slipped. A bronze streak marked her upper foot. Suddenly I felt as if we’d docked in Paris. Jackie went on and on in French. The only words I understood were diabolique and enfer-both of which I guessed had something to do with hell. Either way, Jackie did not seem like a happy camper.