“This isn’t fair.” Millie waved the sheet of paper in the air. “I’ll take my sixty-day probation, but I don’t have the mental fortitude to work in guest services.”
“I think it’s an appropriate punishment,” Andy said. “I’ll find someone else to host trivia while you spend a few afternoons handling customer complaints. Assuming Donovan approves of you working behind the desk, dealing with irate passengers.”
Donovan shrugged. “Fine with me. It will give Millie a sampling of one of the most challenging jobs on board the ship. I’ll have her work alongside Nikki Tan.”
“For how long?”
Patterson and Andy exchanged a quick glance. “I think a couple days is sufficient punishment. That, along with the sixty-day probation.”
Millie reluctantly signed the paper, grumbling under her breath as she handed it to Patterson. “I’m being targeted by some crazed serial killer and you’re punishing me by making me work one of the worst jobs on the ship.”
“What do you mean you’re being targeted by a crazed serial killer?” Patterson asked.
Millie removed the small envelope from her pocket and handed it to him.
He pulled out the single sheet of paper, his expression growing grim as he studied the “you’re next” note. “Where did you get this?”
“Andy gave it to me. He said it came from the suggestion box.”
Patterson’s eyes shot up. “When?”
“This morning. I hadn’t cleaned it out since we left Southampton,” Andy said. “I had no idea what it was. Sometimes the passengers leave nice notes for staff in the comment box. I thought it was a thank-you note.”
Patterson passed it to Donovan. “This throws a whole new light on things.”
“Does this mean you’ll forget about the formal reprimand?” Millie asked.
“Absolutely not. The note still doesn’t excuse your behavior. We can’t have you sneaking into passengers’ cabins on a whim.”
“It wasn’t a whim,” Millie argued. “We had a plan in place.” She started to say something else, but the look on Patterson’s face stopped her. “Fine. Guest services it is.”
There was some discussion regarding increasing patrols, including in the crew areas, before Patterson dismissed the women.
Cat waited until they were out of the office and at the end of the hall. “That went well.”
“Maybe for you. A temporary warning is a slap on the wrist.”
“True. You staying out of trouble for two months will be nearly impossible,” Cat joked.
“Especially now with everything that’s going on.” Millie slowed. “I’ve focused my attention on Andy and Thomas Windsor, but there are other people Clarissa was traveling with who I need to take a closer look at.”
“The ship’s database would be the most logical place to start.”
“I was thinking the same thing.” Millie accompanied Cat to the gift shop before starting her next event. She ran into Danielle, briefly filling her in on what had happened.
“I figured you got busted when Patterson answered your radio call.”
“He was ticked when he found us hiding under Thomas’s bed. Part of my punishment is working at the guest services desk for a couple days.”
Danielle wrinkled her nose. “Bummer.”
“Bummer is right. Looking back, I should’ve known better.” Millie patted her pocket and the “you’re next” note. What did it mean? Was it a veiled threat? Was it linked to whoever followed her into the stairwell?
Was it a coincidence that Andy was in the vicinity when the stairwell incident occurred? He was also the one who gave her the “you’re next” note. She shared her concerns with Danielle, stopping short of accusing Andy of being responsible. “I don’t know what to think.”
“It seems a lot of what’s happened to you points to Andy.”
Millie fleetingly wondered how long it would take for word of the incident and Patterson’s disciplinary actions to get back to her husband.
“Have you assembled a list of potential suspects?”
“I jotted down some notes. I can check the manifest and ship’s information on each passenger, but I need more.” Millie snapped her fingers. “I know the perfect person who can help. Isla.”
“How can Isla help?”
“Since she manages shore excursions and onboard bookings, she has access to passengers’ payments and reservations.” It took a few minutes for Millie and Danielle to track Isla down. They found her on the sports deck chatting with the ship’s golf pro.
“Hello, ladies. I haven’t seen either of you around much since we left Southampton.”
“We’ve been busy.” Millie got right to the point. “The UK authorities believe the Southampton Strangler may be on board the ship. Someone has been following me and possibly a passenger since we left port.” Millie handed Isla the note. “This note was in the comment box.”
Isla read the note and let out a low whistle. “Whoa. And you think it may be the strangler trying to scare you?”
“Or worse. Cat and I searched the cabin of the number one suspect on board and got caught by Patterson. Red-handed, as in—in the passenger’s cabin and hiding under his bed.”
Isla’s eyes grew round as saucers. “I bet he wasn’t happy.”
“I’m on a sixty-day probation and working desk duty at guest services for the next couple days.”
“That job can be brutal.” If anyone would know, it would be Isla since the excursions desk was directly across from guest services. “At least once a day someone is throwing a hissy fit about something.”
“Great. I can’t wait,” Millie groaned. “There’s one more piece of the puzzle linking the latest victim to this ship. She was booked on this voyage.”
“I heard they found the woman’s body in the park across from the port. It’s downright scary how close these murders have happened.”
“Which leads me to the reason why I’m here. I’m hoping to find out a little more about the woman’s traveling companions, their habits, what they’re doing while on board.”
“I can help you with that since the onboard reservations flow through the excursions department.”
“Would it be possible to take a quick look at them?”
“Of course.” Isla led them down the side steps, not stopping until they reached the excursion’s desk. The trio squeezed past a staff member who was assisting a passenger, making their way to the other end.
Isla swiped her keycard through the computer’s side slot and entered her access code. “Who do you want to start with?”
“Edward and Annabel Ponsford,” Millie said. “P-o-n-s-f-o-r-d.”
“Got it.” Isla tapped the keys and pressed enter. She rattled off their cabin number. “Their folio is linked to several others.”
“The other parties of interest,” Millie said.
“That will make things easy.” Isla clicked on a button, pulling up the Ponsfords’ profiles.
Millie slipped her reading glasses on and studied their information. It listed their address, dates of birth, and an emergency contact. At the bottom of the screen was a “reservation” button. “What’s this?”
“A record of the Ponsford’s onboard bookings, both previous and upcoming.” Isla clicked the button. A long list of events appeared. Nothing looked unusual or noteworthy. After finishing, Isla exited the screen.
“Bruce and Hilda Ellis are next.”
The trio grew quiet as they scanned the couple’s information. Millie noticed they lived in the same town as the Ponsfords. Unlike the Ponsfords, the Ellises’ activity and reservation screens were empty. As in…completely empty.
“It looks as if they haven’t booked anything,” Isla said, “which isn’t necessarily noteworthy. Some passengers don’t.”
“According to Hilda, her husband hangs out in the casino.” Millie tapped her chin. “Reading between the lines of what Hilda has told me, they don’t spend a lot of time together.”
“What’s going on back here?”
Millie shifted her gaze. Donovan stood on the opposite side of the desk, staring down at them. “Danielle and I are chatting with Isla while she’s on break.”
“Chatting with Isla or snooping?”
Danielle feigned indignation. “Are you always suspicious of motives?”
“When it involves Millie, the answer is yes.” Donovan pinned Isla with a stare. “Isla?”
Isla shrank back. “I was just, uh, showing Danielle and Millie how the reservation system works. They’ve never seen it before.”
Donovan leaned in. “Turn the monitor so I can see.”
Isla shot Millie a nervous glance as she slowly shifted the monitor.
“That’s what I thought.” Donovan briefly closed his eyes. “Let me guess. This couple is part of the group being investigated.”
“They are,” Millie said. “Looking at passengers’ records isn’t against company policy.”
“True, but you’re already treading on thin ice.”
“Duly noted.” Millie met Donovan’s gaze. “Is there anything else?”
“No.” He gave her a warning shake of his head before stalking off.
Millie watched him step behind the guest services desk and disappear inside his office.
“You’re on the radar now,” Danielle said.
“Always.” Millie sighed heavily. “At least we’re almost done.”
Last, but not least, were Kate and Harry Moxey. “They’re in a suite and only a few doors down from the Ponsfords’ balcony cabin,” Danielle noted.
“Good catch.” Millie studied the screen and then waited for Isla to click on their “reservation” button. “They’ve spent some bucks in Celebrations, the ship’s store for hosting private events. Too bad we can’t see what they purchased.”
“Says who?” Isla double-clicked on the Celebrations link. A list of liquor, appetizers, and snacks popped up. A date was next to each of the items.
“Whoa Nellie,” Danielle blurted out. “These two are partiers. What is all of this stuff?”
“Goodies ordered from Celebrations and delivered to the Moxey’s suite.” Isla’s finger trailed down the list. “It looks as if it’s party time at the Moxey’s every evening.”
“I’m not surprised,” Millie said. “They’re very social and attend a lot of the mix and mingle events.”
Danielle snapped her fingers. “I know who they are. They’re at every single single’s event. It strikes me as a little odd that a married couple would attend a singles event.”
“It does me too, but to each his own. I wonder who attends their little get-togethers.” Millie drummed her fingers on the desk.
“Wonder no more.” Isla grinned as she tapped the button at the bottom of the screen. “Celebrations offers passengers a nifty little tool. If you’re throwing a party, all you have to do is let them know who you want to invite, the time and location of your get-together and they’ll send out electronic invitations.”
“That’s cool,” Danielle said. “So, you go to Celebrations, order your party goodies, give them the list of names and they send out invitations.”
“Electronically, delivered right through the ship’s app directly to their cell phone.”
“What technology can’t do these days.” Millie shook her head in amazement.
Isla tapped the screen. “It looks as if the Moxeys are having another party. It starts in a couple hours.”
“Who did they invite?” Millie leaned in as she studied the list of names. The one at the very top caught her eye. Captain Niccolo Armati. “The Moxeys invited Nic. I think I found my way inside their suite without getting into trouble.”