Always on Duty

by DB McNicol

  “I agree. I think we need to go back and talk to Mr. Burgess again. I’d like to find out what he has to say about the backpack contents and why he hid it.”

  Jack nodded in agreement. “Let’s take five, grab a cuppa, and meet back here.”

  “Works for me.” Cassidy needed a bathroom break anyway. She trotted off to the closest restroom and on the way back she ran into Doc Oswald.

  “How’re the interviews going?” he asked after giving her a quick hug.

  “No great shakes yet but we’re getting ready to start our second round. How’s your day?”

  “About to get a lot brighter. Caryl-Anne and I are going out again tonight.” He winked.

  “I think you’re sweet on her, Doc. I hope your intentions are honest.” She put her hands on her hips and sent him a threatening look that made him laugh.

  “Not to worry. I’ve got something up my sleeve and it’s not my arm.”

  “Well, we’ll see about that. Gotta run!” Cass sprinted to the security area, arriving just before Jack.

  “I grabbed two, just in case.” He handed her a coffee.

  “You are amazing! How did you know?”

  “I didn’t, just guessed. Figured worst case, I’d drink them both. You ready?”

  “Let me get in a couple sips and I’ll be good to go.”

  “I hope you’re back to tell me that slime-ball confessed.” David Burgess blasted them as soon as they entered the room.

  “Please sit, Mr. Burgess. Same routine as before, please.” Jack pulled out a chair and sat, as did Cassidy.

  “I’d rather stand. And pace.”

  “That’s not a request sir. Sit!” Jack turned the recorder on and started the interview.

  Burgess interrupted. “Tell me what’s going on. What are you doing about arresting the killer?”

  Cassidy cut to the chase. “Mr. Hernandez has told a slightly different story than you previously told us. Would you like to reconsider your statement?”

  “What? He’s lying! He did it, I know he did.”

  “Can you tell us about your wife’s backpack and its contents?”

  Burgess blanched. “What are you talking about,” he bluffed.

  “Officer Peck observed you hiding the backpack two days ago. Inside was a notebook and sweatshirt belonging to your wife. Why did you hide it?” Jack asked.

  “Um, I...” Burgess stammered.

  “There was blood on the sweatshirt. Was that your wife’s blood?”

  Cassidy leaned forward. “Did you kill your wife in a jealous rage and then hide the evidence before reporting her missing the next day?”

  Slumping in the chair, Burgess seemed to shrink in size. “No, no! You don’t understand. It was my blood.”

  “What?” Jack and Cass asked in synch.

  “I get nosebleeds from the pain meds for my back. It was a bad one and there was nothing handy so Franny gave me her sweatshirt.” He started to cry. “I knew you would think it was me, that you’d blame me. So I hid it. I shouldn’t have but I did. I’m sorry.” His crying intensified for a few minutes before slowing. He repeated, “I’m so sorry. I know I shouldn’t have hidden it but I got nervous. I didn’t hurt my Franny. I loved her. She was my everything.” He sniffed before continuing. “I guess that means the gigolo didn’t confess either.”

  “No, Mr. Hernandez had little to contribute. We will be searching his cabin as well as yours. If we don’t find anything more definitive, we will have to turn you both over to the authorities when we disembark.”

  “I understand. I will continue to hold out hope you can get him to confess.”

  A thorough search of the Burgess cabin produced nothing of interest, but that wasn’t surprising. Anything important could have been easily disposed of in the trash picked up over the last two days. They did find the prescription bottle for Mr. Burgess’s medication.

  They moved on to the Hernandez cabin. He appeared to be a bit OCD in how his belongings were kept as compared to the semi-chaotic closets and drawers in the Burgess room. They were almost done when Cass shouted to Jack, “Here it is!”

  “What?”

  “Francesca’s scarf.” She held up a beautiful silk scarf with a distinctive oriental pattern.

  “Francesca’s?”

  She nodded. “She had it wrapped around her purse the first time I saw them. This is such an unusual pattern and I remember thinking how much my mother would love it.”

  “Bag it. Only thing we’ve found. Maybe Burgess is right. Let’s go have another chat.”

  AN hour later, after both cabins had been searched, Cassidy and Jack had a few words with Mr. Burgess and then went back to see Roberto Hernandez.

  “I see you’re appropriately dressed this time. We have finished searching your cabin and found something of interest.” Cassidy, wearing disposable gloves, pulled a scarf out of a paper bag. “Do you recognize this?”

  “A woman’s scarf. Probably belongs to one of my tías.”

  “Wrong. Mr. Burgess has identified this as belonging to his wife and verified that she was wearing it the night she disappeared. How did it end up in your room, Mr. Hernandez.”

  “I have no idea. Maybe that jealous beast of a husband paid my housekeeper to put it there.”

  “That is highly improbable. In fact, I spoke with your cabin steward and he verified he saw the scarf there the morning after Mrs. Burgess’s disappearance.”

  Cassidy attempted to appear sympathetic. “I know you’re upset by all this but we’re just trying to get to the truth. Then we can all go back to our lives. Help us do that.”

  Roberto’s mouth opened and closed several times, taking away the resemblance to a shark and replacing it with that of a goldfish.

  Jack added. “Let’s just go back over things. You were the last one to see Mrs. Burgess alive. You were seen kissing her on the cheek on several occasions by other passengers. Her scarf was found in your room the day after her disappearance. Her husband was sound asleep thanks to medication he takes for back issues. You, it would appear, are the prime suspect.”

  “It’s just a scarf...”

  “And she may have been strangled with it. I suspect they will find both her and your DNA on it.”

  “DNA? Mine? Oh...” His face went from blasé to shocked to scared. “Maybe I should, yes, I should...”

  “Go on,” Cassidy prompted.

  “It was an accident. Truly. I didn’t mean it to happen. One minute she was so loving and the next she was fighting me.”

  “Fighting you?”

  “I just wanted a little kiss and squeeze, all innocent. But I must have scared her and she struggled. The wind wrapped her scarf around her neck and it all got tangled around a pole. I tried to undo it but the more I tried, the more she fought and it just got tighter and tighter.” He closed his eyes. “It was over so quick. When she stopped struggling I got her down and unwrapped the scarf and stuffed it in my pocket. She wasn’t breathing. I was scared so I dragged her over to the lifeboat and hid her under the covering.” He started to cry. “It was an accident. I didn’t mean for her to get hurt. Innocent kiss, that’s all.”

  Cassidy and Jack exchanged glances as they stood.

  “Thank you for your honesty, Mr. Hernandez. You will be turned over to the authorities tomorrow and you can tell them your story.”

  Cassidy added, “I hope you get a good night’s sleep knowing you did the right thing.”

  The duo left the room and a still crying Roberto Hernandez.

  “I’ll leave it to you to give Mr. Burgess the news, Jack. I think I need to go find a good stiff drink. I was so wrong on this one.” Cassidy shook her head.

  “You have good instincts, always trust them. This was an odd case but then again, this is an odd place for a murder. At least it was accidental, for what that’s worth.”

  “If you say so. Funny, I come on a cruise to relax and spend most of it working on a possible murder. Mom will love this story.”

&n
bsp; “Well, it’s been a pleasure to work with you and please, give your parents my best.”

  “I will and when you get back to Pittsburgh, be sure to stop in to see them. I know they’d love it.”

  “Will do!”

  Chapter 10

  “I can’t believe it’s been a week already and we’ll be headed home tomorrow.” Caryl-Anne sipped her drink as she and Cass leaned over the railing, watching the sunset.

  “Tell me about it. I think I need a vacation to recover from my vacation.” Cass laughed. “But you, a new boyfriend. Now that was unexpected.”

  “It sure was. I feel twitterpated as my mother would say. He said he has something big to tell me at dinner tonight. We’re going to the Italian restaurant this time. He found out that’s my favorite. He says it’s as nice as the steak house. But I think I’m going to be too nervous to eat anything.”

  Cass patted her arm reassuringly. “You’ll be fine. If you get too nervous, just think about the crime we just solved.”

  Caryl-Anne inhaled sharply. “Cassidy Peck!”

  “Sorry, it’s my black humor. I’ve kept it under wraps for the most part. But sometimes it just has to peek out and shock someone.”

  They strolled back to their room, the hallway lined with suitcases reminded them they needed to pack or they’d be carrying all their luggage themselves.

  “I forgot all about packing and I’ve only got about thirty minutes before I meet Doc.”

  “You go, I have no plans. Just pull out what you want to wear in the morning and I’ll pack everything except that and your toiletries. I have no plans and I have to pack my stuff, too. So go get changed.”

  Caryl-Anne blew her a kiss. “Thank you!

  Twenty minutes later and the whirlwind that was Caryl-Anne was gone and Cass was left with her own thoughts and three suitcases to pack. She had to admit, this wasn’t the vacation she or her mother had envisioned but she had fully enjoyed it. Guess I am addicted to work. She laughed to herself as she packed Caryl-Anne’s bags first. When she finished, she quickly packed her own and left out their two carry-ons for morning. She surveyed the room. That was easy. A quick double-check of the closets and drawers satisfied her she hadn’t missed anything. Guess I’ll head to the buffet for dinner. And grab a strong drink on the way.

  “This is so delicious. And the red wine! To die for.” Caryl-Anne gushed.

  Doc’s smile grew broader. “Wait till you try the dessert I asked the chef to prepare for you. Take a bite and then a sip of your wine.”

  “What kind of wine was this? I need to remember to buy some when I get home.”

  “Sangiovese, it always goes well with spicy Italian food.”

  She took another sip. “My favorite, spicy Italian. Yum!”

  The waitress returned with their desserts. “Your Chocolate Pots de Creme. Enjoy!” She set down two cups filled with the chocolate dessert and topped with whipped cream and chocolate shavings.

  “This looks so yummy. So I take a mouthful and then swig some wine?”

  Doc nodded, waiting for her reaction.

  “Oh my! That is orgasmic!” Caryl-Anne blushed when she realized what she had said.

  Doc let out a booming laugh. “I told you so.” Then he dug into his chocolate.

  “What’s in this? The only word I have for it is decadent.”

  “Eggs, heavy cream, butter, bittersweet chocolate. Oh, and rum.” He took another bite and followed it with some wine. “Heavenly!”

  When they were done, Caryl-Anne sat back in her chair and studied the man in front of her. She realized ‘man’ was the keyword. Her previous relationships had been with ‘boys’ who never grew up. She was going to miss Doc.

  “I told you I had some news for you. I hope it’s something you want to hear. You know I still have some months left to go on my contract. If not, I’d come ashore with you tomorrow and follow you wherever you went. But I have an alternative. I’ve talked to the powers above and, if you’re interested, you can join our crew on a short contract, ending when mine does.” He paused to see her reaction. Seeing the shock on her face, he started to apologize for overstepping a boundary. Then she smiled.

  “I don’t care what they’ll have me doing, I’m all for it!” She jumped up, rounded the table and kissed him. “I want to see where this takes us. But I do have things I need to do first...”

  “I know. Is a week enough? I’d love to see you back here as soon as possible.”

  “Absolutely! Good thing I’ve been out of work for a while. I just have to let my roomie know, take care of some banking things, and pack. Yikes! What do I pack? What job will they have me doing?”

  Doc laughed. “How about a barista and they supply the uniforms. Pack like you did for this week but extend it for about a month’s worth of choices and weather conditions. I will email you more information and we can text when I’m in ports next week. Does that sound good?”

  “It sounds fantastic! Boy, is Cass going to be surprised!”

  CASS and Caryl-Anne stood in the line for customs after collecting their luggage, each lost in their own thoughts. As usual, Caryl-Anne broke the silence. “I still can’t believe I’m going to be getting back on this ship in a week. Do you think I’m doing the right thing? I mean, there was a murder on board. Is it really safe?”

  Before responding, Cass busied herself pulling out her passport and motioning to Caryl-Anne to do the same. “Yes, I think it’s a great thing to do. What do you have to lose? You’ll be working and gaining some new skills, making new friends, seeing new places. Doc is just the topping on the cake. And it wasn’t murder. It was an accident and accidents can happen anywhere.”

  “I know, it’s just-”

  “Stop it! You think you don’t deserve this? Everyone deserves to be happy, some more than most. You’ve put up with a lot of pain and heartache. Now it’s your time to enjoy.”

  They stopped talking as they approached the immigration desk, showed their passports and nodded a thank you to the officer. Once outside, they looked for their bus to the airport and Cass continued. “Now, what you should be doing is making a list of things you need to do and what you’re going to pack.”

  “Doc said he’d send me a list of things I might not think about. Like feminine products,” she giggled, “and ear plugs. I’ll be rooming with another worker and they might snore.”

  Cass snorted. “Better bring two sets. You know you snore!”

  “No I don’t.”

  “Oh girl, you can snore like a freight train after a night of drinking. Otherwise, not so bad.”

  “Okay, fine. TWO sets of ear plugs. Got it.”

  Cass put her arm around her friend. “I’m so excited for you and a bit jealous, too. But it’s good to know there is something fun I can do after retirement that will utilize my training and experience.”

  “You? Retire? Can’t ever see that!”

  “I know, me either. But seeing my dad’s old partner, Jack Murphy, as the head of security gives me some hope.”

  “Well, I hope you go on another cruise and soon. Maybe before Doc’s contract ends.”

  “Does it have to end? Maybe you’ll both keep cruising.”

  “I know. I thought about that, too. We haven’t really talked about it but who knows? It could happen.”

  “Here’s our airport shuttle bus. Pittsburg, here we come!”

  “I want to hear all about your cruise, dear. You must have had so much fun. Foreign ports, fancy dinners, sunny beaches...so relaxing!”

  Cass smiled as she kissed her mother’s cheek. You have no idea, Mom, no idea.

  Not a Whisper Preview

  Not a Whisper - Prologue

  She couldn't see anything. Clouds obscured any light that might have filtered through the dense forest. She knew he was still there. It was only a matter of time before he caught her.

  If only she hadn't gone with him. If only she hadn't been so mad at her parents. If only she hadn't laughed at him. If, if, if -
none of these mattered now.

  Then she heard the whisper. "Katy-y-y-y," he sang, "I know you're out here my little Katy-did." The dry leaves crackled as he shuffled towards her. She held her breath. "C'mon darlin', you know I'm going to find you. We can do this the easy way or the hard way." She heard twigs breaking under his feet.

  She swore she could smell him. Stale cigarette smoke, alcohol and Old Spice. She had always loved the smell of Old Spice, her dad wore it. Now it brought HIM to mind. There was another smell, the smell of fear - but not from him. No, the fear was hers.

  Bile rose in her throat. When she met him at the diner, he made her feel so sexy and grown-up. He had treated her like an equal. She thought he really liked her. Now she shuddered as she remembered. Why did I trust him?

  "Katy-did, I know you're out there. You're hurt. Let me take care of you." He paused, listening to the night sounds. "You're scared. That's okay, I understand." he chuckled. "Like I said, we can do this the easy way or the hard way."

  A strangled sob broke through the quiet of the night. "That's my little Katy-did, let me help you. We're both cold and tired. Let's go back to the cabin and talk. I didn't mean to hurt you."

  She gasped with pain as her foot slid out from under her. A tear slowly wandered down her cheek. She wanted to go home. Maybe, just maybe, he'd let her go home tomorrow. Her ankle hurt and she really was cold and tired. She hadn't eaten for way too long and her mouth was as dry as the brush underfoot.

  She stepped forward, "Can we do this the easy way?" she asked with a quivering voice. He smiled, "Sure thing, Katy-did. All you needed to do was ask."

  Not a Whisper - Chapter 1

  Cherie didn't know which was flying faster, the coffee, the food or the gossip. The Klondike Breakfast Club, or KB's as they called themselves, were energetically discussing the fire that burned down a local business the night before and speculating about the owner's part in it. These folks, mostly close to her aunt's age, were definitely not what she was used to in Tucson, Arizona. Back there, she couldn't call it home anymore, older folks mostly talked about their medical problems and where to find the best buffet deals.