“The woman sitting at the high top table looks like Julie Bosko.” There were only two pictures and Millie handed the phone to Danielle. “Did you happen to notice if Roger was up on deck?”
“Nope.” Danielle turned the phone off and placed it on the desk. “I looked for him but as far as I could tell he wasn’t up there.”
Danielle stood. “I say we head up there. If they’re still around, we can run a mini surveillance. Don’t you think it’s odd they were out and about?”
“Yeah, I do, but I promised to stay below deck until Roger and the others exit the ship in San Juan.” Millie slid off the edge of her bunk. “I can’t sleep right now even if I tried. Maybe if I stay out of sight, we can run up there for a quick minute, but after that, I’ll have to stay below deck.”
“Don’t worry. I’ll make sure no one spots you. I highly recommend the Mexican wedding cookies. They’re delish.” Danielle held the door and waited for Millie to step into the hall.
The Mexican Fiesta Festival was in full swing when Danielle and Millie arrived. The sound of loud Latin music filled the air and the makeshift dancefloor was filled with partying passengers.
A mirror ball hung over the dancefloor and beams of light bounced to the beat of the music. The tune was familiar to Millie and one they played in the salsa dance class. She began to hum along as they made their way up the side steps.
Along one side of the deck were long buffet tables. The tables were filled with a taco bar and large bowls of tortilla chips, salsa, melted cheese and spicy ground beef. There was a tiered tray offering a tempting array of quesadilla wedges.
The dessert station was at the other end of the taco table. Millie assembled a taco and added some spicy salsa and sour cream to the top before sliding a Mexican wedding cookie and cinnamon cookie on the edge of her plate.
Danielle loaded her plate with food while Millie waited for her off to the side. She pointed at Danielle’s plate. “You’re going to eat all that?”
“Yeah. The potpie we sampled earlier is long gone.” Danielle picked up a tortilla chip and dipped it in her nacho cheese sauce. “I saw them over there.” She nodded her head to the left of the entertainment staff, who were dressed like a Mariachi band.
Millie eased past a group of partiers and stepped behind the band and Danielle followed behind. “I see them up on the next deck.”
Millie lifted her gaze and spotted Julie Bosko. The man seated next to her had his back to them. “That’s Julie Bosko and I’m guessing her husband.” Sitting nearby was another couple, Dixie and Elroy Keebler. They both looked sad.
“I don’t think we should get any closer,” Millie said. “We can watch from here.” The women took a step back and into the shadow where they still had an unobstructed view.
Elroy began rubbing Dixie’s back and Millie nearly burst into tears as the woman swiped at the tears on her face.
Julie Bosko leaned close and whispered in Dixie’s ear and Dixie nodded. “This is so sad,” Millie whispered, close to tears herself.
Moments later, Beth and David appeared on the scene and Millie eased behind Danielle. “There’s my daughter.”
They watched as the group huddled close together, deep in conversation. It was a horrible situation for everyone…Delilah’s family, her daughter, Roger.
“What’s the 411 on them?” Danielle nodded her head toward the Boskos.
“That’s the couple who owns the pharmacy and are…were under investigation for insurance fraud back in Michigan,” Millie said. “According to Beth, they’re kind of running under the radar. No one knows too much about them. Why?”
“Watch their body language. They seem indifferent, almost bored by the family’s grief. It’s not a normal reaction, especially if they were close to the deceased.”
Millie shifted her gaze to Danielle. “What are you now, an expert in human behavior?”
Danielle shrugged. “I’ve dabbled in it in my past life. It helps to be able to gauge emotions before jumping into unknown situations.”
She continued. “Your daughter is very empathetic toward the family. Your son-in-law.”
“David,” Millie interjected.
Danielle nodded. “He looks uncomfortable. As I said, the other couple appears to be somewhat indifferent.” She tilted her head. “The man on the other side of the sister, you said you think he’s the sister’s husband? He looks stressed out.”
“Why do you say that?”
“Because he can’t decide if he should sit or stand. That and he’s clenching his fists.”
“I would be stressed out, too,” Millie said. “His wife’s sister just died and they’re not sure if it was accidental.”
“True.” Danielle finished her last bite of cookie and eased her empty plate into the nearby dirty dish bin. “You gonna try to track down the room service log?”
“Yeah. I decided to ask Patterson about it in the morning.” Millie cast one final glance at her daughter. “There’s not much more we can do here tonight.”
Millie let the young blonde lead the way as they stayed out of sight and headed down the side steps. “Have you analyzed me?”
“Of course. Most of the time you display a lot of nervous energy, like you always need to be doing something.”
Millie contemplated Danielle’s analysis. “You’re right. I’m always trying to jump in and help others. For some reason, I have to fix everything and everybody.”
Danielle snorted. “Which is why you end up involved in all the shipboard adventures.”
“Same for you,” Millie shot back. “Half the time I’m trying to save your hide or rescue you.”
“True,” Danielle admitted. “I’m more of an act now, think later type.”
“Impulsive.”
They reached the side stairs and bank of elevators. Danielle headed toward the elevators.
“I’ll meet you at the bottom,” Millie said.
“I’ll beat you to the bottom,” Danielle quipped. “Someday we’re going to confront your fear of enclosed spaces and elevators.” She patted Millie’s arm. “Okay, I’ll go with you.”
“Maybe if elevators would stop breaking down on me, I wouldn’t be so apt to avoid them.”
They made it halfway down to deck two when Danielle spotted the ship’s purser, Donovan Sweeney, coming up the steps toward them and she froze.
Chapter 10
“It’s Donovan,” Danielle hissed, her eyes darting around the empty hall.
The women didn’t have time to make it inside an elevator, even if they’d wanted to. It was too late to try to go back up. Donovan’s long legs would catch them in no time.
“This way.” Danielle grabbed Millie’s arm and pulled her toward a nearby restroom.
Millie glanced at the sign next to the door, Men’s Restroom.
“But,” Millie started to protest.
“We don’t have a choice,” Danielle said as she flung the door open. Beyond the first door was a second entrance door. They hurried through the second door.
Danielle put a finger to her lips and pointed at the nearest stall before dragging Millie inside and slamming the door shut behind them. She flipped the lock while Millie prayed no one would come in. She cupped her hands to Danielle’s ear. “I hope no one…”
The sound of running water and whistling interrupted the rest of her sentence.
Millie’s eyes grew ‘round as saucers while Danielle clamped a hand over her mouth. Her shoulders shook as she tried to stifle her laughter.
The running water stopped and the sound of a hand dryer filled the room. After the dryer shut off, heavy steps echoed on the tile floor.
Millie didn’t let out the breath she was holding until she heard the door click shut.
“That was a close call,” Danielle whispered. She unlocked the stall door and eased the door open before she peeked around the corner. “The coast is clear.”
The women tiptoed out of the men’s bathroom and into the hall. A man and wo
man came toward them from the opposite direction. The man cast a puzzled glance at the “men’s” sign on the door and frowned.
“Random cleaning inspection,” Danielle said.
“Huh.” The couple kept walking but not before the man whispered something in the woman’s ear and she turned around and gave them an odd stare.
“Let’s get out of here before we run into anyone else.” Millie headed down the steps with Danielle right behind her.
“You would think Donovan would’ve turned in for the night,” Danielle said. “Do the ship’s officers stay up all night?”
“They could probably ask the same of us,” Millie said breathlessly as they reached the last passenger deck and hurried to the “crew only” door. “I promised to stay below deck until Roger leaves the ship in San Juan and I intend to keep my promise, for once.”
Danielle shrugged. “Don’t worry. I’ll take over the investigation.”
“Now I am worried,” Millie joked.
Danielle pretended not to hear her. “We need to find out if your ex’s cabin connects to the others. We also need to find out a little more about the Boskos. They don’t seem at all distressed over Delilah’s death.”
“We also need to find out whom else on deck ten ordered room service the other night,” Millie said. “I can try to track down Patterson since his office is below deck and I won’t be breaking my promise.”
The women stopped in front of their cabin door. Danielle waited for Millie to insert her keycard and open the door. “How’s about you lend me your keycard?”
Danielle didn’t have the same level of clearance as Millie, which meant her keycard was not able to open passenger cabin doors, the door to the bridge, as well as other restricted areas of the ship.
“No way.” Visions of Danielle sneaking into restricted areas using Millie’s identification and keycard filled her head.
“Why not?” Danielle closed the door behind them and began to pace the floor. “I could sneak into Roger’s room, you know, just for a quick glance. I could be in and out quicker than you can shake a leg.”
“No. No. No,” Millie said. As much as she appreciated Danielle’s willingness to help, Danielle acted first and thought second. She glanced at her watch. It was after midnight and she was whupped. Tomorrow was going to be a stressful day. Millie still planned to meet her daughter, but instead of meeting in a passenger area, they would have to meet in the crew area.
Beth would get a firsthand look at how her mother and the other crew lived, an area of the ship most passengers never saw.
After making a mental note to call down to guest services in the morning to let the guest services employees know that Beth would be contacting them, Millie got ready for bed.
Despite her exhaustion, her mind refused to shut down and she tossed and turned for a long time before finally falling into a fitful sleep.
The next morning, she jolted awake and glanced at her small bedside clock. It was six a.m.
Millie slipped out of bed to use the bathroom. She splashed some water on her face, brushed her teeth and turned off the light before quietly exiting the bathroom.
She stood still as she listened for Danielle’s soft snores but it was quiet…too quiet. “Danielle?” she whispered. Danielle didn’t answer so Millie said her name again, this time a little louder. “Danielle?”
Millie shuffled to her bed, turned her small bedside light on and then took a step back as she peered into the upper bunk. Danielle’s bed was empty.
“I must’ve been sleeping better than I thought,” Millie muttered as she flipped the main light on. She reached inside the side drawer to grab clean underwear when she noticed her keycard and lanyard were gone.
Danielle’s hot pink lanyard was sitting in its place. “Danielle,” Millie gasped. She plucked her radio from the charging station, turned it on and pressed the button. “Danielle Kneldon, do you copy?”
Silence.
“Danielle. It’s Millie, do you copy?”
Still no answer. Frustrated, Millie slammed the radio down on the charger and picked up the phone to call guest services. Kim, one of the guest services staff, answered. She asked Kim to spread the word her daughter would be stopping by guest services, looking for her mother and to give Millie a call in her cabin when she showed up.
She also asked them to keep an eye out for Danielle Kneldon and to tell Danielle to call her ASAP.
Next, Millie dialed Andy’s office but it went right to voice mail.
Millie also tried to reach Andy on his radio, and then glanced at her watch, sitting on the counter. Andy was in the middle of his early morning television program.
She grabbed her work uniform from the closet and stomped into the bathroom. “When I get my hands on you, Danielle, I’m going to wring your neck!”
After she finished getting ready, she headed to the crew mess hall for an early breakfast. Most of the first shifters were long gone and the place was nearly empty.
Millie placed a spoonful of watery eggs, a few slices of limp bacon, some dry toast and a spoonful of what she hoped were hash browns on her plate before pouring a cup of coffee.
She made her way to the nearest empty table and after settling in, she bowed her head and prayed God would help her today, that Patterson and his crew would uncover the truth as to what had happened to Delilah and, last but not least, that Danielle would not get in any trouble using Millie’s keycard.
She lifted her head and watched as Cat wandered into the dining room. Millie gave a small wave when she caught Cat’s attention and then waited until her friend arrived with her breakfast before digging into her own. “I’m surprised to see you down here this early.”
Millie groaned and rolled her eyes as Cat settled into an empty seat across from her. “I’ve been banned from the passenger areas until we depart San Juan today because Roger is on a rampage.” She explained that Captain Armati had called her to the bridge and asked her to remain in the crew area to avoid a run in with her ex.
Cat picked up her piece of bacon and bit the end. “I realize the man is probably consumed by grief but he shouldn’t take it out on you. Not only that, who in their right mind would bring his fiancée on board a cruise ship his ex-wife works on and decide to flaunt it in her face by getting married?”
“I know.” Millie sipped her coffee and studied her friend over the rim. She thought of Cat’s abusive ex-husband, who was serving time in prison for her attempted murder. “Sometimes we don’t make the wisest choices in choosing a mate.”
Cat reached over and patted Millie’s hand. “You shouldn’t blame yourself for someone else’s actions. Besides, people change. I think you’re a great judge of character.” She smiled. “After all, you picked me for a friend.”
“Yeah, you’re right.” Cat and Millie’s friendship had started out a little rocky but they had gotten through the rough patch and there wasn’t anything she wouldn’t do for Cat and she knew Cat felt the same.
“Since you’re banished to the crew area, what can I do to help? I don’t have to open the gift shop for another hour,” Cat said.
“If you could track Danielle and my keycard down, that would be wonderful.” Millie flashed Danielle’s keycard, hanging around her neck.
Cat’s eyes widened. “Danielle took your keycard?”
“Yep. She snuck out with it early this morning and left me hers.” Millie grimaced. “I can only imagine what she’s doing right now.”
If only Millie knew!
Chapter 11
Danielle eased the cabin door closed and breathed a sigh of relief as it clicked shut. She wrapped the lanyard around Millie’s keycard and shoved it into her jacket pocket. “This is for your own good,” Danielle whispered at the closed door before she spun on her heel and strolled down the crew corridor.
She made it halfway to the exit when she ran into Brody coming from the other direction. He was in a hurry and almost passed Danielle before stopping abruptly in the middle of th
e hall. “Is Millie down here?”
“Millie?” Danielle asked. “Uhm. Yeah. She’s in her room, feeling under the weather. Why? What’s up?”
Brody stepped off to the side to let other crewmembers pass by. “I heard her ex has it in for her, something about his girlfriend dying and the ex is blaming Millie.”
Danielle nodded. “Yeah. She’s taking it hard.”
“Well, I was gonna tell her, I remember the dead lady, Delores something.”
“Delilah,” Danielle corrected.
“Delilah.” Brody repeated the name. “I’m not good with names.” He pointed at his eyes. “Now a face? I’ll never forget. Dave Patterson interviewed all the security staff and showed us a picture of the woman. At first, I didn’t recognize her. I guess it was because the woman wasn’t wearing a ton of makeup, that’s why, but then I got to thinking about it and I do recognize her.”
Danielle leaned in. “How?”
“Well, my shift the other night covered the casino,” Brody explained. “Sometimes I work the nightclubs, but one of the other security never showed up so they called me to work there. The place was hopping. The first night is usually the busiest. So I’m makin’ my rounds and some big mouth woman starts screamin’ she won. A crowd gathered around her and the casino staff came over to check.”
“When the casino technician checked the machine, he said it had malfunctioned and they tried to explain to her she hadn’t won. The lady went berserk, screaming she was going to have the technician fired. The worker said a few words to the woman he shouldn’t have and the casino host escorted him from the area.”
Brody continued. “A man who had been playing the machine behind her, started to argue with the casino host after he returned and raised such a stink I had to escort both of them out of the casino.”
“And you think the woman was Delilah Osborne?” Danielle asked.
“I’m almost certain.” Brody nodded. “I stopped by Patterson’s office to tell him but he’s not there so I figured since I was down here, I would let Millie know, too.”
Suite Revenge (Cruise Ship Christian Cozy Mysteries Series Book 8) Page 7