by Mel McCoy
Humphrey raised an eyebrow. “An email?”
“Yes. It will provide all the proof you need to solve this murder.”
“Okay.” Humphrey reached for his keyboard. He sounded skeptical in his tone, but he started typing. “We’ll see what this email is about, and I will make the final decision of your fate on this ship. What is your email address?”
Ruth gave him her information to access her account and emails.
“Password?” he asked.
Ruth got to her feet. “Sir, may I?” She gestured to the keyboard.
Sighing, Humphrey turned the keyboard over to her. She typed in her password as he waited, tapping a finger to his temple. She gave him back the keyboard. “Should be the most recent email.”
Humphrey glanced at the screen and read, “‘My Flamingo Shorts’?” He raised an eyebrow.
Ruth let out a nervous giggle. It was the subject of a recent email from her husband, Larry, and Ruth could only assume he had lost his favorite shorts again. “Uh, try the next one. Should read ‘Chef Mills.’”
He scanned the screen. “You have a lot of spam. Ah, here it is.” He clicked on it and watched the video.
“What are you doing?” Loretta asked.
“I’m getting us off the hook.”
They could hear Chef Mills’s booming voice coming through the officer’s computer speakers, but neither woman could see what Humphrey was seeing. They could only observe his expression as he watched the video. When it ended, his mouth dropped.
The door to his office opened, and Officer Marvin Malloy stepped in. “Okay, ladies, to your feet.”
Humphrey waved at the officer. “Uh, that won’t be necessary.” His eyes were still wide with shock. He regarded Ruth. “Do you know what Mills is talking about in the video? What evidence?”
Ruth pulled the blue folder from her over-sized purse, which was wedged between her and the arm of the chair. She stood and plopped the folder in front of Officer Humphrey. He shook his head as he leafed through the papers inside.
Loretta craned her neck to see what he was looking at. Then she whispered to Ruth, “Where did you get that?”
“I made a pitstop over to Chef Mills’s office after talking to Will,” Ruth whispered back. “Trust me.”
Then he pulled out a document, exactly what Ruth had found that gave the murderer a whole lot of motive to kill Chef Mills. He covered his mouth with his hand.
“What is it, sir?” Officer Malloy asked.
Removing his hand from his face, Humphrey grasped the document with both hands. “I think we just found our murderer.”
Chapter 22
Ruth, Loretta, Officer Humphrey, and Officer Marvin Malloy strode down the hall of deck fourteen, where many of the suites were located. Humphrey hadn’t wasted any time in asking Ruth to take them to the person in question’s room. Ruth knew his job was on the line—as well as her own—and knew that they had to help each other if they wanted to get out of this sticky situation. More importantly, they had the lives of others to think about, and there wasn’t any more time to argue.
When they reached the cabin, no one answered. Humphrey immediately grew frustrated, but Ruth knew there was only one other room that the killer could be at this evening. They followed her to it. Outside the door, they all stood there for a moment, taking a deep breath as they waited.
Humphrey huffed. “Okay, everyone, follow my lead.” Then he eyed Ruth. “You know what to do, right?”
Ruth nodded. She was more than ready. In fact, she’d been the one who’d conjured up the plan, and she was ready to finally execute it.
Humphrey cleared his throat before knocking. They waited for what felt like eternity until muted footsteps approached the door. Then it opened, revealing a surprised Mrs. Larson.
“Good afternoon. Mrs. Larson?” Humphrey said.
Mrs. Larson’s eyes darted between them. “That’s me.”
He cleared his throat. “I’m Officer Harry Humphrey.”
“Oh, my gawd, is something wrong?” She raised her hand to her mouth, still glancing at all four of them.
“No, ma’am. Is Debbie Devore here?”
Her face scrunched up in confusion. “Uh, yeah.” She stepped aside, opening the door wider to allow them to come in. “They just got back from the karaoke lounge.”
Humphrey tipped his hat at her as he walked through the threshold of her suite, and the rest of them followed. Officer Malloy gave her a quick smile, evidently trying to calm the poor lady’s nerves.
Mrs. Larson led them into the suite, where the twin girls sat on the floor with their dresses splayed around them. Nearby, Will was playing a game on an iPad. Debbie was telling the girls a story about her childhood in Savannah.
Humphrey cleared his throat. “Debbie Devore?”
Debbie stood, beaming in her lacy tea dress. “Yes?” she asked in her signature Georgia accent. The two girls turned around, looking up at all of them.
“I’m Chief Security Sea Officer Harry Humphrey, ma’am. I was wondering if I could speak with you.” He motioned to go outside of the suite. “In private.”
Debbie stepped around the twin girls, closer to the officer. “Whatever you want to talk about, you can say here.” She let out a confident chuckle. “I’ve got nothing to hide.”
Humphrey glanced at Ruth, and she gave him a nod of acceptance. He turned back to face Debbie again. “Very well, ma’am.”
Ruth stepped forward, holding up a blue folder. “Do you recognize this, Mrs. Devore?”
Debbie shook her head. “I have no idea what you have there, but it looks like a folder.” She shrugged.
“Or should I call you”—Ruth opened the folder, reading something on the first page—“Mrs. Monet?” She glanced up from the name she’d read.
Debbie let out a nervous chuckle before responding. “I think you have the wrong person. I’m Mrs. Devore.”
Ruth shook her head. “You’ve been going by your maiden name as if it were your married name. But your real name is Mrs. Monet. Petrie Monet was your husband.”
Debbie scoffed. “There’s no need to bring up such a sore subject. I’ve been trying to move on from such a tragedy.” She clutched the pearls hanging from her neck. The same pearl necklace she wore the first day Ruth had met her in the dining hall. The pearl necklace, Ruth had no doubt, was the very same she’d worn in the photo of the article she’d seen in Chef Mills’s drawer—in the blue folder she carried in her hand at that very moment.
Mrs. Larson stepped around Loretta. “The Petrie Monet?” She was now next to Officer Humphrey. “You mean, the owner of Monet’s restaurant in New York? You never told me your husband was Petrie.”
“I didn’t think it was important, dear.”
“Oh, but it is,” Ruth said. “We had a murder on the ship.”
Mrs. Larson gasped. “What?”
“Our very own executive chef, Aaron Mills.”
Debbie wore a scowl. “I still don’t know what this has to do with me.”
“That’s what’s so interesting, Mrs. Devore,” Ruth went on. “Chef Mills had your entire history with Petrie Monet in this folder. Your husband owned Monet’s, a very successful restaurant with three Michelin stars. The very restaurant Chef Mills ran for five years. He was best friends with Petrie Monet and had saved all the articles surrounding the death of Petrie and the suspicion around it. Including copies of the insurance policies you took out on your husband and the payout you received when the fire took down the entire restaurant.”
“We’re thinking arson, Mrs. Devore,” Humphrey added.
“Arson, indeed,” Ruth said. “And we have a video of your and Chef Mills’s heated exchange, dated the night just before his body was found. In that video, Mills threatened to expose you and what you did. Your connection to Petrie’s death and the fire that consumed any lingering evidence. But you put an end to any possibility of being outed by killing Mills in cold blood.”
Debbie pulled her sh
oulders back and tilted her chin up—a mannerism she hadn’t displayed before. Before anyone could react, she snatched Will. Arm coiled tightly around the boy, Debbie gripped him close while simultaneously stealing a letter opener from the desk next to her. She held it to him.
Mrs. Larson gasped and stepped toward them, but Humphrey pulled her back.
Debbie gripped Will tighter. “Don’t come any closer,” she screamed, her thick Georgia accent now gone.
“Debbie!” Mrs. Larson cried. “What are you doing? Let go of Will!”
She pointed the letter opener at all of them, stepping back. “I said, don’t come any closer!”
A tiny head popped out of Will’s front pocket and scanned around, its small neck swelling and relaxing as it took in its scenery. Will glanced down, meeting the gaze of his little friend before sliding a hand into his pocket. Slowly, he pulled the creature out. Whatever it was, its legs kicked several times in his hand, and its tail curled.
“You have nowhere to go, Mrs. Devore,” Humphrey bellowed, unaware of Will’s tiny friend making an appearance.
“That’s where you’re wrong, Officer.” Debbie grinned. “You will let me off this port, or I’ll make sure to destroy this ship’s reputation. That’s really important to you. I know it is. You think you have problems now? I heard about the little mouse in the kitchen. You think that is bad? Wait until you see what I do. I can make it go up in flames!”
Will placed the ugly creature in his hand on Debbie’s forearm, still wrapped around his neck. The creature sat there a moment, before padding its way up her arm.
Debbie continued clutching the boy as Ruth glanced between the curly-tailed lizard on her arm and Debbie, waiting to see when and how she would react to the spotted creature.
“I am an expert at—” Debbie looked down, locking eyes with the reptile. “Arg!” She let go of Will, stumbling back. The letter opener clattered to the floor as she tried to swat the lizard away, but it climbed up to her shoulder and she screamed.
Will ran to his mother and sisters as Humphrey and Malloy took this as their cue to take action, grappling with her as she squealed and danced around.
“Get this slimy thing off of me!” she yelped.
Will giggled, and Ruth let out a small chuckle herself. She had to admit, it was a comedic scene—two officers wrestling with a lady as she spun around trying to get a lizard out of her dress.
The lizard jumped out and off of her to its freedom. Will knelt down, and the small creature—as if it were trained—plodded back to him, finding refuge in his hand.
Finally, the men apprehended Mrs. Debbie Devore. Her once perfect hair now tousled, she screamed, “You disgusting little child,” aiming her words toward the boy.
Ruth, Loretta, and the boy, unable to contain themselves any longer, doubled over with laughter. His mother, now knowing her children were safe, stifled a giggle herself. The twin girls scrunched up their faces in disgust but held on to their mother for security.
Officer Marvin Malloy ushered Debbie out of the room. She’d be spending the rest of her vacation in the brig, and once they returned to the Florida port, she’d face trial for her crimes. The woman who had killed Chef Mills and Petrie Monet, not to mention burning down his esteemed restaurant, would be locked away for a long, long time.
Ruth let out a long breath. Soon, justice would be served.
The door flung open, and Mr. Larson ran inside, grabbing his wife and children in an embrace. Janice walked in behind him, acknowledging Ruth and Loretta. “I found Mr. Larson.”
Mr. Larson, still holding his family, peeked up. “Thank you.” Tears welled in his eyes. “Thank you for saving my family from that monster.” He kissed them on the tops of their heads, making promises to put work aside and spend more quality time with them.
Ruth and Loretta exchanged glances. Ruth’s heart was melting, and she could see Loretta’s was too. She gave Mr. Larson a curt sympathetic nod of acceptance.
Then Will broke away from the family group hug and ran to Ruth. He motioned for her to come down to his level, and he wrapped his arms around her neck, whispering, “Thanks for not telling on me.”
After a brief moment, Ruth asked, “How did you get that lizard on the ship?”
Will pulled away and held the creature out for Ruth to see. “Oh, I found him on Mermaid’s Island. I liked his curly tail, and he liked sleeping under my shirt.” Will shrugged. “They never check under my shirt.”
Ruth laughed, and Will ran back to his family.
Loretta inched closer to Ruth. “I know Will released the gerbil into the dining room and was recording it.”
Ruth grinned. “I figured you knew.”
“I didn’t say anything to Janice or Officer Humphrey, but I can’t help but wonder, how are you going to explain it when the prank video gets out?”
“It won’t. Will and I made a deal.”
“So, you made a deal with an eight-year-old?”
“Yes. The deal was that he deletes the gerbil recording and emails me the Chef Mills video, so I could show it to Officer Humphrey. In return, I promised not to tell his parents about his antics.”
Loretta raised her eyebrows. “Are you sure he deleted the prank video?”
“I watched him do it. He’s a sweet boy.”
A few feet away from them, the twin girls screamed in unison. Ruth whipped her head to see what the fuss was about. Eyes wide, the twins were looking at Will’s phone as he doubled over in laughter. His mother walked over and grabbed the phone, placing a hand to her mouth. Ruth could hear the familiar screaming crowd emitting from the phone.
“You know, there’s an ‘undo’ option after deletion?” Loretta pointed out.
Mrs. Larson handed the phone over to Officer Humphrey, and in seconds, his face turned bright red and he screamed, “Ruth!”
Chapter 23
Two days had passed, and the last of the passengers disembarked from the Splendor of the Seas. Someone had suggested having a party, celebrating the first week—their service to the first group of onboard passengers of the new ship. It was like the party in the crew bar, only this time, they were on the outside deck—deck fifteen—drinking and chatting under the crescent moon.
A flute filled with champagne in hand, Ruth and Loretta participated in many toasts before Loretta confronted Ruth.
“I just wanted to let you know how grateful I am that you are my roommate,” Loretta said.
Ruth cocked her head. “You just hollered at me this morning for wrinkling your blouse with my overstuffing of the closet.”
Loretta lowered her glass. “I was going to wear it to the casino this afternoon.”
“I don’t understand why you can’t just have one of the girls iron it.”
“You saw what happened when I had them iron my vintage, v-neck, polka-dot, emerald tea dress!”
Ruth stifled a chuckle that she immediately felt guilty for. The dress had a permanent burnt stain on either side of the pits. Ruth tried to save face by putting on her most sorrowful look. “I know. I’m sorry. That was horrible.”
“I’m still mourning that dress.” Loretta let out a quick sigh, then she put her drink down and wrapped her arms around Ruth. “Thanks for getting me off the hook. You are a great friend, and I will never forget. I’m so lucky to have you as a roommate.”
Ruth returned the affection. They had come a long way from the first day they met. Who knew that two very different people with different views on the world could become so close? They ended their embrace, and Ruth held out her glass to her new best friend. Loretta grabbed her drink and clinked it next to Ruth’s.
“I’m lucky to have you as a roommate, too.” Ruth gripped her glass. “Here’s to many more weeks of friendship and fun!”
Loretta grinned before they gulped down half of their champagne. “That is, unless our contracts are terminated.”
“I doubt that will happen.”
Just then, Officer Harry Humphrey and Janice stro
lled up.
“Ah, the two crazy pastry chefs,” Humphrey said. “You know, I couldn’t have done this without you two.”
Loretta smirked. “Speak of the devil.”
Humphrey seemed slightly tipsy as he sauntered closer to them. Janice guided him in the right direction and smiled.
“We did it!” he said. “We captured the murderer. She is apprehended and off the ship now, in custody with the Florida authorities, and the video of the mouse—”
“Gerbil,” Ruth corrected.
He swayed a bit and squinted at Ruth. “Huh?”
“You mean Dexter, the gerbil.”
Humphrey flapped his hand at her. “Whatever, the video is gone. And you two are my heroes.”
Ruth cocked her head at him.
“He means, ‘thank you,’” Janice said.
Ruth and Loretta nodded.
“Does that mean we can continue working on the ship?” Loretta asked.
Humphrey hiccupped. “Apso-ootley! The more, the merrier!”
Loretta and Ruth laughed, then Ruth turned her attention to Janice. “So, I have a few questions, though…”
“Oh, I was never a prime suspect, if that’s what you want to know. Officer Humphrey and I were desperate to find the killer, or killers. We decided to run out this plan to see if you would give up any more information if I let down my guard.”
“I see,” Loretta said. “Like good cop, bad cop?”
“Sort of.”
“I wasn’t talking about that,” Ruth said. “I was talking about the woman who disappeared from Conqueror of the Seas. What ever happened to her?”
Janice’s eyes lit up. “Oh, that! Unfortunately, we are not allowed to talk—”
“She resigned!” Humphrey blurted out. Then he put a finger to his lips. “Shh. I’m not supposed to tell anyone. She was shipping drugs for a cartel. Not allowed to talk about it, though. Bad for the reputation of the cruise line, and it must never get out!”
A familiar voice interrupted. “Darling!”
Everyone whipped around to see Felipe holding a glass up, before gliding his way to Loretta. “I thought I’d never find you again.”
