The “Cast Your Cares” party was in full gear when Millie reached topside. The sun was starting to set in the west and it lit the sky like a ball of fire.
Millie leaned her elbows on the rail and stared out at the calm turquoise waters.
Her mind drifted to her family. It had been several months since she had seen them and a wave of homesickness washed over her. Although life onboard the ship kept her busy, she occasionally longed for the normal life back home she had left behind.
Her own leave was coming up soon and she wondered how much her grandchildren, Noah and Bella, had grown and if they would even remember their grandmother.
She thought about the poor, unfortunate vacationers who had gone on an island adventure and were now missing. Were they still alive? Had they met some terrible fate? Were there wild tribes of headhunters roaming the island? If Majestic Cruise Lines believed the island was a dangerous place, surely they wouldn’t make a port stop there.
She could only chalk it up to an anomaly, that the island was safe for guests and crew alike.
Millie frowned. She wouldn’t put it past Danielle to strike out on her own and try to track down the missing tourists.
Millie picked up a dirty plate, silverware and crumpled napkin from beneath a nearby lounge chair, and carried them to the dirty dishes bin near the buffet area.
She smiled at Darna, who was working the pool bar, and headed inside. The buffet area had closed and the place was almost deserted.
She stopped at the beverage station and reached for a drink glass.
“How’s the new roommate working out?” Sarah, Millie’s former cabin mate, wiped the metal runner in front of the beverage station with her wet dishrag.
Millie groaned. “The woman is going to get me in trouble, mark my words.”
Sarah smiled. “So you’ve met your match,” she teased.
It was true. Millie had a penchant for hurtling head first into some sticky situations. So far, she had survived them. She wasn’t sure if she would survive Danielle.
Sarah straightened the stack of glasses and wiped melting ice into the drain nearby. “Danielle was just in here with a family. They were taking a tour.”
Sarah leaned in. “I heard one of the boys set off the fire alarm.”
Millie nodded. “Yeah, but it wasn’t his fault. The cover was off the fire alarm, which doesn’t even look like a fire alarm.”
Millie glanced around the dining room. “Where were they headed?”
“I think to the fitness area,” Sarah replied. “Something about karate. After that, Danielle was taking the girl, Courtney, to meet the orchestra and performers backstage.”
Millie was relieved Danielle was following instructions, at least so far. She suspected it would be easy for Danielle to become sidetracked and heaven only knew where the poor family would end up. Probably in the middle of the jungle…while tracking down missing tourists.
Chapter 4
The rest of the day passed quickly. Millie’s feet were sore and her stomach complained loudly at the light lunch she had eaten earlier in the crew mess with Danielle.
The “Welcome Aboard” show was in full swing, the theater packed and Waves, the buffet area, was empty.
Millie grabbed a clean tray, started down the line and perused the evening’s offerings. She reached for the metal tongs, settled on a large piece of white fish covered with tomato garlic sauce and set it off to one side. Next, she eased a spoonful of mashed potatoes with what looked like bits of scallion onto her plate next to the fish.
When she spied the fried chicken, she paused. It looked crispy and delicious. Millie caved to her inner craving and settled on a large chicken breast. It fit perfectly in the center of her dinner plate so she chalked it up as “meant to be.”
There was just enough room for a scoop of piping hot, buttery corn. She edged along the counter until she reached the tray of baked breads. Next to the bread was a large soup pot. Millie glanced at the label. “Chili.”
Millie grabbed the bread tongs, plucked a soft white roll from the edge and carefully placed it on top of the fried chicken. She started to walk away and then paused.
The chili was calling her name. Curiosity got the better of her as Millie wondered if Annette had somehow managed to “tone it down.”
Millie placed her tray on the runner and grabbed a soup bowl. She lifted the lid on the chili and set it off to the side before reaching for the soup ladle.
She dipped the ladle in the pot and scooped a small portion of chili out before placing it in her soup bowl. She lowered the ladle inside the pot and replaced the lid.
“You sure you want to try the chili?” Andy sidled up next to her. He studied her small bowl of chili. “They should rename it ‘fire chili.’” Andy reached for a bowl, lifted the lid and scooped a ladle full into his empty bowl.
Millie eyed his chili. “Are you sure you want to try it?”
He nodded. “Oh yeah. This is my second bowl…good stuff. A little on the spicy side, though.”
Millie followed Andy to a table in the corner. She scooted onto the bench. Andy took a seat directly across from her.
She lifted her silverware from inside the folded napkin and placed the napkin in her lap. “How is Danielle doing?” Millie knew that after Danielle had finished showing the Kingman family around the ship, Andy had given her the task of meeting all of the people she would work with on a daily basis. The list included Dave Patterson, Head of Security, Annette, Director of Food and Beverage, Donovan Sweeney, Purser, although Danielle had already met Donovan since he was the one who had hired her.
Last, but not least was Antonio Vitale, Staff Captain. He was in command of the vessel for the next couple of weeks while Captain Armati was on vacation.
Millie’s smile faded. Her thoughts drifted to Captain Armati – and Scout, the captain’s teacup Yorkie. She missed them both and wondered if they missed her, or even thought about her. She hoped so.
Millie shifted the soup bowl so it was directly in front of her and dipped her spoon in the bowl. She lifted the spoon to her lips and sipped. It was spicy, but surprisingly it didn’t burn her lips.
She swallowed the liquid and scooped another spoonful. When the second spoon reached her mouth, the after burn kicked in and her upper lip began to sweat profusely.
She set the spoon inside the dish and pushed the dish to the side.
“Gotcha, didn’t it?” Andy grinned. “Here, I’ll eat it if you don’t want it.” Andy didn’t wait for a reply as he dumped Millie’s uneaten chili in his bowl and grabbed his spoon.
Millie watched in amazement as Andy gobbled the chili without taking a single sip of water. She made a mental note to remember he loved spicy foods. She hadn’t gotten around to buying him a Christmas present yet, so maybe she could do a little shopping on one of the islands.
Andy reached for a roll and packet of butter. “How are you and Danielle settling in?”
Millie frowned. It was too early to tell. After all, they had been cabin mates for less than 24 hours. “The jury is out. Ask me in about a week.”
Andy lifted his butter knife. “I had to put her somewhere, Millie, and I know you can handle her. You’re probably one of only a handful who can.”
It was a compliment, albeit an offhanded one, but Millie knew Andy trusted her. She would never do anything to break Andy’s trust.
Millie sliced a piece of fried chicken, lifted it to her mouth and nibbled the edge. It tasted much better than the fiery hot chili Andy had just consumed. “I do have one concern,” she admitted.
“What’s that?”
“She seems obsessed with the tourists who have gone missing in Kiriban. She’s dropping hints she may get off in port and snoop around.”
Andy lifted his coffee cup and sipped thoughtfully. “There’s more to the story,” he said.
Millie perked up. Andy knew something.
“And?” she leaned forward.
“After we’re done eati
ng,” he answered.
Millie gobbled the rest of her food, partly because she was starving, but also because she was anxious to find out what Andy knew.
After they finished eating, they dumped their dirty dishes in the bin near the exit and headed downstairs. Millie turned toward Andy’s office.
“Nope. Let’s go to my cabin.”
She followed him to the crew deck and to his cabin.
Andy was one of the few staff onboard who did not have a roommate. He had a cabin to himself. Compared to some of the other crew cabins, including Millie’s, his was the Taj Mahal.
Not only did Andy have a larger bathroom, complete with counter space and a coveted medicine cabinet, he had a sofa large enough for two people to sit comfortably and a small glass coffee table. The room even boasted a mini fridge, a luxury Millie would love to have.
Andy opened the door with his keycard and held the door as he waited for Millie to follow him inside.
A small light over the sofa cast a warm glow in the room. Although the entire crew deck was windowless, Andy’s cabin had a curtain. The curtain gave the appearance of having a window.
Millie was tempted to pull back the bright orange curtain to see what was behind it but hadn’t dared. At least not yet.
She settled onto the edge of the small sofa and stared up at Andy expectantly.
He stepped over to his writing desk, opened the center drawer and pulled out a manila folder. He held the folder in one hand. With his other hand, he dragged the desk chair across the room and placed it next to the sofa.
He handed Millie the folder without saying a word.
Millie slipped her reading glasses on, opened the folder and lifted the first sheet of paper. It was some sort of report. “Can you switch a light on? It’s hard to read.”
Andy shifted in his chair and flipped the light switch on the wall. Bright light flooded the room.
“Thank you. Much better.”
The paper described an incident that had occurred on board “Baroness of the Seas,” Siren of the Seas’ sister ship.
Millie recalled hearing Baroness of the Seas had recently started sailing and in fact, if Millie remembered correctly, the ship had recently completed its maiden voyage.
The report described an incident where a wealthy family of four by the name of Roush had mysteriously disappeared during an excursion on the small island of Kiriban. Searchers had combed the small island for hours. Not a single trace of the family had been found.
Millie gazed at Andy thoughtfully. She tapped the top of the sheet with her fingernail. “The last name. It sounds familiar…”
Andy shifted in the chair. “The Roush family was one of the founding families of Majestic Cruise Lines. The ship was on its maiden voyage. Kiriban was the first port stop…a port Majestic Cruise Lines had just added. The family got off in port and then simply vanished.”
“Was there any indication of what their plan was when visiting the island?” If authorities could figure out where the family had gone, it would certainly be a big clue.
Andy shook his head. “No. Not that I know of.” He pointed to the folder. “There’s a family photo under the information sheet.”
Millie pinched the sheet of paper between her thumb and index finger and pulled. It was a black and white photo, a copy from a copy machine. The photo was grainy but it was still clear enough to get a good look at the people in the picture.
She studied the man on the left. He was tall and thin with gray hair and a receding hairline. His eyes were solemn and he wasn’t smiling.
Next to him was a voluptuous blonde. The woman was petite and dressed to the nines in a shimmery black dress and stiletto heels. She was young…much younger than the man. Her straight blonde hair fell across her shoulders. She was smiling but the smile didn’t reach her eyes.
The woman’s arm was draped across the shoulder of a sullen teenage girl who looked as if she would rather be anywhere else in the world but in the picture.
Millie pulled the photo closer. The girl was wearing earbuds. In her right hand was a cell phone.
On the other side of the sullen teen was a young boy who sported a light brown crew cut. He was laughing, as if the photographer had just said something hilarious.
Other than the blonde, all were dressed casually in the kind of clothes you would wear heading to the mall or a movie.
“This is the last photo taken of them on board Baroness of the Seas, the night before they vanished on the island of Kiriban.”
Millie placed the photo on top of the sheet describing the incident and flipped the cover shut. She set the folder on the coffee table. “Are we heading to Kiriban so searchers can search for the family?”
That would be her guess. An unexpected stop at a port the ship had never previously visited. If the family had money, maybe they had brought in private investigators to conduct a search.
Andy nodded. “Yeah. The ship is going to stay overnight in port to give the private investigators and ship personnel time to conduct a thorough search of the island.”
Millie raised a brow. She had never known the ship to dock overnight in port. “Is there a chance these people are still alive?” She knew next to nothing about the island, other than what she had seen on the news. She wasn’t even sure how large the island was or what kind of activities might be available to visitors.
“How big is this island?” Millie asked.
Andy shrugged. “Not very…maybe 10 or 12 square miles. I know it sounds desolate but it has a fairly large population and most modern conveniences, at least on some parts of the island.”
Millie had to admit she was more than a little curious. It was intriguing how a wealthy family had mysteriously disappeared. “What about the other family that vanished?”
She had heard on the news a second family had disappeared.
“That’s the weird part,” Andy said. “The press has it all wrong. It wasn’t a family who disappeared not long after the Roush family vanished. It was two investigators hired by the family. They were on the next sailing ship. When the investigators arrived on Kiriban, they were the first to disembark and then they vanished.”
“No one remembers seeing them?” Millie thought it more than a little odd.
“Nope. Authorities have been scouring the island. It’s as if six people vanished off the face of the earth.”
Millie wondered how Andy managed to get his hands on this information. Although Andy was high up in ship ranking, it seemed to Millie perhaps Dave Patterson or the ship’s captain would be the one with this classified information.
“Does Patterson know?” Millie knew the question sounded silly, even to her. Of course, he would know!
Andy nodded. “Yeah. In fact, he got the information kind of by accident. Since Captain Armati is on break, Patterson has been handling all of Captain Armati’s messages and mail, at his request.”
Millie wondered why Captain Aramati’s mail wasn’t given to Staff Captain Antonio Vitale. After all, he was filling in for Captain Armati, along with another captain Majestic Cruise Lines had assigned to the ship. It was a requirement that two ship captains be on board the vessel at all times.
She remembered the time Captain Vitale had gotten sick and been airlifted off the ship, which left only Captain Armati on board until the ship reached Miami…
Millie leaned back. “So what is your take?”
“Got me.” Andy shrugged. “The only thing I know is I have no intention of getting off on the island of Kiriban.”
He reached for the manila folder Millie had placed on the coffee table and studied her expression. “Oh no! Don’t you dare!”
Although Millie had sworn off a search of the island, she began tossing around the idea of perhaps going ashore, at least briefly, to poke around, see what she could find out. “Can I make a copy of the photo?”
“I don’t think that’s a good idea…”
“Please?” Millie pleaded. “I promise no one will know I hav
e it or where I got it.” She lifted her hand. “I swear.”
Andy slapped the palm of his hand against his forehead. “Why didn’t I just keep my mouth shut?”
“Oh, all right,” he caved. “But don’t think for one minute if you come up missing I’m going to come and look for you.”
Millie snatched the folder from Andy’s hand and hopped off the couch. “I’ll be right back.” She didn’t wait for Andy to reply and darted out of his cabin. She raced to guest services, one of the few places on board the ship that had a copy machine.
Nikki, Sarah’s new roommate, was working behind the counter. She glanced at the folder as Millie pushed open the half door and stepped into the back. “I need to make a couple quick copies.”
Nikki nodded. A guest approached the counter and Nikki turned her attention to the guest, much to Millie’s relief.
Millie plucked the first sheet out of the folder, slapped it face down on the machine, slammed the lid and pressed the copy button.
Next, she copied the family photo. She hurriedly copied the third and final sheet in the file. It was one that she hadn’t noticed earlier and Andy hadn’t pointed out. She took a quick glance. It looked like a report on the missing investigators.
Millie placed the original papers and copies inside the folder, slammed the lid and headed to the door that led back to the guest services area.
Millie opened the door and ran smack dab into Dave Patterson. “Hello Millie.” He glanced down at the folder in her hand. “What ‘cha got?”
Chapter 5
Millie shifted the folder to hide the tab.
Patterson tipped his head to the side in an attempt to read the label. “That looks like a file Andy borrowed.” His eyes narrowed. “Where did you get it? Did you break into Andy’s cabin?”
Millie’s face grew flush. “I certainly did not!” She placed her hand on her hip. “I would never break into someone’s cabin.”
Patterson laughed. “Really?”
“Well, not without a very good reason,” she argued. There were a couple times she and the girls had snuck into a passenger’s cabin in search of evidence, but she was certain Patterson only knew of one incident.
Vanishing Vacationers (Cruise Ship Christian Cozy Mysteries Series Book 5) Page 3