The door into the suite clicked…the gang had returned. Maggie returned the paper to the envelope then set it back into her backpack; then she got back to her wine. The group became busy recollecting their adventures among each other, but Maggie wasn’t one bit envious. She took another drink of her wine.
Chapter 13
Slot Tournament
“Ladies, get ready, we have the slot tournament qualifying rounds,” Kimberly announced as she rushed into the common space where everyone was lounging.
“I am not in the mood,” Maggie complained.
“Well, you better get in the mood,” Joanie said. She pulled Maggie to her feet. “We have a reservation at the Mexican place and then off to the casino.”
Maggie was looking forward to dinner. She enjoyed the formal dining room, but Chi Chi’s was her all-time favorite restaurant in West Palm Beach—and why not? She especially liked the tableside preparation of the guacamole and the freshly made margaritas. The restaurant was famous for never using a mix. All ingredients were fresh and organic.
When they arrived at the restaurant on Deck 4, it looked identical to the location in Palm Beach. Sugar skulls and vibrant colored tapestries hung from the walls. A table for six awaited them. The ladies sat at one end and the guys perched themselves at the other.
As soon as the waiter arrived, Maggie took the lead. She ordered the tableside guacamole, the bacon-wrapped shrimp appetizer, and fresh margaritas for everyone. She noticed the shocked look on everyone’s face as ordered for them.
“Seriously, just trust me,” she said. “If you don’t like the margaritas you can order something else, but at least give it a try. I’m not a huge fan of tequila, but this ’rita is to die for.”
David pushed a stack of pretend casino chips into the table. “I’m all in.”
Kimberly drew the restaurant’s giant menu close to her face. “Whatever.”
“No salt on mine,” Maggie told the waiter.
The waiter looked around the table for confirmation. Mike acknowledged his approval, circling his index finger through the air. The waiter slipped his notebook into his front apron pocket then motioned for another server nearby who was pushing a cart full of ingredients for fresh guacamole.
He set the small cart near the table and started scooping avocadoes into a massive bowl. He added tomato, onion, cilantro, and a little salt and pepper. He mixed the ingredients in the massive bowl then divided the freshly made guacamole into two equal portions. He scooped each portion into a smaller bowl. He placed one of the smaller bowls at each end of the table just as a third server arrived, setting a basket of warm tortilla chips on the table.
The table turned quiet as the group enjoyed the appetizer. Then the margaritas arrived. Joanie decided to make a toast. She stood and said: “Here’s to a great team. All of you guys made this trip possible by being the best of the best. Thank you for all your hard work and dedication.” She raised her heavy glass. “Cheers!”
“Cheers!” everyone repeated.
Joanie sat down, but her smile turned flat and her eyes lost focus. She looked down almost as if she was going to cry. Maggie thought maybe she was losing confidence that she and Mike would figure out what happened to her aunt’s money; most likely it would never be recovered. She would not only lose her job but her reputation, and she might face criminal charges. The future didn’t look good for Joanie.
“Have you been in a slot tournament before?” Maggie asked, hoping to break Joanie’s thoughts.
Joanie’s face lit up. “I have,” she said. “It’s a lot of fun.”
“What’s the secret to winning?” Kimberly asked, engaging in the conversation.
“There’s one simple strategy,” Joanie said slyly. “Push the button as many times as you can.”
“That’s it? It doesn’t sound very competitive,” Kimberly said.
“You’ll see, you get caught up in the whole thing. Just remember to set your machine to bet MAX every time and play all the pay lines and push that button as many times as you can.”
“So, basically, everyone has the same opportunity to win?” Maggie said.
“But there is a winner.” Again Joanie lit up. “A ten-thousand-dollar winner.”
“I didn’t hear that part when we signed up,” Kimberly said, taking a long drink from her margarita. “I thought it was a free cruise or something.”
“The top five all win free cruises. You must not have been paying attention when we signed up,” Joanie said.
“Ten thousand?” Kimberly said. “I’m paying attention now.”
Dinner arrived. The conversation focused on what each of the ladies would buy with the ten thousand dollars if they won the tournament.
“I might buy my son a car,” Joanie said.
“I would probably take a trip to Italy or Paris—I just want to travel,” Kimberly said. “What about you, Maggie?”
“I would probably just save it for a rainy day.” She was thinking that Kimberly could do a lot of traveling with a million dollars.
They finished up dinner and headed for the casino.
“Maybe I shouldn’t have had two margaritas,” Joanie said. “My head is feeling a little light.” She had obviously forgotten whatever was troubling her earlier.
“I feel nice and relaxed, ready to go,” Kimberly said.
The three guys followed the ladies; they were chatting about some football team or baseball team. As they entered the casino, the ladies followed the signs to a roped-off section of the slot area. They picked machines next to each other. Maggie was at the end, Joanie in the middle, and then Kimberly. Three other passengers were sitting at the other end, six others had selected machines on the other side of their machines, and six sat directly behind them.
“Okay, ladies and gentlemen”—Jules walked between the machines, speaking into a microphone—“welcome to round one of the Official Cruise Slot Tournament.” A small crowd started to assemble to watch the spectacle. “The round consists of two-fifteen minute sessions; the top three scores from both sessions progress to the finals, which will take place this same time tomorrow. You must remain at your machine the entire time. No use of phones or electronics is allowed while playing. If you leave your machine at any time during the round, you will forfeit your score. Does anyone have any questions?”
No one spoke; instead, everyone placed their hands on the buttons of their slot machine.
“Are you ready?” Jules said.
A yell rose up from the players: “Yes!”
“Then let’s get playing—GO!”
The machines lit up. The noise was almost deafening. Maggie focused on her machine, pushing the button every time it stopped. She noticed Joanie’s quick movements and tried to copy her. Joanie’s slot machine seemed to bing and buzz more frequently—and more loudly—than Maggie’s. It wasn’t until the end of the round that Maggie stood up and realized it hadn’t been Joanie who had been scoring so much, it was Kimberly.
Jules and several assistants recorded the scores for each player. “You have fifteen minutes before round two,” she announced, releasing them for a break. “Don’t be late.”
Maggie closed her eyes, waiting for the crowd to dissipate before heading over to the bar set up in the middle of the casino. “I’ll have a Cabernet,” she told the bartender just as he set a cocktail napkin in front of her. He nodded his head and reached for a wine glass hanging on a rack above them.
As she took the first sip of her wine, Maggie noticed John sitting on the opposite side of the bar, chatting with one of the bartenders. They were leaning in close to each other, as if they didn’t want anyone to hear what they were saying. When the bartender stood, Maggie was shocked. The man could have been John’s brother. He was the same height, and he was bald, just like John. It was only when the bartender turned around that the difference became clear. The man had a broader nose and a definite scar across the bottom of his chin. He looked like he should have been the bouncer rather than
a bartender.
Maggie grabbed her wine and hurried back to her machine. Five minutes remained until the next session began. Joanie had not yet returned.
“Nice job there, Kimberly,” Maggie said.
“I have to admit, that was fun.” She smiled. “I think the margaritas helped. I had a rhythm going.”
Joanie took her seat. “Okay, ladies, good luck on this round.”
The three ladies high-fived each other.
The second session began as the first one had. The machines lit up, and the buzzing and ringing started. Maggie tried to focus on pushing her buttons but became distracted. She looked up just as the bartender who had been talking to John left the casino.
Maggie continued pushing the buttons until she noticed John also exiting the casino. She looked around for Mike but didn’t see him. She pushed her buttons a few more times until curiosity took over. She stood from her seat in front of the slot machine and left to follow John. If Joanie and Kimberly noticed they didn’t show any concern: they were concentrating on pushing the buttons. Maggie looked for Mike one last time as she moved through the casino. She finally spotted him across the room at the roulette wheel.
There was no time to tell Mike what she was doing; she would lose John if she didn’t follow him. Keeping a safe distance, Maggie watched John enter the elevator. After the doors closed she kept her eyes on the monitor over the doors. The elevator stopped three decks above her. Instead of waiting for the elevator to return, Maggie ran up the stairs. When she reached the top, she could hardly breathe but leaned on the bulkhead near the deck schematic.
Staterooms took up most of the deck, but a business center was located on the starboard side. Maggie walked slowly, still trying to catch her breath until she reached a large door with a glass window. She glanced in the room behind the door and saw the bartender sitting in front of a computer, tapping the keyboard. John was leaning over the bartender’s shoulder. After a few moments he walked to the printer and removed a few pages from the printing tray. The bartender stood, and suddenly Maggie knew it was time to go. She ducked into the steward’s closet nearby until the two came out of the computer room and passed by. Then she stuck her head out to see if the coast was clear. The bartender turned just in time to see her but then turned back and continued to walk away.
Maggie waited a few more minutes before she felt secure enough to leave the closet. She walked to the bank of elevators and rode back down the three decks. She found the nearest restroom and splashed water on her face to cool down before returning to the casino. The bartender was back behind the bar. He looked up as Maggie passed but didn’t seem to recognize her.
“Where did you go?” Joanie asked, stepping into her path.
“Maggie put both hands on her abdomen. “My stomach.”
“I won!” Kimberly said excitedly, coming up beside Joanie and holding up a small trophy shaped like a golden slot machine.
“Great job,” Maggie said. “Where’s the check?”
“Tonight was just the qualifying rounds. I have to win the next one to win the cash,” Kimberly said.
“I came in sixth,” Joanie said, “The top ten scores qualify, so I’m in the finals too.”
“Great job, girls,” Maggie said. “We should celebrate with karaoke.”
“You do karaoke?” Kimberly asked, narrowing her eyes.
“No, but I’ll watch you girls.” Maggie smiled. “I’ll tell Mike we’ll meet him at the club.”
“I’ll stop and get David and meet you girls at the Crow’s Nest in half an hour,” Kimberly said. She held her trophy proudly above her head as she walked out.
“Have you seen John?” Joanie asked.
Maggie stared at Joanie for too long before she answered. “Let’s get Mike, and I’ll tell you what I saw.”
They walked across the room to where the roulette players stood. Maggie motioned to Mike, who saw them. He held up his finger to tell them to wait as the small white ball bounced around and finely settled on a number. It must not have been the right number: Mike shook his head and picked up the remaining chips; then he weaved through the players until he reached Maggie and Joanie.
“How did you ladies do?” he asked.
“Kimberly and I both qualified for the final round,” Joanie said. “Kimberly won first place tonight and got a trophy.”
“That’s awesome. Congratulations, Joanie.”
“Not a lot of skill required, brother.” She smiled and looked around.
“Where is everyone else?” Mike said.
“Kimberly went to the room to get David. They’ll meet us at the Crow’s Nest for karaoke.”
“What about John?”
“Let’s get out of here,” Maggie said again. “I’ll tell you what I saw.”
Maggie motioned them to follow her out into the corridor, where she found a quiet corner with a bench shaped from half of a rowboat. She had them both sit, then she kneeled in front of them and told them how she had followed John and found him with the casino bartender in the business center. “They were leaning over a computer. Then John took something from the printer tray. I couldn’t see what it was, but they know each other. They didn’t stay long.”
“Did they see you?” Mike asked.
“The bartender might have seen me in the hall but didn’t seem to recognize me back down in the casino.”
“Why didn’t you come to get me?”
“You were too far away, and I would have lost track of them. I did what I needed to do.”
“Where is John now?” Mike asked.
“I have no idea. I waited for the coast to clear and came back down here.”
“Do you think John is our culprit?” Joanie asked the other two.
“He sure is acting suspicious,” Maggie said.
“Just because he talks to a bartender doesn’t mean anything,” Mike said. “He could be asking him for tips on cave diving or something. We shouldn’t make out everything as sinister.”
“I’ll talk to him,” Joanie said.
“No, definitely not,” Mike said. “Let me and Maggie investigate, and when the time comes, we’ll bring you in on it.”
Joanie folded her arms across her chest. “Fine, but you need to hurry up. We only have a few days left on this freaking ship. My job is on the line.”
“So is Aunt Millie’s life savings. We’re doing everything we can, Joanie.” He put his hand on his sister’s. “We’re here for you, okay?”
“Fine, just please figure it out—and soon. I’m going crazy, trying to act like everything is normal.”
“Let’s go join the others, and if I can get away, I’ll go look around in John’s room and see if I can find the printouts. You two go up to the Crow’s Nest, but promise me you won’t sing until I get there.”
“Don’t you worry,” Maggie said, “I will not be singing anything tonight—or any night. I don’t sing.”
“Not even in the shower?”
“Wouldn’t you like to know.”
Maggie winked at Mike, leaving him standing in place. Maggie followed Joanie but felt Mike watching her as they disappeared around the corner.
Maggie found the gang sitting at one of the front tables. Joanie sat next to Kimberly, who had a large notebook open in front of her, searching for the perfect song. Slips of paper were scattered around the tables. Golf-sized pencils had been set out so would-be singers could write down their selection. David had one of the pieces of paper in his hand as he stood, making his way to the DJ.
The bridesmaids group were gathered on the stage, arranging themselves for their number. They each wore a plastic tiara and pink sashes, indicating their role in the wedding. The maid of honor had control of the microphone. They began singing “We Are Family” by Sister Sledge. Maggie enjoyed watching the dynamics between the girls more than their off-key singing. It was apparent the maid of honor was the dominant personality in the group. Not only did she take center stage, but her movements were also more dramati
c, and she almost pushed the others away so she would have more room to work her arms.
Maggie turned her attention to the bride, who was smiling but carried a somewhat sad expression in her eyes. If she could only tell the sweet young girl there were no white picket fences, no magic; but Maggie knew her words would only be wasted.
A few more passengers, all of whom were not half-bad, sang a variety of songs. Maggie was finally feeling relaxed when Mike pulled up a chair and scooted it in next to her. He leaned in close.
“I found the papers they printed out, it was nothing.”
Maggie turned toward him. “What is ‘nothing’?”
“It was what I thought. A list of rock climbing gear. You know: ropes, harnesses, clips. I think it was inventory from the ship’s rock wall.”
“You don’t think there’s anything suspicious about that?”
“I don’t. John is a daredevil. He always picks the excursion with the most…you know…He’s an adrenaline junkie.”
“Well, another dead end, I guess.”
Maggie turned as the DJ called David to come up to the stage.
Mike sat back in his chair. “This ought to be good.”
The music started, and the group stared in awe as David belted out Sir Mix-A-Lot’s, “Baby Got Back.”
“This guy surprises me every day,” Maggie said to Mike. “If John’s not our guy, I’m betting it’s this one.” She nodded her head toward the stage.
“I don’t know. Honestly, I think we’re on the wrong track. I’m starting to think none of these people took the money.”
Undercover Cruise (A Maggie McFarlin Mystery Book 2) Page 11