Cece was right. While some of their stories were a little difficult to believe, it was clear that Shakti had a bit of an image problem when it came to his alleged relationship with Tara. And if he really was playing favorites, well… that wasn’t usually a great way to build a community.
Maybe he didn’t care so much about building a community, though. Maybe he really was in it for the fortune and fame more than anything else.
“One of them just said they’ll leave Shakti’s group if he keeps favoring Tara,” Sam whispered. “But then the others are saying maybe she balances him out a little. They’re saying her influence is keeping him from being too commercialized and more heart focused.”
“Like Petal’s group,” Cece said.
“Like Petal would like her group to be,” I amended. “She talks a good game, but she isn’t so great at walking the walk.
Cece nodded. “Yeah, but I bet she would still welcome the people leaving Shakti’s group with open arms.”
“If they actually leave,” Sam said. “Shakti is pretty charismatic and convincing when he wants to be, and I can definitely see him becoming more successful as time goes on.”
“He certainly has the ambition,” I observed. “And there will be a certain number of members who will stay with the program just to ride his coattails, no matter how commercialized the program becomes or what he does with Tara.”
“That’s true,” Sam replied. “I’d bet there’s a good number of people who are around him just for the prestige. That’s basically what he preaches anyway, right? Do whatever it takes to become successful, to become number one, to crush the competition.” She cocked her head to the side. “But if Tara really is opposed to all of the commercialized stuff? I wonder if she got along very well with Rock.”
“I hadn’t thought about that,” I admitted. “Now that Rock is gone, Tara probably has more influence with Shakti. If they really are together, she has his ear more than anyone else.”
“Which means…” Sam sighed as she looked over at me.
I nodded. “Which means we have one more person who had a motive to get rid of Rock.”
Chapter Fourteen
Another morning, another Roar Power yoga class.
After overhearing that over-the-top conversation last night, there was no way I was missing Shakti’s early morning yoga session with his trainees. Not only did I want to see whether the people who were talking about leaving the group showed up again, but I also wanted to pay more attention to how Shakti interacted with Tara. I wanted to see if they really were as obvious about their relationship as all the gossip suggested.
If past experience was to serve as a guide, Shakti’s class would be fast-paced, sweaty, and strenuous. Not the ideal set of conditions for a person to concentrate on anything more than their own workout and lack of oxygen to the brain.
I smiled to myself as I walked down the corridor toward the yoga studio. I had a plan today. A plan that would keep me from sweating and stressing. A plan that would let me observe everyone’s behavior and especially to keep a close eye on Shakti and Tara.
“Ah, good morning.” Shakti greeted me with a friendly wave as I walked in. “You’re back for some more hard work, I see.”
“Good morning.” I smiled. “I’m back, but for a different kind of work. I’d like to take some photos for the ship’s social media accounts if I may? Just a few candid shots of you and your trainees in action.”
“Of course.” He made a gesture to encompass the entire room. “Make yourself at home. We’d be honored to be featured on the ship’s social media pages again.”
I knew he wouldn’t have wanted to pass up such good free publicity, and I was honestly kicking myself for not thinking of it sooner. I could have easily spared my body a few grueling workouts over the past few days.
I waited in the back for the class to begin then slowly started moving around the room. I was actually getting some good shots, but I was also able to read some pretty clear body language coming from the group that we’d overheard last night in the cocktail lounge.
Not only did they seem less enthusiastic than the rest of the trainees in the room—not totally surprising, since it was early in the morning and they had been out drinking the night before—but they also weren’t nearly as vocal in their praise of Shakti and his Roar Power program.
“Who is feeling the burn?” Shakti called out.
He was met with a chorus of happy, upbeat responses from the trainees in the first few rows while the people closer to the back were a little more subdued. And the little group from the bar?
They were actually scowling and grumbling.
I wondered if Shakti realized he was close to having a small but determined mutiny on his hands.
“You know people always say no pain, no gain,” Shakti continued. “But this doesn’t have to be painful. Focus on my voice. Concentrate. Stop thinking about how early it is or how sore your legs are. Stretch. Breathe. Focus. This is a mind over matter exercise, and I know each and every one of you will benefit from it if you’ll let yourself truly go there with me.”
Watching Shakti and his most devoted trainees in action was an impressive sight. They really did respond to the sound of his voice. They worked harder when he encouraged them. I could see them starting to sweat as the intensity of the workout increased, but not a single person in the first few rows was complaining. Not a single face was frowning.
I quickly snapped several close-ups that would have seemed right at home among those inspirational posters with the cheesy sayings that every life coach and motivational speaker in the world seems to have memorized.
And of course, Shakti was no exception. But there was something different about him. Something that set him apart from all the other self-proclaimed gurus I’d come across over the years. When Shakti talked about everyone’s untapped potential and the power of mind over matter, I wanted to believe him just like everyone else in the room seemed to believe him.
Well, almost everyone.
It was a different story in the back of the room. What had started out as grumbling had escalated until some of the trainees were simply refusing to participate. A handful of people, including the ones from the lounge last night, were quietly talking among themselves.
I was sure that Shakti must have noticed—especially once I started taking more pictures of the rebellious group—but he didn’t ask any questions. He didn’t stop the session to ask why they had fallen behind. He didn’t even slow down.
The longer it went on, the more I wanted to ask Shakti about the people who weren’t participating. I even took a few photos of them, not to use on the social media pages, but to show Sam and Ethan later when I told them about the mini protest in Shakti’s ranks.
Even as I considered what he might do about the protesters, though, they seemed to buckle. One by one, they started to fall back in line. They might be grudgingly doing the exercises that Shakti was calling out, but they were still doing them again.
When I looked back up to the front of the room, Shakti made eye contact with me. I was pretty sure I could see the corners of his mouth turn up in what might have been a triumphant smile if he hadn’t been so busy spurring his followers on to bigger, better, and greater things.
There was no mistaking what had happened, though. For a few brief but tense minutes, a power struggle had taken place in that yoga studio, and there was no doubt in my mind who had won.
The people in the front started chanting his name as the workout came to an end. Maybe it had been their energy and devotion that had brought the rest of the class back on board. I even found myself saying the name that was on everyone’s lips.
Shakti.
Shakti.
Shakti.
With one more cheer of encouragement and a big wave, he was gone. I blinked and took a deep breath, hardly able to believe what I’d just experienced. I’d sat in on a few of Shakti’s classes before, but today had felt much more intense than the others.
And that intensity had been so contagious that I’d gotten caught up in it after only a few minutes—and I hadn’t even been participating in the actual workout.
The electric, almost frenzied energy that had been so palpable in the room just moments before changed in an instant when Shakti walked out and Tara walked in. Suddenly, the naysayers in the back of the room were sitting up straight again and were laser-focused on what his star pupil was saying.
A few of the more devoted Shakti fans in the front even slipped out the side door after him, only to be replaced by a group of older people who appeared to be regular cruise passengers who had come specifically for Tara’s segment of the class.
Again, I found myself getting caught up in the moment as her voice—quiet and soothing but still one hundred percent in charge—drifted across the room.
“Good morning, everyone. I hope you’re all feeling energized and full of potential after that invigorating start to the day.” She smiled as she spoke, and I could see that most of the other people in the room were smiling right along with her. “We’re going to slow things down just a little, but I want to keep that same purposeful Roar Power energy flowing until we’re finished.”
True to her word, her exercise routine seemed to be just as strenuous as Shakti’s, and there was still that same familiar intensity as the class followed her lead. But there was no mistaking the gentle, encouraging vibe that Tara had brought into the room, and I found myself wondering if I might have preferred the classes all along if she’d been the one teaching them.
She reminded me of Petal in her approach, even though the content of the class was still completely aligned with Shakti’s methods. I wished Sam had been there with me to witness it, since there was no way the photos I’d taken could convey the differences I’d just experienced.
Tara’s session might have been a little slower, but it still flew by. Once it was finished, I hurried up to the front to ask her for a minute of her time.
“That was a great session,” I said as we stepped away from the front rows of people. “I don’t know how you manage to make it relaxing and invigorating at the same time, but I’m impressed.”
She laughed. “Thank you very much. I think that’s a nice compliment, since that’s exactly the vibe I’m aiming for with my classes. I’m glad you enjoyed it.” She took a look at my camera. “Although I’d also love to see you participating next time.”
“I will,” I promised. “But I actually have to ask you about something serious today.” I paused, debating in my head how I wanted to approach the subject. Since I knew we didn’t have a lot of time, I decided to be as direct as possible. “Have you heard anything about Rock Holliday’s death yesterday?”
She flinched a little as her eyes darted toward the nearby trainees, but she didn’t exactly look surprised. Not as surprised as I would have expected, at least. When she spoke again, her voice was just barely above a whisper. “Shakti told me, but he said I probably wasn’t supposed to know. It’s just that we’re both so in sync that I knew something was bothering him.”
I nodded. “Yes, I’ve heard that the two of you are very much in sync. I wondered how true the rumors might be, though.”
“Oh, that…” She made a dismissive gesture. “No, those are just rumors. Our relationship is strictly professional. We’re both so passionate about our work, about the yoga. And besides, he’s more advanced than that.”
“More advanced?” I cocked my head to the side. “In what way? What does that mean?”
“I just mean that he approaches things—life, work, relationships… everything, really—differently than most other people. He’s mastered his mind and body to the point that he barely even needs to sleep. Meditation and yoga fuel him.”
I didn’t even know what to say. Was it possible that Shakti had really evolved to some enlightened state that most other people, myself included, would struggle to comprehend?
Maybe.
But even if I had some doubts, I wasn’t going to question Tara about it right here in her own class. And anyway, I was more interested in hearing what she had to say about Rock Holliday.
“I understand that Guru Shakti and Rock had some disagreements about the direction of the business,” I said, then added, “That’s what the guru told me, anyway. I’m sure you would have witnessed some of that tension since you seem to be the guru’s top trainee.”
She looked thoughtful before she answered and then nodded. “I’ve witnessed a couple of those disagreements, but they weren’t anything too dramatic. Rock’s focus was strictly on the money. Always the money. And that put him at odds with where I—where Shakti—thought the focus should be.”
“And where did the two of you think that focus should be?”
“On the lifestyle. On Shakti. On the core beliefs that are the foundation of Roar Power.” She sighed. “But then again, there is something to be said for the way Rock ran his businesses with ruthless ambition. Shakti doesn’t have that same ruthless strength, and I wonder if Roar Power won’t do as well without it.”
“I’m sure the program will be just fine with the kind of dedication Shakti seems to have,” I observed. “And you seem to be a great asset, from what I’ve seen and heard.”
She smiled. “Thank you. I just believe in Shakti and Roar Power so much. I’m sure Babs will continue backing us, but she isn’t necessarily a business person, either. I hope that everything will work out for the best. We’ve come so far, and I truly believe there are great things in store for those of us willing to stay the course.”
A few of the other trainees had started to gather at a polite distance and were clearly waiting their turns to speak with Tara. I thanked her for her time and said a quick goodbye and was left with my thoughts as I headed back to the other end of the ship for some lunch.
Chapter Fifteen
Sam and Cece were both still busy when lunchtime came, so I told them to meet me at the Boulevard Cafe when they got a chance. In the meantime, I was more than happy to start eating the towering club sandwich I’d ordered.
I took a moment to arrange the waffle fries and the little bowl of fruit I’d chosen for my sides before taking a few quick pictures to post online.
“Pretty sure I have the best job ever,” I murmured to myself, admiring my handiwork as I flipped through the filters on the pics I’d just taken.
“Did I just catch you talking to your sandwich?” Minnie, my barista friend who was working in the café that day, smiled as she sat down across from me. “Mind if I take a quick break with you?” Her smile grew wider. “Unless you and the sandwich were in the middle of an important conversation…”
I laughed. “No, please sit down. My sandwich and I would love the company.” I nodded toward the full tables all around us. “Looks like you’ve been busy today.”
“Oh, goodness yes.” She nodded emphatically. “These yoga groups love their sandwiches. But I don’t think I’ve ever made so many vegetarian-friendly meals in my life. I was telling Kelly earlier this morning that it’s really been eye-opening. We’re going to step up our game the next time we do a produce order.”
I looked around and saw several faces I recognized from Shakti and Petal’s classes, though they were separated into groups that seemed to split the dining room right down the middle with no mingling between the two groups.
“Having the yogis aboard has been eye-opening for all of us, I think,” I said. “I’ve really enjoyed the time I’ve spent with both groups, but I have to admit I’ve been a little surprised by how…” I paused as I searched for the right word. “How dedicated they are to their programs. The rank and file members seem to be more enthusiastic than the leaders are at times.”
I was thinking specifically about Petal and Tomek and how they had been perpetuating the scam that Petal was a strict vegan just for the sake of her image with her followers.
“Yeah,” Minnie said. “I’ve noticed that, too. They’ve all been super nice with me and the rest of the
staff, happy to answer our questions about their classes, and they’ve seemed genuinely excited when we’ve shown interest.” She paused as the corners of her mouth turned up. “But don’t make the mistake of asking the Roar Power people about the Breathe Light group and vice versa. You can almost see the hair on the back of their necks stand up. They get downright hostile.”
I was glad I wasn’t the one who had noticed that. And Minnie had only seen most of these people in passing as they came through the cafe. The fact that the bad blood between the two groups stood out to her really said something. It was definitely worth keeping in mind as we tried to narrow down our list of suspects.
Before I could say anything else, Sam and Cece showed up and started calling out to us before they’d finished crossing the dining area.
“Hey!” Sam gave a big wave as she began weaving her way through the crowded space. “Minnie! Are you joining us for lunch?”
“You totally should,” Cece added. “We’ve hardly had a chance to hang out with you on this trip.”
“I know.” Minnie gave a sympathetic frown. “And I wish I could stay out here and visit for a while, but I should probably get back there and help with the clean-up now that our lunch rush is over. They’ll start looking for me if I stay out here too much longer.” She stood up from her chair, her friendly smile back in place. “Can I get some food started for you, girls?”
Sam and Cece looked thoughtful for a moment then shook their heads. Sam spoke first. “I think we’re going to be bad today…”
Cece nodded and rubbed her hands together. Her gleeful look was so childlike that it was actually funny. “We’re having ice cream for lunch.” She glanced over at me. “But we’re totally going to work off the calories later in yoga class.”
Minnie just laughed and walked away. Sam nodded toward the exit. “You’re coming with us, aren’t you? You have to admit a little ice cream sounds amazing right now.”
She wasn’t wrong. Ice cream always sounded like a good option to me. “You aren’t supposed to use my weaknesses against me, Sam,” I sighed. “But I’m probably not going to the afternoon yoga class. I’m just going to own those extra calories.”
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