Risen (Haunted Series Book 22)

there.  I think you’re going to have to prepare her for a life without Murphy,” Whit said and hung up.
Ted walked back in.  “Mason, cancel the boat for today.  The Feds have Mia.”
“Thank god!  How about Murphy?”
Ted shook his head.  “He’s got to be out there somewhere.  All that energy will sustain him until we can find him,” he said, more for the two ghosts he knew were close by than himself.
They started walking to where they hoped they could catch a taxi.  St. Kitts had been hit by the storm but had recovered quickly.  The island denizens made their money off the tourists.  Some vendors already had their shop doors open.
“We need to think outside the box on this one,” Mason said.  “Let’s list all the things that we know that didn’t fit into the island investigation.”
“Mia said that Sabine saw a tall ship when she was OOBing,” Ted said.  “That’s an avenue we haven’t researched yet.  Get on the web and have Jake research ghost ship sightings,” he said excitedly.  “I want to have a plan in place before Mia shows up.”
~
Cid ran into the house, calling, “Sabine!  Sabine, I have good news.”
Sabine, who had been keeping herself busy by organizing Mia’s drawers and closets, dropped the pile of underwear she had folded and ran out into the hall and down the steps.  “What is it?”
“The Coast Guard has Mia.  No Murphy yet.  Jake just copied me a request from Mason. He wants Jake to look into ghost ship sightings.  Ted thinks that, if Murphy was blown through the veils, he may have been picked up by a pirate ship.”
“Pirates?” Sabine said.  “The ship I saw wasn’t flying the skull and crossbones.”
“Actually, it was Richard Worley who was responsible for creating and popularizing that flag.  They all flew their own colors,” Cid said.
Sabine was quiet a moment.
“Sorry, I’m such a pedantic ass at times.”
“What? No. Sorry, I was recalling the image in my mind.  It was flying a flag with a peacock feather on it.  I’m almost positive.”
“I’ll let Jake know,” he said, typing into his phone.
“Cid, do you think I can stay here until Mia and Ted come back?”
“Sure, make yourself comfortable.  I thought, maybe, you’d be on your way to Mackinac Island by now.”
“Cid, family is more important to me than treasure.  I only went because it seemed like fun.  The girls were going to be spending quality time with Brian’s family and Tauni is back east…”
“Stay here as long as you want.  I’ll cook us something spectacular for supper,” Cid promised.  “I’m glad you’ve decided to stay.”
Sabine smiled.  “It will give us a chance to get to know each other better.”
“I’d like that.  I’ve got some communications to take care of first.  How about seven?”
“That would be great,” Sabine said.  “I’ll go out and buy us some wine.  Is it a red or a white wine dinner?” she asked.
“Red.  Get a couple of bottles just in case someone flies in,” Cid said. “Ted’s car keys are in the office unless you want to drive Mia’s truck…”
“I’ll drive the truck,” Sabine said, feeling adventurous.
Cid hurried down the stairs.
Sabine walked back in and scooped up Mia’s underwear and dumped them in the drawer.  That’s pretty much how she had found them.  Sabine checked her face in the mirror and frowned at the state of her hair.  She grabbed one of Mia’s hats and put it on, drawing her long hair through the back of the ball cap.  She hummed a tune as she picked up the cash Cid had left her on the counter and headed out the door.

Chapter Eighteen
Mia handed the driver the cash she had borrowed from Whit for the taxi.  She walked into the resort lobby aware that she looked like she had just come from a cosplay event.  Whit had fast-tracked her through customs.  She didn’t even have to open the satchel she held tightly to her chest.
She walked to the counter.
“Welcome to Marriott.  My name is Winnie.  How can I help you?” a crisply uniformed clerk asked in a beautiful French accent.
“Winnie, I’m looking for Theodore Martin or Mason Callen’s room?”
The clerk searched the computer.  “I have both registered.”
“Can you call Theodore Martin’s room and tell him his wife Mia is here,” Mia requested, knowing that she didn’t have any identification on her, otherwise she would have just asked for a key.
Winnie smiled and did just that.
“Yes, Mr. Martin.  I have a Mia Martin here.  Yes, of course… Mr. Martin?”  Winnie looked up.  “I think he dropped the phone.  He’s in villa…”
“Mia!” Ted called, running into the lobby.  He scooped up Mia and kissed her. “You taste salty.”
“I’ve been in and out of the sea,” Mia managed between kisses.
He set her down, looked over at the clerk, and said, “Sorry, I hung up.  But…”
She laughed and waved them away.   “Go. Get!  You honeymooners.”
Ted grabbed Mia’s hand and waited until they were out of the lobby to kiss her again.  He stopped and held her face in his hands.  “You have no idea the torment I’ve been in.”
“I’m sorry,” Mia said.  “I couldn’t think of any other way…”
“I’m sorry we couldn’t save the monster.  I hope it didn’t cause you any problems…”
“None,” Mia lied.  “I know I could have communicated better.”
“If you would have told me what you had planned, I would have asked you not to go,” Ted said.  “But I would have been wrong.  You should have taken Murphy, but if you did, I’d probably be lunchmeat.  I think things worked out for all of us, but Murphy.”
“He’s a survivor.  We’ll find him.  Where’s Kevin?”
“He and Fergus were going to look for trouble down in town.  We’re going to