Southampton Strangler

by Hope Callaghan

  She thought about Thomas Windsor and what Hilda had said. Was Clarissa interested in Thomas? Had she inadvertently found something out about him, jokingly mentioned it to him, and he took her out?

  Perhaps he felt his back was against the wall. If Thomas was the strangler and had killed Clarissa, he may have taken a gamble and murdered her, knowing he was only hours away from leaving the country.

  She returned to her desk and logged onto the ship’s computer system. She pulled up the manifest and typed Thomas’s name in the search bar. His date of birth was listed as January 1, 1956. His address was listed as Lexington, Kentucky.

  Millie clicked out of the ship’s database and opened a new screen. She typed his name and location into the search bar. An older story popped up, one she vaguely remembered reading about some time ago, when an unrelated and tragic death occurred on board the ship and she suspected Thomas might be involved.

  She reread the story about how Thomas’s wife, Elizabeth, had died of a single, self-inflicted gunshot wound. Thomas claimed he had spent the night in the horse barn, waiting for the birth of a foal, and had slept on a cot in the tack room. It wasn’t until early the next morning when he returned to the main house to shower and check on Elizabeth that he found her dead on the bedroom floor.

  The story explained that Elizabeth, whose family had founded an equestrian center, along with a museum and educational theme park, had complained of debilitating joint pain and body aches for months. Despite running exhaustive tests, doctors could find no reason for her pain.

  The authorities detained Thomas, questioning him at length. He’d even agreed to take a polygraph test. The results of the test were inconclusive. With no evidence linking Thomas to his wife’s death, it was ruled a suicide, and the case was closed.

  Elizabeth’s brother was also interviewed. He accused Thomas of keeping Elizabeth from her family and insisted he was responsible for his sister’s death.

  Had Thomas murdered his wife? Perhaps she knew he was the strangler, and he killed her.

  Millie was determined to delve into Clarissa’s final hours and vowed to speak to the people who could help fill in the blanks, but it would have to wait. She needed to get back to work.

  The hours flew by as Millie moved from event to event. She hosted an afternoon tea and was thrilled to discover Kate Moxey and Annabel Ponsford were there, giving her the perfect opportunity to question Clarissa’s friends.

  She waited until the end of the event to approach their table. They made small talk and then Millie got right to the point, asking if they had been updated on Clarissa’s investigation.

  “The authorities have questioned all of us at length,” Annabel said. “I think Clarissa, bless her heart, was a bit of a snoop, suspected the strangler’s identity and maybe even confronted the individual.”

  Kate nodded in agreement. “Clarissa was chuffed about her reporter job and it made her cheeky.”

  “Chuffed? Cheeky?” Millie asked.

  “Chuffed means to be pleased,” Annabel explained. “And cheeky is having the last word or knowing everything.”

  “So, she may have gone full blazes and confronted the strangler, not realizing she had written her own death sentence.”

  “Exactly,” Kate said. “We were discussing her death since the authorities are hot on the case.”

  “Because you might unwittingly have valuable information.”

  Annabel nibbled her lower lip. “If the authorities think we might have valuable information and the strangler is on board the ship, it means we might be in danger as well.”

  “I’m certain security is keeping a close eye on you.” Millie swiped at a small crumb on the table. “Out of curiosity, did Clarissa do or say anything that might’ve been a clue?”

  The women exchanged a quick glance and then both shook their heads.

  “She joined us later in the evening, claiming she had to take care of some pressing issues. Clarissa seemed excited about the voyage. Looking back, perhaps she was sitting on the information about the strangler and was looking forward to spilling the beans.” Annabel shifted her gaze, peering over Millie’s shoulder. “Our husbands are here. It’s time to get going.”

  “We’re heading to the art auction to peruse the new pieces and to sip some champagne.” Kate scooted out of the booth as her husband, along with the Ellises and Edward Ponsford, made their way over. “We were discussing poor Clarissa. We heard Millie is somewhat of a super sleuth, at least that’s what Thomas told us, so we were sharing information.”

  “A sleuth,” Harry repeated.

  “It’s a bad habit,” Millie said. “My friend, Halbert Pennyman, lives near the scene where the death occurred.”

  “Are they thinking perhaps the chap might’ve seen something?” Edward asked.

  “I don’t know.” Millie grew uncomfortable, reminding herself that if the strangler was on board the ship, she might very well be talking to him…her. “I’ve tried to keep my nose out of this one since I haven’t been following the case,” she fibbed.

  “Best that you do.” Edward offered his wife his arm. “We need to head downstairs before they run out of champagne.”

  Kate arched a brow. “Millie, will you be hosting the Mix and Mingles Singles’ party again this evening?”

  “No. Not this time.”

  “It’s a shame. Harry and I had such fun at the last event.”

  “And made some new friends.” Harry winked at his wife.

  “I’m sure I’ll be hosting again soon.” Millie thanked the women for the chat and then watched them walk away. If Clarissa’s friends and acquaintances knew where she had been or what she’d been doing prior to meeting up with them hours before her death, they weren’t talking.

  Millie swung by the guest services desk to check with the staff and inquire about comments or complaints regarding the entertainment. Since her friend Nikki was on duty, she waited until she was free before approaching the counter. “I’m here to find out how we’re doing.”

  “I only have one complaint that the passenger asked to be escalated to the captain.”

  “Let me guess…it’s directed at me and from a passenger who is ticked because I removed her items from one of the pool’s lounge chairs.”

  Nikki gave her a thumbs up. “Bingo. At first, I thought you had tossed her stuff over the side of the ship the way she was carrying on.”

  “Perhaps she should think twice before having her son do her dirty work and save her a primo lounge chair.”

  “She conveniently left that part out,” Nikki said. “As requested, I forwarded her complaint to the captain.”

  Millie thanked her for the heads up and then took the side stairs to deck seven. She reached the gift shop and caught a glimpse of Cat. She gave her friend a quick wave before making her way inside. “Hey, Millie.”

  “Hey, Cat. How’s business?”

  “Busy.” Cat tucked a pile of receipts under the cash drawer. “It’s been one of those days.”

  “What’s wrong?”

  “Andy. He told me Patterson called him down to his office to have him fingerprinted. The UK authorities are taking a closer look at him. Andy is no killer. It’s almost laughable except it’s not funny.”

  Millie patted her arm. “I’m sure once they compare his prints to those they have, they’ll clear him.” She watched as her friend twisted the diamond bracelet Andy had recently surprised Cat with.

  The sparkles caught her eye, and then she noticed something else…a small charm. Millie remembered the day Andy had shown it to her, eager to get her opinion before giving it to Cat.

  She remembered the trio of small diamonds but didn’t remember it having a charm. “I didn’t know the bracelet Andy gave you had a charm.”

  “It didn’t.” Cat ran her finger over the top. “He picked it up before we left Southampton. He told me he found it at a small jewelry shop close to the port.”

  Millie thought about another charm bracelet, the one
the uni student was wearing when she was strangled.

  Chapter 11

  Millie’s mind whirled. Andy left the ship early the same morning Clarissa’s body was found. Andy had a bruise on his head and a scratch on his arm. Siren of the Seas arrived in Southampton only days before the strangler reappeared and murdered his next victim.

  “What’s wrong?” Cat asked.

  “I…” Millie did a mental shake. “Nothing. I just remembered something. I need to run back to the apartment to check on Scout.” She hastily said goodbye and then hurried out of the shop.

  Back home, Millie made a beeline for the computer and did a quick search for a picture of the charm bracelet the strangler reportedly took. Her heart sank when she discovered the authorities had not released a photo or confirmed the bracelet had been taken.

  Millie needed to narrow down the list of suspects. Unfortunately, two of her favorite people, Andy and Thomas Windsor, were at the top of the list.

  Her last break arrived, and she thought about heading down to the crew dining room but changed her mind and stopped by the galley instead. Millie found her friend in the pantry, taking inventory. “Knock, knock.”

  Annette pivoted, peering at Millie over the rim of her reading glasses. “Hey, Millie. What’s up?”

  “Not much. I’m on my dinner break and thought I would stop by to chat and maybe grab one of the RTG meals. You don’t have any left.”

  “I can’t keep those in stock. I guess I’m not the only one who wants nutritious meals they can grab and go.” Annette placed her clipboard and pen on top of a row of canned vegetables. “What sounds good?”

  “Something quick and easy and not a lot of trouble.”

  “I was thinking about eating, too. Let’s see what we can find.” Annette, with Millie’s help, whipped up a quick meal and then they gathered at the center counter.

  After they finished praying, Millie filled her friend in on what she’d learned, how Clarissa may have unwittingly placed herself in a dangerous situation. “I spoke to some of her traveling companions. According to what they told me they have no idea what she was doing in the hours leading up to her death.”

  “So, Clarissa may have tracked down some clues about the killer, possibly even confronted him or hinted she was onto him and he killed her.”

  “That’s what I think.” Millie savored a spoonful of gazpacho, the tangy tomato and garlic tickling her tastebuds. “You make the best gazpacho.”

  “Thanks. It’s one of my favorites now that I’m trying to eat healthier.”

  “How do you think you’re doing?”

  “I give myself a seven out of ten.” Annette tipped her hand. “I still get stressed but then it kinda goes with the territory.”

  “A seven is fair.” Millie finished her soup before reaching for her sandwich. “I’m also thinking either “a,” the strangler strategically left Clarissa’s body near the port, knowing the authorities might suspect he or she boarded a ship or “b,” he didn’t plan on killing her and it threw him, or her, off. In other words, the strangler got spooked.”

  Annette reached for her napkin. “Does it strike you as odd that her traveling companions continued on instead of staying behind?”

  “It would, except for the fact Annabel Ponsford told me her in-laws were closer to Clarissa than they were.”

  “Do you still think it could be Thomas Windsor?”

  “Unfortunately, yes. Hilda Ellis told me Clarissa was attracted to Thomas.” Millie mentioned her discovery about his wife’s suicide. “What if she didn’t commit suicide?”

  “Correct me if I’m wrong, but didn’t the strangler take souvenirs from his victims?” Annette asked.

  “At first they said the strangler had, but they’ve since backtracked and now claim they’re not sure. The jogger was missing a blue tennis shoe and the uni student was missing a charm bracelet. I…”

  “What?” Annette prompted.

  “Nothing.” Millie lowered her gaze.

  “You were going to say something else. Is there another person you suspect?”

  “Yes.”

  “And…”

  “It’s Andy,” Millie blurted out. “He gave Cat that bracelet. It has diamonds. He recently gave her a charm to add to the bracelet.”

  “And it matches the description of the bracelet the strangler took from one of his victims?”

  “I don’t know.” Millie, losing her appetite at the thought, pushed her plate away. “The authorities asked Andy to submit a set of fingerprints.”

  “I’m not surprised, considering he was in the area shortly before her body was found. “Have you asked Andy about it?”

  “No. I mean, I feel terrible even putting his name out there.”

  Annette motioned to what was left of Millie’s sandwich. “You gonna eat the rest of your food?”

  “No.”

  Annette polished off Millie’s leftovers. “You and I both know Andy didn’t kill anyone. If you think this Thomas Windsor dude is a potential suspect, then find out.”

  “You mean, sneak into his cabin and look for clues, like a charm bracelet and a blue shoe? Believe me, I’ve already thought about it.”

  “So, what’s stopping you?”

  “I might not like what I find,” Millie said miserably. “I don’t want it to be Thomas.”

  “Look at it this way, you would eliminate a suspect.”

  “True.” Millie hopped off the barstool and carried their dirty dishes to the sink. “Thanks for lending an ear.”

  “You’re welcome.” Annette trailed behind. “Have you asked Cat what she thinks?”

  “No. She’s already kinda bummed about it.”

  “Cat hasn’t had much luck with men. I’ll never forget how her ex tracked her down and tried to kill her.”

  “I’m glad he’s back in prison where he belongs.” Millie rinsed the dishes before placing them in the dishwasher. “I feel somewhat responsible for encouraging her and Andy’s relationship.”

  “Andy’s no killer.” Annette balled up her napkin and tossed it in the trash. “At least I hope not. That would mean I’m a terrible judge of character.”

  “Me too.” Millie thanked her again and began making her final rounds, starting on the top deck and working her way down. She hovered in the doorway of the comedy club, catching a few lines, and could feel her eyelids drooping.

  She did a mental shake and then headed to the nearby side stairwell. It was past midnight, and the shortcut to the upper decks was quiet and empty.

  Millie grasped the handrail and began climbing.

  Ting.

  She paused; certain she’d heard a tinging sound.

  There was nothing but silence.

  Millie kept climbing and reached the next landing.

  Tap. Tap. Instead of a ting , she could’ve sworn she heard footsteps.

  Millie stopped. The footsteps stopped.

  Convinced she was being followed. Millie fumbled for her stun gun, taking the steps two at a time.

  Tap. Tap. Tap.

  She was in between decks now, and the tapping was growing louder.

  Millie raced to the corner and slipped behind a large easel board display of a dark-haired woman in a relaxed pose, her eyes closed with a tranquil ocean as the backdrop.

  Her hand trembled as she clutched the stun gun. There was no ting , no tap. In fact, it was eerily quiet.

  All she could hear was her own heart beating loudly. Millie began counting and then eased her way out from behind the sign. You’re getting paranoid, Millie. Just like Hilda Ellis.

  She relaxed her grip on the stun gun and began climbing again.

  Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap.

  Millie sprinted up the steps as she fumbled with the stun gun’s safety switch. She reached the bridge deck and cast a furtive glance behind her.

  Not paying attention to where she was going, she tripped on a safety strip, instinctively squeezing the stun gun’s trigger as she crashed head-on into someone wh
o was standing on the landing.

  Zap.

  Chapter 12

  An electric jolt shot up Millie’s arm, and she simultaneously realized two things: She was still squeezing the stun gun’s trigger, and she was zapping her boss.

  She immediately released her grip. “Oh, my gosh. Andy.”

  Andy slumped against the wall, his chest heaving as he struggled to speak.

  “I’m sorry. I…I heard someone coming up behind me on the stairwell and I freaked out.”

  Andy’s lip twitched, his breaths coming in quick bursts.

  “Do you want me to call medical?”

  “No.” Andy’s head flopped to the side. “Give me a few minutes.”

  Millie continued rambling and apologizing as she attempted to explain her actions. “Please, God. Don’t let Andy die.”

  “I’m not dying,” he gasped. “Please stop talking.”

  Millie abruptly stopped. His color slowly returned, and his breathing leveled out. “Do you want me to help you back to the office or your cabin?”

  “I was heading home.” Andy pushed away from the wall. “I saw you go into the stairwell and noticed someone follow behind you. It being such a late hour, something told me to make sure you were all right.”

  Millie’s scalp tingled. “I heard someone while I was heading up the stairs. Could you tell if it was a man or a woman?”

  “No. They got off on another deck. I followed them, but by the time I got there the corridor was empty. It could have been nothing.” Andy motioned to the stun gun, now securely affixed to Millie’s hip. “Perhaps we’re both overreacting. Let me walk you home.”

  “I am sorry, Andy.”

  “You don’t need to keep apologizing.”

  They crossed to the other side of the ship and stopped when they reached the bridge’s entrance. “Thank you for walking me home.”

  “You’re welcome. I don’t know if there’s cause for alarm. To be on the safe side, I would stick to the main corridors for the rest of this voyage.”