Southampton Strangler

by Hope Callaghan

  “I called an emergency breakfast meeting. We’re concerned about you,” Annette said. “Cat heard the ship’s security is almost one hundred percent certain the strangler is on board. Patterson wouldn’t have assigned Suharto to guard you unless he thought your life was in danger.”

  “He’s right, and I believe I’m being targeted.” Millie removed the sheet of paper and clues from her pocket and made her way down the list. “I still have some confirming to do, to connect the dots between Edith Branson, the first targeted victim, followed by Sophie Young. I’m sure Patterson can find out fairly quickly if those two, along with the unidentified juror, the jogger, are linked.”

  “Wouldn’t the authorities be looking for a similar link?” Cat asked.

  “Not necessarily. In fact, if I hadn’t overheard an important clue, I wouldn’t have, either. It was all a matter of timing.”

  “The swinger’s cocktail party you attended ended up being a worthy endeavor?” Danielle teased.

  “If my hunch is correct, it may have been the one thing that is going to trip up the strangler.” Millie started to mention what Halbert and Nic had said, that the authorities believed Clarissa may have injured the strangler during her struggle.

  Cat leaned in. “What were you going to say?”

  “The authorities may have a way to link the strangler to the scene.”

  “Meaning DNA,” Danielle guessed.

  “Possibly. Unless he was careful enough so that there was no DNA to sample. And even if they could get a sample and a match, how long will it take to get the results? I’m sure they’re prioritizing it, but even a day or two might be too long.” Millie plucked a slice of bacon from the plate. “All I need to do is spread the right information to the right people and then wait for the strangler to come after me, but on my terms, not his. He makes his move and bam!” Millie slapped her palms together. “Patterson and his men can take the strangler off the streets forever.”

  “You’ve gotten yourself into some serious predicaments, but this one might top the list,” Danielle said. “I hope you know what you’re doing.”

  “I don’t—at least not yet, but if I already have a target on my back, I would much rather face this head on than be looking over my shoulder for the next week.”

  *****

  Millie and Suharto finished their breakfast and made a fast track to Patterson’s office. Since Suharto knew his boss’s schedule, he was correct in guessing the head of security was in his office.

  There was a flicker of surprise on Patterson’s face as he waved them into the room. “Problems already? Is Millie driving you crazy?”

  “No, sir.” Suharto grinned. “I love Millie. She’s the best.”

  “Aw.” Millie touched his arm. “You are so sweet. I feel like I have a new partner in crime.”

  Patterson wagged his finger. “You’re not allowed to corrupt Suharto.”

  “He’s keeping me on the straight and narrow. We’re here because I’ve stumbled upon some clues I think might tie the strangler’s victims together. If my hunch is right, I know who it is.” Millie unfolded her sheet of paper and handed it to Patterson.

  He studied the list, his mouth forming a grim line. “How did you put this together?”

  “I’m glad you asked.” Millie placed her hands behind her back. “I’ve been driving myself crazy, trying to figure out why I would be a target, and then it dawned on me. It wasn’t so much someone following me into the stairwell, which may or may not have been a coincidence. It was the picture Hilda Ellis forwarded to me. The more I thought about it, the more the pieces began falling into place.”

  “How long do you think it will take for the authorities to confirm Millie’s suspicions regarding the link between the strangler’s victims and the suspect?” Suharto asked.

  “Hours. I’m guessing they’re getting heat from the powers that be and are eager to solve this case,” Patterson said. “If your hunch pans out, I owe you one.”

  “I’ve already figured out how you can pay me back.”

  “Toss out your suspension,” Patterson guessed.

  “Both mine and Cat’s.”

  “And remove you from the guest services rotation.”

  “Nah.” Millie waved dismissively. “I actually had fun working alongside Nikki and the rest of the staff. It’s good for me to hear firsthand the passengers’ problems. I was thinking more along the lines of a credit toward future misdemeanors.”

  Patterson grimaced. “You mean the next time you exhibit a lack of judgment and stick your nose in where it doesn’t belong you want me to cut you some slack?”

  “Precisely.”

  “We’ll see.” Patterson promised to contact Millie as soon as he received word back, and he was already on the phone before they stepped out of his office.

  “You are good.” Suharto’s eyes filled with admiration. “Perhaps you should consider a job in the security department.”

  “No way. I love working with the passengers. I’ll just stick my nose in when I feel it’s needed. Besides, if I’m right, I’m almost certain I’ve set myself up for a free pass.”

  It was late afternoon, almost evening, by the time Patterson radioed to let Millie know he’d heard from the Southampton authorities. “I’m holding a security department meeting in the crew member’s dining room in half an hour.”

  “So, I was right,” Millie said.

  “Maybe, but there’s a twist.”

  “C’mon. Can’t you at least give me a hint?”

  “I just did. See you in a few.” Patterson signed off and Millie made an unhappy sound as she clipped her radio to her belt.

  A minor crisis sidetracked Suharto and Millie when a passenger insisted they accompany her to the golf simulator, which was on the fritz. Millie called for maintenance and waited for them to arrive before they hustled down the side steps.

  She didn’t slow until she reached the crew deck. Suharto wasn’t far behind, struggling to catch his breath. “You are too fast, Miss Millie.”

  “Sorry. I forgot you were behind me.” Millie propelled him down the hallway to the dining room. The place was packed, and the only spot they were able to squeeze into was in the corner.

  Millie bounced onto the tips of her toes, but she wasn’t able to see a thing. She finally gave up and climbed onto a chair.

  Nic, along with Donovan, Andy and Kimel Pang, the head of housekeeping, stood near the front of the room.

  Patterson caught Millie’s eye and gave a small nod of his head. “Thank you for dropping what you were doing and coming down here for this important meeting. As many of you know or may have already heard, we have an unanticipated and unwanted passenger on board Siren of the Seas. It has been verified and confirmed the Southampton Strangler, a serial killer, is on board our ship.”

  There were murmurs among the crowd, and then it grew quiet. “As a member of our security team, you are well aware of how seriously Majestic Cruise Lines and Siren of the Seas takes security. As such, we are all on high alert until we can apprehend and secure the suspect.”

  A security guard raised his hand before speaking. “If you know who it is, why don’t you arrest them and hold them until we reach Bermuda?”

  “The evidence we currently have is circumstantial. Until the proper authorities can confirm such, we have nothing to hold the person in question.”

  Another guard chimed in. “You’re not a hundred percent?”

  “We’re ninety-nine-point nine percent certain. The person in question will be under twenty-four-hour surveillance, no exceptions,” Patterson said. “We must remain vigilant, must remain on guard, and if you’re wondering why I’m not releasing this individual’s name and cabin number, it’s because we need that last percentage.”

  And, Millie secretly suspected, Patterson didn’t want a gung ho guard attempting to single-handedly take down the suspect and risk having the entire case blow up in their faces.

  A few more questions were asked, and Nic a
nd Patterson took turns answering before the meeting ended with a final reminder to remain vigilant.

  Millie, along with Suharto, waited off to the side until the room cleared. They approached the front where the officers stood talking. She waited until they stopped and she caught Patterson’s eye. “Well? Was I right?”

  “As I told the others, we believe so. But as I mentioned earlier, there’s a twist.”

  Chapter 23

  “What’s the twist?”

  “Clarissa Sinclair injured the strangler by scratching them. At least, that’s what the authorities surmised. Unfortunately, the tissue found under her fingernails doesn’t belong to the suspect. They are working ‘round the clock and hope to have a match soon.”

  “But for now, there’s no smoking gun.” Millie sucked in a breath. “If there’s no smoking gun, there’s no arrest.”

  “Correct.”

  “I have a plan. The strangler is after me. He believes I know too much.”

  “Which you do,” Nic interrupted.

  “The ironic part is he believed I knew too much before I even had a clue. I want to be the dangling carrot, to put myself in a position where he sees an opportunity to get rid of the one person he still views as a threat.”

  “How do you propose to do that?” Donovan asked.

  “I’ll need a little help.” Millie outlined her tentative plan.

  “I don’t like it,” Nic said. “This killer has eluded the authorities for years. He’s clever.”

  “So are we,” Millie insisted. “Our second option is for Suharto and me to wait for him to make his move, and I believe he will. Suharto can’t follow me into every place—every public restroom, every nook and cranny.”

  Patterson began pacing. “Unfortunately, Millie is right. The walls are closing in. He may make a desperate move. Perhaps it’s best if we play offensive instead of continuing on the defense.”

  Nic locked eyes with his wife, and for the first time, she saw fear. It mirrored her own. If they didn’t act, there was no doubt in Millie’s mind that she was “next.”

  “All right,” Nic relented. “We can come up with a plan to pressure the killer into acting. For the record, I don’t get a good feeling about this.”

  Each of them threw out ideas on how they could force the killer’s hand. After everyone shared their thoughts, Millie repeated hers.

  “Millie’s idea makes the most sense,” Patterson said. “We can strategically mobilize. There will only be a small window of time where she’s vulnerable and facing the killer on her own…seconds, actually.”

  “The sooner, the better.” Millie tapped Patterson’s shoulder. “I have one request. I want to borrow your Viper.”

  “You could hurt yourself.” He began shaking his head. “It’s tricky and could easily backfire on you if you’re not careful.”

  “I’m willing to take that chance.”

  Patterson stared at her for a long moment. “Fine. Daylight is burning. Let’s put this plan into action.”

  *****

  Suharto parted ways with Millie at the end of the hall. Despite all of her bravado, by the time she reached the Moxey’s suite, she was sweating profusely, and her underarms were soaked. She wiped her clammy palms on her slacks before giving the door a light rap.

  Kate Moxey answered. A puzzled expression flitted across her face when she saw Millie standing in the doorway. “Hello, Millie.”

  “Hello, Kate. I’m…I wondered if I might ask you a couple questions about…Hilda.”

  “Yes. Of course. Please come in.”

  Millie followed her inside. Harry was there, along with Annabel and Edward Ponsford. “I’m sorry to bother you again. I just…Hilda had sent me a photo she captured of a person she believed was following her prior to her death, and I can’t help but believe it’s a clue.”

  The Moxeys exchanged a quick glance. “Hilda photographed someone she thought was following her and sent it to you?” Harry asked.

  “She did. I guess she didn’t mention it?”

  “No.” Both couples shook their heads.

  “Do you still have it?” Edward asked.

  “I do.” Millie pulled her cell phone from her pocket and clicked on the photo before passing it to Kate, who then handed it to Harry. “I’ve also shown a copy to our head of security. I’m not sure he put much stock in it since Hilda...” Millie’s voice trailed off.

  “Had a somewhat vivid imagination.” Annabel finished her sentence.

  “Right. I mean, I know he’s taking the incident seriously.” Millie glanced around and then lowered her voice. “Hilda thought she knew who it was.”

  “Did she give you a name?” Edward handed Millie her phone.

  “No, but I got the impression she was talking about Bruce.” Millie clasped her hands. “That’s why I’m here—to find out if she confided in any of you.”

  “Regretfully, no,” Harry answered. “The ship’s head of security has questioned each of us at length. Hilda never mentioned anything of the sort.”

  “Have you shared your suspicions with Patterson?” Millie could’ve hugged Edward Ponsford for asking the question she wanted—needed—asked.

  “Not yet. I already feel terrible about the tragedy. Heaping more distress on a grieving husband is the last thing I want to do.”

  “I don’t believe it,” Harry Moxey blustered. “I’ve known Hilda and Bruce for many years. Bruce is a devoted husband. He certainly isn’t a serial killer.”

  “You know him better than I do. I’m not sure if I’ll name names to Mr. Patterson yet. I want to give it some thought.” Millie consulted her watch. “It’s getting late. I need to head to my next event.”

  She exited the suite and strode to the end of the corridor, where she paused to collect her thoughts. Had she been convincing enough that the Ponsford’s and Moxey’s loyalty to their close friend would trigger them to tell him what Millie had said? Would it be a strong enough incentive for Bruce Ellis to come after Millie and try to take her out?

  Millie reached into her pocket and ran her hand along the cold metal of Patterson’s Viper. It was as close to a handgun as she could get. Now, the only question was…would she need to use it?

  Chapter 24

  Although Millie couldn’t see them, she was certain Suharto and a good number of the ship’s security department were lurking in the shadows, watching her from a distance.

  She moved from event to event, mentally preparing herself for the moment when Bruce Ellis, the Southampton Strangler, popped out of the shadows and pounced on her.

  The waiting was almost unbearable and, as the evening wore on, paranoia set in. Would he make a move? Perhaps he knew security was shadowing her and decided not to risk it. Or perhaps she had it all wrong. After all, the DNA under Clarissa’s fingernails didn’t belong to Bruce Ellis.

  What if it was someone else—someone else in the group? But who?

  Millie grabbed a quick bite to eat and then hosted a round of Killer Karaoke, followed by Blue Light bingo, a late-night bingo extravaganza. Her last stop was checking in at the Tahitian Nights Dance Club.

  Still, nothing happened. No killer pounced on her from around the corner. When she reached the bridge, Suharto emerged from the shadows and joined her. “I did not see anyone following you.”

  “Neither did I.” Millie slid her keycard into the slot and held the door for Suharto before they stepped onto the bridge. “Maybe I’m off. Maybe I had it all wrong, and Bruce isn’t the killer.”

  “We are all wrong sometimes.”

  Nic, who was standing at the center console, hurried over. “Nothing?”

  “Nope. Not a peep. I was so certain.” Millie rubbed her brow. “How could I be so far off? The clues are all there.”

  “It’s possible he noticed security tailing you and changed his mind.”

  “Tomorrow is a new day. Unfortunately, from everything I know about the strangler, he likes to strike at night.”

  By the time M
illie and Suharto made up his sofa bed and let Scout out, Nic arrived home. The men stood talking in the kitchen while Millie excused herself. She trudged up the stairs and made quick work of getting ready for bed.

  She and Scout had already settled in by the time Nic joined them. “I’m sorry this is dragging out.”

  “Believe me, no one wants this over more than me. I didn’t have an inkling of being followed, even by the security detail. Maybe I’m losing my touch.” Millie patted the blankets, waiting for Scout to take his spot in the center of the bed. “Or maybe I’m way off base.”

  Nic kissed her forehead. “I know you want to help Patterson and his men take this person down, but these things rarely go as planned.”

  “True,” Millie murmured.

  By the time Nic emerged from the bathroom, Millie, exhausted from being in fight-or-flight mode for hours on end, was already dozing off. She and Nic said their prayers, and the last thing she remembered before sleep took over was that Kate Moxey had remained almost silent during Millie’s chat with her and the others.

  Strangely quiet.

  *****

  Buzz. Buzz. Buzz.

  Millie groggily swatted at her alarm clock, a low groan escaping her lips as she shut it off and rolled over. It took a few seconds for her to realize Nic’s side of the bed was empty.

  She flung the covers back and climbed out. Millie flew through her morning routine in record time and arrived downstairs to find Suharto and Nic savoring an early morning cup of coffee on the balcony.

  “Good morning, dear,” Nic said. “I have some wonderful news.”

  “About the strangler.”

  “Yes. Kate Moxey’s been arrested.” Nic told her the authorities matched the tissue found under Clarissa Sinclair’s fingernails to Kate Moxey.

  “Kate.” Millie blinked rapidly, remembering how Kate had remained silent during her conversation with her, her husband, and the Ponsfords the previous evening. “How…why…”

  “We don’t know all the details yet. She’s being held downstairs until we reach Bermuda where she’ll be flown back to the UK.”