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

by Leena Clover

  “Man overboard?” Cassie exclaimed. “That won’t help now. Who knows how long Jojo has been missing?” Her eyes welled up. “What if she went over last night? They will never find her.”

  Julie had stepped out on the veranda.

  “The ship’s not moving,” she called out. “And look, they are launching some boats into the water.”

  “So they are sending out a search party,” Gino said softly.

  Anna read his expression.

  “You think it’s futile, don’t you?”

  “It’s like Cassie said …” Gino’s eyes hardened. “We don’t know when she hit the water. If she fell in, that is.”

  Meg started sobbing quietly. Cassie put her arms around her and held her close.

  Gino got up and left, promising to get the latest update.

  Anna called room service and ordered some sandwiches and coffee for them. She changed into a pair of shorts and removed all her jewelry and makeup.

  The maid from earlier came in with their food.

  “I need a favor,” Anna told her. “Can you take me to the crew quarters?”

  The girl shook her head sullenly.

  “I can’t leave now, Ma’am. They’ll have my job if I play hooky. You can take the elevator down to Deck 1 yourself. It’s not locked or anything.”

  Anna forced everyone to gulp down some food.

  “What’s on your mind, Mom?” Cassie asked.

  “Yeah,” Julie nodded. “What’s in the crew quarters?”

  Anna told them her theory about where Jojo might be hiding out. Cassie’s face brightened.

  “Why didn’t I think of that? I’ll go with you.”

  Gino came in just as they reached the cabin door. Anna sat down with a thud, dreading what he was going to say.

  “They found her.” Gino cleared his throat. “She was in a lifeboat tied to the side of the ship, right under her railing.”

  “How is she?” Cassie grabbed Gino’s arm, looking hopeful.

  He shook his head.

  Jojo Gold had plunged ten floors down and fallen to her death. She wasn’t a runaway bride. Anna wondered if it had been an unfortunate accident or someone had helped her along.

  Chapter 5

  Anna stared blankly at the star studded sky through the glass. They had been moping around in their suite for hours. Julie had coaxed everyone to step out for dinner.

  “We could all use a change of scene.”

  The wedding coordinator had looked in on them earlier. The staff had decided to go ahead with the reception as planned. A buffet had been set up featuring the lavish menu Jojo had lovingly picked for the big night. The woman told them they had until midnight to grab any food they wanted.

  Cassie admitted it was a nice gesture but none of them wanted to go up to Deck 14.

  Julie skimmed through the ship’s daily bulletin that had been delivered with their breakfast and chose a diner on a lower deck. The place specialized in comfort food and they could all use some of it.

  “Did you meet Ricky?” Anna asked.

  Cassie had gone up to express her condolences to the groom. She felt it was the least she could do under the circumstances.

  “Ricky’s locked himself in his room and isn’t saying a word. I’m worried about him.”

  “We need to babysit him a bit if needed,” Julie said fiercely. “He’s on his own and he’s the outsider. These rich people will close ranks in the blink of an eye.”

  “Uncle Freddie’s not like that,” Cassie argued. “He loved Jojo. She told me he was completely on board with Ricky.”

  “That was when she was alive,” Julie shot back.

  Anna cleared her throat and tried to catch Julie’s eye. Cassie talked tough but she was vulnerable. Anna wasn’t sure how her daughter was going to handle the loss of her friend.

  “Did you talk to the uncle, Mom?” Meg asked, slurping her chocolate milkshake through a paper straw.

  It had become soggy in minutes and Meg was struggling with it.

  “Uncle Freddie was in tears,” Cassie told them. “When Jojo’s father died two years ago, Fred promised he would look after his little girl. He feels he has failed his brother.”

  “What does this man do for a living?” Julie was curious.

  “He was the CEO of Gold Labs since Jojo’s father passed. But he sort of retired last month.”

  Meg wanted to know what that meant.

  “Jojo told me he will stay on as chairman of the board but he won’t be going in to work every day. His role will be more of a mentor.”

  The food arrived but the savory aromas wafting off the burgers failed to stir Anna’s appetite. Meg picked up a French fry, dunked it in ketchup and put it down. Cassie had ordered onion rings with her burger. She played around with them, crumbling them with her fingers.

  “We need to keep our strength up, girls.” Julie rubbed Cassie’s arm. “Now this is a perfectly good burger and I for one am going to sink my teeth into it.”

  Anna appreciated Julie’s efforts in trying to cheer them up. She followed her example and took a bite. The burger was juicy and perfect and her hunger returned in full force.

  Cassie and Meg followed her example as she had hoped.

  “Life goes on, doesn’t it?” Anna mused. “I know it feels crass to enjoy something as basic as a cheeseburger when someone we love is …”

  Her eyes welled up and a lump rose in her throat.

  “I ran into Millicent.” Cassie tried to divert her.

  “You mean that girl you replaced as maid of honor?” Julie quipped. “She wasn’t very happy with you, Cassie.”

  “I didn’t plan that,” Cassie shrugged. “Anyway, Millicent’s always been a bit condescending. Thinks she’s the smartest woman this side of the Rockies.”

  “So you’ve met her before?” Anna was surprised.

  “Millicent Cummings started working at Gold Labs when she was in college. She was Mr. Gold’s protégé. She’s devoted her life to the company.”

  “A workaholic, then,” Julie observed. “Beauty and brains in a single package. That’s a rare combination.”

  “Milli was like a protective older sister.” Cassie drained her soda. “She encouraged Jojo to have fun.”

  Anna wanted to know what the woman had said.

  “Milli couldn’t stop thinking about how happy Jojo was at the bachelorette party. She can’t figure out why Jojo jumped from the balcony.”

  Julie licked some sauce off her fingers.

  “Wait a minute … are you saying Jojo did this on purpose?”

  There was a stunned silence around the table as everyone connected the dots. Meg’s eyes filled with fear and she sidled a bit closer to Cassie.

  “She wouldn’t do that.” Cassie shook her head vigorously. “That’s what Milli was saying. Everyone agrees Jojo was happy about the wedding. She was walking on air all day, thinking about Ricky.”

  “Didn’t you see how cute they looked together?” Meg asked fiercely. “It was true love.”

  “Speaking of …” Julie needled. “Who was that dark haired devil you were dancing with last night?”

  Meg buried her face in her burger.

  Anna understood Julie was trying to lighten the mood around the table and she appreciated it.

  “Did you meet a young man?” she asked Meg.

  “I danced with a dozen different guys last night.” Meg rolled her eyes. “You can’t expect me to remember all of them.”

  “Sure you do,” Julie needled. “He was flashing his baby blue eyes at you all night long. And drinking like a fish.”

  “He wasn’t plying you with drinks, was he?” Cassie asked her daughter.

  Anna knew Cassie was being protective and she couldn’t be prouder of her daughter. Cassie had been notoriously wild at fifteen, sneaking out of her bedroom window and drinking at parties. But apparently, she was trying to be a good parent. Meg needed that. Anna and her husband John had fostered a lot of kids and she had learned
one thing. Kids needed boundaries. Some of them actually flourished under them.

  “You have to trust me, Mom.” Meg’s brow settled in a frown. “The bartender made a non-alcoholic Jojorita for me.”

  “So you know who I’m talking about?” Julie wasn’t ready to give up. “He was wearing a charcoal coat.”

  “The guy in the Armani suit?” Cassie burst out. “Well done, Meg.”

  Meg wadded a paper napkin and threw it on her plate.

  “Why are you making such a fuss about it?”

  Anna tried to calm her down.

  “Tell us about this young man. Was he one of the Hollywood set?”

  Most of the hundred people Jojo had invited were celebrities of some kind. Anna worried her granddaughter didn’t have the kind of sophistication needed to interact with those people. Rich people tended to be blasé about everything, unlike Meg who was innocent enough to look at the world around her with fresh eyes.

  “His name is Drake Benson and he has an art gallery in Monterey.”

  “That doesn’t sound like Jojo’s usual set,” Cassie frowned.

  Gino came into the restaurant and joined them. He had volunteered to spend some time with the groom.

  “How is the poor boy?” Anna asked.

  “Ricky is inconsolable,” Gino sighed. “He won’t get out of his cabin or talk to anyone. I ordered some dinner for him from room service. He refused to touch it.”

  “Maybe it’s best to let him grieve in peace,” Julie murmured.

  “What about Jojo?” Anna asked. “Won’t there be an investigation into what happened?”

  Gino had been perusing the menu. Cassie recommended the quarter pound cheeseburger with grilled mushrooms and Swiss cheese. It came with a sharp blue cheese sauce.

  “About that …” Gino looked sheepish. “I don’t think there will be one, Anna.”

  Anna sat up in her chair, her eyes filled with indignation.

  “What do you mean? A young, healthy woman just fell to her death. Don’t they want to know how, or why? It’s the least they can do for Jojo’s family.”

  Gino looked crushed. Anna noted the exhaustion around his face and felt guilty. She had promised him a relaxing vacation but that wasn’t looking very likely.

  “I ran into a guy I knew back in the day, in the Force,” he answered. “He’s the chief of security on this boat.”

  Cassie brightened.

  “That’s good, right? He can give us the inside scoop.”

  Gino’s food arrived and the ladies waited impatiently while he took a few bites.

  “Bernard took me to his office and explained everything.” He hesitated. “It seems this kind of thing is very common on a cruise ship.”

  “Brides falling to their death?” Julie was incredulous.

  “Not just brides,” Gino elaborated. “This is one of the most luxurious ships in the world. People pay big bucks to get access to the best food and drink. It’s unlimited, you know. Apparently that’s the draw, Bernard said. You can have the most premium champagne or cocktails made from top shelf liquor and drink to your heart’s content. Most of the guests do, because they want to get their money’s worth.”

  Cassie was frowning as Gino went on.

  “Jojo wasn’t like that. She’s always lived in the lap of luxury. This wasn’t like a once in a lifetime trip for her.”

  Gino popped the last piece of burger in his mouth and dabbed his mouth.

  “Nevertheless! Men and women overindulge and are intoxicated. Some have to be taken to the infirmary. They quarrel, they fight, they act crazy. And yes, some of them fall overboard and are lost forever.”

  “So what’s the long and short of this, Gino?” Anna was mutinous.

  “This is just business as usual as far as the ship authorities are concerned.” Gino looked reluctant. “Nobody can pinpoint when the accident happened. The ship was in international waters at the time. Laws are sketchy and no one really cares.”

  “The Gold family will care!” Cassie shot back.

  “There are hundreds of guests on this ship, apart from the wedding party,” Gino continued. “Bernard said the cruise line won’t risk putting all those people out. We will complete our itinerary as planned.”

  Julie was fidgeting in her seat.

  “And you are okay with that? You don’t think they are shrugging off responsibility?”

  “I don’t have a choice.”

  Anna had never seen Gino look so helpless.

  “I don’t have any jurisdiction here, Julie. But I trust my old buddy. He assured me he’s dealt with this kind of situation in the past.”

  “Mom.”

  Cassie stared at Anna, silently urging her to say something.

  “I hope you are not thinking of going sleuthing, Anna.” Gino’s face was set in a frown. “There is no foul play here. Jojo drank too much and fell off the balcony. That’s all there is to it.”

  Chapter 6

  Anna slept surprisingly well that night. Maybe it was the food. She had eaten something substantial for the first time since she boarded the Empress. Gino told her she was getting her sea legs. The nausea was almost gone and if the circumstances had been different, she would have been more eager to try out the different restaurants on the ship.

  Light flooded the cabin suddenly and Anna sat up in bed, rubbing her eyes. Julie had thrown the curtains open and stood next to the tall windows, watching the sun rise over the ocean.

  “Are those mountains?” Anna couldn’t hide her curiosity. “Where are we?”

  Julie turned around, a wide smile lighting up her face.

  “Land ahoy, sister! Welcome to Cabo San Lucas!”

  “Has the ship docked already?”

  “Doesn’t look like it.” Julie stretched her arms above her head. “Coffee’s on its way.”

  There was a knock on the door and a server entered, carrying two steaming pots of coffee. Cassie and Meg were right behind him.

  “What are you two doing up so early?” Anna was surprised to see the girls.

  “The tenders will start taking people out at 9 AM. We aim to be first in line.”

  Anna fixed coffee for all of them and took a sip of hers.

  “Who or what is a tender?”

  “It’s a motorboat, Anna,” Meg explained. “It’s going to take us to the shore.”

  “Wait a minute,” Anna frowned. “Don’t these ships dock at the shore? I thought we can just walk off a ramp, like the one we did in Los Angeles.”

  “Not everywhere, apparently,” Cassie informed her. “And not here.”

  Julie had been reading the ship’s daily newspaper.

  “She’s right, Anna. This says those boats will run from 9 AM to 9 PM. And then they will do that again tomorrow.”

  The original itinerary had them in port for two days. Jojo and her husband had booked into a local resort and would stay there on a brief honeymoon of sorts. The other guests would stay on the ship.

  “So what’s the plan, girls?” Anna asked.

  She wanted to go and talk to the security chief herself. But she wasn’t sure if she should go alone or take Gino with her.

  “Mom and I are going to check out the big breakfast buffet on the ship today.” Meg sounded eager. “Let’s all go!”

  Julie bit her lip.

  “Don’t we have our own buffet, kiddo? The main buffet is going to be very crowded. Everyone will be scrambling to get on those boats.”

  There was a lively discussion on what to do, fueled by caffeine. In the end, Meg capitulated. Half an hour later, they all went up to the top deck.

  The wedding coordinator stood by the elevator to greet everyone. She was handing out a printed itinerary to all the guests.

  “This is a list of excursions that have been arranged for the wedding party,” she explained. “Jojo chose these herself. You have plenty of choice.”

  “Are you still going ahead with her plans?” Cassie looked stricken.

  “These are a
ll paid for,” the woman shrugged. “We’re in port for two days and the guests will need to keep busy. The family agreed we should carry on as planned.”

  Cassie walked off in a huff. Anna took one of the schedules from the woman and thanked her. They found a table and began perusing the menu for the special items they could order.

  A buffet loaded with fresh fruit and baked goodies was already set up. Cassie fixed herself a plate of fruit and sat down. She stuck a fork in a chunk of papaya and started chewing furiously.

  Anna felt Cassie’s grief but they would all have to muddle on.

  “They have something called migas. And there’s an omelet bar.”

  “I’d go with the migas,” Cassie replied grudgingly. “It’s a spicy, cheesy egg dish with fried tortillas on top.”

  They all decided to give them a go.

  Anna spotted Fred Gold at a table at the far end, having breakfast. Millicent Cummings sat with him.

  “Excuse me,” she told the girls and stood up.

  She hadn’t had a chance to speak with Jojo’s uncle the previous day. The pair appeared deep in conversation and a few snatches fell on Anna’s ears.

  Millicent looked up just then and spotted Anna walking toward them. She said something under her breath. They stopped talking at once.

  Milli had placed her napkin on the table and scrambled up by the time Anna reached their table. The chair scraped back noisily and the girl made some apologies and excused herself.

  Fred Gold was standing up too. Anna urged him to sit down and get back to his breakfast, an egg white omelet with a side of fresh sliced avocado.

  “I wanted to offer my condolences,” she said grimly. “Jojo was a lovely child. She and Ricky were going to visit us in Dolphin Bay.”

  Fred’s hands shook as he cut his omelet. He gave up the effort and looked away. His eyes were bright and Anna realized he was trying hard to keep his composure.

  Fred rubbed the bridge of his nose and smiled wanly.

  “Jojo was a bundle of joy since the day she was born. She was christened Julia but we never called her that. She never cried, you know, not even when she was teething.”

  He picked up his water glass and took a sip.