Page 106 of Backtrack

He was vaguely aware of a knocking sound coming from inside the cabin.

“Hang on. I think someone’s at the door.” His phone buzzed with another call. “That’s weird,” he said. “Lola’s calling me. I’m going to put you on hold for a sec.”

Cutter stepped inside at the same time he answered the call.

“Out front, Boss.” It was Lola on the phone. “You flipped the privacy lock, so my card won’t work.”

He opened the door and helped her with his bag. She nodded at the phone in his hand, her thick black hair damp from her trip across the wharf.

“Is it Mim?”

Cutter turned the phone around. “Say hi to Teariki.”

Lola waved. “Hey girlfriend,” she said. “Don’t worry about the boss. I’m keeping that fiendish wife number three in her place.”

Mim chuckled. “Wife number five thanks you—”

“Say bye to Teariki.” Cutter returned to the balcony, shutting the door behind him.

Mim scooched forward in her chair. “I can’t believe you’re on a cruise.”

“I know, right,” Cutter said.

“And they just gave you a cabin?”

“Yep,” he said. “Comped us a two-bedroom suite.”

“Wow.” Mim laughed out loud. “That never happens to nurses. I guess you have to bunk with Joellen.”

“Not funny,” Cutter said. “Strictly me and Lola.”

“Not sure that makes me feel any better.”

“Two bedrooms,” Cutter said. “Besides, it’s Lola.”

“Tough duty.”

“You know the Marshals Service.” He grinned. “Always having us make sacrifices for the job. Seriously, though, it looks like there’s at least one other unidentified bad actor on board. The ship docks in Juneau tomorrow morning. I’ll look at the situation then. We might fly back from there.”

Mim sighed. “Do what you have to do, but please make sure you’re home by Sunday. I need you here to make the gravy …”

“That’s three days away,” he said.

Lola showed up at the balcony door again, banging with a fistthis time rather than coming out. She held up her own phone and spoke through the glass. “Ajit’s on his way up with news!”

Cutter gave her a quick thumbs-up and then turned his attention back to Mim. “I need to go,” he said. “Looks like there’s been a development. I’ll text you tonight. Call back if you’re awake.”

Mim rubbed her belly. “Oh, we’ll be awake.” She sighed. “I think our daughter has started to take dance lessons.”

CHAPTER 48

Ajit arrived two minutes later with Rishi in tow. Cutter took a seat on the sofa while the security officers moved the side chairs to join them around the small coffee table. Lola stood. Ajit pushed a manila folder toward Cutter.

“I believe Rishi has identified Bart Preston’s partner.” The security man gave an almost imperceptible nod to the first page in the folder, the photo of a man named Leo Bouchard, taken when he was boarding and linked to his passenger ID. He had a prominent chin and thin, cotton fluff hair that was easily blown by the wind, judging by how mussed it was in the photo.

“Interestingly,” Ajit said, “Bouchard has been on and off the ship … three times today. He reboarded last just a few moments ago, not two minutes behind you.”

Cutter looked at Lola. “Did you notice anyone tailing you?”