by Dawn Brookes
“Stay put, and if anyone comes along, pretend you’re waiting for someone.”
“Strictly speaking, I am.” Marjorie laughed.
Rachel entered the office and prayed he hadn’t locked his drawers. She crossed the room quickly and crouched down on hands and knees – because he’d left the blinds open, she couldn’t risk being seen. Her heart was pounding and hands were trembling by the time she got to the other side of his desk. Reaching up, she pulled the drawer to find it was locked.
Drat and blast. All this for nothing. Lock picking wasn’t her forté.
She sat on the floor, trying to work out what to do next. Risking raising her head up, she peeked at what was on top of the desk. Minimalistic order was his thing: the desk top consisted of a computer, the keyboard and a photo of a pretty girl about Rachel’s age who in all likelihood was his daughter. The desk-tidy gave her a surge of hope, but on checking if he’d dropped his keys in there, she found nothing.
About to give up, she spotted a shelf of books to the right of the desk. A small silver tin sat at one end. Again risking being seen, she stood up, quickly checking the corridor for people. A couple walked past with their backs to her as she grabbed the tin and slunk back down to the floor.
The tin was embossed with faux ivory, something Waverley had probably picked up in Asia. As Rachel removed the lid, her eyes lit up with delight at the sight of a small set of keys.
With her heart beating ever faster, she tried each key in the lock. On the third attempt, the lock clicked. Her hands were shaking almost out of control as she pulled the drawer open, grabbed a lanyard with a universal swipe card on it, and closed and locked the drawer, panting.
Raising herself up off the floor, she felt dread return on seeing Waverley heading in her direction. Panic set in as she saw him stop to speak to Marjorie. Then he turned and walked in the opposite direction, giving her the opportunity to quickly replace the tin and race across the room and out the door.
Breathless, she sat down next to Marjorie.
“What kept you? I was so worried.”
“The drawer was locked, I had to find a key. How did you get rid of Waverley?”
“I told him I was worried about you as you hadn’t returned with my water and sent him off in the direction you never went in. I think we’d better leave.”
They bumped into Waverley in the midships area. “I was concerned. Where were you?” he said to Rachel.
“Sorry, I got caught short, and then bumped into Mario, our butler, and we got chatting. All’s good now.” Deceit didn’t come naturally and Rachel crossed her fingers behind her back. Waverley seemed satisfied and headed back to his office to collect whatever it was he’d forgotten.
“There’s only one downside to this plan, you know,” said Marjorie.
“What’s that?” asked Rachel.
“You’ll be on CCTV.”
Rachel slapped her head. “You’re right. Let’s hope they don’t have any reason to check it tonight. After that, I’ll own up if need be and take the consequences. If not, I can easily put the key back.”
“How?”
Rachel waved the lanyard. “I have a key!”
As they walked arm in arm towards the restaurant for dinner, no-one would have imagined what they had planned for the rest of the evening.
Chapter 30
Rachel joined Marjorie in the Culture Lounge. The surprised look on her elderly friend’s face made her laugh.
There was little chance they could converse above the noise of the band, by now in full swing belting out Bohemian Rhapsody, the delighted passengers reliving their seventies’ memories by throwing themselves around the dance floor, much to the chagrin of the younger members of their families. One man in particular appeared to be getting a little carried away.
“He’ll do himself a mischief if he’s not careful,” shouted Marjorie.
“Or someone else, most likely. Come on, let’s go somewhere quiet, I’ve got news for you.”
They left the bass behind and made their way to the main atrium where a string quartet was playing a mixture of Vivaldi and Mozart.
“Now this is much more my cup of tea!” exclaimed Marjorie.
“That’s what I love about cruising, there’s so much variety, something for every taste.”
“What happened? You were too quick to have been through all the rooms.”
“I got lucky,” Rachel said triumphantly. “I know what’s going on.”
After she had explained her findings to Marjorie and her suspicions, they agreed the time had come to involve Waverley and set a trap. Rachel asked guest services to call the chief of security as a matter of urgency and she and Marjorie waited for him to arrive.
He looked a little flushed as he made his way over to their table, conveniently situated behind a large pillar but in full view of the small dance floor and a stage where the quartet continued to produce aesthetic sounds. Rachel looked closely at the chief and wondered if he had been drinking, or whether the post prandial exercise had caused his face to burn brightly.
He sounded sober enough when he sat down. “Good evening again, ladies. I was informed you needed to see me urgently.” His curtness told them they had obviously interrupted something important – a date?
Rachel smiled. “Sorry to disturb you, but yes, it is urgent.” She explained her discovery, neatly omitting to mention how she’d acquired a key card. Thankfully, Waverley seemed more concerned with the gravity of the situation and the shock revelation than with her method. “I have a flytrap plan, but we will need Gordon’s cooperation to carry it out,” said Rachel finally.
Waverley listened intently, only asking pertinent questions, and immediately sprang into action.
“Follow me,” he instructed while speaking into his radio, requesting Gordon to come to his office along with two security officers.
Gordon tentatively agreed to the plan and left them to set proceedings in motion. They needed to wait until eleven-thirty, but set themselves up fifteen minutes before, moving to the bow of the ship and hiding themselves in the theatre where Gordon would be arranging his meeting. Although Rachel would have preferred Marjorie to wait in Waverley’s office, she insisted on attending.
“I don’t want to miss the action now we’ve got this far,” the older lady insisted.
In the dark, Rachel could hear Waverley’s breathing and imagined him sweating. He had the most to lose if this trap turned horribly wrong – second to Gordon, that was.
After what seemed an age they heard footsteps walking on to the stage, followed by shuffling as someone hid themselves. Rachel’s heart was pounding with anticipation and she prayed their plan would work.
Silence ensued for what seemed an eternity, but in reality could only have been around five minutes. No-one dared move for fear of alerting the person hiding on stage. At one point, a couple mistakenly entered the theatre from the back, giggled at finding themselves in the wrong place and left again.
The silence became deafening and Rachel could feel her muscles stiffening with tension from the hunched position in her hiding place. She hoped Marjorie would be alright – she had ensured the old lady was in a more comfortable hiding place than the one she’d found for herself. Just beginning to wonder if Gordon had changed his mind and chickened out, Rachel heard footsteps approaching and saw someone shining a torch.
A commotion occurred and the man dropped the torch and grunted as if someone had attacked him.
Waverley flicked on the lights and shouted, “That’s enough – the game’s up. Let him go.”
The dastardly duo on the stage looked stunned at having been caught in the act. Gordon sat on the floor with his head in his hands.
“I suppose you were going to say your husband attacked you and you hit him in self-defence,” said Rachel to Shirley Venables, now handcuffed and held by a security officer. Dalton Delacruz was also in cuffs.
“How did you find out?”
“When I took that
photo of you and Sarah in Tallinn, I remembered catching a brief glimpse of a photo of you with a man. At first, I assumed it was Gordon, but it came to me earlier this evening that it could have been someone else, someone I recognised. Tonight while you were performing, I slipped into the changing rooms backstage and found your phone with your clothes. I was grateful you used a combination of your date of birth as a pass code – not wise, by the way. I checked the photo, and sure enough, you and Dalton were in a lover’s embrace. What I didn’t understand was why you had Dominic killed or why you didn’t just leave Gordon and take up with Dalton. But it was all about money, wasn’t it?”
Gordon looked at Rachel, clearly unable to look at his wife. “Who killed my brother?”
“Dalton, under instructions from your wife, I’m afraid. Dom had seen them together and threatened to tell you unless she came clean with you herself. He hadn’t tried it on with her at all – he really was trying to mend his ways as far as you were concerned. Dalton knew they had been seen by a passenger – Dave Hughes, as it turned out – so he made up a story about Shirley and Dom to throw everyone off the scent. Even though he wouldn’t be believed entirely, it muddied the waters enough to draw suspicion away from him. Shirley convinced Dalton she would run away with him, but didn’t want to lose out on her inheritance with you still alive. I think she played Dalton to get at your money. He’d do the dirty work, she would be very rich, and later she’d dump him.”
“Why did he pretend he had tried it on with Shirley when I confronted him?” asked Gordon, confused.
“Old habits die hard, I guess,” answered Rachel.
“I suspected she was having an affair. I told her I was going to change my will, so I guess that’s what brought on the urgency.”
“I’m afraid so,” said Rachel, putting a hand on Gordon’s shoulder. “You were never the controlling one in the relationship, either. Jealous yes, but controlling, no. Your wife had everyone convinced you were a psychological abuser. It was the other way round.”
Gordon, horrified, finally looked at his wife. “Why would you say that? They told me I had to stay away from you because you wanted to leave me.”
Shirley glared at him. “You’re pathetic, Gordon. Always in your brother’s shadow. I only married you when I discovered you’d made a small fortune from developing a stupid app, but cautious Gordon would never spend any money. Saving it for a rainy day! I might as well have married a pauper.”
“So the only way of getting your hands on the money was by killing your husband. What a callous woman you are.” Marjorie’s voice betrayed her disgust.
“Humph,” said Shirley.
“Who sent the letter?” asked Waverley.
“She sent it to herself. Am I right?” asked Rachel.
“It seemed a good idea and kept the security team off the scent.”
“What I don’t understand,” said Marjorie, “is why Mr Delacruz would agree to murder someone on your behalf so soon after you met?”
“I don’t think they had just met,” Rachel explained, looking at Shirley. “You were never really kept locked away in Wales, were you?”
“No, we met up with the band whenever they were in Cardiff. Dalton and I had a fling then.”
“So my suspicions were right about you having affairs?” Gordon looked at his wife in astonishment.
Ignoring him, Shirley looked at Waverley. “I did wonder why you allowed my husband back to work.”
“Mr Hughes withdrew his complaint and I didn’t have your husband down as a killer,” said Waverley. “You nearly got away with it as Hughes had punched his father after an argument and later thought he was responsible for Dominic’s death – he even tried to take the rap for the attack on your husband.”
Gordon looked astonished. “His father? What do you mean?”
“Yes, Gordon. Dom had a son who he abandoned at birth: Dave Hughes, the man you attacked. He really had seen a band member kissing your wife, but it was Dalton, not Dom.” Rachel put a hand on his arm.
Gordon cried, “I’m so sorry, I don’t know what came over me. I was in a jealous rage – a nephew? At least I have something left of Dom.”
“See? You’re pathetic!” spat Shirley scornfully.
“Take her away,” commanded Waverley.
Dalton, who had been quiet until now, said, “She does love me, she told me.”
“You were being used, man. Take him away too,” ordered Waverley.
“So it was Dalton who tried to drown me?” asked Gordon.
“Yes, but he ran when I came along. It was Shirley who hit me – she was probably acting as a lookout, or perhaps she didn’t trust Dalton to do the job properly.”
“As I said,” remarked Marjorie, “not the shiniest tool in the box.”
Gordon looked a broken man as he walked away, shaking his head.
“He’ll be alright,” said Waverley. “We’ll help him.”
After the excitement had subsided and Waverley had left them, Rachel walked Marjorie to her room and kissed her on the cheek.
“Sleep tight, we’ve got a busy day touring tomorrow.”
“You didn’t get to use that security key below stairs then?”
“Not this time, but who knows? Maybe next time. Goodnight, Marjorie.”
“Goodnight, Rachel.”
Chapter 31
Two days later, a ringing in the distance penetrated Rachel’s deep sleep. Coming round, she recognised the ringtone immediately and leapt out of bed, grabbing the phone in the sitting room and pressing the button.
“Carlos!”
“Hello, darling, did I wake you?”
Her eyes filled with tears of joy at the sound of his voice. “I can’t think of a better way to be awoken.” She clutched the phone tightly. “I was so worried. Are you back home?”
“Yes, another case solved by PI Jacobi. It was a lot more complicated than I’d thought – I’ll tell you all about it when you get back. Lady was the star of the day, but I’m trying not to let her know that. She already has me wrapped around her paw.”
“Oh Carlos, it’s so good to hear your voice.”
“Yours too, I’ve missed you. How is the cruise? I hope it has been relaxing.”
“Erm, I think I’ll tell you all about it when I get back.”
“Oh?”
“Don’t worry, it’s all over now, but I’ll give you all the details in London. We’ll compare notes.”
“I’ll settle for that over dinner. Just tell me you and Marjorie are alright.”
“We’re fine. In fact, I’m pleased you woke me because we’re getting an early train to Berlin today. It’s our final stop.”
“Enjoy that beautiful city. I’ll join the chauffeur on Sunday to collect you; I’m taking a few days off myself after the events of the past ten days.”
“That will be wonderful, I can’t wait.”
“Rachel,” he sounded serious, “I should have said this a long time ago. I’m sorry if you don’t want to hear it, but I love you.”
She thought her heart would burst, knowing that he wouldn’t say it unless he meant it. They had never said the words before, in spite of dating for almost two years.
“I love you too, Carlos.”
“Then I’m the happiest man alive. See you on Sunday. Ciao.”
When she collected Marjorie, Rachel was glowing.
“I take it you’ve heard from your beau.” The twinkle in Marjorie’s eye told her she understood all about love.
“He’s accompanying Johnson on Sunday to collect us. I hope you don’t mind?”
“I couldn’t be more pleased. He’s a good man and he loves you, you know.”
“I know that now.”
They met up with Sarah in the main atrium before leaving the ship to take the train into Berlin. The three women had lots to tell each other as so much had happened, and Sarah had worked solidly the day after the arrests while Marjorie and Rachel were exploring Poland. Sarah told them Dave Hughes ha
d been released and that he and his uncle were getting acquainted. Gordon was determined to forge a special bond with his nephew and make up for the lack of support his brother had provided.
“Oh, I am pleased,” said Marjorie. “I do believe they will be good for each other and may be able to provide the solace needed for healing to take place.”
“I think you’re right there,” agreed Sarah. “I liked Gordon until his darker side threatened to overwhelm him. I do hope he learns to rid himself of that temper.”
“Let’s hope he can get help to recover from the wounds his brother and his wife have inflicted on him,” said Marjorie thoughtfully. “The fact his brother was on his side in the end might help him heal.”
“On the subject of Shirley Venables, Waverley told me yesterday he’d had a report back from their previous ship. Shirley had a fling with a fellow dancer and had to have treatment for a sexually transmitted disease. The report had been marked confidential to prevent Gordon finding out. The doctor suggested she make up a story about problems with her contraceptive implant to prevent Gordon catching it while she was treated. He still doesn’t know.”
“My, my, she had me fooled,” said Rachel.
“Not only you,” said Marjorie kindly.
“On a lighter note, the other news on the Coral grapevine is that Waverley’s got engaged! Bernard overheard Graham congratulating him this morning.”
“I told you so,” said Marjorie triumphantly.
“That is good news.” Rachel was happy for him.
“Will you cruise again, Rachel, or has this put you off for life?” asked Sarah.
“On the contrary, I get more experience on this cruise ship than I do in the police force. I very much look forward to cruising again in the summer. I have been offered a rather large compensation sum once again following the attack on board your beloved ship.”
Sarah’s eyes lit up. “I’m so pleased, I love seeing you during my contracts. It reminds me of home.”
