by Diane Rapp
He shrugged. “I’ve never met Jacquie before, so she just appeared efficient to me. Did you get any sensations from her that might be worrisome?”
“No, but she’s usually quite friendly. Perhaps she felt annoyed about disrupting her busy day for Genetics Ultra when the ship is getting ready to sail.”
“Women are a mystery to me,” Jason quipped. “It’s a good job that I love unraveling the mystery when it comes to you, my dear.”
Natalia arched an eyebrow. “Watch it buster! I might make you sleep on the floor.”
“Exceeding cruel, but I’ll keep my humor under control.”
*****
After the Sea Mist was purchased by CCL the previous year, the Starlight Theater was remodeled to resemble theaters in other ships in the cruise line. Nearly a theater in the round, the stage jutted into the audience under a planetarium-style dome. The dome displayed a seascape vista along the curved ceiling with islands on the horizon and wispy clouds floating across a brilliant blue sky. As lights dimmed, tiny constellations and stars appeared in a night sky.
Natalia felt comfortable in the familiar atmosphere, knowing she would perform on this stage during the cruise.
The theater filled quickly with eager passengers, many who had never taken a cruise before. All of them were eager to know more about their personal DNA results. Waiters took drink orders as tables filled. Natalia and Jason sat in front seats closest to the stage-left exit, prepared to head outside if needed.
In the center of the stage, Emily tapped on the microphone and introduced herself, “I am Emily Schultz the president of Constellation Cruise Lines. We are pleased to welcome winners of the Genetics Ultra Cruise Contest on a Western Caribbean cruise. Now, I’d love to introduce the president of Genetics Ultra, Kathryn Foster.” Emily motioned for Kathryn to join her on stage.
“She’ll tell you about the exiting seminars available on sea days. Rest assured that you’ll also have plenty of time to enjoy shore excursions when the ship docks at each port. Give Kathryn Foster a warm welcome, please.”
Kate swept onto the stage from curtains at the wings and embraced her sister. She waved at the crowd and bowed as she accepted applause. “Thank you. We at Genetics Ultra appreciate your membership and hope you enjoy your free cruise. As the founder of Genetics Ultra, I plan to speak personally with each and every one of you at the seminars this week. Detailed information about the research our company does will be available in brochures delivered to your cabins. We believe our data will prove exciting and beneficial to you and your families. Speaking of families, I’d like to welcome my own daughters to the stage.” She gestured toward the back of the auditorium and two young women sauntered down the center aisle to join their mother on stage.
Kate announced, “These are my twin daughters, Kimberly and Patsy Foster. They perform key roles in our company.” She pointed to each girl as she named them. “Kim is in charge of data processing while Patsy coordinates advertising and organized the contest that brought you all here.”
The girls bowed to enthusiastic applause. Natalia recognized Patsy, who was dressed in the same designer clothing she’d worn on the elevator earlier in the day.
Natalia whispered to Jason, “The one on our right is the woman I overheard on the elevator.”
The girls might be identical twins but they clearly worked hard to look different. Kim’s hairstyle was short like Patsy’s, but worn in a straight, angular cut. Natalia decided that Kim’s outfit—a filmy tie-died blouse that floated over raw silk trousers and bejeweled sandals—came from a trendy California boutique. It was evident that both twenty-something girls shared expensive tastes.
Natalia wondered if Kim had been on the other end of Patsy’s phone call in the elevator. The conversation she overheard might not bode well for Genetics Ultra or this cruise. How could she tell Kate that her daughters planned to sabotage the Twins Project?
Kate Foster held up her hands to quiet the audience. “We have a special program to announce tonight. For years our company developed the Twins Project, searching for and reuniting twins that were separated at birth.” A loud murmur spread through the audience. “We can now identify six sets of twins who are currently in this audience. You don’t know each other, because you were separated at birth and never met your siblings. Kim will announce your names and please join us onstage.”
Natalia watched the reactions of each person as Kim read their names. Some seemed surprised, others embarrassed by the attention, but all soon approached the stage. Kathryn Foster shook hands with each person on the stage, peering into their faces with an expectant expression.
When the six sets of twins stood in a row across the stage Kate reached for the microphone. “We hope you will all participate in the important research of the Twins Project.”
The twins fidgeted but nodded their heads as Kate explained about interviews and her upcoming book. Although they looked uncomfortable, they cast curious glances into the identical faces of their siblings.
Natalia felt a surge of anger from someone in the crowd, but it disappeared before she could pinpoint the source. She noticed worried expressions on the faces of several twins and wondered if everyone felt eager to participate.
Kate concluded, “Tomorrow’s schedule is packed with informative seminars about DNA research. Schedules have been delivered to your cabins, and we hope you’ll participate. Appointments for individual consultations to discuss your own results are included in each packet. As for these twins, I invite you to dine with my family tonight.” She handed invitations to each person as they left the stage.
“Did you notice Kate’s reaction as she greeted the twins?” Jason asked Natalia.
She shook her head. “I was trying to watch the crowd.”
“She rechecked her notes after meeting one particular set of male twins. I don’t think she believed the information she read in the paperwork,” he explained.
“That’s an interesting observation. Let’s speak with Kate and tell her that Patsy is up to something,” Natalia replied.
But Kate and the group of twins were swept into a conference room overlooking the pool. There was no time to meet privately with her before dinner. The two investigators decided to watch Kate’s daughters closely as they took their own seats for dinner.
*****
Timothy and Shirley Kingston attempted to reach the group of twins before they left the auditorium. As Tim tried to squeeze his pudgy body through the press of people eager to find an exit, Shirley’s claw-like fingers gripped his arm to prevent her frail body from being swept away. It was no use. They saw the twins disappear through a side exit.
Shirley scowled and whispered, “There were two different sets of male twins who could be the ones, but I didn’t get close enough to make a positive identification. We should tell Rose to hold off on the scheme until we’re sure of the target.”
Tim shook his head. “We’re okay. The informant we bribed in Genetics Ultra verified the correct identities from their DNA profiles. Rose told me the plan will move forward tonight. We must lie low to avoid becoming suspects.”
He grabbed her elbow and steered the gaunt woman toward an exit. Her noisy bracelets jangled as she jerked away from his grip and rounded on him. She hissed, “Those men are innocent bystanders. I don’t like the idea of endangering them to flush Drew out of hiding!”
“We don’t have a choice. I told you that Rose and her husband are dangerous and we can’t cross them,” he groaned. “Don’t make trouble, and we’ll be just fine.” His shoulders slumped as she stomped down the hall. Glancing nervously around the hallway, he muttered, “Why did we ever agree to this proposal?”
Chapter 4 ~ Jeopardy at Dinner
The conference room was packed with tables but the twins were all seated with Kate. As she raised a champagne flute to toast the twins, everyone seemed cheerful, perhaps too cheerful.
Jason ate dinner, but he also scanned the room like a sentry patrolling his territory.
Natalia’s stomach felt queasy as a sensation of foreboding gripped her. Waiters served a seafood salad, but a pair of brown-haired male twins declined. She heard the words “allergy” and “EpiPen” as one twin patted his jacket pocket. The waiter returned with green salads.
Prime rib entries were served and everyone at Kate’s table seemed to be enjoying themselves. After dinner, the lights dimmed and waiters entered the room carrying platters of flaming Baked Alaska high over their heads. As faces at Kate’s table reflected the flickering light, Natalia’s anxiety rose.
“Jason, I have a strong impression that someone is in danger!” she whispered.
Suddenly Jason jumped up at the sound of choking. He rushed to a brown-haired twin, who clutched his throat, and pushed the twin’s chair away from the table.
Natalia rushed to the other twin and clutched his arm. She demanded, “Get your EpiPen! Your brother’s going into anaphylactic shock.”
The man nodded and whipped the life-saving tool out of his pocket. He rushed to his brother and knelt on the floor. “Let me do it.” He armed the device and pressed it against his brother’s leg. Soon the choking stopped, replaced by the sound of ragged breathing.
“That should do it but we must get him to the doctor right away. Pete’s never had a reaction this severe; he’s careful to avoid shellfish.” He stared at the table filled with plates of half-finished dessert. “How could this happen?”
Jason moved people away from the table and secured the crime scene.
“Evidently you know Pete quite well,” Natalia said as she peered at the I.D. tag of the twin with the EpiPen. “I take it your name is not Jonathan.”
He shook his head and cast an embarrassed glance at Patsy.
“My real name is Kent. The only truthful information in our documents was the fact that we both have severe allergies to shellfish. Patsy hired us to pose as Mrs. Foster’s long-lost sons. She planned to trick her mother into abandoning the expensive research project. We never imagined a simple acting job would end up like this.”
Kent’s face was wet with tears as he helped lift his brother from the floor.
Jason told Natalia to secure all the dessert dishes for testing. She watched as he and Kent carried Pete out of the banquet room. Natalia gathered the dishes then quietly approached Kate. “This was no accident. Those twins were imposters, and we should speak in private with your daughters.”
Natalia handed the bag filled with plates and food to another security officer and said, “Get these to Jason ASAP.”
Kate’s jaw clenched. In a calm voice she announced to the room, “We must attend to this emergency, but rest assured that the gentleman is getting the best care possible. The Twin Group is scheduled to meet in the conference room on the Ruby Deck at ten tomorrow morning.”
Glaring at her daughters, Kate snapped, “You two come with me, now!” The girls meekly followed their mother out of the room with Natalia only steps behind.
They marched in silence to the elevator. After the doors closed, Patsy whined, “We didn’t know anything bad would happen to him. Mother please believe me.”
Kate frowned and shook her notes in the girls’ faces. “You DID think that you could fool me with imposters. But when I stared into their eyes, I realized the truth. Those men could never be my sons, no matter what this fake report claimed. However, our data search found my boys! I won’t allow either of you to ruin this reunion for me.”
“What?” Kim gasped. “We really found the twins?”
The elevator doors opened and Kate rushed out into the corridor. She flashed her keycard in front of a door sensor and opened the cabin. Natalia followed the two young women into their mother’s lavish suite.
Kate gestured toward the sofa and both girls plopped down on it, awaiting her verdict. She turned to Natalia. “Please explain what you know to these delinquents, my dear.” Her calm voice made the girls squirm as Kate took a seat opposite them.
Natalia cleared her throat. “This afternoon in the elevator I overheard Patsy on her cellphone, probably speaking with Kim.”
Patsy’s eyes displayed alarm. “But you weren’t there. The only person in that elevator was a redhead in uniform.”
Natalia executed a stage bow, and Kate demanded, “Hand over your phones, both of you!” She grabbed the devices and scrolled through a list of calls. Turning to Natalia, she asked, “Did this call occur at around 11:00 a.m.?”
“Yes.” Natalia repeated the half of the conversation she’d heard while Patsy slumped into the couch dejectedly. “That young man was named Pete,” she said. “His brother Kent admitted that Patsy hired them to pose as imposters to dupe you, Kate. We were lucky Kent carried an EpiPen or Pete might be dead.”
Kim huffed, “We had nothing to do with his allergy attack! We hired them because we needed to stop Mom from wasting the company’s money. Can’t you see this project is dragging down the whole company and will ruin our family?”
“You’re wrong about the company but your actions do jeopardize our family!” Kate glowered at her daughters as she stood and walked over to a leather briefcase on a table. She retrieved a soft-bound booklet and jabbed her finger at the report. “You young whelps know nothing about the financial health of Genetics Ultra. My company is thriving due to the research I instigated, and we’ve established a worldwide database that’s invaluable to DNA research.” She paced the room as she spoke.
“I am the one who studied genetics alongside your father while you two were in diapers; I convinced your father to open a DNA testing business; and I catapulted that business to the top after he died. My motivations may have been personal but the end results are dramatic.” She tossed the report on the coffee table in front of the two contrite girls.
“Our company spent money giving away ‘free cruises’ but that investment increased our revenues by three hundred percent this year.” She glared at the girls. “Publishing a book about the Twins Project will also increase our profits according to independent analysts. It’s called advertising, girls.”
Kim sputtered, “We never saw these numbers, Mom. You didn’t explain any of this to us.”
Kate laughed. “As founder and president of the company, I’m not obliged to explain company programs to my staff. As heirs you’ll benefit from the profits generated from my ideas, but profit was never my goal. You don’t agree with the plans to find my boys, but your late father supported my efforts one-hundred percent.”
Patsy wiped tears from her cheeks. “What are you going to do with us?” she asked.
Kate stood before the girls with her fists resting on her hips. “Tell me the truth. Did you two have anything to do with the break-in and data breach at Genetics Ultra?”
“No!” both girls exclaimed in unison.
“Natalia, please verify the truth of their statements.” Kate stepped aside as Natalia moved to the sofa and touched the forehead of each girl. The girls stiffened and appeared annoyed by a stranger touching them.
She learned that the girls were more interested in preserving their share of the family inheritance than protecting profits made by the company. Natalia decided to keep that information to herself for now. She’d watch these greedy girls throughout the trip.
Natalia turned to Kate and announced, “My visions are not always perfect, but I see nothing that ties them to the break-in or the attack on Pete. In fact, they wanted Pete and Kent to stay healthy until their plan to ruin the Twins Project played out.”
Patsy shuddered and ruffled her spiky hair with trembling fingers. “That’s so weird. It felt like a ghost moving inside my head. Is she really a mind-reader?”
Kate chuckled and plopped into an overstuffed chair. “My sister claims that Natalia is capable of seeing your past and your future. Your secrets are now hers to divulge if she chooses.”
Kim jumped up from the sofa. “You can’t do that to us! It’s like…invasion of privacy…and totally creepy.” She glared at Natalia with her arms crossed in front of
her chest.
Natalia shrugged but stood her ground, assuming the mystical persona she portrayed on stage as she faced down the girls.
Kate clarified the situation, “We have someone aboard this ship who harbors malice toward me and the company, and I hired Natalia to thwart the culprit’s plans. If you girls cooperate, you may still enjoy lucrative careers with Genetics Ultra. However, if you impede my plans, or fail to assist Natalia in the investigation, you will be fired and disinherited. Do you understand?”
Somberly, the girls nodded.
“Good. Tomorrow will be a hectic day for everyone.” She handed Natalia a schedule of seminars. “Please join us and employ your special talents to flush out the perpetrator. Be sure to keep your eye on these two as well.”
Natalia followed Kate into the corridor and asked, “Did you really recognize your sons?”
“Oh, yes. They both have Drew’s facial features and his vivid blue eyes. I don’t plan to introduce myself until I’m sure about the type of men they’ve become.” Kate’s lips quivered and her eyes misted over. “Please protect my family, Tally, even my greedy girls.”
Natalia whispered, “Since the girls don’t know Jason is my partner, I suggest we let him keep an eye on them. I’m still not sure about the scope of their full plan.”
Biting her lower lip, Kate nodded in agreement and returned to her cabin.
As Natalia walked down the corridor, she heard the click of the door closing. She wondered who wanted to harm Kate, her sons, or the company. The elevator door opened, and she found Jason waiting inside. With a rush of relief, Natalia melted into his warm embrace.
“Is Pete okay?” she asked.
Jason nodded. “Epinephrine injections are incredibly effective. The physician plans to keep him under observation tonight, but the brothers will fly out of Cozumel after we dock. Their ruse has been revealed, which curtails the job they were hired to accomplish.”