We docked the next morning in Roatan and Ranger really looked none the worst for wear. I mean he still had what appeared to be a smudge on his left jaw bone, but really…he looked great. He heals fast.
"I hope you're not going to be mad, but I made plans for us today in Roatan," he sighed.
"What plans did you make," I raised a brow and scooped a bite of omelet into my mouth.
"A Jungle Zip-line tour," he said cautiously.
"No way," I beamed, "really?"
"Yea…you want to do that?"
"Yea…who's going with us?"
"Just us," he said nonchalantly.
He said the words casually, but I had a feeling that it was anything but casual. I think he likes me. No man would work this hard to get a piece of ass, would he? Okay…maybe they would.
A rental car was waiting at the dock for us. When you have money, I guess anything is possible. He consulted the map for a few seconds and then we were off to the jungle and to the adventure. I was excited. I'd always wanted to do that.
When we got there we had to endure a half hour safety lecture. Ranger didn't really need it. He'd been repelling a billion times when he was with the rangers. But he was patient about it and even put his own harness on and then helped me put mine on.
I jumped when he brushed against my breast. "You're…uh, getting awfully up close and personal."
"I'm just making sure you've got the harness on correctly," he smiled his 200 watter at me. "I don't want anything to happen to you Babe."
"Right," I jumped again as his finger touched that secret place between my legs. Okay…it's not really that much of a secret, but for God's sake…he was killing me. The second time he brushed my hoohah I started getting suspicious. I mean…he knows where all my parts are located. He could avoid them when necessary.
"Got it," he straightened. "Are you ready to climb?"
"Sure," I agreed and started up the wall. We were the first ones to the platform and that meant we were first to use the zip-line. Ranger went first and waited for me on the other side.
"You can do it Babe…come on," he shouted his encouragement.
I took that leap of faith and squealed with joy all the way to the other side. This was fun. Who knew that I was a closet thrill seeker? I think my parents suspected it.
I admit it. It was far more fun than anyone should be allowed to have. We got a little more than half way there and we were the leaders of the pack. The guide let us go on ahead because he could tell this wasn't Ranger's first trip to the rodeo. At one point we were above the treetops and we could see the ocean and the clear blue of the water. It was absolutely beautiful.
"This would be beautiful at sunrise," I sighed.
"It would," he agreed putting his arms around my waist from behind and pulling me against him. "Someday…maybe we'll come back and do this earlier in the day or later."
"That would be wonderful," I said wistfully. For us…it was always someday.
We finished the Zip-line thing and headed for the restaurant he'd picked out for us to have lunch. The place was called Geo's and it was a seafood restaurant known for its King Crab's legs. Ranger ordered a bucket and I settled for a nice grilled fish and rice. Geo's was a comfortable restaurant with a decent wine selection and Corona on the menu. We chose the Corona. What a surprise.
"Have you had any more thoughts on who may have killed Hunter if it was murder," Ranger asked.
"One of his ex-wives," I suggested with a smile. "You know poison is really a woman's weapon."
He smiled, "true. But I don't think any of his ex-wives are on the ship."
"Ah…too bad," I sighed and leaned back in my chair. "Then he died of alcohol poisoning because he couldn't put down the bottle."
"Those are your only two options," he smiled.
"So far," I nodded and sipped my beer. "Do you have any ideas?"
"Not really," he shook his head. "But then…I'm the muscle and the money and you're the…"
"Brains, yea I got that," I smiled and leaned forward in my chair. "If you intend for us to be this great crime fighting duo I think I have to make some requests."
"Such as what," his brow went up.
"We need a big white stone house with lots of windows and a terrier named Asta," I grinned.
"Do what," He blinked.
"We'll be Nick and Nora Charles…of this century of course," I said sweetly. "You'll continue to go out drinking with my father and women will throw themselves at you…just as they do now and I'll stay at home…without the dog because he'll go everywhere with you and wait for you to solve the case."
"Big finishes," he grinned.
"The biggest," I agreed.
"There's just one problem with that," he said leaning back in his chair with his beer.
"What's that," I frowned.
"You're the murder solver," he reminded me. "If I'm out running the streets with the dog getting hit on by every dame in a ten mile radius while you're at home pining for me…how do you intend to solve the murder?"
"The little grey cells don't need to travel. They just need the facts," I said in my best French accent (which was pretty bad).
"Got it," he nodded. "But weren't they married?"
"Semantics," I shook my head.
"That's my point…didn't they have some antics," he grinned.
I shook my head, "you're never giving up are you?"
"Nope," he smiled and shook his head and tilted back his bottle. He studied me with narrowed eyes. "I think Hunter was murdered."
"You do," I sighed.
"I think he was poisoned."
"Is it because of his fingernails and his lips," I sighed.
"What," he blinked.
"His fingernails and his lips were blue, as though he had been deprived of oxygen before he died. It's fairly common in some poisons," I said seriously.
"You saw this and you said nothing," he blinked.
"I saw it. The doctor didn't seem to pay any attention to it. I knew we'd find out soon enough that it was murder. There seemed no point in making Tank and Lula's wedding cruise a criminal investigation until it was necessary especially since the most likely suspects are all in the bridal party," I said the last as I peeled the label off the corona. "Correct me if I'm wrong."
"You don't think I did it, do you?"
"No…of course not," I smiled. "I said you'd be the most likely suspects…you and Tank, not that I suspected either of you. No…it's someone else."
"Thanks for that," he sighed.
"You can't be so nervous Ranger. You'll look like you're hiding something," I said serenely. "We need to continue to do things as we've been doing them. It's going to be fine."
"That's easy for you to say," he sighed. "You're not a suspect."
"You never know," I shrugged. I could be someone's suspect.
After lunch we went to the butterfly farm and then began touring the little tourist shops near the dock. I wasn't really looking for anything. If I found something for Rex, I might buy it. Most of the people I knew were on the ship but Mary Lou and Lenny. They were home being responsible adults while I gallivanted around the globe solving mysteries. Yea…I think that makes me sound so cool.
We stopped in a little jewelry shop near the dock and spent a lot of time in there. Ranger was studying cases as much as I was.
"Are you looking for something in particular," I asked.
"Something for Julie," he shrugged. "I promised her I'd bring her some jewelry from the trip."
"Good girl," I grinned.
"Do you see anything," he sighed.
"How about this," I pointed to the silver bracelet in the jewelry case beneath me. It was a charm bracelet, but it was very much about the sea and the Caribbean. It very nicely represented our voyage without bringing the murder into play.
"That's nice," he said thoughtfully, "do you really think she'll like it?"
"I do," I agreed.
He motioned for the woman to get the bracelet for him while I continued to peruse the cases. I stopped for a long time at the wedding rings. The man, obviously the woman's husband, came over and asked if he could help me. I shook my head no.
"I'll meet you in the next shop," I called as I exited the store.
"Okay," he nodded.
The next shop was full of blown glass and pottery. Before I even knew what I was doing I had whipped out my credit card and was filling out forms to ship my purchases back home to Trenton via the office.
"Save your receipt," the shop keeper told me as I signed the credit card receipt. "You'll need it when you go through customs."
"Of course," I nodded. Yea…like I travelled outside the US everyday. Dickie and I had honeymooned at Niagara Falls. Talk about cliché! "Then next time I get married," I muttered, "I'm going on an exotic honeymoon."
"To where," Ranger said in amusement in my ear.
"I don't know," I growled, "but it will be exotic and not Niagara or the Poconos."
"What about Disney World," he suggested.
"Disney World is exotic," I blinked at him. I'll tell you the truth. Disney World was my number one 'want to go to' vacation location. I don't know if you've noticed this about me, but I'm basically a big kid. I want to go to Disney World like some people want to go to Paris. It's an obsession.
"How is Disney World exotic," he raised his brow.
"There's EPCOT. You can eat around the world. There are people from all over the word. There are four theme parks, two water parks, one virtual park, four PGA class golf courses, Cirque de Solil and a huge shopping district. For God's sake Ranger…they have Plummet Summit and Crush and Gusher. How much more exotic do you need?"
"Plummet Summit," he blinked, "Crush and Gusher…what are these things?"
"They are water slides that will make our little jungle excursion today look like a romp through a kiddy park."
"Oh yea," he raised a brow in interest.
"Guaranteed wedgie," I nodded.
"What are the odds on a bathing suit top loss," he grinned.
"About fifty-fifty," I said seriously.
"I am beginning to see the advantages to a Disney World Vacation."
I sighed as I imagined canoodling with Mickey Mouse.
"Earth to Babe," Ranger said shaking his head.
"Sorry," I blinked. "I was with the mouse."
"Hmm…I'm starting not to like that guy," he sighed.
I laughed.
"You'd really go to Disney World on your honeymoon?"
"I've never been Ranger," I sighed. "I want to go to Disney World. Is that so hard to understand?"
"No…actually Babe, it's not," he smiled.
"It's just…magical," I sighed dreamily.
He shook his head and took the receipt from the cashier with a smile. "Come on Babe…let's get you back on the ship. I think you've had enough sun today."
I sighed and let him lead me back to the ship.