“We have limited resources, and the strangler knows it,” Donovan said. “It’s not like we can stop off at the nearest port and call in reinforcements.”
Donovan had a point. They were in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, miles away from land.
“The note I received said ‘you’re next,’ so either the strangler is throwing out false information or had a change of plans,” Millie pointed out.
“It could be either or,” Patterson said.
“A lot can happen in the next three days, before we reach Bermuda,” Donovan said.
“I trust you to do whatever is necessary to keep both the passengers and crew on board this ship as safe as possible.” Nic stepped back. “I need to head back to the bridge but would like an update as soon as you’re able to get confirmation about whether this person was another strangler victim.”
“Hold up.” Millie lifted a hand. “Whose body was found? Was it a passenger or a crewmember?”
Patterson told her the victim’s name. “And now you know why Suharto will be with you from here on out.”
Chapter 20
“Hilda Ellis is dead,” Millie whispered.
“Her husband, Bruce, who returned to his cabin after closing down the casino, found her missing and called security.” Patterson told them as soon as he reported her missing, every available security guard began searching for her. “And that’s when her body was discovered on the helipad.”
“Maybe he did it,” Millie said.
“His alibi checks out. The keycard notifications match up to what he told us. The last video surveillance we have of Hilda is at eleven-thirty last night. She stopped by the pizza place to grab a couple slices of pizza and then the beverage station, where she fixed a cup of tea. We traced her as far as deck six and that’s the last image we have of her, at least as far as we know.”
“So, between eleven-thirty and…when was the last image of her captured?”
“Fifteen minutes later.”
Millie pressed her palms together. “Hilda grabs pizza and then fixes a cup of tea. Less than three hours later, the killer is caught on camera dragging her body to the helipad.”
“Correct. We’ve already checked every possible surveillance recording, not only on the connecting decks, but everywhere in between. It’s as if Hilda vanished into thin air and somewhere along the way, ran into her killer.”
“What about the couple’s cabin?” Donovan asked. “Was anything disturbed? Any indication of trouble?”
“Nothing. Nada. Zip. Mr. Ellis is cooperating. He’s given us access to everything.” Patterson’s cell phone chimed. “Corporate is calling.”
Suharto and Millie quietly made their way out of the office, leaving Patterson, Nic, and Donovan behind.
“I’m sorry you got stuck with me,” Millie apologized.
“I am not stuck with you, Miss Millie. I am looking forward to what we will do.”
“I can promise you one thing, we won’t be getting into any trouble.”
They began making their way to the end of the corridor. “I’m still on break and starving. Are you hungry?”
“I am always hungry.”
“Good. Let’s swing by the grill to grab a bite to eat.”
The pool area was packed. Now that the ship was cruising south and to a warmer climate, the passengers were taking advantage of the balmy weather and plentiful sunshine. The mood was lighter and the skies brighter.
Andy had even thought to update the live music to calypso tunes, and the melodic sounds of steel drums wafted in the air.
“It is busy up here,” Suharto said.
“It is,” she agreed. “I don’t know about you, but I’m looking forward to more tropical temperatures.”
“Me too.”
Millie stepped up to the poolside grill and placed a hot dog on her plate. She added a slice of dill pickle, two scoops of sweet relish, a generous helping of spicy mustard and a spoonful of chopped red onion. The potato salad looked nice and creamy, so she added a scoop of that, along with coleslaw. A handful of potato chips took up the last corner of real estate on her plate.
With a stop for some iced tea, Millie waited for Suharto to load up his plate before finding a shady table for two in the corner.
Millie prayed over her food, adding a special prayer for Hilda Ellis and her husband, Bruce, before lifting her head. She found Suharto watching her. “You are a Christian,” he said.
“I am.” Millie glanced at Suharto’s tag, listing his home country as Indonesia. “Your country is mostly Muslim.”
“Yes. But we also have many Christians,” he replied in a clipped voice. “It is a good country. My home.”
“And warm.”
“For most of the year. We do not get cold. I did not like the British Isles. It is pretty and green but too cold for my blood.”
“Mine too,” Millie said. “Although I spent most of my life in Michigan where the winter months are cold and snowy.”
“I have never seen snow.”
“It’s like rain except it freezes and it’s not fun to drive on.”
“I will take your word for it.” Suharto took a big bite of his cheeseburger, loaded with toppings. A glob of catsup oozed out and landed on a French fry. “The food is much better up here. I think I will like working with you for the duration of our voyage.”
“It will give us a chance to get to know each other better.” Millie spread a forkful of coleslaw along the top of her hotdog. “What was your favorite part of the British Isles?”
“I was able to get off in Invergordon, when Siren of the Seas was waiting for you, the captain and the others to catch up after you were left behind in Orkney.”
“Don’t remind me.”
Suharto’s smile widened. “I have worked on this ship for many years. The most exciting have been since you joined us, Miss Millie.”
Millie thought about all the incidents that had occurred, the ship being hijacked, her ex-husband’s soon-to-be wife being murdered, Scout’s dognapping, the ship’s officers being poisoned. Yes, there had been some exciting events since Millie joined Siren of the Seas. “And some of it I could do without.”
While they ate, they chatted about life on board the ship, and Suharto entertained Millie with stories about mishaps at the gangway, most involving passengers who had lost track of time and were almost left behind.
“What is the most outrageous reason someone has ever given you for not making it back to the ship on time?” Millie asked.
Suharto grew quiet as he thought about it. “The handcuffs.”
“Handcuffs?”
“A passenger returned to the ship handcuffed to a potted plant. Since produce and live plants from the islands are not allowed, she had to empty the pot before boarding the ship.”
Millie chuckled. “Why on earth was she handcuffed to a potted plant?”
“She was drinking at a local bar, and I think her friend made a bet.”
“Let me guess. It happened in Cozumel.”
“Yes. I have many funny Cozumel port stories. Remind me to tell you about the monkey sometime.”
“I will.” Millie and Suharto made it to the theater with a few minutes to spare.
Suharto stayed close by, behind the stage’s curtains while she and Alison Coulter, one of the ship’s dancers, hosted several rounds of bingo.
The women also co-hosted a ballroom dancing class, and Millie talked Suharto into joining her on the dance floor. He easily picked up the steps, and soon they were whirling their way around the floor.
Their next stop was The Vines. Annette and Amit were already there and setting up for the cooking class.
Her friend did a double take when she spotted Suharto. “Hey, guys. What’s up Suharto?”
“I am accompanying Millie for the rest of our voyage.”
Annette tilted her head. “You’re accompanying Millie?”
“Yes, because of the passenger’s death.”
“I heard there
was a death but didn’t catch the name or details.”
Millie briefly filled her in. “Patterson and Nic are concerned that I’m the next target.”
“So, they believe the strangler is on board the ship.”
“Last I heard, Patterson is waiting for confirmation from the UK authorities to see if there’s a match.”
“I still don’t understand why you’re a target, Millie. Sure, you like to stick your nose in where it doesn’t belong, but the strangler wouldn’t know that.”
“Your guess is as good as mine. The only possible link I can think of is the port and Halbert. It could be the strangler believes I know something and has set his or her sights on me.”
“I have been thinking about it, too,” Suharto said. “You spent many days visiting Halbert when the ship was in port. Perhaps you caught a glimpse of the strangler and he now views you as a possible witness.”
“I suppose. I mean, he made a point of going back and killing Edith Branson after all these years. Perhaps he considered her a loose end and me the same.” Millie rubbed her hands together, eyeing the table Amit was setting up for the cooking demonstration. “What’s on the menu?”
“Healthy is the theme. I’m making chicken kabobs, Greek salad, homemade tzatziki, a dipping sauce for the kabobs and Milopita.”
“Milopita.”
“It’s a Greek apple upside-down cake.” Annette shifted her gaze, glancing over Millie’s shoulder. “Our guests are arriving.”
Millie hustled to the door and began escorting the attendees to their seats, which were arranged in a semi-circle around the cooking stations.
Annette waited until the last person had arrived to greet them. She talked about the dishes as she assembled the Greek salad first. After she finished, Millie began spooning the salad into tasting dishes and handed one to each of the attendees.
Up next were the chicken kabobs, consisting of chunks of chicken breast, layers of bell pepper, zucchini, cherry tomatoes, red onion and sliced mushrooms cooked on a skewer. Annette used an indoor grill for cooking and prepared enough so that each participant could sample one kabob.
Even though Millie had already eaten, the smell of the grilling meat made her mouth water. Since she had made extras, Annette shared the tasty dish with her assistants, as well as Suharto.
Millie added a generous scoop of tzatziki to her plate and dipped her chicken in the creamy mix. “This is delicious,” she said.
Annette waited for Millie and Amit to collect the dirty dishes before giving guests step-by-step instructions on making the Milopita as she drizzled warm brown sugar sauce over the top of the finished dessert.
Once again, Millie passed out the tasty dessert treats, and then she and the others sampled a piece. The tart green apples gave it a hint of tang, which was tempered by the sweet sauce.
While Millie and Amit cleaned up, Annette answered questions. The first few were specific to the recipes and then they became more general—about food consumption on board the ship and the inner workings of the galley.
At precisely one hour and thirty-five minutes, Annette’s culinary presentation ended. The attendees stopped by to thank her and her co-hosts. Several remarked on how they wished there were more classes available.
“The food was delicious,” one attendee gushed. “I should book the specialty restaurant, at least for one meal.”
“Hold on.” Millie darted to her backpack and pulled out the stack of discount coupons Andy had given her. “We’re offering discounts for attending the cooking class.” She handed the woman three coupons and then hurried off to catch the others.
The last person left, and Millie closed the door behind her before joining her friends. “I call this a huge success.”
“It was fun.” Amit nodded. “I don’t get a chance to talk to passengers unless I’m delivering room service.”
“And the food was delicious.” Suharto patted his stomach. “I could get used to hanging out with Millie.”
“Be prepared to get into trouble.” Annette placed the dirty dishes on her cart. “The fun and games are over. It’s time to head back to the real world, my friends.”
After they left, Millie consulted her app. Up next was a VIP spa event. It was the one event her new sidekick didn’t appear to enjoy. Poor Suharto looked uncomfortable as he sat in a dryer chair, flipping through a fashion magazine while waiting for Millie to finish.
Finally, Camille, the spa’s manager, pulled Millie aside. “What’s up with the security guy?”
“I recently received a vague threat. Patterson and some of the other staff thought it would be best to have security keep an eye on me until we reach Miami.”
“Does it have anything to do with the dead woman?”
“Yeah.” Millie lowered her voice as a spa employee escorted a passenger to the counter to pay for her services. “The woman claims someone was following her around the ship. The same happened to me, and then I received a disturbing anonymous note.”
“The buzz we’ve heard is they think the strangler is on board. I’ve heard it from both staff and passengers,” Camille said, “and I’ve noticed beefed up security everywhere.”
“It’s a concern.”
Millie finished the event, and then she and Suharto headed out. “It’s break time. If you want to walk me back to the apartment, I’ll stay there until my shift picks up again for the Mix and Mingle Singles event at five in the Paradise Lounge.”
“I will stay with you, Miss Millie. It is my job.”
“You’re the boss.” It was a quick trip from the spa to the apartment. Nic was on the bridge with another of the newer staff captains. He gave Millie and Suharto a nod as they passed by.
Scout greeted them at the door. Thrilled to have company, he barely acknowledged Millie’s presence and began circling Suharto’s legs.
He gently picked the small pup up. Scout promptly pawed at his chin and licked his hand.
“You’ve made a new friend,” Millie teased.
“He is a good dog.”
“You can open the slider and let him out.”
While Suharto carried the pup onto the balcony, Millie kicked her shoes off and turned their home computer on. She checked her emails and answered one from her daughter, Beth, before opening a new search screen.
Curious to find out what the Southampton news was reporting and if there was an update on the strangler, she typed in Southampton Strangler. There was one new story, published less than an hour ago.
Millie clicked on the link, her breath catching in her throat when she read the headline.
Chapter 21
“What is it?” Suharto leaned in as Millie read aloud the first sentence of the news story. “The Southampton authorities received information from officers on board mega cruise liner, Siren of the Seas, and believe a new strangler victim has been identified. The liner, which spent the summer based out of Southampton for the British Isles’ itinerary, departed five days ago to return to its home port in Miami, Florida.”
The story didn’t identify the victim, pending notification of family, but said the victim was traveling with a group and the body would be flown back to the UK upon arrival in Bermuda.
“The passengers, they will hear about this,” Suharto predicted.
“I’m sure they will.” Millie did a mental calculation. They were still five days away from reaching Bermuda. “A lot can happen in five days.”
She grabbed her cell phone and began scrolling through her messages until she reached the one Hilda had sent her, insisting she had caught her stalker on camera.
“What is that?” Suharto asked.
“Hilda sent me a picture she’d snapped. She was certain she’d caught the person who was following her on camera.” Millie tapped the screen to make it bigger. “It’s still too small. I’ll forward it to my laptop.” With a few quick clicks, the message was sent. She downloaded and then enlarged it.
Suharto studied the image. “When was this taken?”<
br />
“Tuesday evening. Hilda showed it to me Wednesday. I forgot all about it until now.” Millie told him how Hilda had grabbed some pizza and was on her way back to the cabin when she got the feeling someone was following her. “She was a creature of habit, making the pizza station one of her regular stops.”
“This is near the Teen Scene on deck nine. The pizza station is on deck eleven. Hilda and her husband’s cabin is on deck four.”
“Correct. Why would Hilda grab pizza and go to the other end of the ship on a completely different deck? I guess I should’ve asked her.” Millie continued studying the photo. “I’m sure Patterson and the security department checked the surveillance cameras in this area.”
“Yes. I believe I remember Ms. Ellis reporting the incident and Patterson checking the cameras.”
Millie shifted so that she faced Suharto. “I know some serial killers randomly select their victims, but I think the strangler specifically picked the women that he or she did. There’s a connection, but what? I need to do a little more digging around.”
“I will help.” Suharto carried a chair from the dining room to the desk. “We will search for clues.”
“Let’s start with Edith Branson.” Millie pulled up several stories, pointing out anything she thought might be a clue.
Up next was the woman from the local uni, Sophie Young. “This was such a tragic death. What a promising future this woman had. I’m sure her father, a barrister, would love to get his hands on the strangler.” Millie started exiting the screen before realizing she’d almost missed the last sentence. “Ms. Young worked alongside her father at his firm and was obtaining a postgraduate degree.”
The third victim’s name was being withheld, and Millie wondered why. It was the female jogger whose body was found in the park, her faithful pup guarding her body.
Millie read the story aloud. “This is interesting. The unnamed female was part of a jury some years back and claimed she felt she was being stalked after the trial.”
“Does it say what sort of trial?”
Southampton Strangler Page 14