Mango Chili Cruiser: A Cruise Ship Cozy Mystery (Dolphin Bay Cozy Mystery Series Book 6)

by Leena Clover

  They took the elevator up to Deck 14. Cassie joined all the bridesmaids and Anna and the others took a seat. Rick and Jojo arrived and went through the motions.

  “He’s marrying up for sure,” Julie noted. “Do you think he knows it, Anna?”

  “How can he not?” Anna retorted. “Gold Labs is valued in billions. How much do you think a car mechanic earns?”

  “Doesn’t look like it,” Julie muttered.

  “Shhh …” Meg interrupted. “It’s a fairy tale wedding, guys. Can’t you just be happy for them?”

  Julie guffawed in her usual style.

  “It’s a fairy tale alright, kiddo. Except that boy is Cinderella.”

  Anna heard a burst of applause as Jojo and Ricky went through the motions of placing a ring on each other’s finger and said ‘I do’. She joined in, smiling when she heard Ricky explain he was saying his real vows for the actual day.

  The rehearsal dinner had been arranged at the ship’s flagship steakhouse on Deck 11. Ricky’s best man had canceled at the last minute and was in hospital with a broken leg. Anna wondered how the wedding coordinator had convinced Logan to stand in for him.

  “You Hollywood types are weird.” Julie cut a hefty piece of steak and pointed her fork at Cassie. “Jojo’s ex shouldn’t even have come to the wedding. And now he’s best man? That’s an open invitation to trouble.”

  “Logan’s not one to hold a grudge, Aunt Julie,” Cassie argued. “He’s looking out for Jojo.”

  Julie ignored her and added more sour cream on her baked potato.

  “Big trouble! Mark my words.”

  A round of toasts followed and more champagne was poured. Anna giggled for no reason a couple of times.

  “I’m tipshy,” she told Gino and took his arm.

  “No, my love. You’re beautiful.”

  Anna giggled again and plunged her spoon in the crème brulee.

  Ten minutes later, Jojo stood up and tapped a fork on her champagne flute to get their attention.

  “Are we done here? Time for the bachelorette party, girls!”

  Chapter 3

  Anna groaned as Julie shook her awake the next morning, burying her head in a pillow. Her head was pounding fiercely and she could barely open her eyes.

  “You’re mean!” she accused her long time friend.

  Anna, Julie and Mary had bonded long before Cassie was born. They had shared life’s ups and downs and were soul sisters. That didn’t mean they didn’t fight once in a while.

  “And you can’t hold your liquor,” Julie scoffed. “How many of those lethal drinks did you have, Anna? You should know better.”

  “Those lethal drinks are called Jojoritas, for your information.” Anna sat up in bed and spoke with her eyes scrunched together. “And they’re delicious.”

  She felt the bile rise in her throat and jumped down suddenly, heading toward the bathroom.

  “Are they still delicious?” Julie grinned when Anna came out ten minutes later, looking drained.

  Julie had opened all the curtains and thrown the veranda doors wide open. She looked very comfortable, reclining in an easy chair with her arms around her head.

  The water shimmered in the bright sunlight and a pod of dolphins frolicked in the distance. Anna was hoping they would see some migrating whales on their cruise. Meg had explained that mid October was a bit early to spot them but Anna was keeping her fingers crossed.

  “What time is it?” she asked, settling into a wave shaped chair that engulfed her whole body. “And why don’t we have any coffee?”

  Julie told her she had already called room service.

  “It’s 11:30 AM.” She folded her arms smugly. “The girls haven’t stirred yet. Not surprising, considering we didn’t get back here until 4 AM.”

  “Why are you so chipper?” Anna grumbled.

  “I’m used to odd hours,” Julie shrugged. “Three solid hours and I’m good to go.”

  Julie had been up since 8 AM and had already put in some work. Anna knew Julie was working against a deadline. She had agreed to join the cruise on the condition that she could squeeze in some work whenever possible.

  There was a knock on the door and a server came in with coffee and pastries. There was a good assortment of baked goods like donuts, croissants and cookies, along with a big bowl of tropical fruit, a rack of toast and a silver urn of coffee.

  He arranged everything on the dining table in their family room and handed them a folder.

  “What’s that?” Julie asked, pouring coffee for the both of them.

  “It’s our schedule for today. The wedding planner must have sent it.”

  There was a buffet brunch for the wedding party on Deck 11. Then they had a final dress fitting before going to the salon to get their hair done. The schedule allowed them half an hour to get dressed before everyone assembled on the top deck for the nuptials.

  “That’s just part of it.” Julie brandished another sheaf of papers. “This is what’s actually happening on the ship.”

  The ship’s daily provided details about the weather and their location. A lot of interesting activities were happening across the ship.

  “Are we allowed to go there?” Anna ran her finger down a list of classes. “Cupcake decorating, salsa dancing, aquatics … these sound like fun, Julie.”

  “We’re VIP guests, remember? That’s what Jojo told us. She’s paying an arm and a leg for all the special treatment. We can go anywhere on the ship, even the bridge.”

  They decided to skip the brunch. The light breakfast that had arrived with their coffee would keep them going for a while.

  “I’m taking Gino to that salsa class,” Anna decided firmly. “And then we’re going to check out that pizzeria.”

  Julie had spotted a lecture on Mayan architecture. She thought it would be great research for one of her upcoming books.

  Anna gorged on the fresh papaya and mangoes and took a quick shower. She dressed in shorts and a floral printed sleeveless top they had bought in Los Angeles. Then it was time to wake up the girls.

  Cassie and Meg had other plans. They all went their separate ways and agreed to meet back at their suite around 3 PM.

  Anna had an energetic dance lesson with Gino. He was a quick learner and several women clamored for his attention. They devoured hot pizza loaded with stringy mozzarella cheese and blamed it on their Italian blood.

  “I love seafood but there’s only so long I can stay away from cheese,” Anna confessed.

  Soon it was time to go dress for the ceremony. Gino assured her he was looking forward to wearing his tux.

  The dresses had been delivered to their suite. There was a lot of teasing and laughter as they got dressed. Cassie was putting finishing touches to their makeup when there was a loud banging on the door.

  A red haired woman in a maid’s uniform stood outside, lips pursed together, frowning deeply. She looked furtively up and down the aisle and barged in when Anna opened the door.

  “The wedding coordinator sent me,” she said in a rush. “Who’s Cassie? You are wanted on Deck 14 at once.”

  Anna was surprised to see Cassie roll her eyes.

  “This sounds like one of Jojo’s tantrums. I’ll have a quick look, Mom.”

  Anna glanced at the big clock that hung over a wall.

  “We can all go. I have something for Jojo.”

  Anna had been touched when Jojo asked if she could borrow the famous Butler pearls for the wedding ceremony.

  “Cassie’s told me all about them.” Jojo had been emotional. “She always bragged about how much her parents loved each other.”

  The pearls were a family heirloom and had belonged to John’s grandmother. He had presented them to Anna on their wedding day.

  “I’m wearing Cassie’s sapphire ring as my ‘something blue’,” Jojo continued. “But I would really like to wear those pearls as my ‘something borrowed’, Anna.”

  Anna had hugged her tight and told her it would be a privileg
e. She knew Jojo had grown up motherless. Her father had died recently and her old uncle was the only family member who would be attending the wedding.

  The maid waited outside to escort the four of them to the top deck. The wedding coordinator was pacing outside the Empress suite. It was the most lavish suite on the ship and had been assigned to Jojo.

  “She’s not answering her door,” the woman said urgently. “The makeup artist was here an hour ago. She went away when Jojo didn’t open the door.”

  “And you’re calling us now?” Cassie exclaimed.

  Anna took charge.

  “She’s probably hung over. How did she look this morning, Cassie?”

  “We didn’t go to the brunch,” Meg confessed. “Mom and I went for a swim and then we had lunch at that café in the atrium.”

  An older man with a shock of white hair came out of one of the staterooms. He walked down the corridor toward them.

  “What’s going on here, ladies?” Fred Gold thundered.

  Anna had met Jojo’s uncle at the rehearsal dinner the previous evening. He was a bachelor and a harmless flirt. He had helped his brother raise little Jojo after her mother walked out.

  The wedding coordinator poured out her concern once again.

  “She must have taken one of her sleeping pills,” Fred murmured. “It’s time we woke her up.”

  Several stateroom doors opened one after another and a stream of people joined them, dressed in their best clothes.

  An auburn haired woman teetering on 4 inch heels smirked at the gathering.

  “Is Jojo going to be late for her own wedding?”

  “Didn’t you meet her at brunch, Millicent?” Logan Powell snapped at her, his blue eyes flashing with barely controlled anger. “I thought you were supposed to keep tabs on her, being best woman.”

  “You mean maid of honor, darling,” the woman drawled lazily. “And I’m not maid of honor anymore. She is!” She flung a finger at Cassie and raised her eyebrows in question. “What’s Jojo up to now?”

  Gino had joined them a few minutes before.

  “I think we should call security.”

  He nodded at the wedding coordinator and she stepped away, speaking into her walkie talkie. A couple of men dressed in the ship’s uniform arrived almost instantly and swiped a card to open the Empress suite.

  Everyone crowded at the entrance, eager to get in.

  One of the guards kept them back while the other went inside. He was out in a few seconds.

  “It’s empty. There’s no one inside.”

  “That’s impossible.” Cassie turned to the wedding coordinator. “Check the salon right now. They must have taken her there for some reason.”

  “Wasn’t makeup and hair supposed to come to her suite?” Millicent demanded.

  Anna felt a sense of foreboding as everyone fanned out on the deck, looking for Jojo.

  “You spent a lot of time with her last night,” Julie nudged Cassie. “Was she having second thoughts?”

  Cassie shook her head vehemently.

  “Jojo is madly in love with Ricky. She was looking forward to the ceremony.”

  “So you don’t think we have a runaway bride?” Julie voiced the question that was uppermost in their minds.

  Gino tried to calm them down.

  “Where do you think she went, Julie? There’s miles and miles of ocean all around us. She’ll turn up soon enough.”

  Chapter 4

  The wedding guests started arriving in a steady stream. To Anna’s surprise, the wedding coordinator handled it well.

  Waiters carrying trays of canapés swooped in, enticing the crowd to sample the delectable creations. Champagne was poured and soon everyone had a flute in their hands. A low hum of conversation filled the air.

  Gino paired up with Logan while Fred accompanied Millicent. Cassie took Meg with her. They were going to scour the ship for Jojo.

  Anna let Julie steer her to the aft end of the deck. She stared at the frothy wake trailing the ship, her stomach churning in tandem with the water.

  “It’s wedding jitters, that’s what it is.” Julie tried to console her. “Cassie will find her.”

  Fred and Millicent were the first to return, followed by Gino and Logan. Cassie and Meg came back ten minutes later. They shook their heads grimly.

  Gino told Anna he had spoken to the security officer again. They were combing every inch of the ship, looking for Jojo.

  The guests had figured out that something was wrong. Some of them left the deck while others huddled around to gossip. A few were shamelessly attacking the giant seafood tower studded with chilled cocktail shrimp and crab legs that had been artfully arranged for the reception. The wedding coordinator was finally beginning to look harried.

  Anna stood up suddenly, her mind made up.

  “I’m not sitting around anymore.”

  She took Meg’s hand and strode toward the Empress suite. Cassie and Julie hurried after them. Gino wasn’t far behind.

  Anna halted in her steps when she entered, struck by the opulence of the suite. It reminded her of some of the palaces she had seen in Europe. Thousands of crystals twinkled from a big chandelier in the foyer. There was a living area bigger than Anna’s entire house. A grand piano sat next to a well stocked bar. Large floor to ceiling windows provided expansive views of the ocean. A veranda larger than the one in Anna’s suite wrapped around the entire space. Cassie had told her there were two bedrooms with big ensuite bathrooms, each with a Jacuzzi tub of their own. The veranda boasted a private swimming pool big enough to swim laps in.

  Everything was gilded and fit for a princess.

  “We can each take a room, girls.” Anna got to work. “Look around carefully. No detail is too insignificant.”

  “What are we looking for, Anna?” Meg asked.

  “Something like a note?” Cassie prompted.

  Anna nodded uncertainly. She wasn’t sure herself.

  “Anything out of the ordinary, I guess.”

  They combed every inch of the space and Gino double checked after them. Anna knew he was actually trained to do a thorough search.

  She went out to the veranda and inched closer to the high railing. She could see some activity on the lower decks. People sat in their balconies and rows of lifeboats were tied to the side of the ship, ready to be deployed at a moment’s notice.

  Anna ran her hand along the railing, feeling helpless. She was almost ready to give up. Was Jojo hiding somewhere in the crew quarters? Any of them could have spirited her away for a bit of money. Wherever she was, Anna hoped she was safe.

  “Mom!” Cassie’s sharp cry stopped her in her tracks. “What’s that?”

  Anna spotted something red stuck in a space between the deck and the railing. She bent down, trying to tug it free. It was a shoe.

  “That’s a Loboutin!” Cassie grew alarmed. “Jojo wore it for the rehearsal dinner last night. What’s that doing here?”

  “Don’t touch anything,” Gino warned.

  He gently pulled Anna away from the railing and took a few pictures of the item stuck in the crevice.

  “I’m calling security.”

  The ladies gathered together, speechless. A riot of thoughts ran through Anna’s head but she didn’t want to voice any of them.

  Gino came back with the security officer from before. The man started speaking some gibberish in his walkie talkie.

  “What is he saying?” Meg tapped him on the shoulder. “Why don’t you tell us what’s going on.”

  “We’re following procedure, Miss,” he told her. “I have to ask you to step outside.”

  Gino nodded at the man and ushered the women out of the Empress suite.

  “Do you know what he was saying?” Anna whispered.

  Gino had been in the Air Force and he had worked in law enforcement for several years. If the security man had used any standard code, Anna was sure Gino must have understood.

  “They think she went overboard.” Gino g
athered Anna in his arms. “The ship is slowing down.”

  Cassie heard him and stole a glance at her daughter. Meg hadn’t caught on yet.

  “Let’s go back to our own cabin,” she told the others. “We can talk there.”

  The wedding coordinator came forward when she saw them.

  “So the bride’s a no show?” she asked. “Shall I ask the guests to leave? Someone needs to tell me what to do.”

  Cassie told her she couldn’t help.

  “But you’re the maid of honor! Jojo told me to go to you in case I needed something.”

  Anna told the wedding coordinator to get in touch with Fred Gold.

  Everyone was quiet as they took the elevator one deck down and walked down the corridor to their own suite. Gino went straight to the mini bar and poured a finger of cognac for each of them.

  “They really think of everything,” he muttered as he pressed a glass into Meg’s hands. “It’s medicinal.”

  “What about Ricky?” Cassie sounded dismayed. “Has anyone told him what happened?”

  Gino explained how he had accompanied Logan to Ricky’s suite and brought him up to speed. He had been pacing the room, dressed in his wedding tuxedo, a peach rose tucked into the lapel.

  “Is it time yet?” he had asked eagerly. “I can’t see the bride before the ceremony. It’s bad luck. Jojo believes in that kind of stuff.”

  His face paled as he listened to them.

  “Something’s wrong with her. Jojo will never abandon me.”

  Julie slurped the last drops from her glass and held it out for a refill.

  “So he was sure she hasn’t pulled a runner?”

  “Pretty sure,” Gino told them.

  Ricky had pulled off his bow tie and tuxedo and joined them as they hunted for his missing bride.

  “What was that man saying, Gino?” Anna interrupted. “What does Oscar mean? Or Alpha?”

  Gino didn’t hide his frown.

  “The man was declaring a kind of emergency. It’s good. They will dedicate more resources to finding Jojo.”

  “Was it some kind of code?” Meg was curious.

  “They use it to signal someone fell overboard,” Gino sighed. “In this case, the officer wasn’t really sure because he also announced a medical emergency.”