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

by Leena Clover

  “Get ready to be drenched.”

  The crowd started cheering as a row of men lined up at one end of the pool. Anna’s hands flew to her mouth, trying to stifle a laugh. All the men were huge, veritable giants, with big bellies hanging out.

  Meg nudged Anna and whispered in her ear, pointing out a big bear like man. The tiny briefs he wore were barely visible under his protruding stomach.

  “This is not some version of the Full Monty, is it?” Cassie was alarmed.

  Meg told her to relax.

  A whistle blew and the contest began. One of the men ran a few steps and leaped into the air, falling flat on his stomach in the pool. A gigantic wall of water flew in the air and fell on the people standing around the pool.

  “Belly Splash!” Anna finally made the connection.

  They cheered themselves hoarse for the next hour as a litany of strangers hurled themselves in the pool, hoping to make the biggest splash. It was silly but just what Anna needed to unwind.

  Meg wanted to try the high tea which was served in the dining room. They trooped back to their suite to change. Gino joined them for tea.

  “We dine at seven sharp,” Anna told everyone. “You brought your tux, didn’t you?” she asked Gino.

  Anna spoke to Julie when they went back to their cabin.

  “I believe Fred Gold had good intentions. What do you think?”

  Julie nodded wholeheartedly.

  “Absolutely! We would do the same if Cassie or Meg chose to marry some repulsive upstart.”

  “Ricky’s not bad.” Anna picked up her favorite diamond studs and examined herself in the mirror. “It’s not his fault he doesn’t have a trust fund.”

  “That’s not the problem though,” Julie pointed out. “He doesn’t have ambition. And that is definitely his fault.”

  Anna smoothed her hands down her gown. It was a vintage piece Cassie had picked out in a Hollywood consignment store. Some famous actress had probably worn it on screen.

  “You look fabulous!” Julie patted her back. “Gino’s eyes are gonna pop out.”

  Anna giggled nervously and told Julie she looked great too.

  “So you think everyone should aspire to be rich?” Anna knew Julie wasn’t a snob.

  “I didn’t say that, Anna.” Julie hesitated. “But a person should definitely aspire to achieve more than they started out with.”

  Anna thought the discussion was getting serious. She told Julie as much. Cassie and Meg hurried into the room to check on them.

  “We need to go now, Mom!” Cassie warned.

  They exclaimed over each other’s dresses and makeup and set off.

  Gino escorted Anna down a set of big curving stairs into a lounge. They enjoyed an aperitif and the waiter showed them to their table. The meal exceeded everyone’s expectations.

  “What’s next, Meg?” Anna plunged her spoon into a flourless chocolate cake topped with berries.

  “Karaoke!” Meg announced gleefully.

  They had a grand time and Anna and Gino won a prize for the best duet. It was a voucher for a couples’ massage at the spa.

  Everyone split up after that. Cassie and Meg wanted to check out the dance club. Julie went back to the suite to write.

  “Does she ever take a complete break?” Gino wondered.

  “She thought of a twist in her story and wanted to capture it before she forgets.”

  They went to the deck that had their special café. Moonlight shimmered over the water and the sea was calm as glass. The breeze blowing in was cool but gentle. Anna didn’t need a wrap when she had Gino’s arms to snuggle into.

  “Fred Gold loved his niece. He may be a bit cutthroat when it comes to his business. But he wouldn’t be a billionaire if he wasn’t like that.”

  Gino had come across hundreds of hard core criminals in his long career as a police chief. Anna trusted his instincts.

  “If Jojo’s uncle is innocent, that leaves Ricky.”

  Gino was quiet as they strolled toward the front of the ship.

  “Could Fred be right?” he mused out loud. “Did Logan do it in a fit of anger? He felt so guilty later that he took his own life.”

  “The star struck lovers.” Jojo’s happy face swam before Anna’s eyes. She had been excited about the wedding. But had she really loved Ricky? Or did she love Logan more? Had it been some kind of lovers’ tiff between the childhood sweethearts?

  “What if this whole wedding was a sham, Gino? Maybe Jojo was trying to shock Logan into stepping up.”

  “Her plan backfired in the most horrible way.”

  They came across a set of chairs and Anna sat down. Taking some time away from the problem had worked well for her. She was feeling charged and ready to tackle the puzzle once again.

  “Can we talk about that night again? Jojo went into the Empress Suite with Ricky and Millicent. They had a drink or two. Then Ricky and Jojo fell asleep and Millicent left the room.”

  “Fred Gold went in some time after that,” Gino continued.

  “But Jojo wasn’t there at the time.” Anna’s eyes filled up. “So Ricky must have thrown her over the balcony some time after Millicent left and before Fred came in.”

  “Don’t forget Fred confirms that Ricky was asleep on the couch when he entered the suite. You think that boy killed the woman he supposedly loved and fell asleep? Is he that cold blooded?”

  Anna tried to remember her last conversation with Ricky. The grief in his eyes had been palpable. But that didn’t mean he was innocent.

  “What about Logan?” Anna looked over the dark water. Jojo had died on a night like this. “He could have entered the suite through the connecting door looking for Jojo.”

  Anna felt a sudden rage against Ricky. How could he have slept through it all? He had failed to protect the woman he loved, only because he had overindulged.

  She had secretly felt Logan was a better choice for Jojo. A part of her wanted to believe that Logan had made a last ditch effort to stop Jojo from marrying Ricky. She wanted to believe their argument had got out of hand and Jojo’s fall had been an accident. She really wasn’t ready to believe Logan had done it deliberately.

  Gino stood up and took her hand. They set a gentle pace and reached the bow of the ship. For the umpteenth time, Anna wished it had all been a nightmare.

  “What about that girl Millicent?” Gino asked softly. “A good investigator should consider every person is guilty unless proven innocent, Anna.”

  “She has some kind of management position at Gold Labs. Jojo’s father doted on her, it seems. She was his protégé.”

  “I know who she is. How do we know she’s not lying?”

  “Say what now?” Anna was bewildered. “What about the wedding coordinator then, Gino? Or the bridesmaids? We haven’t considered them either.”

  Gino was kind enough to let her work it out for herself.

  “They were not on the spot,” Anna murmured.

  She let out an exclamation.

  “How could I have overlooked it? Millicent was right there with Jojo and Ricky. She might have hurt Jojo and slipped out. We know Ricky was passed out on the couch, oblivious to everything.”

  Gino took her arm and they started walking down the deck towards the aft portion of the ship.

  “She had the opportunity, Anna. But did she have a motive?”

  Anna wondered why Millicent might have wanted to hurt a sweet child like Jojo, someone she claimed was like a younger sister. According to Cassie, Milli had always been protective of Jojo.

  Chapter 25

  The morning sun streamed through the glass doors, waking Anna. She sat up in bed and yawned, marveling at the sparkling blue ocean outside. Although she couldn’t wait to get home, she was going to miss this view.

  Julie was fast asleep. Anna ordered coffee for everyone and went into the other bedroom. She shook the girls awake.

  “Today’s our last day on the ship!” Meg sat up in bed. “There’s so much to do, Mom. We still
haven’t gone bowling.”

  The cabin steward brought fresh baked cookies and chocolate covered strawberries with their coffee. Anna thanked him for taking care of them.

  She handed over the order form for breakfast.

  “I thought we might eat at the buffet today,” she told the girls. “I just ordered a few pastries and fruit to tide us over until then.”

  Julie was rubbing her eyes, not looking too pleased.

  “Why are you so chipper this early, Anna? Did Gino pop the question last night?”

  Anna told them about the previous night. Gino had dropped her off after their midnight stroll, urging her to get a good night’s sleep.

  “So is it back to sleuthing after breakfast?” Julie popped a strawberry in her mouth. “You don’t have a lot of time.”

  Cassie had news for them.

  “We ran into that coordinator woman at the dance club. She’s planning something big for today, just for the wedding party.”

  “It was Jojo’s idea,” Meg chimed in. “She wanted everyone to have a blast on the last day of the cruise.”

  They snacked on the pastries and sat out on the balcony, soaking in the morning sun. When the steward dropped off a special invite an hour later, they were showered and dressed and ready to go.

  “We have been summoned to the top deck.” Cassie waved the engraved invitation in the air. “Breakfast will be served while we learn about the day’s agenda.”

  Mimosas awaited them at the top deck, with Eggs Florentine, crab omelets and pancakes made to order. There was the usual tower of fresh tropical fruit with an array of dipping sauces. Anna filled a plate with mangoes, pineapple and papaya and put in an order for the eggs.

  The wedding coordinator was trying to get their attention.

  “This is your last day on the Empress Cleopatra. I hope you are excited.”

  There was barely any applause. Most people were busy loading their plates at the buffet. The woman went on undeterred.

  “We have planned a scavenger hunt! It’s a photo based game, so make sure your phones are charged and your cameras ready.”

  Meg pumped a fist in the air. “Yay!”

  A couple of bridesmaids looked enthusiastic.

  “This is a great way to explore the ship,” the wedding coordinator continued. “If you haven’t already. The Empress Cleopatra has a lot to offer.”

  “Sales pitch.” A man muttered while buttering his toast.

  Anna fought back a smile and tried to pay attention to the woman.

  “There’s a prize, of course. The grand winner gets a 7 day Alaskan cruise for two.”

  The crowd cheered this time. The woman outlined some rules and told them they would get their tasks in an hour, after everyone was done with breakfast.

  Gino arrived a few minutes later. Anna gave him a questioning look. He had promised to talk to the security chief that morning.

  “Nothing has changed,” he told her quietly.

  “You’ll join us, won’t you Anna?” Meg’s eyes shone with hope.

  Anna couldn’t say no. There was a mass exodus as everyone received a copy of their tasks. Cassie and Meg poured over it eagerly.

  “I’m a pro at these, Meg,” Cassie assured her. “People think they have to start at the top but that’s not true. We can do them in any order. In fact, let’s take this selfie against the wake right now.”

  Anna let herself be ushered to the aft end of the ship. Cassie and Meg took many pictures, making sure the frothy wake was visible in all of them.

  Cassie made them pose against the side of the ship next, with the ocean in the background.

  “That’s two tasks down,” she chortled. “Let’s head to the atrium.”

  A woman came out of one of the suites while they waited for the elevators. It was Martha, Fred’s secretary.

  “Aren’t you taking part in the hunt?” Cassie asked her.

  Martha nodded excitedly.

  “I have to run some errands for the boss first but it doesn’t matter. We have all day.”

  “Fred’s a workaholic.” Cassie rolled her eyes. “Wasn’t he ready to retire?”

  Anna wanted to know how he was handling his grief.

  Martha was eager to share her observations.

  “He misses Jojo. Fred never married or had kids but he cared a lot for her. Jojo was his pride and joy.” Her eyes watered and Anna saw her blink back a few tears. “But I also sense relief.”

  “Relief?” Anna couldn’t hold herself back.

  “Jojo was a party girl. Some people didn’t think she would be good for Gold Labs.”

  Anna remembered Fred had mentioned he wanted to spend his days fishing at his cabin. Had he been lying to them?

  “Fred told us he was proud of her,” Gino spoke up. “He was ready to let her lead the company.”

  Martha told them Fred didn’t have a choice. Jojo owned the majority shares in the company. According to her father’s will, she had to be made CEO within two years of his death. Fred had managed to put it off as long as he could.

  “So he thought she was a bimbo who would run the business into the ground,” Cassie cut in.

  “Jojo knew this day was coming,” Martha shrugged. “The two years were a buffer for her to learn the ropes but she didn’t straighten her act. Ricky was good for her but he doesn’t have a business background.”

  “So Fred chose money over his niece,” Julie noted grimly. “He sure had me fooled.”

  Martha stayed loyal to her boss.

  “Not just money. Thousands of people depend on Gold Labs for their livelihood. One false move can disrupt several families. Jojo wasn’t ready to take on that kind of responsibility.”

  The elevator arrived and they piled in. Martha took a quick picture of herself in the atrium and headed toward the climbing wall.

  “Wait a minute, Martha.” Anna placed a hand on her arm. “Who handles the day to day operations at Gold Labs now?”

  “Millicent, of course,” Martha replied hurriedly. “She’s been running the company since Jojo’s father passed, just without a formal title. Fred will make her CEO now.”

  Anna stared at Martha’s back as the older woman hurried to tackle her next task.

  “Did you hear that?” she asked Gino.

  “That’s three tasks down and twelve more to go.” Meg’s voice snapped her out of her thoughts. “Shall we go to the pool next, Anna?”

  Cassie had been chatting to the girl at guest relations. She came back smiling.

  “I just got the best tip. There’s a swimming pool for the staff two decks down. I vote we go there now.”

  There was a line of people at the elevators, waiting to go up. Most of them were from the wedding party and everyone was waiting to go up to Deck 13.

  “What’d I tell you?” Cassie crowed. “It helps to be friendly with everyone.”

  Anna looked at Gino and rolled her eyes. Cassie was very competitive and she had pulled Meg into her vortex. She wondered if the scavenger hunt had a task for resting their feet or taking a nap.

  Meg rushed forward when they stepped out on the lower deck. The smell of chlorinated water drew them to the pool.

  Anna’s eyes widened as she took in the throng of people huddled around something. Did they also have belly splash contests for the crew?

  Most of the people were dressed in some kind of uniform. They bowed and greeted Anna, following the famous 10-5 hospitality rule. The crowd parted for them, revealing a most unexpected sight.

  Ricky stood with his head down opposite the maid Alicia. Suddenly, Alicia’s hand flew out and she gave Ricky a resounding slap. Then she burst into tears and fled from the scene.

  Anna stared at the poor groom in dismay. The welts on his cheek were turning darker by the second. What had he done to make Alicia resort to violence?

  Chapter 26

  Cassie pulled Meg toward the theater. A sign told them that it was closed to passengers since rehearsals were going on inside.

/>   They had just finished lunch and taken care of two tasks at the same time, a photo at their favorite restaurant on the ship and a photo of a fruit carving. The Asian specialty place had surpassed their expectations with a big sushi buffet and hibachi grill. Anna had pleaded a headache and decided to take a nap for a while. Julie wanted to attend another history lecture in the library. Gino hadn’t said much and Cassie just assumed he wouldn’t tag along with her and Meg.

  Anna had promised she would meet them at the spa a couple of hours later. It was their last chance to get pampered and Cassie had booked hot stone massages for all of them. The ship’s spa also offered an immersive ice bath, something she swore by.

  “This is closed, Mom.” Meg’s face fell. “We wasted a trip here. We should have gone back to the suite with Anna to get a picture with our cabin steward.”

  Cassie told her to be patient.

  She pushed the door lightly and crept in. The theater was pitch dark, except for a spotlight on the stage. A troop was rehearsing some dance moves and a choreographer took them through the steps.

  A man sat in the front row, observing them and taking notes.

  “That must be the director,” Cassie whispered.

  Some men and women dressed in costumes were sprinkled across the seats in groups, busy chatting among themselves.

  Cassie and Meg sat in a row and watched the drama unfolding on the stage.

  The group of girls seated before them suddenly grew animated. Cassie thought she heard them mention Ricky. Meg must have heard the same because she hunched down in her chair and leaned forward.

  Cassie realized the girls were discussing the big row they had witnessed by the swimming pool. One of them, a girl called Cho, was Alicia’s roommate and was staunchly supporting her.

  “Ricky’s so wholesome,” one of the girls gushed. “One look at those baby blue eyes and I was in love. How did Alicia ever let him go?”

  Another girl observed they had all made tough decisions to feed their families.

  There was a murmur of agreement among the group.

  Alicia’s roommate reminded them it was all ancient history. Ricky and Alicia had met that summer and he had made big promises to her. Now he was reneging on that promise. No wonder Alicia was angry. Any girl in her position would have lashed out. Ricky deserved that slap.