by Amber Crewes
“MEGHAN!”
She looked behind her to see Mrs. Sheridan hobbling over. Her husband, Frank, held a large pink beach bag, and he waved when he saw Meghan.
“Meghan! Meghan, what a treat to see you here.”
She looked around the pool and realized everyone was staring at her. “Hey,” she said meekly. “How are you, Mrs. Sheridan? Frank?”
They sat next to her. “We were coming to relax,” Mrs. Sheridan explained. “I was trying to find you earlier; what’s this I hear about your husband, Jack, being accused of murder?”
Meghan’s face turned red. Everyone in the outdoor pool deck was looking at her, and more than ever, she wanted to disappear.
10
After awkwardly answering several of Mrs. Sheridan’s questions, Meghan excused herself and headed back to the suite. As she opened the double doors, she was disappointed to find Jack wasn’t back; the suite was quiet and empty, and Meghan felt tears brim in the corners of her dark eyes.
“I need to find out where he is,” she thought as she walked to the suite’s office room and picked up the phone on the oak desk. “This is ridiculous; they can’t hold him like this. I need to find out if I need to call an attorney.”
She dialed the ship’s information center and was dismayed to hear that they did not know how to locate her husband. She called the security office, and no one answered. Finally, she punched in Hugo’s cell phone number, but the butler did not answer.
“Where is my husband?” she fretted as she hung up the phone. “What am I supposed to do?”
She crossed her arms over her chest. “What would Jack do?” she wondered. “He would probably wait patiently in the suite. But Jack isn’t here... so I need to ask myself... what would Meghan do?”
She was struck with inspiration, and she dashed into the closet to change her clothes. She slipped into a pair of gray jeans and a pink linen jacket and tossed a white baseball cap over her wavy hair.
Meghan tucked her cell phone into her pocket and left the suite, locking it as she left. She peered left and right down the long corridor, and seeing no one was around, she set off to find the security office. She was going to find her husband.
Meghan wanted to be discreet, so she relied on emergency stairs to take her up to the main level of the ship. When she emerged from the dimly lit stairwell, she glanced around, and when she saw no one, she proceeded.
“Ma’am?” a voice startled her. She turned to see a woman in a uniform waving at her from a small station in the middle of the hallway. “Have you chosen excursions for the day? May I help you do that?”
Meghan bit her lip. “I’m okay, thank you. No excursions for me today.”
The woman smiled. “Are you sure? We are stopping at an island later this evening, and we offer a marvelous boat tour. Would you like to go? It’s very romantic. I’m sure your husband would love it.”
“How does she know I have a husband?” Meghan wondered, but then she felt the unfamiliar weight of her wedding band on her left hand.
“He’s tied up at the moment,” she said casually. “But thanks anyway.”
Meghan walked away, but quickly her attention turned to a shop selling souvenirs. “Those macramé wall hangings are cute,” she thought as she spied the decoration from the window. “That would look adorable in our kitchen. I can pop in for a moment…”
Before she knew it, that moment turned into thirty minutes, and she was shocked when she looked down at her watch. “I can’t get distracted anymore,” she decided as she left the shop without purchasing anything. “I need to find my husband.”
She ventured to another deck, and this time, she was intrigued by an art exhibit. The artwork displayed along a wall, and a red ribbon kept guests from getting too close.
“I wonder if these are real,” she thought as she surveyed the paintings. “Would they really drag original artwork onto a ship? That seems risky.”
Meghan examined one of the paintings, a dark, moody image of a man. “That’s how I feel today,” she laughed to herself.
“Do you like it?” asked an attractive gray-haired man beside her. “It’s an original Picasso. You have good taste.”
“Wait,” she said, her eyes widening. “This picture was painted by Pablo Picasso? You have to be kidding me.”
“It’s true,” he offered kindly. “It’s a self-portrait; see the dark colors? This represents a sad period in his life.”
“Wow,” she admired as she stared at the painting. “This is incredible. I can’t believe they bring this kind of art aboard a cruise ship.”
“It’s quite a treat, isn’t it? I was just admiring some of the art before I go down to the theater for a show. Would you care to join me?”
Her cheeks flushed. “I can’t,” she mumbled, flattered to have caught the attention of a stranger. “I’m looking for my husband.”
“Aah, very good. Well, you have a nice day. Tell your husband he’s a lucky man…”
Meghan’s jaw dropped as he walked away. “Was he flirting with me?” she thought, her stomach filling with butterflies. She had not thought twice about turning down the man’s invitation to the show, but after feeling self-conscious in her swimsuit earlier, it felt nice to receive some attention from a good-looking man.
She finished admiring the masterpieces and turned a corner, nearly colliding with an attendant. She screamed. The man was holding a tiger cub on a leash, and Meghan was afraid it would pounce.
“Ma’am? Ma’am, relax, it’s going to be okay,” the attendant assured her. “This is Tommy, our tiger. We have him on loan for the ship menagerie, and I was just taking him to the top deck to get some air.”
Meghan peered at the tiger cub. He was adorable, she realized; his fur was shining, and his big eyes were full of curiosity. “There is a menagerie on the ship? What’s that mean?”
“It’s a fancy word for a small zoo,” the attendant kindly informed her. “You should stop by sometime; we have an elephant aboard at the moment, as well as a lioness.”
Her eyes widened. “Why are these animals on the ship? I don’t understand.”
He grinned. “This is a luxury cruise, Ma’am. We only offer the finest experiences to our guests. With our menagerie, our pink Himalayan salt cave on the fourth-floor deck, sound healing rooms, aerial yoga studio, and cryotherapy chambers, we are leading the way in luxury cruise experiences. You’ll never find a ship with more amenities.”
Meghan nodded. “It sure sounds like it.”
He bowed. “Tommy and I have to run, but we hope to see you later at the menagerie.”
Meghan stared after him. “A real live tiger,” she muttered as she walked down the hall.
She stopped at an information station. “Excuse me? Can you point me in the direction of the security office?”
The attendant gave her directions and pointed her in the direction she had come from. Meghan set off, eager to see Jack and to find out what was going on, but after walking for ten minutes, she found herself back at the information desk where she had just been. The attendant who had helped her was occupied, so she got the attention of the other attendant.
“It’s not that way,” the attendant laughed as Meghan explained the previous directions. “No, I think my colleague is confused. I apologize, Ma’am. You need to go downstairs and around the track. If you walk through the double doors on the far side of the track, you’ll come right to the security office.”
“Thank you,” she sighed in relief. “You’ve been a big help.”
She turned on her heel and walked away, but moments later, she was dismayed to find herself lost; had she taken the wrong set of stairs?
“Ma’am, can I help you?” an attendant approached her. “You look a bit lost.”
“I’m trying to find the security office. My husband is there,” she nearly wept in frustration. Can you please help?”
The attendant nodded. “Of course. I can take you there myself.”
“I would app
reciate that,” Meghan said in relief. “Thank you so much.”
“Of course. It is my pleasure.”
They turned around and walked down a flight of stairs. Before they reached the security office, the attendant’s radio buzzed. “Please report to the information desk immediately.”
He looked at Meghan apologetically. “Forgive me, Ma’am, but I have been summoned. I can point you in the right direction, though.”
She shook her head. “Forget it,” she moaned. “I’ll find my own way.”
He scurried away, and she stomped back down the corridor, not stopping until she wound her way upstairs and back to her suite. “Of course I could find my way back here, but I couldn’t find my own husband,” she muttered angrily as she unlocked the door.
She went into the bedroom and threw herself onto the massive bed, pulling her phone out of her pocket and shrieking when she looked at the screen. She had messages from Jack.
Hey, I’m okay. I’ll be back soon. It wasn’t a huge deal. I’m not too worried, so I hope you can just enjoy your day. Love you, Meghan.
Did you get my text? The reception aboard the ship isn’t great. I’ll be back soon. Love you.
Hey babe, not sure if these texts are getting through, but I’m fine. I’ll be back in our suite soon. XO
She groaned. He had been texting her as she ran around the ship trying to find him. “Just my luck,” she sighed. “My texts didn’t come through. I could’ve had a relaxing day instead of running around like a chicken with her head cut off.”
She looked out the window. The sun was setting over the sea, and the sky was a brilliant shade of peach. Exhausted from her afternoon of searching for Jack, Meghan couldn't even muster an ounce of gratitude for the beauty outside of her window, and instead, she climbed beneath the covers of the weighted blanket and closed her eyes.
“This isn’t the honeymoon I expected,” she thought to herself as she drifted off to sleep. “I hope it turns around, or I’ll have to throw myself off of this ship.”
11
Meghan woke from her slumber in a gasp; she had been in the middle of a terrible nightmare, and she panted as she sat up in bed.
“What time is it?” she wondered. The room was pitch black, and Jack was still gone. “It’s nearly six in the morning. I slept through the night! But where’s my husband?”
She tore out of bed and ran into the living room. “Jack? Are you there?”
Jack was nowhere to be found; all Meghan could hear as she paced through her luxurious suite was the sound of the waves outside, and her stomach churned as she wondered where Jack was.
“Babe?” she called out, knowing no one would answer. She ran back into the bedroom and grabbed her phone. She had no new texts or missed calls, and she was beginning to panic.
Suddenly, there was a crash in the bathroom. Her eyes widened and her heart began to race; was there an intruder in her suite?
“Hugo?” she asked quietly. “Hugo, is that you?”
No one answered, and she reached for a large glass vase sitting on top of the piano. She held it close to her chest and tiptoed to the bathroom, ready to strike if the intruder were to be violent.
“Hello?” she called out. “Who is there?”
There was no reply, and Meghan felt nauseated; how had an intruder entered her suite? Was she going to have to defend herself? A cold sweat grew on her forehead, and she could feel her racing heart beating in her chest.
“Who is there?” she yelled. “I’m armed, so you had better watch out!”
There was another crash, and Meghan’s heart sank; who was in her suite?
“HEY!” she screamed as she burst through the door, the vase held high over her head. “What are you doing?”
She turned the light on, and her jaw dropped. It was Jack in the bathroom; he was standing in front of the sink with a shocked look on his face.
“Babe?” she cried out, sinking to the floor and clasping her hands over her face. “What are you doing here? Where have you been? You scared me half to death.”
Jack’s blue eyes bulged. “Honey, I got home a few hours ago. I’ve been sleeping next to you this whole time.”
“Then what are you doing in here?” she demanded angrily. “I’m so confused.”
“You were sleeping so soundly, and I didn’t want to wake you,” he told her earnestly. “I got up to use the bathroom, and I was coming back to sleep.”
“Why are the lights off?” she demanded. “Why are you sneaking around?”
He shrugged. “You had a stressful day yesterday. I didn’t want to wake you up when I went to the bathroom. That’s all, honey. I promise.”
Jack came over to Meghan and sat beside her on the tile floor. “I’m so sorry about what happened yesterday,” he apologized. “I should’ve gone with the security officers when they first came. It was embarrassing to be dragged away, and I shouldn’t have made such a scene. I know better than that. I’m so sorry, Meghan.”
He wrapped his arms around her, and she leaned into him. “Was everything okay at the security office?” she asked shakily. “What did they say to you?”
He sighed. “They are naming me as a suspect.”
“What? A murder suspect? WHY?”
He frowned. “They did their digging, and they learned that you are a baking enthusiast.”
She raised an eyebrow. “Wait a second... what do I have to do with this?”
“It’s going to sound ridiculous,” Jack warned her. “But they’ve strung together a silly narrative that puts you madly in love with Oliver Winterburn... like a stalker of sorts. They’re claiming I’m a jealous husband, and I couldn’t stand to watch my wife lust after him.”
Meghan burst into laughter. “That’s the craziest thing I have ever heard,” she gasped between giggles. “How could they think that? What kind of security team are they?”
“A bad one,” Jack muttered. “Anyway, babe, we both know that I didn’t kill that man, but that means there is a murderer aboard this ship.”
Meghan’s face paled. “You really think so?”
He nodded. “I know so.”
The color drained from her face. “What are we going to do?” she whispered. “You don’t have any weapons with you, do you? How are we going to stay safe if there is a killer on the loose?”
Jack smoothed his messy blonde hair out of his eyes. “We’re going to keep our suite locked at all times,” he began, his voice authoritative. “We’re going to keep to ourselves, too; let’s not be too chatty in public spaces and let’s keep a low profile.”
“Agreed,” she said.
“And,” he continued. “I need to show you some basic self-defense moves; I don’t have my gun or detective gear with me, so I need to teach you how to take care of yourself if you are ever in a sticky situation. Frankly, I’m embarrassed I never did this sooner; every woman needs to know how to defend herself.”
She nodded earnestly. “Okay, babe. What did you have in mind?”
Jack faced her and shrugged his shoulders down his back. “The key to being a master of self-defense is being light on your toes,” he explained as he pointed down at his feet. “Stay light on your feet, and they’ll never catch you.”
Meghan stood on her tiptoes, and Jack laughed. “Not quite…”
He walked over behind her and gently placed his hands on her shoulders, using his weight to force her feet back to the floor. “I mean, never stop moving. If you are on the move, they can’t catch you.”
She pulled away from him and darted behind her husband. “So, be quick?”
He smiled. “Exactly. Be quick. Be calm, and be ready to take out their ankles.”
“Their ankles?”
“The ankles are one of the weakest points on the body. If you can give someone a sharp kick to the ankle, they’ll instantly crumple. Try it on me, babe.”
She furrowed her brow. “I don’t want to hurt you.”
“Humor me, dear,” he pleaded. “I could
never live with myself if anything happened to you. Just let me teach you a thing or two. Now, go on. Kick me in the ankles.”
She reared back her right leg and gave Jack a sharp kick. His face was wrought in pain, but he managed to keep his balance. “That was good,” he praised. “But you need to do it harder.”