by Cindy Sample
“Hi, toots,” said Gran, coming up behind me as if I’d conjured up her presence merely by thinking of her.
Mabel pulled out an empty chair from the table behind us and plopped into it. “Where are the two of you headed after dinner?”
“Wherever you’re not,” Tom muttered under his breath.
“I heard that, sonny.” Gran pointed at her right ear. “Got my hearing aid set on high so I don’t miss any of the ship’s announcements. Hard to understand that captain fellow. He needs to e-nun-ci-ate so us old folks know what’s going on.”
“Speak for yourself, Ginny,” Mabel said. “I still got bionic hearing. And more energy than half the folks on this ship. You want to join us for line dancing, Laurel?”
Line dancing sounded great. I was about to accept her invitation when I noticed the horrified look on Tom’s face.
“Thanks, but Tom and I were planning on attending, um…” my mind went blank at the evening’s activities I’d rattled off earlier in our stateroom. The only thing I could remember was, “the iPad computer class.”
Stan snorted wine out his nose. Zac handed his napkin over to him, but I could see both their shoulders shake with laughter.
“That sounds like fun,” Lucille said to her husband. “The line dancing, not the computer class. We can work off all the desserts I’m planning on sampling.”
Stan dropped his napkin on the table and stood. “All I have to do is change my shirt and grab my hat. Laurel and Tom can meet us after their,” he cleared his throat, “computer class.”
“Don’t be late,” Gran said. “Sierra said there’s a special surprise at the end of her dance lesson.”
“Sierra is teaching line dancing?” I asked. My cousin seemed to be everywhere. But we still hadn’t had time to catch up with one another. I batted my eyelashes at Tom. It took my detective hubby less than a second to catch my drift.
“Fine, we can go to the line dancing class,” he said. “But you’ll owe me.”
“I can’t wait to pay up.”
He chuckled before adding, “Just remember my size thirteen feet may be landing on yours.”
“That risk is well worth the reward. You may even enjoy it.” I latched on to Tom’s hand as our group, including Lucille and Glenn, took off. We said goodbye to Deborah and Sharon and Rick and Claire who turned down Gran’s offer to join us on the dance floor.
A smart decision as it turned out.
For some reason I assumed that a man who once headed an entire homicide department would not find line dancing a challenge. All you have to do is follow the directions.
I was wrong. It turned out that not only did Tom have two left feet, he was also navigationally challenged on the dance floor.
When everyone else went to the right, Tom moved to the left, almost crashing into Gran in the process. Mabel wasn’t much better. As in life, Mabel moved to her own beat. She wasn’t going to let a little thing like rhythm stand in her way.
Stan and Zac, sporting matching turquoise satin shirts and black cowboy hats, danced in the front row on either side of Sierra. Show-offs! It was a good thing none of the Dancing with the Stars judges were on board. My husband would barely have eked out a four on Len Goodman’s scorecard. On the other hand, Bruno Tonioli, the feisty Italian judge might have given him a six. What Tom lacked in dance skills, he made up for in sex appeal.
After fifteen minutes, I grabbed Tom’s hand and led him off the dance floor.
“What’s the matter?” he asked, with an innocent expression on his face. I narrowed my eyes at him, wondering if his unskilled dance performance could actually be very skilled acting.
I decided that was an unkind thought and merely said that I was relinquishing him from his dance duties. We found two available comfy chairs in the lounge and ordered drinks from the waiter. It was almost as much fun watching the dancers as participating. Gran could easily have won DWTS––the octogenarian version. My mother performed a ladylike electric slide while Bradford proved to be surprisingly light on his feet for someone who bore a close resemblance to a grizzly bear, sans the hair.
Glenn and Lucille spent more time squabbling over the steps than dancing. When the music finally stopped, the dancers applauded, some of the more challenged participants in relief. Several couples stopped to thank Sierra for the lesson. We sipped on our drinks waiting for an opportunity to engage in conversation with my cousin.
A commotion caused me to turn my attention to the corridor outside the cocktail lounge. Sanjay Radhakrishnan, the chief security officer, entered the room accompanied by two elderly well-dressed women.
One of the white-haired women looked familiar although I couldn’t place her. Not until she pointed a finger at Sierra.
“Arrest her,” the woman shouted, her plump chin mere inches from my cousin’s surprised visage. “She stole my diamonds!”
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Shouts of “who” “what” and “are you crazy” followed her accusation. The security officer calmly moved in front of the woman to address the throng of dancers surrounding Sierra.
“I believe this lesson is over,” he informed them. “Please check out the other excellent entertainment options aboard the ship.”
Grumbling ensued although it was difficult to determine whether it comprised support for Sierra or annoyance that they couldn’t stay to hear the details. Gran moved within an inch of the security officer and poked him in his chest. She might be barely five feet tall, but she knew how to get someone’s attention.
“What the blazes is wrong with you?” she asked him. “Accusing my great niece of stealing. She’s as honest as the day is long.”
The female accuser glared at Gran. “Aren’t you one of the women caught pinching jewelry from Duchess Diamonds today? I bet you two are in cahoots.”
“Mrs. Peabody,” said Sierra, “I have no idea what you’re talking about.” Sierra placed her palm on the irate woman’s forearm who jerked it back as if a white-hot coal had touched it.
“See, officer,” Mrs. Peabody said to Sanjay. “First she steals my jewelry. And now she’s assaulting me.”
Tom silently eased his way up to the security officer’s side.
“It looks like there may simply be a misunderstanding here,” he said in a soft but commanding tone. “Perhaps we should take this conversation someplace more private.”
Mrs. Peabody looked reluctant, but the security officer persuaded her to join him and Sierra in his office. The rest of my family and the slender elderly woman who was Peabody’s ever-present shadow followed behind. When we all entered the elevator, Sanjay directed his gaze at Gran and informed us our assistance would not be necessary.
“Well, someone needs to be in Sierra’s corner,” Gran protested.
“Do you mind if I sit in?” Tom asked Sanjay. The security officer looked relieved at the suggestion and agreed.
When the elevator reached the second floor deck, everyone piled out. My family plunked down on cushy leather chairs in the lounge area while I followed Tom into Sanjay’s office.
“Why don’t you join the rest of your family?” Sanjay suggested, glancing at Tom for his approval.
Tom looked around the small office. “Good idea. These quarters are tight with five of us in here.”
Sierra placed her arm around my waist and drew me close to her side. I wasn’t certain if she still felt the need to protect her little cousin or if it was my turn to provide support.
“Let Laurel stay.” Sierra turned to Mrs. Peabody. “Can you please enlighten us? Why do you think I stole something of yours?”
Mrs. Peabody folded her arms and glowered at Sierra. “You promised to deliver the jewelry I purchased from Duchess Diamonds to my stateroom. But when I returned from the spa, there was nothing in my suite. I ransacked my closet and drawers thinking you might have hidden the items as a precaution, but I couldn’t find them. My jewelry case is missing, too.”
The color drained from Sierra’s face. “Mrs
. Peabody, I assure you that I delivered your purchases to your stateroom. I left them on the desk with a little note. I would never steal from a passenger or anyone else.”
“Then where did they go?” Mrs. Peabody’s face turned bright red. She looked like a volcano ready to explode.
“I…I don’t know.” Sierra’s lower lip trembled and she dropped into one of the visitor chairs. “Did you speak to your stateroom attendant?”
Mrs. Peabody sank into the remaining chair. “Javier said he let you into the suite and then left.”
“Sierra, did you make sure the door was closed when you left?” Sanjay asked.
“Of course I did,” Sierra replied, although her voice lacked conviction.
“How many people have access to the passenger staterooms?” asked Tom.
“The cabin attendants, who are thoroughly vetted before they are hired,” Sanjay assured him. “Also the hotel manager.”
“What about other staff?” I asked. “Maintenance workers? Who makes up new keys if passengers lose them or they stop working?”
“Anyone at the guest relations desk, I guess,” Sierra said. Sanjay nodded.
“This is all quite interesting,” Mrs. Peabody stated, “except it isn’t. And it’s certainly not helping me recover my jewelry.” She fixed the officer with a beady stare. “So what are you planning to do about it? I assume the ship will reimburse me if my jewelry isn’t found.”
Sierra and I gasped in unison. That wouldn’t have been my assumption. I had a feeling it wasn’t Nordic American’s policy either.
“I assure you I will do my utmost to find your missing jewelry.” Sanjay rose from his chair, indicating the meeting was over. “I’ll accompany you to your suite right now, and you can show me where you stored your other jewelry. Do you have a receipt for the items you purchased at Duchess Diamonds?”
She pursed her lips. “It should be in my handbag. Unless she stole the receipt from me too.”
A frustrated look crossed Sierra’s pale face. “I apologize once again although I am not at fault.” She peeked at her watch. “I need to run. I have to change before I introduce Island Magic. Their show begins in fifteen minutes.” She turned to Tom and me. “Thanks for the support. I really appreciate it. Can we meet after the show?”
Before Tom could answer, I replied for the two of us. “We’d love to. Where?”
Sierra was halfway out the door. “The piano bar” was all we heard before the door slammed shut.
Sanjay ushered Tom and me out of his office. He locked it and left with Mrs. Peabody and her companion. We joined my family, all of whom were anxious to know if the situation had been favorably resolved.
“Sierra said she dropped off Mrs. Peabody’s jewelry in her suite,” I said in response to their questions. “She’s upset by the accusation, but she had to dash off to introduce that Island Magic group. Tom and I are meeting her in the piano bar after the show.”
“That’s a relief,” Mother said, releasing a deep sigh.
“Sure is,” said Gran. “And it could be a lot worse.”
“What do you mean?” I asked her.
“You could be meeting in the brig.”
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
After hearing Mrs. Peabody’s accusations, I didn’t think I’d be able to enjoy the Island Magic show. My cousin managed to maintain her composure as she welcomed the act on stage. There was no hint the tall blond emcee with the sparkling blue eyes had been accused of stealing diamonds only a few minutes earlier. I could only imagine what Sierra was thinking as my own mind endeavored to come up with a reasonable solution to the missing jewels.
Tom leaned over and whispered in my ear. “I can hear your brain cells whirling from here. Try to relax and enjoy the show.”
Years spent in law enforcement had given Tom the ability to separate work from his personal life. But it wasn’t his cousin accused of a crime. Nevertheless, I attempted to concentrate on the performance for the next ninety minutes.
The steel drum group was fantastic. Eventually all thoughts of Sierra’s predicament disappeared as the four male musicians plus the female singer performed classical and show tunes, utilizing only native Caribbean instruments. The audience bobbed their heads to the pulsating beat of the drums. The music offered a much needed temporary distraction for me.
At the end of the show, Sierra appeared on stage once more to lead the applause, which, based on the loud clapping and foot-stomping, didn’t require much encouragement. Sierra mentioned additional late night activities in the disco and the Queen’s Lounge. She also reminded everyone we would reach St. Thomas the next morning at eight.
We stood and slowly followed the audience members up the carpeted stairs. Tom assisted my climb by gently lifting my tush whenever I slowed. I had a feeling my husband was more interested in lovemaking than crime solving, but my cousin’s dilemma remained first and foremost on my mind.
“Where is the piano bar?” Tom asked me as we stood off to the side to let the throng of pleasure-seekers walk past.
“I can only guarantee one direction.” I pointed up. “Let’s go find a map of the ship.”
When the piano bar turned out to be only two levels above us, we chose the stairs over the elevator. A better bet than joining the thousand-plus passengers who’d attended the show. As we climbed the marble steps, I held on to the glossy brass railing for support before realizing it could be covered with norovirus bugs. I yanked my hand off the rail and rubbed my palm against the skirt of my sundress. Even though the ship posted gallons of antibacterial lotion at every entrance, it was worthless against the shipboard virus.
Cruising was fraught with potential perils. Germs, missing gems and possibly missing bodies. What was in store next?
The tuneful strains of “It Had to Be You” greeted us as we walked inside the piano bar. A large circular bar with every seat occupied surrounded a glossy ebony grand piano. I recognized two singers from the first night’s show joining in as they hovered over the pianist’s shoulder. I looked for the amazing blond singer, but she wasn’t with the group.
Sierra sat tucked away at a corner table sipping a glass of white wine. She’d kicked off her high heels under the table. I joined her while Tom went to the bar to place our own cocktail orders with the female bartender.
“Cheers.” Sierra took a large gulp of wine. “This is a heck of a way to conduct a family reunion.”
“I’m trying to remember the last time we got together,” I said.
Sierra cocked her head in thought. “Maybe Mel’s high school graduation?”
“Could be. When was that? Three years ago?”
“Try six. My daughter’s now a police officer, believe it or not. Married to another officer on the force.”
“Congratulations,” I said. “It seems like our entire family is attracted to law enforcement.”
I updated Tom when he appeared with our drinks. “I just found out Sierra’s only child, Melanie, is married and working for the police,” I said. “So what brought you from the little town of Santa Lucia, California, to the high seas?”
“Stupidity.” She drained her glass and smacked it down on the table. “I’d broken off an engagement with, of all people, the mayor of Santa Lucia. He didn’t take it well.”
“Break-ups can be difficult.”
“I’m not sure whether he was more concerned about losing me, or losing votes in the next election, but it didn’t end well. Not only were we engaged, but I managed his social and political calendar. I was at a loss about what to do next when a friend fairly high up the Nordic American food chain encouraged me to apply for this position. Since I’d worked as an assistant cruise director before Mel was born, I had enough experience to get the job. And they were desperate to fill the opening.” Sierra flagged down the waiter and ordered another glass of wine. “So I’m stuck on this boat for another four months.”
“There are worse places to be stuck,” Tom said.
She laughed. “You w
ould think so, wouldn’t you? But most of the crew and staff are two to three decades younger than my forty-eight years. Even the captain is a couple of years younger than I am. Sometimes I feel like I’m a combination of Mom, nursemaid and Dr. Phil. These kids sign up for long gigs not realizing that they’ll be ship-bound for eight months. They need an outlet and the only ones available are sex and alcohol. Life on board ship is far more like The Days of our Lives than The Love Boat.”
“So you don’t see this as a permanent gig?” I asked.
“Not really. I’m weighing my options.”
Our conversation was interrupted by the arrival of Sanjay Radhakrishnan accompanied by an equally commanding man in dress whites and an official cap. The tinkling of the piano keys stopped, and the chatter at the bar dwindled to nothing.
It grew so quiet you could almost hear the ice melting in our glasses.
“Sierra, we’d like you to come with us,” Sanjay said.
“I’ve already told you everything I know about Mrs. Peabody’s jewelry.” Sierra’s voice rose and her cheeks flushed with indignation.
“Please don’t make a scene,” said the other officer. “This is difficult enough for us.”
Tom stood. “Where are you taking her?”
“I’m afraid that is ship business,” the official said. “And none of yours.”
Sierra slipped her feet back into her shoes, hugged me and stood. Sandwiched between the two tall men, her five-foot-nine frame, even in three-inch heels, looked petite. The pianist struck a few chords and conversation struck up again.
“What do you think will happen to her?” I asked Tom.
“I don’t know.” He looked grim as he stared out the door. “But one thing is certain. Sierra’s options aren’t looking too good right now.”