by Rita Lakin
“So, with all the fuss, he has to know she’s alive. I wonder what’s going on in his head.”
“I bet he’s worried whether he can get the job done now,” Ida says.
“I think Amy knows something. She’s hiding it, whatever it is. She overreacted when we said she should call her husband and tell the captain. She’s afraid.”
“Well, she ought to be afraid if someone is trying to kill her,” says Ida.
“It’s more than that,” I say.
“We have a place to begin,” Evvie says. “Tomorrow morning, we find the sailors and get them to check their records and then we go to the purser. He promised Amy he’d check on those no-shows for her.”
Sophie yawns first. Then Bella. Soon we are all yawning.
“I think I can sleep now.” Bella starts to climb off our beds.
“Me, too.” Ida crawls off the wall space to regain her usual spot.
Sophie gets off, too, dragging her bedding.
Bella grins. “This was fun. A regular pajama party sleepover. I feel like a kid again.”
“I thought you felt old.” Ida laughs.
“Same thing. Young or old, you feel free.”
“Not really,” Ida says. “I wouldn’t ever want to go through those painful growing-up years again.”
Everybody is back in place.
“Good night, Evvie.”
“Good night, Ida.”
“Good night, Gladdy.”
“Good night, Bella.”
“Good night, Sophie.”
I hear Ida switch off the air. I hear Evvie switch it back on. I cover my ears. Here we go again.
38
GG&A on the Job
It’s eight-fifteen and we are surprised to see Amy
Larkin seated at our breakfast table, waiting for us. With just a few bruises showing, she looks all right. She chats with some of the guests who’ve come over to say how glad they are she was rescued.
At our arrival, the attention once again shifts to us for saving her.
“How are you?” Evvie asks, once the other passengers have left.
Amy smiles wryly. “Aside from every bone in my body aching, I’m fine. These painkillers are keeping me going.”
I am upset. “I wish they hadn’t let you leave the infirmary by yourself.”
“That’s all right. Lots of people were around.”
“Well, you better stick close to us until we find out what really happened,” Evvie insists.
The girls rush through breakfast. Sophie suggests Amy join the bingo game and watch us win a thousand bucks today.
“Yeah, sure,” says Ida. “That’ll be the day.”
Bella is already standing. “We gotta go or we’ll never get good seats.”
Everyone manages to gobble down a last few bites. They all get up except for me.
“Glad, come on,” Evvie says.
“I’m going to the purser with Amy to see what we can find out. We’ll join you in a little while.”
I glance at Amy to make sure it’s all right with her. She nods.
The girls grab their bingo bags and tell us to hurry.
After a more leisurely breakfast, Amy and I head back down to the main lobby, which, as usual, is bustling with activities. Our next stop, tomorrow, is St. Thomas, and people are gathering information and signing up for shore trips.
The purser, Dennis, is a sweet young man with a lot of freckles and a friendly smile. He’s obviously heard about what happened and he tells Amy how glad he is that she’s all right. She thanks him.
“What about my friends?” Amy asks. “Were you able to find out anything?”
He scrambles around his busy desk looking for his notes until he finds them. “I couldn’t reach the Martinsons,” he says, “but I did hear from the Johnson family. I’m sorry to have to tell you that Mrs. Johnson passed away last week.”
Amy is shocked. She holds on to the wall, as if her legs won’t support her. “I can’t believe it.” Her eyes tear up.
I put my arm around her.
Dennis pauses, then speaks quietly. “Here’s something. One of the tickets was used. But under a different name. If you want, I could check that out for you.”
“Please do,” she says, her voice quivering.
“May I ask you something, too?” I ask.
“Of course,” he answers.
I want to know if he can find out for me who the last people to board were yesterday afternoon. He tells us all passes are electronically swiped. Only the captain would have access to this information. It’s considered classified and not available to anyone.
That takes care of that.
“That’s a shame about your friend,” I say to Amy when we leave his office.
“Yes,” she says. “I didn’t know her that well, but she was such a lively woman, it’s hard to believe.”
“Do you need to lie down and rest? I could stay with you.”
“No. I think I’d rather be up and around. All I’ll do is dwell on what almost happened yesterday.” She shivers. “You really think someone pushed me, don’t you?”
“Yes, Amy, I do.”
“He’s around here somewhere, isn’t he?”
“I think so, yes.”
“Do you think he’ll try again?”
“Not if you’re never alone. Let’s go and talk to the captain now.”
“No, please. Not yet. I can’t deal with it. I just can’t.”
“But Amy, you’re in danger.”
“Please. Soon, maybe later.”
I want to insist, but she seems so fragile. “Do you want to play bridge to distract you? Maybe we can find you some players?”
She shakes her head. “By now, all the tables are set. Let me stay with you and watch the bingo game.”
As we walk toward the bingo hall something is niggling at me, but darn these old brain cells, always failing me when I need them the most.
I’m surprised to see the girls seated in the same booth as on the first bingo day. They are busily daubing numbers being called and shown on the big board.
Sophie, as she makes a quick daub, tells us, “The Dolls saved it for us. Isn’t that sweet?”
At that, Rose and Judy wave at us. I wave back.
I slide into the booth, and Amy moves in after me. I wait for the next game and try to get into it.
“Glad,” Evvie shakes me. “You’re not paying attention. You missed a number, B-three.”
I mark it, but hard as I try, I can’t concentrate. So many thoughts are jumping around in my head. I’m missing an important fact and my mind won’t let me pull it up.
“Glad, what’s wrong with you? Where are you?” Evvie asks.
“I have to remember something I just heard,” I tell her.
“What is it?”
“If I knew I’d tell you.” My rotten short-term memory.
I deal out my stack of packets to Evvie and the others. They are horrified.
“What are you doing?” Evvie asks.
“Play for me. I need to think.”
“Think later,” Ida says. “Play now.”
“I can’t.”
“And I can’t handle so many papers,” Bella says, near tears.
Ida pulls them away from her. “Well, I can.”
“Thanks,” she says gratefully.
“I’m on,” whispers Evvie. Everyone is on alert.
“Waddaya need?” asks Sophie.
“I-seventeen.”
“Oh, no,” says Bella, “our most unlucky number.”
The girls hold their collective breaths as the next numbers come and go. O-70. B-6. O-66.
I hear their little groans of misery. We all believe the more numbers called, the less chance of getting the one you need.
And finally, B-13 and someone screams “Bingo!”
And so do I. “Bingo!” The girls look at me as if I were loony. “I remember it!”
I tell Amy to slide back out of the booth. “Come on, gi
rls, let’s go!” Now the Bingo Dolls are looking our way, wondering at the commotion.
“Are you crazy?” Evvie shrieks.
“Now. Up. Up. Come on.” Amy is standing alongside the booth. I slide out after her and stand up, too.
The numbers are checked and the winner wins five hundred dollars to a roomful of applause.
I feel like such an idiot. Those names. Of course!
“I’m not going,” Sophie says.
“This is really necessary,” I insist.
“Why?” says Ida, arms crossed.
“I’ll tell you outside.”
The next game starts. The girls automatically look at their numbers. I hurry Amy to the back.
The girls are torn. Finally Evvie acts. She grabs all the bingo packets out of the girls’ hands and leans over into the Dolls’ booth. She shoves all the packets at them.
“Play for us,” she says. “If we win the big money, let us know and we’ll split it fifty-fifty.”
Evvie starts up the aisle. After a moment, the others follow her. The Bingo Dolls look after us in total disbelief.
39
Bingo
We stand outside the main theater, where the bingo games continue playing. The caller’s voice can be heard through the closed doors.
Four faces glare at me. Four people who do not intend to move from this spot.
“How could you do this to us?” That’s Evvie.
“We were practically about to win!” Now Sophie.
“Yeah,” echoes Bella. “I was already on twice.” She leans her ear against the door, trying to hear.
Ida folds her arms. “What’s so important it can’t wait?”
Sophie puts her hand on the doorknob. “Give us a report later.”
Bella moves closer to her side. “My winning ticket got us a bingo cruise and we’re cruising now and I don’t want to miss anything. That’s my report.”
Sophie elbows her. “My winning ticket.”
“Ouch.”
Amy is as puzzled as the others. “Is this about me?”
I nod at her and turn to face my gang. “All right, my impatient ones, I will do this alone. Brace yourselves. I know why Amy’s three friends aren’t on board. They are all dead!”
There is a collective gasp.
Amy instinctively touches her fluttering heart. “But I don’t understand—the purser only told me about Beth. How can you know about the others?”
“Soon you’ll understand.” I take her by the hand and start toward the deck.
Evvie rushes after me and grabs my arm. “Oh, no. You don’t get to throw that bombshell at us and then walk away.”
My captive audience is all ears now.
“Listen, I’ll tell you everything, but first help me find the Sicilianos.” My gang follows as quickly as they can with those arthritic knees. Amy, stunned by what I’ve said, keeps up. Her mind must be in turmoil.
“Where are we going?” Evvie pulls at my arm again.
“We need to have Amy meet Angelina.”
“How will we find them? On board this ship? Impossible.” Evvie is incredulous.
“Thousands of people. A hundred different activities. They could be anywhere.” Ida is equally negative at the possibility.
“We’ll have them paged.” I’m heading for the purser again.
“I never heard any names paged,” says Ida.
“Only messages from the captain,” Bella agrees.
“They never had ten people jump ship before, either,” I remind them. “There’s always a first time for everything.”
“Hello, again,” Dennis says, smiling, when we reach his desk. “What is it you need now?”
“Actually, we need to find two people as soon as possible. We need to have them paged.”
The smile fades. “We don’t do that.”
“But this is important.”
“There are two thousand people on board this ship. If we let everybody call their pals, can you imagine how noisy it would be?”
“This is very important.”
“Sorry. Only if it is an emergency.”
“Well, it is, to us,” I say.
He turns his back on us, pretending to be busy.
Amy and the girls look to me. Now what?
“Please call the captain.”
He turns again, startled. “I beg your pardon?”
“Captain Standish, if you please,” I say, pointing to his phone. “Tell him Gladdy Gold needs to make a very brief announcement.”
He looks at me as if I’m crazy. I just wait him out.
Finally Dennis turns away again and a moment later I hear him whispering. Then I hear him say, “Yes, sir.”
The purser hands me a mike. He is surprised, but he knows how to follow orders. “Make it fast.”
I’ve got clout on this here ship now.
We find the Sicilianos waiting for us on the top deck in the Jacuzzi adjoining the pool. Kids are screeching with glee as they tumble down the water slide. The deck is mobbed with people. A rock band is playing. Couples in bathing suits are dancing. The lounge chairs are filled with sunbathers.
Angelina is still deep in the tub, surrounded by bubbles. Need I say her bathing suit is black? Elio is seated on the ledge. He smiles, but it’s more like a sneer.
“You just can’t get enough of me, hey, babe?”
“Shut your face, putz.” Angelina punches him in the knees. She grins, having learned that word from us. “What can I do for you, Mrs. Gold?”
“We need to talk. It’s very important.”
“All right.” She pokes Elio again. “Pass me the towel and help me out.” Elio obeys instantly. Looks like Angelina’s reheated love doesn’t stop her from being the boss.
Our group settles at an outdoor table as far away from the deck action as possible. I make sure no one is within hearing distance.
After the drinks we’ve ordered have arrived, all look to me to tell them what this is about. Except for Elio, who stands up, taking his drink with him. “I guess I’ll just leave you ladies to your hen party and go find myself a poker game.”
I say, “Mr. Siciliano, you’re going to want to hear this.”
Before he can argue, Angelina pulls him back down into his seat. He glares at me, arms crossed. “Can I smoke a cigar, at least?”
There are seven loud “nos” at that. He finally gives up trying to annoy us. He’s trapped.
“And enough with the Mr. and Mrs. How about Angelina and Elio?” Angelina offers up to me.
“Yes, thanks, Angelina.”
Angelina looks at Amy. “How are you today?” she says with concern.
“All right,” Amy replies.
I take a deep breath.
“What I’m about to say to you will sound incredible. I can hardly believe it myself. In my wildest imagination I could never envision such a thing happening. I’ve figured most of it out, but I need both Angelina and Amy to put the final pieces together for me.”
My girls lean in closer. Amy and Angelina look at one another curiously. I am sure they’re unable to think of any way in which they could possibly be connected.
Bella slurps her drink, then giggles in embarrassment. “Sorry.”
I continue. “All of this started for me over a month ago when I was trying to show off in front of my boyfriend and his son. Both policemen.”
I stop. My girls look surprised. I never got around to telling them about Jack being a cop, as well. Only Evvie knew.
“Then Sophie won a free cruise and we turned up on the Heavenly.” Sophie smiles at being referred to.
“I better stay in the present and work backward. On the ship we accidentally meet Amy, who is lost and puzzled because she can’t find the three women she was supposed to meet for the bridge tournament. I need you, Amy, to tell everyone, were these women close friends of yours?”
“No,” she answers. “As a matter of fact, I only met them six weeks ago at the last bridge tournament on this very
ship. We got along so well we all agreed to meet again for the next one. This one.”
I smile. “Aha, I thought so.”
“What’s with the ‘aha’?” Sophie wants to know.
“First things first. Amy is told at the purser’s office that one ticket was canceled. Two were no-shows.”
I take a long sip of my drink.
“I went with Amy to see the purser again today. He informed us that Mrs. Johnson had died. It further seems that one of the tickets belonging to another of the women is being used by someone else. Two names are mentioned: Johnson and Martinson. I don’t react because these are fairly common names. And because I have a senior moment and my mind doesn’t make the connection—until I am in the bingo hall this morning and it hits me like a hurricane. I know these names.”
Angie startles. “I know one of those names. My cousin, Josephine Martinson.”
Amy looks at her, mystified. “Jo Martinson is your cousin, and you’re on this ship and she isn’t?”
“Josephine died a few weeks ago. I used her ticket. Elio bought another one and here we are.”
“Oh, no,” Amy says, looking at me finally having to believe what I told her earlier.
Now my girls are about to jump out of their skins.
“The one who died and lost her diamond ring in the cave? Elizabeth Johnson? I was in that cave. I found her ring!” Sophie is nearly leaping out of her seat.
“Don’t tell me the third woman was Margaret Sampson?” Evvie says incredulously.
Amy nods yes.
“She died of a heart attack playing golf,” Ida adds. “We saw it in the newspaper.”
Amy is stunned.
I look pointedly at Evvie. “All three of the women Amy is supposed to meet. What a coincidence.”
“You ought to know, Gladdy doesn’t believe in coincidences,” Evvie informs the group.
“Let me go back again for a moment. At that dinner with my boyfriend and his son, Morrie, the young policeman was talking about his cases. I was telling him about mine.”
Evvie interrupts to tell Amy, “Gladdy and us girls are detectives.”
“That’s how we met,” says Angie. Elio glares at her. “I had a small problem they solved,” she adds, smiling sweetly at her problem.
Amy is still dumbfounded as Ida hands her one of our cards.
“So, I tell my boyfriend and his son, I can’t believe these coincidences. At this point it was Margaret Sampson and Josephine Martinson who had died within less than a week of each other. They dismiss my theory. I decide to check it out and do a little investigating with my sister, Evvie.”
