Twice Bitten, Once Shy: Confessions of a Fake Psychic Detective #5

Chapter 12

Crust

At first, Zandra isn't sure the scream is a scream, and she certainly can't tell where it's coming from. The noise comes through the vent above the Murphy bed. The morning before, the vent delivered the aroma of breakfast. That's where her mind goes first.

That's going to be some fresh pork sausage.

But when the scream repeats, it's far from a porcine squeal.

That's a person. Not a happy person, either.

Other than Aaron's room next door, Zandra doesn't know where else the vent connects. She checks the time and debates whether to go back to sleep.

Fuck it. It's only five minutes. Might as well get up.

Zandra is out the door in as long as it takes to give her teeth a pity brushing while throwing on her purple gown. The lawnmower knife never left its sheath on her forearm.

She's surprised when she's the only one in the hallway outside Cabin 27.

Am I the only one who heard that? Couldn't be.

Zandra hobbles up the stairs and shuffles into the lounge. It's empty. She rests against a window and listens. She hears fast yet muffled talking coming from the top level of the Curd Queen.

I could use a cigarette anyway. Breakfast of champions.

Zandra lights up when she reaches the top level. She spots Ivy, Jade, Captain Mel, and a couple crew members huddled against the railing across the deck from her. Even from a reasonable distance away, they're hard to make out. The Wisconsin River yawns thick fog up the sides of the Curd Queen as it greets the sun.

Look at the way they're in tight next to each other. This isn't some hippie calisthenics club.

Zandra makes her way toward the huddle. All five have their backs turned to her. She stops six feet away, but she can't make out what they're worked up about. They're so preoccupied that none of them acknowledge Zandra.

"This fog is really something," is all Zandra can think to say to get their attention.

Jade rushes into Zandra and buries her face in purple. She's sobbing.

"Uh...ahh...fog's not that bad, come on," Zandra says. She repositions her cigarette so the ashes don't fall on Jade.

Honestly, I wouldn't stuff my face into these sleeves if I were you.

Ivy, wearing an even slater face than usual, looks away from the railing. She places a hand on Jade's shoulder to retrieve her wife. The tears sogging Zandra's purple gown transfer to Ivy. That gives Zandra a look at the railing.

Zandra's stomach leaps into her throat. Her cigarette drops to the planked floor as her mouth freezes in mid-gasp.

Oh.

"This is horrible. Just horrible," Ivy says and shakes her head.

Slumped over the railing is the motionless body that used to be called Aaron Farve. He's positioned like he was throwing up over the side of the Curd Queen. His top half folds over the railing, while the lower half remains on deck.

Given Aaron's lack of reaction to the activity on the upper level, he could only be dead, although can't see his face without approaching the railing. She takes a few steps forward, but Captain Mel stops her.

"You don't want to see that," Captain Mel says.

"I don't, but I'm no stranger to the dead," Zandra says. "May I?"