The Mediterranean Deal - 001 

The four of them held their team meeting every morning at 10 o'clock
at the round table on the patio. From there, they could watch the
marina, just in case.

Stephanie was distracted. Her stomach was churning, and she had to
force herself to focus on the business. The case had lasted more than
a month already, and there was no sign that it would end any time
soon. This was not what she had expected when she agreed to join the
team. There was no action and no adventure. Instead, she was cooped up
here in a rented villa on a French hillside, watching a yacht all day
and all night, waiting for the owner to emerge.

Her turn to speak came last, but when it did, she had good news.

"I went for my walk as usual this morning down to the marina. One of
the crew was hosing the deck, so I introduced myself."

Hamilton, their leader, looked pleased. "What story did you tell
them?"

"Oh, I'm a little girl with an empty head spending the summer in a
villa with my boyfriend. He made his money in investment banking. Now
he can afford to lie around in the sun and play the markets."

"Good work," Hamilton said. "Find out anything about the crew?"

"There are three of them, all women. The one I spoke to is called
Melissa."

"What was she like?"

"Friendly. She invited me to go out with them, next time they take a
daytrip. I told her I'd have to ask my boyfriend."

A pitcher of lemonade sat in the center of the table, still more than
half full, and Stephanie filled her glass and set it carefully down.
She noticed that Hamilton was staring in the direction of the boat.
She turned to follow his gaze and, as she did so, the back of her hand
knocked the glass over. It shattered, flooding the tabletop with the
drink and shards of glass.

"Shit!" she said. "I'm sorry."

Hamilton studied her carefully. "Let's go for a walk." He turned to
the others. "Can you two clear that up, please?"