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Blake kept himself between us and the man, obviously trying to keep the older man in a conversation. “So you go to Japan often? I’ve only been twice. I keep meaning to go back.”
“I go whenever I can,” the older man said. “The women are much nicer there. I prefer Japan to South Korea. Or China. I think because the women have to be nice to you there. No offense of course.”
My first instinct was to make a face, and I turned my head away so he wouldn’t notice. He liked women who had to be nice to him? Maybe because he didn’t have much personality or the body to attract a wife.
I supposed with the way the wall was and with the water being colored, they couldn’t see more of me than I could see of them. I had my arms wrapped around my chest, holding onto my shoulders to cover myself. I went closer to the wall, and faced it, trying to hang my elbows over, standing near Marc.
When I let go of my breasts, to my horror, they floated, becoming perkier than usual. I covered them again with one arm, feeling awkward exposing them. I kept one arm on the wall, trying to look normal for the old man’s sake. Being this close to the wall made me feel like I had more cover.
Blake and Marc watched me, smiling. Were they getting along now? Or were they just laughing at me?
“I didn’t know you were coming onboard, Kitty,” Blake said with a mocking grin.
“Do you know her?” Marc said, turning his head toward Blake although he kept his body leaning on the wall near me. He didn’t touch, only smiled at my face. I got a hint they had a plan. This might be why they wanted me here. They wanted to talk about me.
“We’re in some of the same circles,” Blake said. When the man walked around the large rock formation and came back, Blake addressed him. “Did you say something about your work and having to travel?”
“International real estate is big business,” the man said. “Why? Are you looking to invest?”
“Oh, I don’t know about that,” he said and then he looked directly at me. “Last time, I trusted Kitty to manage my investing, and, well, let’s just say I got less than I put in.”
“Investing is risky business,” Marc said. “There’s never a guarantee. Sometimes you win and sometimes you lose.”
“Yeah, well, I don’t like losing.” Blake swam toward the middle wall now, but he kept his body aimed toward the older man. “Mr. Cline, do you lose in your investments?”
Mr. Cline waded closer, until he was on the edge of the rock formation and sat on it, facing us. “Never.”
“That’s what I like to hear,” Blake said. “Although she said the same thing.”
“It really depends on what you’re investing,” Marc said. “Kitty usually never loses. That’s why Mr. Murdock hired her.”
This was a script, part of the rumor Blake was trying to spread. I waited to see where they were going to take it.
“Mr. Murdock doesn’t like to lose, either,” Mr. Cline said. He smacked his lips together. He squinted his eyes, too, and I wondered if he normally wore glasses. “I’m sure if Kitty was hired by him, that there’s really little risk. Truthfully, I never heard him talk about the investments.”
Blake harrumphed. “He tried to get me to put in money with him. Then I learned it was Kitty, and had to decline. I hated to do that. He was really eager. Said it was the best investment he’d ever made. I was about to throw in a good chunk from some foreign investments.” He winked at me. “No offense, Kitty. It’s just business.”
Mr. Cline angled his head at Blake. “You should have trusted him.”
“Would you have if you were in my shoes?”
“I have,” he said. “On occasion. I might have a few hundred thousand, give or take, with Murdock. These days, I have an assistant who keeps track of it all. It’s always good to diversify.”
“I hear you,” Blake said. He turned his head, looking right at my eyes. “Like I said, I don’t like losing.”
“How is business, Kitty?” Marc asked, a small smile on the side of his mouth. He was trying not to laugh, probably at calling me Kitty.
I reached under his forearm hanging in the water on the women’s side. “Fine,” I said as I pinched. Hard.
He moved his arm away, splashing at me but not saying anything.
“Can’t be too fine,” Blake said. “I haven’t even seen Mr. Murdock for a while. I heard there was a bit of trouble.”
I wasn’t sure what I was supposed to say. I looked at Marc, who stared at me with his mismatched eyes. I waded by the wall, settling onto my feet on the slick bottom of the bath, stirring up sand. I still didn’t like it, but I was bobbing around and the movement of the water was pushing me away from the wall. “I...uh...haven’t really heard from Mr. Murdock in a while. I had to stop what I was doing, no taking in anymore investments. So if you’re looking to do something, I’m afraid I have to wait to hear from him.”
Mr. Cline looked at me now, the first time he really addressed me directly. “How do you stop when he’s gone?”
“He was my contact,” I said. “I have a list of account numbers and amounts. He comes to me with new account numbers and tells me to do...what I do. I don’t know what
belongs to who. He kept things private like that.”
“He was always over-cautious,” Mr. Cline said. “He was the only one you spoke to?”
I nodded. “I think he likes it like that. More control and little risk if he kept such information separate. I was hoping he’d show up on this cruise to give me some direction.”
“I don’t think he will,” Mr. Cline said. “Things aren’t exactly good. But I wouldn’t worry about it. He wouldn’t let investors hang in the dark for long.” He kicked his legs out, swishing them in the water.
I shared a look with Blake and then with Marc. I got the feeling Mr. Cline knew more about Mr. Murdock and his investments than we did. He seemed sure Mr. Murdock would be back. Had he heard something?
Blake stretched his arms out and then licked his lips. “Boy, I tell you what. These warm baths make me mighty thirsty.”
“How long have we been in here?” Mr. Cline asked.
Blake shifted his arm to check out the Rolex on his wrist. “Whoops. Almost forty minutes.” I didn’t think it had really been that long but he might have been lying to get things rolling.
“Already?” Mr. Cline sunk into the water again. “We should step out. Take a break. That’s a bit long. Your insides are going to cook.”
“No wonder I’m thirsty,” Blake said. He waded next to Mr. Cline, and then clapped his hand on his shoulder in a friendly move. “Are you a Scotch or a bourbon man?”
“Scotch,” he said. He nodded in my direction without looking at me. “Have a good bath, Miss Lane.”
“See ya, Kitty,” Blake said.
I did a short wave, but then gripped the wall again.
They moved on around the bend and out of my view. I blew out a breath between my lips, releasing my chest to cover my face with both hands. That had been both terrifying and nerve-wracking. I wasn’t cut out for this, lying to people about who I was for the long term, trying to keep up with a fake me. Maybe I needed to learn computer hacking like Corey or stick to listening like Doyle.
