Page 32

T he first location was a Mr. and Mrs. Phen on Deck 36. They had a junior suite, according to the schematic we’d referenced. On our way, Frank filled me in on them, as he’d already pulled their info.

“He’s the assistant minister of economics. She’s a biology professor.”

“They don’t sound like criminals.”

“No, they don’t. But as minister of economics, he might very well be in Yut’s pocket.”

We stopped at their door. Frank pushed the button to announce us. The thought that they might not be home popped into my head, but then Mr. Phen came to the door.

He glanced at our jumpsuits and the Athos patches, and concern entered his gaze. “Can I help you?”

“Just a routine check, Mr. Phen,” Frank said. “There was a small radiation leak on this deck, and we need to be sure your quarters haven’t been affected.”

“Oh, my.” He nodded and moved out of the way to let us pass, turning his head toward the cabin’s interior. “Tryna? There are some folks here…” He went toward the bedroom, presumably to make sure his wife knew what was going on.

I looked around. A junior suite just meant their quarters looked like mine minus the office area.

Frank finished scanning the living space as Mr. and Mrs. Phen joined us. Frank gave them a nod. “All clean out here. Just need to do the bedroom and bathroom and we’ll be out of your way.”

Mr. Phen put his arm around his wife. “What happens if you find something?”

“We’ll schedule the room for decontamination, but at these low levels, it’s nothing for you to worry about.” Frank gave them a reassuring smile.

I quickly did the same. As he headed into the bathroom, I stayed back to distract them. “Are you folks enjoying your cruise?”

“We are,” Mrs. Phen said. “We’ve been to see Ayronina twice. Our children are so jealous.”

Frank moved to the bedroom

“I bet. How fantastic. I understand she’s very popular on your planet.”

“Hugely popular,” Mrs. Phen confirmed.

Distinct beeping came from the bedroom. Frank reappeared. “I’m picking up trace amounts near your safe. I hate to ask, but can you open it so I can pinpoint the location of the leak?”

Mr. Phen quickly nodded. “There’s nothing in there but my wife’s jewelry and our passports.”

He went into the bedroom. Frank followed.

I kept up the chitchat. “Have you been to the spa? It’s great. I go when I can, which isn’t often, but it’s a wonderful way to relax.”

She glanced toward the bedroom. “We actually have a couples massage scheduled for tomorrow.”

More beeping from the bedroom.

I held on to my smile, but inside I was jumping up and down. Had Frank found the Star? “Oh, you’re going to love it.”

Frank and Mr. Phen reemerged. The energy sensor was clipped to Frank’s belt. “It was just your nebulite earrings giving a false reading, Mrs. Phen. No signs of radiation. You’re all clear. The nebulite does that sometimes. It’s the energy in it, you know? Well, have a good day.”

“Bye now.” I walked with Frank to the door.

Our smiles stayed in place until we were in the corridor. “Just earrings?” I asked.

He nodded. “That’s all it was.”

I sighed. “On to number two.”

But number two was also a pair of earrings. Number three was not earrings; it was a ring.

We’d struck out. Again.

My bad mood had returned.

Frank understood. He looked as grim as I felt. “Not the result I was hoping for either.”

I shook my head, but I was too grumpy to add anything of value.

He put his hand on his printlock and opened his door, letting me go in first. “You can change, if you want. I’m going to look at those vuum reports again.”

I’d already started for the bathroom, but I stopped. “You think we missed something?”

“We must have. There’s no way the sensor didn’t pick up the Star. It’s too much energy to go undetected, and there’s no hiding it.”

I stood there a moment, thinking. “I agree with you. That means the Star is at one of the vuum locations we thought was clean.”

He nodded. “Yeah. We just need to figure out which one. That’s why I want to look at them again.”

“Okay.” I knew I sounded mopey, but that was how I was feeling. If I couldn’t be honest around Frank, it wasn’t much of a relationship.

I changed into my street clothes and came out with the folded jumpsuit in my hands. I set it on the coffee table and went into the office to see if he’d found anything.

He was frowning at the big screen across from his desk, so I guessed he hadn’t.

I stood by the doorway and took a look at the screen, too. He had the list of vuum locations up. “Any thoughts?”

The way his jaw was clenched, I wasn’t sure what kind of answer to expect.

“Might be time for your daughter to declare martial law, shut the ship down, and go room by room until this thing is found.”

I almost smiled. “I love it, but I don’t think it would do much for diplomatic relations.”

“No, I suppose not.” He sighed and leaned back in his chair. “I’m sorry. I really thought we were onto something.”

I took a few steps toward him. “You have nothing to be sorry for. We are onto something. The Star is in one of those locations. We just have to figure out which one. And how to access it. And if whoever’s in that location is also the murderer.”

“We could keep up the radiation leak ruse,” Frank offered.

“We could, but that’s a lot of places to cover. The thief might get wise to what’s going on.” It was almost like we were right back where we started. Frustrated, I shoved my hands into my pockets.

Something brushed against my fingers. I fished it out. A sliver of silver foil. I thought it was the piece Benni had given me at dinner. The piece she’d found stuck on one of the solar panels. I was about to stick it back in my pocket but then hesitated.

I held it up to the light. If this was part of a candy wrapper, why had none of the pieces had writing on them? If it wasn’t a candy wrapper, what was it? A piece of a Mylar safety blanket? Those were all over the starliner, packed into every emergency kit.

But why were pieces of them showing up in places connected to the missing Star and the two murdered men?

An idea, probably not the best I’d ever had, came to me. I held the slip of foil out. “Do you think this could be a piece of a Mylar safety blanket? And also, do you think one of those blankets could somehow … contain the Star’s energy if the gem was wrapped in one? Although how could it when the walls of a safe made no difference.”

Frank looked up, brows knitting together as he considered my questions. “We won’t know for sure unless we test it. You still have your pendant on?”

“I do.”

He got out of his chair. “Let’s get the safety blanket out of my emergency kit and try it.”

He didn’t wait for my response, just went straight to the kit, which was in the cabinet underneath the sink in his kitchenette. While he took out the blanket, I unlatched the pendant.

I held out my hand. “Give me the blanket. You go get the energy sensor.”

“Okay.” He put it in my hand.

I unfolded it a third of the way, leaving it several layers thick, then put the pendant on it and folded it back up.

Frank returned, energy sensor in hand. “It’s in there?”

I stepped back. “Yep.”

Aiming the sensor at the blanket, he flipped on the power.

The beeping started immediately, bringing frowns back to both our faces.

“So much for that,” I said. I was so frustrated, a little growl escaped my throat. “Sorry. I am just not happy.”

“Neither am I,” Frank said. “Especially when it feels like the answer is so close.”

I started to unfold the blanket to retrieve my pendant, but the Mylar was slippery, and it fell off the table. I grabbed it before it hit the ground, but the pendant came free and fell to the floor. I tossed the blanket up to Frank without looking. “Here.”

I bent to rescue the pendant. As I stood, I realized I’d tossed the blanket farther than I’d thought. The Mylar was super light. And it was now draped over Frank’s shoulder like a space-age toga.

I laughed. “Nice look. You should have worn that to the gala.”

He grinned. “It does kind of look like evening attire, doesn’t it?”

I gasped, staring at him and the blanket as the cogs in my head began to whirl. “I know who took the Star and who murdered those two guards.”