Page 6 of Dead Calm (Cold Case Psychic #38)

The next morning dawned bright and sunny. It was the perfect day to be out on the ocean. At least Ronan thought it was. He’d never been sailing a day in his life. He’d been on a cruise ship before, but never a sailboat.

Fitzgibbon had driven the van down to the dock and thankfully had given the kids a talk about wearing life jackets.

They had to wear them, no matter what. So did the adults.

None of the kids complained. Neither did any of the adults.

It was a world gone mad as far as Ronan was concerned.

Either that, or everyone knew not to talk back to Fitz.

Ten and Everly both looked well rested. Ten had slept through the night, something Ronan hadn’t seen him do since Ten had lost his gift for a time several years ago.

Ronan spoke with Fitz who said Everly had a quiet night as well.

If this was what living without spirits putting demands on his husband and daughter was like, he never wanted to leave this magical place.

With one problem behind him, Ronan came back around to Lainie the bartender.

She hadn’t texted him last night. Not that Ronan had expected her to.

In all likelihood, she’d thrown away his business card before Kurt saw it.

She wasn’t ready to see the light yet when it came to her abusive boyfriend.

Not that Ronan was one to talk. He’d stayed with Josh after the man had cheated on him dozens of times, hit and kicked him and verbally abused him every chance he got.

If Lainie wanted help getting away from Kurt, Ronan would do any and everything he could to make sure she got back to Boston safely.

“Here we are!” Fitz called out, parking the van in the marina’s lot. “All ashore!”

“I can’t wait to see our ship!” Aurora said.

“I hope it’s not the S.S. Minnow ,” Ronan said, making Ten laugh.

Standing at the dock was a man in a crisp red and white shirt and navy pants, holding a sign that read, “Fitzgibbon.”

“That’s us,” Fitz said, pulling out his wallet and driver’s license, which he showed to the man holding the sign.

“I’m Sean Matthews, first mate of Breaking Wind . If you’ll all follow me.” Sean waved everyone forward.

Jude snorted and started to laugh. Ronan joined in. Soon Ten and Cope were cackling like loons.

“If he’s the first mate that would make you captain of the poop deck, right?” Ten asked Ronan.

“Is that really the name of the boat?” Ronan asked, when he’d finally stopped giggling.

“Yes, sir,” Sean answered, sounding a bit snobby. “There is nothing wrong with breaking wind from time to time.” His hard facade cracked and the first mate began to giggle.

“Farts are fun! Farts are free! Farts are there for you and me!” Wolf called from the back of the group, before promptly tooting.

“EW!” Everly and Aurora ran toward the front of the group.

“Farts are not fun,” Aurora said.

“Seriously,” Everly agreed. “Will we see dolphins today, Mr. Sean?”

“That’s a good question, sailor, let’s find out together.” Sean led the group to the ship.

Ronan could see Breaking Wind painted on the boat’s ass, for lack of a better term. He could feel his control slipping away. One look at Jude confirmed he was thinking the same thing.

“Life jackets must be worn by everyone. Here are four for the bigger kids. I’ll have to go looking for one for this little cutie.” Sean pointed to Lizbet, who gave the stranger a bright smile and then blew a loud raspberry, which fit in perfectly with the theme of breaking wind.

“We brought LizzyB’s pool float. It’s got a life vest with an inner tube,” Jude said, holding up the device.

“Fwimming!” Lizbet said, running to Jude and slipping off her pink Croc’s.

“What do we do now?” Jude asked, as he helped Lizbet step into the contraption.

“If all else fails, we’ll splash her with a bottle of water,” Cope suggested.

When everyone was wearing their life jackets, they were allowed to board the vessel.

“I’d like to welcome you all to Breaking Wind ,” Sean said, throwing his arms wide.

“Brandon and Karl are also mates on the ship.” He pointed to two similarly dressed men at the front of the boat.

“She’s sixty feet long and her top sailing speed is a little over twenty miles an hour, which doesn’t sound like much, but I guarantee you’ll feel like you’re flying.

There is a galley kitchen with snacks and a bathroom below deck.

Does anyone have any questions before we get underway? ”

Aurora raised her hand.

Sean pointed at her. “Ask away, sailor.”

“Are we gonna see any icebergs today? I don’t wanna sink like the Titanic ! I’m too young and beautiful to die and I have a date next week with a cute boy from school. His name is Jack.” Aurora’s mouth dropped open in horror. “Oh, no!”

Ronan started singing the dramatic chorus of “My Heart Will Go On.”

“There aren’t any icebergs in the Atlantic Ocean this far south. I promise.” Sean smiled at Aurora. “Would you three like to help me cast off?”

“Sure!” Aurora agreed. Everly and Wolf nodded excitedly.

“Uh, Ronan?” Fitz said, wrapping his arm tightly around Ronan’s shoulder.

“Yeah, Fitzy?” Ronan was about to die. He hoped Everly would think twice about calling him a dumbass in his eulogy, although, if he were being honest with himself, the moniker was apt.

“I’m going to ask you a question and you’re going to tell me the truth, like a good boy, right?” Fitz’s grasp on his shoulder tightened.

“Right!” Ronan agreed easily.

“I promise you won’t be in trouble if you tell me the truth.” Fitz took a deep breath. He pinched the bridge of his nose, looking like he had a migraine coming on. “Where did Aurora see Titanic ?”

“Well,” Ronan began, more sure than ever he was about to swim with the fishes Don Corleone style.

Fitz grabbed Ronan by the front of his life jacket. Jude quickly stepped between them. “Calm down, Fitz. It was just a movie with only brief nudity.” Jude snorted when Fitzgibbon’s eyes narrowed.

“ Brief nudity?” Fitz asked, looking like he had an entire speech lined up.

“Don’t tell me you haven’t seen that movie a bazillion times, Fitz!” Jude managed to yank Ronan away from their angry boss. “We all wanted Leonardo DiCaprio to bone us in the backseat of a classic car.”

Fitzgibbon rolled his eyes. “Maybe, but Titanic isn’t exactly the kind of movie seven year olds should be watching.”

“The kids barely moved for the entire three hours of the film. No one got up to go to the bathroom. No one asked for snacks. I had to pass out tissues at the end of the movie, but by that point, we were all crying.” Ronan grinned.

“If you ever want to clean the house, make dinner without interruption or get down, throw on that movie!”

“Daddy! Look at me!” Wolf shouted. He was standing behind the ship’s wheel and appeared to be steering the boat. Cope snapped pictures.

“Is everything okay?” Ten asked, when Fitz moved toward the back of the boat to watch Aurora take her turn at the wheel.

“I’m not sure.” Ronan shook his head. “Fitz has been a bit on edge lately. At first, I wondered if there was something going on at work or with Cisco that he hadn’t told us about yet, but whatever is going on has followed him on this trip.

Can you read anything from him? You’re always saying Fitz leaks information like a sieve. ”

Ten’s eyes slid shut. “Oh, shit,” he whispered.

Ronan took Ten’s elbow and steered him toward the empty front of the ship “How bad is it?” Fitz might be a titanic pain in Ronan’s ass from time to time— pun intended— but the man was the best boss he’d ever worked for, not to mention his best friend.

“They’re not getting the baby,” Ten bit his bottom lip before continuing. “The mother decided to keep her daughter. Fitz got the call a week ago. He and Jace are beside themselves and aren’t quite sure how to tell Aurora, who is so excited to be a big sister.”

“Fuck me with an iceberg,” Ronan muttered. It had taken several months for Jace to get Fitz to see the plus sides to adding another child to their family, and now, when all three of them were so excited to meet this little girl, she was gone. “Are you just reading Fitz or is this carved in stone?”

“Just Fitz,” Ten said. “I’m not really seeing what the final outcome will be.”

“What do we do?” Ronan asked.

“Keep your big mouth shut. If Fitz wants us to know, he’ll tell us. In the meantime, try not to be an asshole.” Ten patted Ronan’s shoulder. “I know it’s a big ask, but do your best.”

“Daddy! I’m sailing!” Everly shouted.

Ronan hurried toward the center of the boat where Everly stood at the wheel. Ten took a ton of pictures, while Jude recorded. His gaze turned to Fitz, who, now that Ronan really studied him, looked exhausted. He moved to stand beside Fitz and clapped a hand on his shoulder. “You good?”

Fitz turned to Ronan, shot him an angry look and bolted for the side of the boat. Seconds later, Fitz was hung over the side, chumming the water. Someone obviously didn’t take his seasick pills. Ronan was about to offer a wiseass comment, when movement caught his eye.

Jude sprinted to the side of the boat and became the second member of the chum club.

It was on the tip of Ronan’s tongue to shoot off a wise ass comment, but then his stomach tossed and he felt his breakfast trying to make a break for freedom.

“Fuck me blue!” He hurried toward Fitz and hung himself over the edge of the boat.

From behind him, Ronan could hear camera shutter clicks, which meant Ten was taking pictures of their posteriors for posterity, possibly to show at Ronan’s Celebration of Life, which at the moment, seemed to be rapidly approaching.

All he could do was hope Ten dressed him in his best suit and that Everly didn’t call him a dumbass in her eulogy.