Suharto was already up, the sleeper sofa back to its original position, and the sheets and blankets neatly folded when Millie made her way downstairs early the next morning. “Good morning, Suharto. How did you sleep?”
“Like a baby.” Suharto tilted his head and placed his folded hands on his cheek. “It was like sleeping on a cloud.”
Millie arched a brow. “Our sleeper sofa is harder than a rock.”
“But you gave me so many extra blankets, it was nice.”
“Nic is upstairs getting ready. Would you care for some coffee?”
“Yes, please.” Suharto followed Millie into the kitchen. “I hope you don’t mind, but Scout wanted to go out.”
“Not at all. Thank you.”
“You are welcome. What is our day like today?”
“Busy,” Millie said. “I didn’t sleep well. I couldn’t stop thinking about all the clues. Something Annabel Ponsford said yesterday stuck with me.” She told him what it was. “I think I’m onto something and now it’s all a matter of unraveling the mystery.”
“It is dangerous.”
“Yes, and I believe my life is also in danger. Hilda inadvertently put it in danger when she sent me that picture of her stalker.” Millie’s eyes grew round as saucers. “That’s it.” She hustled past Suharto and hurried to the computer.
Millie’s hand trembled as she grabbed the yellow pad and studied the notes Suharto had taken. It all began with the first victim the strangler targeted during his second round of killings—Edith Branson.
Suharto joined her, peering over her shoulder as she began listing the clues. One by one they all tumbled out and onto the paper. Clue by clue. It was almost as if Clarissa Sinclair was there, whispering the secrets in Millie’s ear.
The only mystery left now was how the strangler discovered Clarissa had uncovered his identity. Only she and the killer could answer that question.
She scoured the internet, searching for information about the strangler’s first killings from several years back. Millie jotted their names down and began comparing them to the victims from the past few months. Unable to find a link, she finally gave up. “I need to get this down to Patterson.”
“He does not start his shift for another half an hour,” Suharto said.
“We’ll grab a bite to eat while we wait.” Millie ran upstairs to tell Nic they were leaving.
Suharto was waiting at the bottom of the stairs when she returned. “You can ask the others who were traveling with Ms. Sinclair.”
“No. I think it would be a mistake to tip my hand. If they don’t believe me, they’ll start talking and it could blow up in my face. There’s only one way to catch the killer. We need to set a trap and lure him, or her, to the one person they still consider a threat.”
“You.”
“Yes. I would have to be the bait to lure the Southampton Strangler out and into the open.” Millie absentmindedly stared at Suharto. “I think I gave myself the perfect setup to force the strangler’s hand.”
“I do not like this. Not at all. My job is to protect you. I think you need to talk to Mr. Patterson.”
“I will.”
Suharto and Millie were on their way downstairs to grab something to eat when Annette radioed. “Where are you?”
“Suharto and I just left the apartment.”
“I’ll feed you if you swing by here.”
“You’re twisting our arms,” Millie joked. “We’re on our way.”
When they arrived, not only was Annette and Amit on hand, but Danielle and Cat were there too.
Suharto sniffed appreciatively. “Something smells delicious.”
“Bacon. You can’t go wrong with bacon.” Annette pointed to the stack of fluffy pancakes, the plateful of bacon and another pan, this one filled with scrambled eggs. There was also a towering pile of buttery toast and a side of mixed fruit.
“What’s the occasion?” Millie asked.
“I called an emergency breakfast meeting. We’re concerned about you,” Annette said. “Cat heard the ship’s security is almost one hundred percent certain the strangler is on board. Patterson wouldn’t have assigned Suharto to guard you unless he thought your life was in danger.”
“He’s right, and I believe I’m being targeted.” Millie removed the sheet of paper and clues from her pocket and made her way down the list. “I still have some confirming to do, to connect the dots between Edith Branson, the first targeted victim, followed by Sophie Young. I’m sure Patterson can find out fairly quickly if those two, along with the unidentified juror, the jogger, are linked.”
“Wouldn’t the authorities be looking for a similar link?” Cat asked.
“Not necessarily. In fact, if I hadn’t overheard an important clue, I wouldn’t have, either. It was all a matter of timing.”
“The swinger’s cocktail party you attended ended up being a worthy endeavor?” Danielle teased.
“If my hunch is correct, it may have been the one thing that is going to trip up the strangler.” Millie started to mention what Halbert and Nic had said, that the authorities believed Clarissa may have injured the strangler during her struggle.
Cat leaned in. “What were you going to say?”
“The authorities may have a way to link the strangler to the scene.”
“Meaning DNA,” Danielle guessed.
“Possibly. Unless he was careful enough so that there was no DNA to sample. And even if they could get a sample and a match, how long will it take to get the results? I’m sure they’re prioritizing it, but even a day or two might be too long.” Millie plucked a slice of bacon from the plate. “All I need to do is spread the right information to the right people and then wait for the strangler to come after me, but on my terms, not his. He makes his move and bam!” Millie slapped her palms together. “Patterson and his men can take the strangler off the streets forever.”
“You’ve gotten yourself into some serious predicaments, but this one might top the list,” Danielle said. “I hope you know what you’re doing.”
“I don’t—at least not yet, but if I already have a target on my back, I would much rather face this head on than be looking over my shoulder for the next week.”
*****
Millie and Suharto finished their breakfast and made a fast track to Patterson’s office. Since Suharto knew his boss’s schedule, he was correct in guessing the head of security was in his office.
There was a flicker of surprise on Patterson’s face as he waved them into the room. “Problems already? Is Millie driving you crazy?”
“No, sir.” Suharto grinned. “I love Millie. She’s the best.”
“Aw.” Millie touched his arm. “You are so sweet. I feel like I have a new partner in crime.”
Patterson wagged his finger. “You’re not allowed to corrupt Suharto.”
“He’s keeping me on the straight and narrow. We’re here because I’ve stumbled upon some clues I think might tie the strangler’s victims together. If my hunch is right, I know who it is.” Millie unfolded her sheet of paper and handed it to Patterson.
He studied the list, his mouth forming a grim line. “How did you put this together?”
“I’m glad you asked.” Millie placed her hands behind her back. “I’ve been driving myself crazy, trying to figure out why I would be a target, and then it dawned on me. It wasn’t so much someone following me into the stairwell, which may or may not have been a coincidence. It was the picture Hilda Ellis forwarded to me. The more I thought about it, the more the pieces began falling into place.”
“How long do you think it will take for the authorities to confirm Millie’s suspicions regarding the link between the strangler’s victims and the suspect?” Suharto asked.
“Hours. I’m guessing they’re getting heat from the powers that be and are eager to solve this case,” Patterson said. “If your hunch pans out, I owe you one.”
“I’ve already figured out how you can pay me back.”
“Toss out your suspension,” Patterson guessed.
“Both mine and Cat’s.”
“And remove you from the guest services rotation.”
“Nah.” Millie waved dismissively. “I actually had fun working alongside Nikki and the rest of the staff. It’s good for me to hear firsthand the passengers’ problems. I was thinking more along the lines of a credit toward future misdemeanors.”
Patterson grimaced. “You mean the next time you exhibit a lack of judgment and stick your nose in where it doesn’t belong you want me to cut you some slack?”
“Precisely.”
“We’ll see.” Patterson promised to contact Millie as soon as he received word back, and he was already on the phone before they stepped out of his office.
“You are good.” Suharto’s eyes filled with admiration. “Perhaps you should consider a job in the security department.”
“No way. I love working with the passengers. I’ll just stick my nose in when I feel it’s needed. Besides, if I’m right, I’m almost certain I’ve set myself up for a free pass.”
It was late afternoon, almost evening, by the time Patterson radioed to let Millie know he’d heard from the Southampton authorities. “I’m holding a security department meeting in the crew member’s dining room in half an hour.”
“So, I was right,” Millie said.
“Maybe, but there’s a twist.”
“C’mon. Can’t you at least give me a hint?”
“I just did. See you in a few.” Patterson signed off and Millie made an unhappy sound as she clipped her radio to her belt.
A minor crisis sidetracked Suharto and Millie when a passenger insisted they accompany her to the golf simulator, which was on the fritz. Millie called for maintenance and waited for them to arrive before they hustled down the side steps.
She didn’t slow until she reached the crew deck. Suharto wasn’t far behind, struggling to catch his breath. “You are too fast, Miss Millie.”
“Sorry. I forgot you were behind me.” Millie propelled him down the hallway to the dining room. The place was packed, and the only spot they were able to squeeze into was in the corner.
Millie bounced onto the tips of her toes, but she wasn’t able to see a thing. She finally gave up and climbed onto a chair.
Nic, along with Donovan, Andy and Kimel Pang, the head of housekeeping, stood near the front of the room.
Patterson caught Millie’s eye and gave a small nod of his head. “Thank you for dropping what you were doing and coming down here for this important meeting. As many of you know or may have already heard, we have an unanticipated and unwanted passenger on board Siren of the Seas. It has been verified and confirmed the Southampton Strangler, a serial killer, is on board our ship.”
There were murmurs among the crowd, and then it grew quiet. “As a member of our security team, you are well aware of how seriously Majestic Cruise Lines and Siren of the Seas takes security. As such, we are all on high alert until we can apprehend and secure the suspect.”
A security guard raised his hand before speaking. “If you know who it is, why don’t you arrest them and hold them until we reach Bermuda?”
“The evidence we currently have is circumstantial. Until the proper authorities can confirm such, we have nothing to hold the person in question.”
Another guard chimed in. “You’re not a hundred percent?”
“We’re ninety-nine-point nine percent certain. The person in question will be under twenty-four-hour surveillance, no exceptions,” Patterson said. “We must remain vigilant, must remain on guard, and if you’re wondering why I’m not releasing this individual’s name and cabin number, it’s because we need that last percentage.”
And, Millie secretly suspected, Patterson didn’t want a gung ho guard attempting to single-handedly take down the suspect and risk having the entire case blow up in their faces.
A few more questions were asked, and Nic and Patterson took turns answering before the meeting ended with a final reminder to remain vigilant.
Millie, along with Suharto, waited off to the side until the room cleared. They approached the front where the officers stood talking. She waited until they stopped and she caught Patterson’s eye. “Well? Was I right?”
“As I told the others, we believe so. But as I mentioned earlier, there’s a twist.”