Madison Johns - Agnes Barton 07 - High Seas Honeymoon

by Madison Johns

  Eleanor nodded. “I guess we’ll never know now, but at least Kacey is back with her friends without too many injuries.”

  “I’m still shocked that she’s not dead. I really need to brush up on my checking for a pulse skills.”

  Eleanor chuckled. “Oh, is that a skill you really want to brush up on?”

  “Yes, it might come in handy before we call in a 9-1-1 that the person is actually dead the next time.”

  “There was certainly still a reason for an alert though, Agnes.”

  I led the way out of the elevator and added, “The only thing I don’t understand is if they didn’t intend to rape her, why lock her in a room downstairs?”

  “I know, it doesn’t make too much sense. Since her family doesn’t have any money, it can’t be a kidnapping.”

  “Might it be human trafficking? I wished she could remember the man who let her out of that room.”

  “We could check for clues near the engine room,” Eleanor suggested.

  Captain Hamilton blocked our path with a frown. “Could I speak with you ladies, privately?”

  I almost said, ‘Yes, but it seems there’s no need to, now,’ but instead swallowed the words and we followed him to hear what he had to say. We walked through a door and down a long corridor and into a room with computer screens being monitored by security personnel.

  “Please have a seat ladies,” Captain Hamilton said. He waited until we sat down before continuing, “I wanted to bring you ladies in here to assure you that we carefully monitor this ship with cameras. There’s nothing that gets past us.”

  “Oh, so you checked the cameras in our hallway and you saw what happened to that woman we found?”

  “Yes.” He flipped on a tape that showed Kacey stumble up the hallway with a towel around her neck, collapsing on the floor where we had found her. “See, she’s quite alone and alive. If you watch the next few frames, you’ll see that you two happen along and check on her before running back to your cabin. Then the woman gets back up and takes the stairs down.”

  “What about the men that came into the hallway next?” I asked. “They might have been looking for the woman, even. She did appear intoxicated on the tape.”

  “I want to see the video of those men. I believe they were responsible for giving that woman a date rape drug at the very least,” Eleanor added.

  As the tape rolled, two men did come into the hallway, but they were dressed in white uniforms and replaced a light bulb in the exit sign.

  I jumped off my chair. “What? That can’t be right?”

  “One of them did look down the stairs for a second,” Eleanor observed. “Are you certain those men are reputable?”

  “They call in before they do maintenance checks and after. Believe me, it fits a very tight timeline. The woman you thought was dead was simply intoxicated, as you can see. I won’t have you falsely accusing the staff unless you have solid proof that they’re guilty of wrong doing.”

  “What about before that happened, like when the ship left port?”

  “They were at a meeting during that time and didn’t leave anymore than five minutes before this woman came out of that elevator. I hardly think they had time to give that woman something and if they had, you think they’d be doing a maintenance call?”

  “He’s right, Agnes. Besides, she had the towel around her neck when she came out of the elevator, not out of a room.”

  “Well, I’m sorry for calling you up there, Captain. I really thought the woman was dead, but I know now that’s not the case since we found out the young woman returned to her friends today. We were just going to find you and let you know we were mistaken.”

  Captain Hamilton smiled. “I can’t blame you for that and I’d want a passenger to call us if they think a crime has been committed or if someone is hurt or injured. I just wanted to prove to you both that I did check the tapes and took what you reported seriously.”

  “I can see that you have. I’m sorry for taking up your time.”

  “Actually, I was informed that you two do a little investigating back home. I’d sure like to hear about it at dinner tonight. I’d like you ladies and your husbands to join me at my table.”

  Eleanor beamed now. “Really? I’ve always wondered what it would be like to sit at the Captain’s table.”

  “We’re late to meet someone, Captain, so we’ll see you at dinner. Please do show us the way out. You got me so confused with all the twists and turns on the way into this room.”

  “I’d be happy to.”

  Captain Hamilton led us out and back to the main deck and I stared at every doorway we passed to see if it led to the engine room, but no such luck. I guess I wasn’t prepared for this twist.

  Chapter Seven

  Eleanor and I stared out to sea, watching the dolphins jumping nearby. I’m not used to being near the ocean or viewing marine life. If I was thirty years younger, I’d have loved to learn to dive, but at seventy-two I’m much more of a careful person, other than when Eleanor and I have unwittingly placed ourselves into danger on a case.

  “So, what are you thinking, Agnes?”

  “I don’t know. Did you see anyone in that stairwell coming up after us?”

  Eleanor squared her shoulders, her eyes wide now. “Well, I thought I had and we heard the voices of men in the hallway.”

  “So, them being glad nobody was up there and hoping not to be interrupted pertained to changing the light bulbs in the exit sign?” I asked, perplexed.

  Eleanor looked down at the handrail. “It appears so. I just don’t understand any of this.”

  “I made a mistake. I was sure she was dead.”

  “How was she able to climb down those stairs by herself?”

  “Maybe someone else came along and took her down them.” I sighed. “No, I just have to admit that I was wrong about everything and leave it at that.”

  “What about Kacey? Was she really held downstairs in a supply closet?”

  “I’m not sure, but we’re going to find out, or at least try to.”

  Eleanor searched my face. “But how, Agnes? How are we going to do that when we don’t even know the name of the man who let Kacey out of that closet?”

  “Well, we’re invited to the captain’s table.”

  Eleanor slapped her palms together and then rubbed them. “Ouch. You mean you’re planning to do some fishing.”

  “Perhaps even request a tour of the engine room.”

  “I always knew you were brilliant, Agnes.”

  “Do you really mean that, Eleanor?”

  She snorted. “Not really, but I sure wish I could have taken a picture of that look you just gave me when I said it.”

  “We should head over to the Hawaiian room and see if Leah is there yet. She sure seemed like she could use some female companionship even though she’s young enough to be our granddaughter.”

  “Speak for yourself,” Eleanor said.

  We strolled along the deck, past pools and hot tubs filled with both younger and senior-aged passengers. Why, in one pool, they were even playing volleyball.

  “That looks like fun,” Eleanor remarked. “I have a nasty right serve.”

  “Perhaps later,” I said.

  A young lady dressed in the uniform of the ship held a clipboard, saying, “We can sign you up for later if you’d like.”

  “Sounds great. How about two,” Eleanor said. “There will be three of us.”

  “Three?”

  “We can hunt down Andrew by then.”

  “What if he’s too busy to play volleyball?”

  “Call him and ask. You’re on your honeymoon, you know.”

  “You are?” The woman’s face became animated.

  “We both are, but my husband uses a walker, but we got him one of those scooters for the cruise,” Eleanor said.

  “He can use a walker in the pool if he wants. It happens all the time.”

  “Really?” I asked. I just couldn’t imagine it. I gave An
drew a quick call and told him about our pool volleyball plans and then our invitation for dinner with the captain tonight. He agreed to meet us at two and I hung up the phone. “Sign us up, Agnes and Eleanor, plus two.”

  While she jotted down our names, Eleanor asked, “Where is the Hawaiian Lounge?’

  “Just go in that sliding glass door and it’s right there. You’ll just love all the Hawaiian cuisine.”

  We thanked her and were off. A young man held open the door for us and we thanked him. We stopped in front of a host stand with fringed green fabric hanging off it.

  “How many?” a woman asked.

  Eleanor’s eyes widened as she stared at the woman’s huge gourds, or the ones covering the woman’s lady parts.

  “We’re supposed to meet a young lady. I’m not sure if she’s here yet. Her name is Leah, if that helps.”

  “I’m not sure, but you can take a look around.”

  I felt a tap on my shoulder and turned. It was Leah, wearing dark sunglasses. “Hello, there. I’m glad to see I’m not too late.”

  “Not at all. I think we’re a little early. This is my friend, Eleanor.”

  While Eleanor and Leah said hello, I told the hostess we were ready to be seated. We followed the woman to a table, hypnotized by the sway of her grass skirt. Before we had the chance to sit down, someone raced over and put Hawaiian leis around each of our necks, and grass skirts around our waists. Eleanor giggled, swaying her hips widely.

  “Be careful, dear. Don’t want to throw out a hip,” I suggested.

  We sat down and Leah was all smiles. “I like Eleanor already.”

  “Most people do, unless she’s after their man, but she’s a married lady these days and has given up her evil ways,” I said.

  “Nothing wrong with that. I wonder sometimes if I shouldn’t have listened to my mother and not come on this cruise.”

  Before I was able to ask her what she meant, the server came over and took our drink order, Eleanor and I ordered diet colas, but Leah ordered a pina colada. I tried unsuccessfully to mask my reaction because when the server left, Leah said, “It was a long night.”

  I couldn’t help but notice that she still wore her sunglasses, but the server returned too soon to tell us the lunch selections. “Today, we have tender ribs with pineapple sauce, grilled chicken, or vegetables and shrimp stir fry.”

  “With what sides?” Eleanor asked.

  “Rice, corn on the cob, and rolls.”

  Eleanor and I ordered the ribs and Leah ordered the vegetable stir-fry minus the shrimp, and once the server left, I asked. “Why are your sunglasses still on? It’s not sunny in here.”

  Leah didn’t answer, only interlaced her fingers.

  “What did you mean that you should have listened to your mother, dear?” Eleanor asked.

  “She didn’t want Leah to—”

  Eleanor slammed a palm down on the table and from the way Leah visibly jumped; it wasn’t hard to guess why her glasses were still on.

  “Sorry,” Eleanor whispered. “I didn’t mean to scare you. I was just going to tell Agnes that you could speak for yourself.”

  “That’s okay. She was just trying to help. My mother doesn’t really like Ricky, he’s my boyfriend,” she explained to Eleanor. “Anyway, last night Ricky’s friend, Leo, showed up and I don’t really care for him.”

  I took hold of Leah’s hand. “Did this Leo hurt you, Leah?”

  She pulled down her sunglasses just enough to show me her black eye. She quickly put them back up.

  “I ought to give that man a piece of my mind,” Eleanor hissed.

  “Oh, no. Don’t do that, Miss Eleanor. He’s a real bad man. He killed his own mother.”

  I was shocked at that. “And Ricky allowed this man to hit you?”

  “Ricky wasn’t there when he did it, but when I told him what Leo did, he told me to keep my mouth shut. That he needed Leo for some kind of deal he had going.”

  “Did he force himself on you?” Eleanor asked somberly.

  “He tried, but I gave him such a kick. I guess that’s why he punched me. After that, Ricky came back to our room and Leo left.” Leah clenched her hands into fists. “I wish I could have hurt him worse than I did.”

  “I’m sure you hurt him plenty. What kind of business does Ricky do and how is Leo a part of it?”

  “I’m not sure, but I think Leo might be the muscle behind the operation.”

  “So, you really have no idea?”

  “No, sorry, I don’t.”

  “Did you call your mother this morning and ask her to wire you money from home?”

  “I can’t. I mean, I’ll just hold out until we get back to Florida and then I’ll slip away.”

  “But what about Leo? What if he tries to hurt you again?” I asked.

  “Ricky promised me he’d make sure I would never be alone with Leo again.”

  “So that’s it, then. That’s how you want it handled?”

  “Yes, I can’t risk making Ricky angry. He has friends in all the stops in Mexico.” Leah smiled now. “Looks like our food is here.”

  The server set the food down and I was less than happy that Leah was so resigned to stay on this cruise with Ricky, who had allowed Leo to abuse her. From the looks of Leo, I wondered if he was the type of person who might have given Kacey a date rape drug, and I wondered, too, if Ricky’s business was human trafficking.

  The ribs were heavenly and the atmosphere was great. If the view out of the glass windows wasn’t of the pool area, I would have thought we were in Hawaii, for sure. Leah eased up and laughed, listening to Eleanor tell her stories about Mr. Wilson cooking his specialty tuna casserole.

  “My mother isn’t a very good cook,” Leah said. “My dad did all the cooking when he was alive.”

  “Sounds like a smart woman to me,” I said. “Sorry for your loss. Losing your father couldn’t have been easy for you.”

  “Thanks, but he’s been gone for a few years now.”

  “Still, it takes time to get over a loss like that.”

  Nothing about Leah’s past told me that she was part of any scheme of Ricky’s. She was an average student who chose to take a waitressing job after high school instead of attending a university, and that’s where she met a number of wealthy men who took her on trips until she got bored and found another. “Ricky treated me the best of all of them,” Leah said. “If it wasn’t for those creepy friends of his.”

  “And it took you this long to figure that out?”

  “Well, it wasn’t until this cruise that one of them tried anything out of the way.”

  “I see. I still think you need to leave before this cruise is over.”

  Leah stood up and wiped her mouth, setting down a generous tip since the meal was paid for, besides her alcoholic drink. We walked outside and I smiled when I saw Andrew and Mr. Wilson. By the time I turned to introduce him to Leah, she was long gone!

  So, there I stood with hands on hips as Andrew took that opportunity to come in for a hug. “I’ve missed you, Agnes. I’m tired after trying to keep up with Wilson.”

  I smiled up at him as I pulled away. “I can only imagine. Did you bring our swimsuits with you?”

  “Sure did. I can’t wait to see you in your swimsuit.” Andrew winked.

  I felt a little flutter in my chest now. I was quite happy to call Andrew my husband. He’s one of the most debonair men of our age bracket that I know. He’s a silver-haired fox in many ways and I’ve noticed he has even turned the heads of many of the younger women on this cruise. Of course he is seemingly unaware of this, which makes him a keeper, but I already knew that about my Andrew. Even when I knew him back in Saginaw, when he was married and I was working as his investigator, he never strayed on his wife. You just don’t meet men like that anymore. I’m still counting my lucky stars that Andrew showed up in Tawas like he had, fresh from the loss of his wife. I lost my own husband Tom when I was forty and knew just how hard it was moving on with your lif
e, but life does and should go on.

  Andrew waved a hand in front of my face. “Did you hear me, Agnes?” He dangled my swimsuit from his fingers. “I brought your swimsuit. Why don’t you and Eleanor get changed so we can show these people how us Michiganders play pool volleyball?”

  “Can’t say I ever played in a pool before,” Mr. Wilson said. “Or if I’ll even be able to.”

  “They told us you can use a walker in the pool. I hope they meant that they had one available for that purpose.”

  “A walker in a pool?” Andrew said. “This I have to see. Hurry up, ladies.”

  Eleanor giggled as Wilson tapped her backside and we slipped into a restroom and changed into our swimsuits. I frowned as I admired myself in the mirror, feeling less than satisfied with my reflection.

  My brow raised when Eleanor joined me at the sink, her ample bosom displayed quite prominently in her pink one-piece. “I know,” Eleanor said. “I was planning to keep my t-shirt on.”

  “Not sure if that will look better or worse, but sounds like a plan for me, too.”

  Eleanor’s hands slipped to her hips. “And what exactly for?”

  “To hide these rolls, for one.”

  Eleanor leaned back to get a better look. “I don’t know what you’re complaining about. Sure, you have a few rolls, but what person our age doesn’t? Besides, I weigh much more than you, dear. If I had your shape, I’d be working it.”

  “On the dance floor?”

  “Yup, that’s exactly what I meant,” Eleanor said sheepishly.

  Eleanor and I joined the men and Andrew asked, “What’s up with the t-shirt? I thought you looked great in that swimsuit.”

  “I-I just don’t feel comfortable flaunting around in front of all these people in my swimsuit.”

  “Why not? That’s what most of the passengers are wearing,” Andrew pointed out. “And they are all shapes and sizes, I might add.”

  “And don’t forget ages,” Eleanor said. “I’m wearing my t-shirt because if I don’t, something might pop out of it that I don’t want everyone seeing.”

  “Th-That’s good to know. She’s saving it for me,” Mr. Wilson said with a sly smile.

  I didn’t want to touch that comment and led the way to where the game was scheduled. The woman that stood there now with the clipboard was different than the last one. This one had her hair knotted at the back of her head and the name on her nametag said, Tasha Black, Cruise Director.