Haunted Destiny by Heather Graham Read Free Book Online

him.
    Larry nudged her. She realized her fingers had moved over the keys by rote, but she was forgetting to sing.
    She corrected her mistake quickly, breaking the song to make a joke and tease a woman who was coming in to take a seat. Then she picked up the song again.
    When she looked back, the man was gone.
    Why hadn’t she told the men she’d met that afternoon, the men from Celtic American’s headquarters, more about him? What if he was a weird social predator of some kind?
    He wasn’t, she thought. He was young, in his early twenties. Not particularly tall or well built, but attractive in a wholesome way. She’d seen that once the makeup was gone.
    She was grateful that Clara came in then; she asked her friend to do some Kelly Clarkson songs. Clara smiled and agreed.
    Alexi searched the area to see if the young guy had headed toward the gallery or even the casino; she didn’t see him, but she did note that one of the “bigwigs” was in the lounge.
    She froze, quickly looking from him to her piano keys. It was the man who’d been introduced to her as Jude McCoy.
    He looked more as if he belonged on the cruise now, wearing denim jeans and a blue polo shirt. Maybe it was because of the shirt, but it seemed as if his eyes were more blue this time than green. A piercing blue. He seemed to be studying her, but for some reason, she didn’t believe he was grading her performance or planning to fire her.
    He seemed to be looking for something else.
    Perhaps he knew she’d been lying to him earlier.
    â€œLet’s do the duet from Wicked !” Clara said.
    Clara was leaning on the piano, dangerously close to Minnie. Minnie could have moved; she didn’t. Instead, she glared at Clara—as if she saw her as a rival for Blake’s affections.
    â€œCome around here,” Alexi suggested, and Clara joined her. Once again, Alexi felt strangely hemmed in, seated between Larry Hepburn and Clara. But she smiled, talked about the fact that they’d started the night with “Somewhere Over the Rainbow,” which made it fitting that they should move into the popular Broadway play.
    She loved the duet and had done it with Clara many times. They were a hit with the crowd, who applauded loudly. When Alexi looked around again, Jude McCoy was gone.
    She didn’t understand why she felt so miserable. The night was endless. Other members of different entertainment groups on the ship came by and sang. The crowd grew a little more giddy—the many ship’s cocktails no doubt had something to do with that—and was ready to laugh about anything.
    Finally, Clara said good-night and left.
    Soon after, Larry, tired of being brilliant and handsome, said good-night, too.
    Even Minnie and Blake left the piano bar, holding hands, smiling, waving as they headed out for a “constitutional.”
    By one o’clock, the crowd had dwindled down to about five. Alexi announced the last song, but even after that people stayed. She made a point of picking up her music books; the cocktail waitress made a point of clearing the tables and announcing which lounges were open until two.
    At last she was alone. She sat at the piano bench and sighed, closing her eyes, enjoying the moment of peace.
    When she opened her eyes, she nearly screamed.
    He was back. The man who’d raced through the lounge today, who’d reappeared in the hallway and then again tonight—standing there, watching her, ripping off his makeup.
    There was no one else near her now.
    The gallery was closed.
    She could hear bells and whistles from the casino, but it seemed far away.
    She glanced over to where he’d been standing earlier and began searching the floor. There was nothing there, no refuse from the prosthetic he’d peeled off his face. His makeup was now as ghostly as he was himself.
    She turned back to him.
    â€œPlease!” he whispered, adding quickly, “Yes, yes, I’m dead. But