" That was the first door he closed. A young steward stood at the edge of the crowd with a tray of untouched champagne flutes. His name tag read, Devon. He swallowed, stepped forward, and said, "Sir, Miss Vandermeer went out to the starboard deck a while ago. She had her clutch with her.
It was open. " "Nobody asked you, " Brandt said. Devon's mouth stayed open. Then he closed it, set the tray on a nearby table, and slid his hand into his jacket pocket. He kept it there.
The screen inside glowed for a moment and went dark. Victoria Vandermeer, the gala chair, stood beside the staircase in emerald silk with one hand pressed to her bare collarbone. She had been sobbing at 2:15. Now she was looking at her phone. She read something, went very still, and put the phone face down against her hip.
"I was adjusting it at the VIP table, " she said to no one in particular. "The clasp was pinching. That's the last time I remember touching it. " She did not mention the clutch. "I want her searched properly.
" "Ma'am, I'd like to know what changed, " Naomi said. Nobody answered her. That table's the last place it was seen, Brandt said, and you were sitting closest to it. That's where she last touched it, Naomi said. It doesn't tell you where it went.
Kessler. Brandt kept his eyes on Naomi. Radio the county unit. I want police waiting on the dock at 6:00. I'm not walking a suspect down a gangway with a crowd watching.
Sarge, Kessler said, "Hello. Maybe we pull the cameras first. You cuff, I'll talk. " Kessler's jaw worked. He didn't move.
You're the only person in this room we can't account for, Brandt said. Naomi noticed how carefully he chose it. He hadn't said black this time. He'd said account for, and half the room heard exactly what he meant. A woman near the railing lowered her phone and raised it again.
"I understand, " Naomi said. "Could you tell me what you can't account for? " "Your bag. " "You've searched my bag. " "I looked in it.
" "You searched it. " "Nothing was in it. " "Please write that down. " He had opened it himself 15 minutes ago and turned out a compact, a hotel key, a folded program, and a phone. He had found no necklace.
Instead of stopping, he had gone looking for another reason. Brandt pulled a notepad from his vest and began to write. He wrote standing beside her, angled so she could see the page. She read it upside down. Subject evasive.
Refused to cooperate. Concealing item. "I've cooperated for 15 minutes, Sergeant. I've asked you to check the boarding record, the cameras, and the deck. Please include that in the report.
It'll say what happened. " Then it should say that. He looked at his own page. He didn't change it. "Naomi, your phone.