“Well, this time of day, she’s down by the wreck making sure it’ll still work for the evening performance. What do you do on the Maisy Adams?”

“I’m a magician,” Max said. “April is an acrobat.”

“Do you do real magic?” Ruth asked.

Max grinned. “As real as you’ll ever see.”

“Can you take us to Carlotta?” April asked.

“Sure. Follow me.”

As they cut through the lobby, her mother intercepted them. “Ruth, are these guests?”

“No, Mama. They’re friends of Carlotta’s. Meet Max Collier, the magician, and April Rivers, the acrobat. This is my mama, Edna Wheeler. She runs the place.”

Max extended his hand to Mama, pausing a beat to study her face. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, madame. Your daughter was just showing us to Carlotta.”

“She’s on the beach. I saw her a few minutes ago.” Edna checked her watch. “I’ll come along. I’ve a few minutes before I start setting up for the dinner service.”

They followed Edna’s quick pace out the back door and around the pool toward the beach. This was the quiet time of day, and the summer heat had driven everyone into their air-conditioned rooms to nap or read a book.

The exception was Mr. Manchester, who sat at a table by the pool, a refreshed drink in front of him, a full ashtray on his table, and a Time magazine in his hand. It was impossible to see his eyes under the dark sunglasses, but Ruth felt his gaze. Seemed he was always watching her.

Mr. Manchester had kept to himself since storming off from the show last night, and Mrs. Manchester had spent the day in her room.

Gulls squawked as they crossed the sand and walked toward the wreck.

“It’s a real wreck,” April said.

“It’s pretty old,” Ruth said. “It only shows up after bad storms.”

April shivered. “Bad luck to spend too much time near a wreck.”

“And this one is haunted,” Ruth added.

“We don’t know that for certain,” Mama said. “Lots of stories but few facts.”

“Who are the ghosts?” Max asked.

“Sailors and a dead woman looking for her baby,” Ruth offered.

April laid her hand on Max’s arm. “I don’t like wrecks.”

Max grinned. “We live on a ship, so we’re naturally suspicious about vessels that meet a bad end.”

They arrived at the remnants of the ship as Carlotta walked around the ocean-damp timbers. She hesitated when she saw the new arrivals.

“Max and April.” She hugged them both. “What are you doing here?”

“The job in Norfolk didn’t work out,” he said. “The restaurant owner refused to pay us, and until the Maisy Adams reopens, we have nowhere to stay.”

“We have no extra rooms.” Mama’s expression was pleasant, but Ruth knew it was her annoyed smile.