Mango Chili Cruiser: A Cruise Ship Cozy Mystery (Dolphin Bay Cozy Mystery Series Book 6)

by Leena Clover

  “How about a stroll on the deck?”

  Anna nodded. She could use some fresh air.

  Gino took her to Deck 8. Most of it was occupied by the casino but there was a smoothie café tucked into one end. The entire length of the deck was open to the sky, perfect for people who wanted to stretch their legs.

  “Most walkers use the jogging track on Deck 13,” Gino told her. “According to the girl at guest relations, this deck is the best kept secret, reserved for romantic walks in the moonlight.”

  Some deck chairs were placed in cozy nooks, in case people got tired of walking and wanted to rest for a bit.

  Anna breathed deeply and let Gino embrace her. A gibbous moon shone high above them in a star studded sky.

  “This place is so beautiful,” Anna breathed.

  “Not more than you,” Gino whispered in her ear.

  “How did a big flirt like you stay single for so long?” Anna teased. “The women in Dolphin Bay must be blind.”

  Gino thought being a police chief had killed his chances of meeting anyone.

  “I didn’t find you intimidating,” Anna argued. “You played fair, from what I could tell.”

  “I’m so glad we met, Anna, although it happened under less than ideal circumstances.”

  Gino Mancini had been a public figure, being the police chief. He had come to Anna’s bookstore several times but they hadn’t moved in the same social circles. They had interacted when Anna’s husband John died under suspicious circumstances. Gino had headed the investigation. It was the last case of his career and remained unsolved, much to his annoyance.

  They turned at the ship’s bow and started walking down the other side. Anna noticed a man sitting alone at a table, staring out over the water.

  “Is that Fred?” she asked softly.

  Her guess was right. Anna didn’t like to disturb him but ignoring him would have been rude.

  “How are you coping, Mr. Gold?” Anna broached the inevitable.

  “I still don’t believe she’s gone.” Fred’s eyes were dry but his voice wavered as he tried to control himself. “I never had kids, but it didn’t matter because I had Jojo. She was a joy since the day she was born.”

  “I didn’t know her long,” Anna told him. “But she won my heart alright. What will you do when you get back? You’re welcome to come and spend some time with us.”

  Gino seconded her.

  “I run a small winery back home. It’s not grand by Bel Air standards, but it’s just me in a big old house.”

  Fred rubbed his eyes and sighed.

  “You’re both very kind. But I have to take care of the family business. I have been easing out for a while and was going to retire fully after the wedding. There’s a remote cabin at our ranch with a good sized stream by it. But looks like fishing is not in my immediate future.”

  Anna felt sorry for the man. She couldn’t believe he would hurt his own kin.

  “I’m asking everyone where they were after the rehearsal.” She tried to sound casual. “Did you go to the bachelorette party with the girls?”

  Fred laughed easily.

  “My days of raising hell are long gone. Ricky did invite me to the club but I opted out.”

  “So you turned in after the rehearsal?” Anna prompted.

  “That’s right. Sat in that fancy jetted tub in my suite and watched an old movie.”

  Anna acted like she was disappointed.

  “So you wouldn’t have run into anyone, I guess.”

  Fred didn’t hesitate.

  “Actually, I woke up in the middle of the night. I thought I’d look in on Jojo.”

  “Did you talk to her?” Anna asked eagerly.

  “No, and I’m going to regret it for the rest of my life.” Fred cleared his throat. “Ricky was asleep on the couch. I didn’t have the heart to wake him up.”

  “What about your niece?” Gino asked.

  “I thought she must be in her bedroom.” Fred’s voice was full of anguish. “I should have gone in to make sure.”

  Anna thought he was holding back on them.

  “Is that all?” she pressed. “Please don’t leave anything out. The smallest detail can be significant.”

  “I assume we belong to the same generation so I think you’ll understand.” He looked embarrassed. “Kids these days … I thought the bride and groom weren’t supposed to see each other the day of their wedding.”

  Anna gave him an encouraging smile.

  “When I saw Ricky in the Empress suite, it threw me off. I prided myself on being the fun uncle, you know. So I didn’t want them to feel I was judging them.”

  “You thought you interrupted some kind of rendezvous,” Anna summed up.

  Not much of one if Ricky had been asleep.

  “It sounds stupid now, doesn’t it?” Fred was in agony. “I wouldn’t care if she had ten different men in that room, as long as it brought her back.”

  Chapter 15

  The Empress Cleopatra had sailed some time during the night, headed to its next destination. The ship wasn’t supposed to dock until 10 AM so the Firecrackers slept in. They had decided to skip the breakfast buffet and eat on their own veranda.

  Cassie stretched lazily as their cabin steward rolled in a cart loaded with all the goodies they had ordered. There was the usual selection of fruit and pastries with fresh squeezed juice. Meg had ordered a stack of chocolate chip pancakes, while Cassie and Anna opted for Eggs Benedict. Julie went for the stuffed French Toast.

  “Isn’t it great we can get a hot breakfast right here?” Anna beamed. “I just feel bad for Gino. Maybe we should invite him.”

  “No way,” Julie vetoed her. “This is girl time. I’m not even dressed yet, Anna.”

  Meg couldn’t stop talking about her night at the theater.

  “Did you know, it’s just like the movies. The music, the sets, the dresses, except it’s all real.”

  “So how much trouble did you get into last night?” Cassie goaded Anna.

  “Hush, girl!” Julie widened her eyes. “Don’t you see she’s blushing?”

  Everyone other than Anna dissolved into laughter.

  Anna told them about the spa and their run in with Fred Gold.

  “Poor Uncle Fred!” Cassie stuck her fork in Meg’s syrup drenched pancakes. “He was always nice to us girls.”

  “Is he a frequent liar?” Anna quirked an eyebrow.

  She told them about his nocturnal visit to the Empress Suite.

  “And you believe this maid but not Fred?” Cassie frowned. “Why, Mom?”

  “If the maid said he was in there for twenty minutes, he must have been,” Anna said stoutly. “Why would she lie to us?”

  “Just for fun?” Meg argued. “There’s no reason for you to trust her.”

  “Do you seriously suspect Jojo’s uncle?” Julie wanted to know. “He seems like a gentleman, based on what I have seen.”

  “Was he flirting with you?” Meg winked.

  “Let’s be serious for a while.” Anna sipped her mimosa. “Fred Gold is Jojo’s only living relative.”

  “That’s right, Mom.” Cassie tore a croissant and slathered it with pineapple jam. “They were family. Fred adored her. I don’t think he would ever do anything to hurt her.”

  Anna told them how Fred was putting off retirement and going back to work.

  “My guess is he’ll get everything now.”

  Julie wasn’t about to give in.

  “You know how much Gold Labs is worth, don’t you? These people are rolling in money. Fred’s approximately our age, right? How much more money can he want?”

  Meg was reading the ship’s daily newspaper that had been dropped off earlier.

  “I can’t wait to get ashore.” Her eyes were bright with excitement. “Did you know there’s a lighthouse and an old cathedral? We’re definitely visiting those.”

  Julie wanted everyone to taste her French Toast.

  “I love your cooking, Anna. But this
is so delicious. So is the uncle your only suspect? What about Jojo’s young man?”

  Anna cut into her poached egg, tasting the hollandaise sauce. The yolk burst open as expected.

  “Ricky went in there with her,” she mused. “And according to his account, he passed out.”

  “He doesn’t remember anything, right?” Meg looked up from a brochure.

  “And you believe him?” Julie was incredulous. “Isn’t he the more plausible suspect here? He’s a poor boy from some small town who was marrying several levels up. I say he did it for the money.”

  Cassie poured orange juice for herself and topped it with some champagne.

  “Wouldn’t he have waited until after the wedding, Aunt Julie? He has nothing now, since they weren’t married.”

  Anna put her knife down and uttered an exclamation. She told them about meeting Logan the previous day.

  “His cabin is right next door to the Empress Suite.”

  “What?” Cassie cried. “So he could have easily gone in and out with no one the wiser. The camera’s not working anyway.”

  “You think Logan turned the camera?” Anna wondered. “He’s the most likely to figure out where it was, since that’s where his cabin is.”

  Meg was shaking her head.

  “You’re all forgetting one thing. Logan loves Jojo. She was the only true love of his life. He would never do anything to hurt her.”

  “Every person has a breaking point, kiddo,” Julie sighed. “Love and hate are both extreme emotions. You don’t hate someone you don’t care about.”

  “So you’re saying Logan snapped?” Cassie wasn’t convinced. “I don’t care what you think, Aunt Julie. There’s no way I can picture Logan pushing Jojo off that balcony.”

  Meg stood up and paced the terrace. Land was visible in the distance.

  “I think we should get ready,” Anna murmured. “Looks like someone’s very eager to get ashore.”

  Meg didn’t take the bait.

  “You’re all forgetting one person. What about that Millicent woman? Wasn’t she in the Empress Suite that night?”

  “Milli?” Cassie laughed. “Milli always covered for Jojo. You’re on the wrong track, Meg.”

  “She’s the least likely to be involved in any of this,” Anna chuckled. “Her life doesn’t change at all. It’s not like she was in love with the poor girl or stood to inherit anything from her.”

  “One more thing,” Julie added. “None of these people even mentioned her. Are you sure she actually went in there?”

  Cassie picked up her coffee mug and stared out over the water.

  “We’re getting nowhere, Mom. And we don’t have any actual evidence.”

  “All of these people claim to care for Jojo, don’t they?” Julie noted. “But one of them has to be lying.”

  “And they all insist they want Mom to find out what happened to Jojo,” Cassie clucked.

  Meg had been taking some pictures with her phone. She told Cassie to stand behind Anna and Julie to scoot closer. Then she tried to get them all in a single frame. The women humored her by baring their teeth and smiling until she got one that satisfied her.

  “Any more grinning and my fangs will come out,” Julie joked.

  “You should talk to the other wedding guests, Anna,” Meg burst out. “They might have observed something we didn’t.”

  Cassie tracked down the wedding coordinator and asked her for the guest list. The woman promised to send someone to their suite. She was true to her word. There was a knock on the door ten minutes later and a boy in the ship’s uniform handed over a slim folder.

  “Who are we going to talk to first?” Anna peeped over Cassie’s shoulder as she traced a finger down the names.

  “Martha Solano.” Cassie tapped her finger. “I’ve heard Jojo mention her. She used to be her father’s secretary.”

  Meg interrupted them with a worried frown.

  “Have you noticed the ship has slowed down?”

  They had been so engrossed in their discussion they hadn’t noticed when the ship slowed and began its slow crawl into the port. The city skyline suddenly seemed closer.

  “I think we’re about to dock,” Julie told them. “I’m heading into the shower. We can be ready in half an hour, Meg. Don’t worry.”

  “If I know that cruise coordinator woman, she will have something special planned for us, kid.” Cassie ruffled Meg’s hair. “Why don’t you get ready while Mom and I try to talk to Martha?”

  “This shouldn’t take long,” Anna promised. “We only have a couple of questions for her.”

  “That’s fine, I guess,” Meg relented. “Just get back by the time I come out of the bathroom, please.”

  Anna and Cassie hurried to the bank of elevators. A bunch of people were already waiting there, eager to go ashore. They squeezed in and got out on Deck 10. Luckily, the cabin they were looking for was close to the elevators.

  “Martha Solano?” Anna asked the white haired woman who opened the door.

  She appeared to be in her mid sixties and was dressed in a bright floral wraparound dress, ready to head out.

  “May I help you?” she was curious rather than annoyed.

  Cassie introduced herself and asked if they could talk about Jojo.

  The woman’s expression changed when she heard the girl’s name.

  “Come in, come in.” She offered them some bottled water from the small refrigerator.

  Cassie took a bottle, realizing she was thirsty. Martha was eager to talk.

  “You were Mr. Gold’s secretary, weren’t you?”

  “I started in the typing pool when I was seventeen. I subbed for Mr. Gold’s secretary once and we got along. I worked as his personal secretary for thirty some years. Jojo used to come into the office and sit in his chair. He told her it would all belong to her one day.”

  Martha paused to dab her eyes with a tissue.

  “Do you still work there?” Anna asked.

  Martha had risen up the ranks over the years. She was the human resources director now. She had spent forty five years with the company and was ready to retire.

  “When I heard Jojo was taking over the reins from Freddie, I pushed it off. I planned to be around for at least a couple of years until Jojo settled in.”

  “That’s nice of you,” Anna complimented her. “Were you looking forward to the wedding?”

  Martha’s eyes filled up again. Jojo’s father had longed to walk his daughter down the aisle. His last wish had been to see Jojo marry someone she loved.

  “He didn’t care if the man was poor as long as he was a good person and he was in love with Jojo.”

  “You must’ve been happy with the wedding,” Cassie smiled. “From what I’ve heard, Ricky is perfect in every way.”

  “Fred didn’t think that,” Martha sighed. “Ricky wasn’t from our circle, you see. He was hoping Jojo would marry Logan.”

  Chapter 16

  The wedding coordinator had planned the entire day for the wedding party.

  “Everyone is on a different schedule so I’ve arranged for a tour guide for every group of six.”

  Anna told her the five of them would rather explore the town on their own.

  “I suggest you take a guided tour and see all the main spots. It won’t take more than a couple of hours. Then you’re free to roam around on your own.”

  Meg had talked them into dressing in white. She herself wore a lacy white sundress over her bikini. Anna and Julie had obliged her by wearing white shorts and flowery shirts over a white tank. Cassie wore a dress much like Meg’s. They all wore hats to ward off sunburn.

  Their guide was a Canadian expat named Mia. She greeted them cheerfully and assured them they were going to have fun.

  “Shall we go?” Meg was hopping with excitement.

  “Actually, there’s one more person in your party.”

  A familiar blonde haired man waved at them from the ramp. Anna recognized him as the man Cassie knew, the on
e who had been hovering around her at the cooking class.

  “At least it’s someone we know,” Anna sighed. “Make sure he doesn’t feel left out, Cassie.”

  She looked up to see the blood had drained from Cassie’s face.

  “I don’t feel so good, Mom. Why don’t you go ahead? I’ll take a nap and join you later.”

  “What are you saying?” Meg cried. “You were fine a minute ago, Mom. We can’t waste any more time.”

  “Don’t be so insensitive, Meg.” Julie eyed Cassie. “She may be coming down with something.”

  “Is it all that street food?” Anna frowned. “Maybe you should stay on board and eat on the ship today. We don’t want you to get one of those stomach viruses.”

  “But Mom!” Meg wasn’t giving up. “It’s Mazatlan! It’s the shrimp capital of the world. We read about all the different types of shrimp we’re going to eat.”

  Stefan Lancaster had reached them. He offered his hand to Gino and shook it heartily. Then he took Anna’s hand and planted a fleeting kiss on her fingers.

  Anna frowned. She firmly disliked Stefan Lancaster.

  He flashed a wide smile at Cassie.

  “You don’t mind if I join your family, do you? It seems all the other groups left long ago.”

  Anna didn’t like what she saw in her daughter’s eyes. Cassie hated this man.

  “Of course not.” Cassie painted a smile on her face but a sheen of perspiration had appeared on her forehead. “Lead the way, Meg.”

  The guide Mia pointed at a hill in the distance.

  “We’re going to visit El Faro first. It’s a natural lighthouse built in the 19th century and it’s still operational.”

  “Can we climb up to the top?” Meg asked eagerly.

  Mia told her they could. She ushered them into a fleet of unique taxis called pulmonias, assuring them it was the best way to travel across the town.

  They arrived at the hill soon enough. Meg scampered up with Gino. Stefan Lancaster was right behind them. Anna and Julie sat down half way up, out of breath.

  “I blame it on the food,” Julie muttered.

  “Don’t stop on our account, Cassie,” Anna said. “You’ll miss the view from the top.”

  Cassie brushed her off.