Cruise Ship Christian Cozy Mysteries Series: Box Set: Books 1-3

by Hope Callaghan

  The other nights consisted of a stage production show and the magician’s show. The comedian rounded out the headliners.

  When the current passengers got off, a new wave of passengers boarded and they started the schedule all over again…

  “What are you thinking?” Millie was curious.

  “Replace the Heart and Homes show with a dating game.” He paused. “Do you remember that American show years ago called The Dating Game, the one where an eligible bachelor or bachelorette asked three people who they couldn’t see behind a wall, a set of quirky questions and then that person picked one of them for a blind date?”

  Millie raised a brow. It sounded intriguing. They had plenty of singles on board their ship. In fact, the Mix and Mingle Singles Party had one of the highest numbers of attendees week after week. Why not mix it up and quite possibly make a love connection?

  Andy could see the wheels spinning in Millie’s mind. He pressed on.

  “We could offer them a complimentary couple’s massage or a romantic dinner for two in one of the upscale restaurants.” He paused. “I have an idea! What about an excursion to one of the islands or a romantic picnic for two on a secluded beach…hmm?”

  The idea was growing on her. Who wouldn’t love to see a little budding romance on board a cruise ship?

  “I think it’s worth pitching. It sounds intriguing,” she said.

  Andy snapped his fingers. “Hey! You could be one of the first contestants!”

  Millie shook her head. “Oh no you don’t! I am not the least bit interested in being the evening entertainment.” Millie turned the tables. “Why don’t YOU do it? It’s your idea,” she pointed out.

  Andy grinned. “Scratch that idea.”

  Today was the last day for the current group of passengers and tomorrow would be turnaround day – the busiest day of the week.

  Andy handed Millie her schedule for the rest of the afternoon. She slipped on her reading glasses and pulled the sheet close. It consisted of checking on the various activities around the ship, including a pie-eating contest, a wine tasting demonstration and bingo.

  Sometimes Millie wanted to pinch herself. None of this seemed like work!

  “Looks good.” Millie folded the sheet of paper into thirds and tucked it in her front pocket.

  She pushed back the chair. “It’s time to get Scout.”

  Andy looked up from his schedule. “You hear about the food poisoning down in the officer’s dining room?”

  Millie nodded. “Yeah. Annette swears she tried the lobster bisque before it ever left the kitchen, so somewhere between the kitchen and the dining room, something happened.”

  Andy nodded. He picked up his glasses and stuck the earpiece in his mouth. “This could spell big trouble for Annette,” he warned. “It’s the second time in less than 24 hours that someone has fallen ill from food linked to her and the kitchen.”

  Millie swallowed hard. She hated the thought of her friend losing her job. “I believe Annette. If she said she didn’t poison the food, then she didn’t.”

  “I believe her, too,” Andy agreed. “You do know that her contract as Director of Food and Beverage expires in two weeks and it hasn’t been renewed yet. In fact, I heard that several applications have crossed Donovan Sweeney’s desk, and that some of them are other employees who meet the requirements.”

  Millie’s brow formed a deep “V.” Was someone sabotaging Annette in an attempt to get her canned so that person could swoop in and snag her job? “So it’s possible someone is out to get Annette fired.”

  Andy nodded. “But you didn’t hear me say that.”

  Millie wandered out of the office and across the stage. It sure sounded to her like someone was poisoning the ship’s crew on purpose. Her blood chilled at a terrifying thought. What if the saboteur planned to poison the guests next?

  Chapter 3

  The bridge was Millie’s next stop. She could not wait to see her pint-size pal, Scout.

  She had missed him yesterday since it had been a port day. Millie had spent part of her day onshore picking up shampoo, deodorant and other items that were super-expensive on board the ship.

  Her prized purchase of the day was her favorite potato chips, which she was only able to find in certain ports. Grand Cayman was one of them.

  Grand Cayman was one of the safer ports that Siren of the Seas visited. It was an expensive island for both tourists and residents, and Millie couldn’t imagine how much it cost to actually live there.

  Today was the last sea day with the current group of passengers, and it was supposed to be a walk in the park, except now she was worried about her friend, Annette.

  Millie stepped into the bridge. Captain Armati was in the center of the room, studying a large computer screen. He caught Millie’s eye and smiled.

  “Good morning, Millie. Well, guess it’s afternoon now. ” The warmth in his voice traveled to his eyes. Her heart fluttered. A warm tingle started in the top of her head and spread all the way down to her toes.

  “Good morning, Captain Armati.”

  A few weeks ago, Captain Armati had invited Millie to dine with him in his quarters. Just the thought of that dinner caused her pulse to quicken.

  He waved her down the narrow hall that led to his private apartment.

  Ingrid Kozlov, the only other occupant in the bridge, glared at Millie as she passed by. Millie was growing accustomed to the woman’s glares. For some reason, Ingrid did not care for Millie one bit, not that Millie had ever done anything to make her angry.

  The only logical explanation Millie could come up with was that maybe Ingrid had a thing for the captain and she viewed Millie as her competition.

  Captain Armati punched the buttons on the keypad above the doorknob. He waited for the click, then opened the door and held it for Millie.

  A brown ball of fur raced across the floor and climbed on top of Millie’s shoe. Two small paws batted at her ankle.

  Millie lifted Scout and brought him close to her face. He promptly licked every part of Millie that his tiny little pink tongue could reach.

  “He missed you yesterday,” Captain Armati told her.

  Scout wiggled until Millie set him back on the floor where he ran circles around her feet. Scout was ready to start his day!

  Captain Armati tucked his arms behind his back and stared thoughtfully at Scout. “You heard about Captain Vitale.”

  Millie nodded. “Yes. How terrible.” Millie knew this was her one chance to speak her mind.

  “Annette and I are friends. I don’t believe for one minute she’s responsible for Captain Vitale’s poisoning.”

  She went on to explain how Annette and Amit had tasted the lobster bisque before the dish was taken to the dining room and how they hadn’t gotten ill.

  She could see he was listening to what she had to say so she rushed on, telling him how Annette’s contract was up and that several others – other staff – had applied for the position.

  “Hmm. So you think someone is trying to oust Annette and then swoop in and take her job?”

  Millie wasn’t 100% certain this was the case but it was the most plausible explanation. “I have a strong hunch this is what is happening.”

  Captain Armati walked to the door. Millie and Scout trailed behind. “I am sympathetic to Annette’s position, but I cannot risk having more of my crew, let alone passengers, fall ill, especially if it’s preventable.”

  Millie knew that. It meant she had a short amount of time to get to the bottom of the mystery and she was going to start right now – with Annette.

  Millie and Scout made their way across the ship and down to Deck 1 and the crew quarters. Millie set Scout on the floor and watched as he darted back and forth across the I-95 corridor.

  Scout got miles of smiles and a few of the crew even stopped to pet him. Scout ate it up.

  They stopped in front of Annette’s cabin. Millie tapped lightly on the door.

  “Go away!”

&nbs
p; Determined that Annette had had enough time to wallow in her self-pity, she knocked again, this time harder.

  “I said – go away!”

  Millie pressed her face in the crack of the door. “I am not going anywhere, not until you let me in,” she threatened.

  The door flew open. Millie started to tumble forward, which would have been hilarious if not for the look on her friend’s face. Millie could see that Annette had been crying. Her eyes were red and puffy.

  Millie closed the door behind Scout and her and settled onto the edge of the bed. Annette pulled out the desk chair and slumped down.

  Millie could see it was going to take a little tough love to get through to Annette. “Annette Delacroix, I didn’t peg you as a quitter,” she challenged.

  Annette shrugged. “Maybe you don’t know me, after all.”

  Millie set Scout on the floor. He promptly darted over to Annette and licked her bare ankle. She frowned and glanced down. “Crazy dog,” she muttered.

  Scout let out a low whine and slunk back to Millie, who picked him up and set him on her lap. “You aren’t used to rejection, huh fella?” She scratched his chin.

  “I know your contract is almost up and there are others gunning for your job,” Millie told her.

  Annette didn’t answer. She stuck her chin on top of her fist and closed her eyes.

  Millie brought out the big guns. “We need to get to the bottom of this and figure out who is throwing you under the bus! Someone, somewhere on the ship is intentionally making people ill. Unsuspecting passengers could be next!”

  “That would be horrible,” Annette mumbled.

  Millie snapped her fingers. “Exactly. Neither of us wants to see one more crew – or a single passenger - poisoned so we need to start working on this case. Pronto!”

  Annette lifted her gaze. Her eyes met Millie’s eyes. “But…how? How do we figure out who is behind this?”

  “We need to get our hands on the list of crewmembers who applied for your job.” Now all Millie had to do was figure out where the applications were.

  Millie had another thought. They could solve the mystery quickly if they knew who delivered the dish to the officer’s dining room. “Who took the dish downstairs to the dining room?”

  Annette’s brow furrowed, she tapped the side of her cheek with her index finger. “Well…I handed it to Amit but he said he didn’t deliver the tray.”

  “If he didn’t, who did?”

  Annette brightened as she realized they might be onto something. She jumped from her chair. “I have no idea, but it’s time to find out.”

  Millie was relieved to see Annette had bounced back. She followed Annette out of the room and up to the galley.

  Amit was nowhere in sight. It was as if he had vanished into thin air.

  Annette headed to the veggie prep area and approached one of the crew who was hard at work slicing tomatoes. “Where is Amit?”

  The worker looked around. “I don’t know. I haven’t seen him in a while now. He was frosting sugar cookies last I saw.”

  Annette and Millie headed to the other side of the galley, to the dessert prep area. The place was a bustle of activity – and it smelled heavenly. Even Scout noticed. His small black nose poked out of his carrier as he sniffed the air.

  Annette approached one of the workers, bent over a side table. “Raj, have you seen Amit?”

  Raj shook his head and continued piping frosting on top of a row of cupcakes. Millie’s mouth watered. They looked delicious. Chocolate cupcakes with some kind of cream cheese frosting if she had to guess…

  “No, Miss Annette. He told me a while ago that he’d be right back but I not see him come back,” he explained in his heavy accent.

  Annette shoved her hand on her hip. Amit should have been in the kitchen working. She glanced up at the clock. It was well past noon now and his lunch break wasn’t until two. She wondered where on earth he could have gone.

  Millie leaned in. “Maybe he got sick after all,” she whispered in Annette’s ear.

  Annette frowned. “Let’s check his cabin.”

  The girls strolled out of the galley, down the long corridor and back to the crew quarters. Amit’s room was on the opposite end of the ship, near the back, or in nautical terms, aft.

  Annette stopped abruptly in front of a cabin door and tapped lightly. They waited. She tried again, this time louder but there was still no answer. The third time, she balled her hands into fists and pounded.

  “I don’t think he’s in there,” Millie said.

  Annette’s shoulders sagged. “I’m not sure if that’s a good sign or a bad sign.”

  “Let’s take a peek in the crew mess hall and lounge,” Millie suggested.

  The girls trudged back down the long corridor and headed to the crew mess hall first. They stood near the entrance and surveyed the crowd. The room was packed. Millie carefully studied the occupants. Amit wasn’t one of them.

  Next, they headed to the lounge, which was deader than a doornail. There was no one inside, which wasn’t a surprise. It was only late at night and into the wee hours of the morning that the lounge came to life.

  Millie had no firsthand experience, but she heard the rumors of the wild parties that went on at all hours of the night.

  Annette closed the door behind them. “I guess I’ll just wait for him to reappear in the kitchen.”

  They made their way past the crew mess, which was on the left. The crew mess was directly across from the officer’s dining room.

  Millie had a sudden urge to stop and peek inside. She reached for the handle. “I’ll take a quick look in here.”

  She turned the knob, slowly pushed the door open and stuck her head around the corner.

  There, standing off to one side, talking to another crewmember that Millie didn’t recognize, was Amit.

  He caught a glimpse of Millie and waved.

  Annette deftly sidestepped Millie and entered the room. “Shouldn’t you be working?”

  Amit had the decency to look embarrassed. He gave a small bow. “Yes, Miss Annette.”

  Without uttering a single word, the other man slunk past the girls and out the door.

  Annette jerked a thumb to where the stranger had just exited. “What was that all about?”

  “I was asking Suri if he delivered the lobster bisque to the dining room,” Amit admitted.

  Millie was relieved. That meant that Amit cared about Annette’s innocence and it appeared that he was trying to help.

  Annette leaned in. “Did he?” she asked.

  Amit shook his head. “No. Suri said he left it in the warmer bay for a brief moment and when he returned, the dish had disappeared.”

  Amit shoved his hands in his front pockets. “I’m sorry, Miss Annette. I’m trying to help.”

  Annette patted Amit’s arm. “I appreciate that, Amit. We need to figure out who delivered the dish to the dining room.”

  Millie frowned. Maybe they could hit it from another angle. Try to figure out who was in the dining room at the time. There had to be someone who could identify the person or persons that delivered the dish.

  Things were getting a bit mucky. Annette prepared the dish. She and Amit both tasted the dish. She gave it to Amit to deliver. Amit, in turn, handed it to Suri, who left the dish unattended in the warming bay – which meant someone may have had an opportunity to tinker with the dish before it was even taken down to the officer’s dining room!

  The girls trudged back to the kitchen. Millie stopped outside the kitchen entrance. It was time for Scout and Millie to start their rounds. “Let’s meet later tonight. Maybe by then we’ll have more clues.”

  Millie decided not to tell Annette that she planned to try to get her hands on those applications – somehow. This case wasn’t going to be as cut and dried as Millie first thought!

  Chapter 4

  Scout and Millie wandered onto the lido deck first. The two of them made it just in time to watch the pie-eating contest.r />
  Lined up against one wall was a long row of tables, filled with whipped cream pies, as far as the eye could see.

  Standing behind the tables with their hands tied behind their backs was a single row of roughly a dozen passengers. Off to one end and holding a stopwatch was one of the singers. Millie couldn’t remember his name. He was a good-looking young man with sandy blonde hair and a mischievous smile. He caught Millie’s eye and grinned.

  Millie set Scout on the deck and they wandered front and center to watch the competition.

  “On your mark! Get set! GO!”

  The contestants buried their faces into the first pie as they rushed to finish one before moving on to the next. Three pies in, one of the junior passengers - a young man with a sharp crew cut and face coated with a thick layer of whipped cream - was the first to drop out.

  The crowd showered him with a round of applause as Millie untied his hands and handed him a towel from a nearby stack. “Good job!”

  The rest of the contestants plowed through several more pies until one by one, they dropped out of the contest.

  It was down to two remaining contestants. One was a man that reminded Millie of Brody, the bouncer, and the other a young woman that couldn’t have weighed more than 90 pounds soaking wet. They were neck and neck, or in this case pie and pie, in a dead heat.

  Neither contestant seemed even remotely close to defeat. Millie glanced down the length of the table. They were running out of pies!

  The host of the contest strolled over to Millie and stood silently by her side. She glanced down at his tag: Kevin.

  Kevin lifted a whistle to his lips and blew. “Tie!” he yelled to the contestants as the crowd erupted in applause.

  Both lifted pie-covered faces and grinned through a thick haze of whipped cream. The roving camera crew snapped several shots of the champions as Millie loosened the ropes that secured their hands. The two of them joined hands and raised them together in triumph!