Killer Karaoke (Cruise Ship Christian Cozy Mysteries Series Book 7) Read online

  Killer Karaoke

  Cruise Ship Christian Cozy Mysteries Series

  Book 7

  Hope Callaghan

  hopecallaghan.com

  ** **

  Copyright © 2016

  All rights reserved.

  This book is a work of fiction. Although places mentioned may be real, the characters, names and incidents and all other details are products of the author’s imagination and are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or actual persons, living or dead is purely coincidental.

  No part of this publication may be copied, reproduced in any format, by any means, electronic or otherwise, without prior consent from the copyright owner and publisher of this book. The only exception is brief quotations in printed reviews.

  ______________________________

  Visit my website for new releases and special offers: hopecallaghan.com

  Thank you, Peggy H., Jean P., Cindi G., Wanda D. and Barbara W. for taking the time to preview Killer Karaoke, for the extra sets of eyes and for catching all my mistakes.

  A special thanks to my reader review team: Alice, Amary, Barbara, Becky, Becky B, Brinda, Cassie, Christina, Debbie, Denota, Devan, Francine, Grace, Jan, Jo-Ann, Joeline, Joyce, Jean K., Jean M., Kathy, Lynne, Megan, Melda, Kat, Linda, Lynne, Pat, Patsy, Renate, Rita, Rita P, Shelba, Tamara and Vicki

  TABLE OF CONTENTS

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  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

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  “Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.” Romans 12: 12. (NIV)

  Chapter 1

  Annette Delacroix stood on the dock and gazed at the gangway. She lifted the bullhorn to her mouth. “You can do it, Cat,” she encouraged.

  Millie Sanders, who was standing behind Cat, placed the palm of her hand in the center of Cat Wellington’s back and gave her friend a small nudge forward. “C’mon Cat. You’re almost there. All you have to do is take a few more steps.”

  Cat inched her foot forward and quickly pulled it back as she began trembling violently. “Millie, I can’t.” Her eyes darted fearfully to the dock and the crew who stood nearby, offering moral support.

  Cat abruptly shifted to the side, elbowed Millie out of the way and bolted up the stairs before disappearing from sight.

  Annette lowered the bullhorn and trudged up the gangway to join Millie. She stared at the empty staircase, and pinched her thumb and index finger a smidgen apart. “She was this close.”

  “Now what?” Millie asked. “It’s been months now since Cat has stepped foot off the ship.”

  Cat Wellington’s fears were understandable. The poor Siren of the Seas employee had suffered unimaginable pain and trauma at the hands of her ex-husband, who was in prison for attempted murder…Cat’s attempted murder.

  It was apparent after today’s exercise Cat needed professional help. Technically, it was none of Millie’s business, but she had already approached Doctor Gundervan, the Siren of the Seas ship’s doctor, not to mention Donovan Sweeney, the ship’s purser who was also Cat’s boss, as well as Captain Armati, the ship’s captain.

  Millie had told them that Annette and she had planned one final intervention, along with several of the crewmembers who were close to Cat, to try to get her to step foot off the ship. It was their last ditch effort and it had failed miserably.

  “I guess we move forward with Plan B,” Annette said as she shook her head.

  “I’ll make the call while we’re still in port,” Millie said. “I was afraid this was going to happen so I brought my cell phone with me.” She had tracked down a psychologist on the island of St. Thomas, which was the ship’s next port stop. According to the online ad Millie had found, the doctor made “house calls.” She hoped the doctor would also make “ship calls.”

  She placed her backpack on the floor and unzipped the front, pulling out her cell phone and a piece of paper she’d jotted the doctor’s number on.

  The line rang several times before a recorded message stated that Doctor Rebecca Johansen was with a patient and she would return phone calls in her free time.

  Millie left a brief message, pressed the end button and dropped the phone back inside her backpack. “I hope she calls before the ship sets sail so I can confirm an appointment.”

  “Me too.” Annette, head of the ship’s food and beverage department, glanced at her watch. “I better get back to the galley.”

  It was almost time for the lunch crowd to invade the lido deck, which was where the buffet and outdoor grill were located. The crowds would be light since the ship was docked on the small island of St. Croix and many of the passengers had disembarked for a day of sun, sand and solid ground.

  The ship had hit some rough weather after departing San Juan, and a minor tropical storm had caused the ship to rock and roll. Millie was used to the rocking and rolling and barely even noticed anymore, except when the crew placed barf bags near the stairwells and elevators.

  Millie hurried to deck five, the promenade, to track down Andy Walker, the ship’s cruise director. Andy was also Millie’s boss.

  Millie heard Andy before she saw him. His loud, booming voice echoed in the soaring atrium. “I must have a small stage, a rear curtain and the karaoke equipment set up right here before the ship sets sail at six o’clock.”

  Andy wasn’t yelling, but Millie could tell from the tone of his voice that he wasn’t a happy sailor. He was talking in his clipped, no nonsense tone as he faced one of the higher ups in maintenance, judging by the uniform the man was wearing.

  “We will move the equipment when we have time. My men are working on the davits,” the man calmly informed Andy. “I have a job to do and that’s ensuring the safety of both the crew and passengers. Your…project is not a priority.”

  Millie slowed her pace when she caught a glimpse of the expression on Andy’s face.

  “That project as you call it is my job.” Andy’s voice raised an octave, and crew and passengers began to take notice of the heated exchange.

  “I’m sure Mr…” Millie glanced at the man’s nametag. “Mr. Falco will start working on it as soon as possible.”

  “I will get to it when time permits,” the man replied before he turned on his heel and strode out of the atrium.

  “I ought to have him fired.” Andy shook his head. “You’d think I was asking for the crew to rearrange the entire electrical systems on board the ship instead of moving a small amount of equipment to set up our new karaoke area.”

  Andy and Millie, along with Danielle Kneldon, who also worked in the entertainment department, had come up with a brilliant plan to
move the karaoke venue from one of the smaller, secluded lounges to the main area of the ship in hopes of sparking some renewed interest.

  The number of passengers participating in karaoke had been dwindling the last few months and the trio had decided a more central location, with an added twist, would give it the boost it needed.

  Millie thought it was a wonderful idea, but it appeared execution of the plan was going to be a challenge.

  “Will you be ready to host if Falco can get the equipment in place?” Andy asked.

  “Of course,” Millie nodded. “I’ll check back in a couple hours to see if they’re working on it yet. In the meantime, I’ll make my rounds.”

  “Sounds good.” Andy lifted his hand in a small salute and headed across the room to chat with the guest services staff. Millie wondered if he planned to stop by Donovan Sweeney’s office to discuss Luigi Falco. Donovan’s office was directly behind guest services.

  The afternoon flew by and Millie checked her phone periodically to see if Doctor Johansen had returned the call. Soon, the ship would set sail and Millie would no longer have cell service.

  She left a second, more urgent message, explaining to the psychologist she worked on board a cruise ship that would be docking in St. Thomas in two days and she had a friend who desperately needed help.

  Millie hung up, praying the doctor would take the call seriously. For now, all she could do was hope that the doctor would be able to fit Cat into her schedule.

  After placing the call, Millie headed back down to the atrium / piano bar area to see if the crew had begun working on the karaoke stage. She was relieved to see four crewmembers assembling the stage and wandered over to check on their progress.

  “…by the breaker box right near the theater. He never stood a chance. Electrocution would be my guess.”

  The words “theater” and electrocution” caught her attention and her first thought was something had happened to Andy. “Is he okay?” Millie asked.

  The two men who had been talking exchanged an uneasy glance. “No, he’s not. He’s dead.”

  Chapter 2

  Millie’s heart skipped a beat and the room began to spin. “Andy is dead?”

  One of the workers cast a puzzled glance at her. “Who is Andy?”

  “Andy Walker, the Cruise Director,” Millie said.

  “No. We were talking about Luigi Falco, one of Siren of the Seas head engineers.” The man lowered his voice. “The last time I talked to him, he was headed to the ship’s theater to take a look at a breaker box that was malfunctioning.”

  “Oh my gosh!” Millie’s hand flew to her mouth. “Luigi Falco.” She knew exactly who Luigi Falco was. He was the man Andy had been arguing with hours earlier in that exact same spot.

  “What a terrible tragedy.” Millie turned to go and then turned back as she remembered the reason she was there. “Will the stage and equipment be ready for tonight’s first round of karaoke? It starts at 9:00 p.m.”

  “Yes ma’am.” The worker glanced at Millie’s nametag. “Miss Millie. We will finish assembling the stage shortly. After that, we’ll hook up the electrical and then run some sound checks.” He glanced at his watch. “We should be out of here by 5:30.”

  Millie thanked them for their time and then hurried out of the atrium. She picked up the pace and power-walked to the other end of the ship, to the theater.

  Caution tape blocked the entrance to the theater so Millie retraced her steps and headed to a second entrance on the other side of the ship. She slipped inside the dark theater.

  Loud voices echoed from behind the stage where the ship’s dancers and performers’ dressing rooms, as well as the make-up areas and Andy’s small office were located.

  The voices grew louder as she hurried up the side steps and across the stage.

  When she reached Andy’s office, Millie could see Andy, front and center. Dave Patterson, Head of Security, Oscar, Patterson’s right-hand man, Captain Armati, Donovan Sweeney and two uniformed officers, surrounded him. Judging by the men’s uniforms, they were not the ship’s officers.

  The conversation ceased as Millie approached. Dave Patterson waved her into the room. “I was getting ready to radio you. I’m sure you heard about the unfortunate accident.”

  Millie nodded her head. “I just heard the news.”

  “You were one of the last people who spoke with Mr. Falco before his death and we would like you to tell us what you remember about the conversation,” Captain Armati told Millie.

  Millie sucked in a breath. “Yes, I first met Mr. Falco shortly before his…untimely demise. He was in the atrium, talking with Andy, Mr. Walker.”

  One of the uniformed men clicked the end of his pen and began jotting notes in a notepad he was holding. “Witnesses report Mr. Walker and Mr. Falco were arguing. Do you recall the conversation?”

  Millie gave Andy a quick glance. “I…” Millie’s voice trailed off. She knew her answer could incriminate Andy. “They were discussing a project and not completely seeing eye to eye,” she said and then quickly continued. “But they were finally able to reach an agreement and Mr. Falco left.”

  “What happened after that?” the man prompted.

  “I watched Andy, Mr. Walker, make his way to the guest services desk. I made my rounds, checking on passengers and the ship’s scheduled activities.”

  “So you never talked to Mr. Falco or Mr. Walker after the incident?”

  “It wasn’t an incident,” Millie said. “It was a boisterous conversation.”

  The officer glanced at Millie’s nametag. “Thank you Ms. Sanders.” The comment was Millie’s dismissal and she gazed helplessly at Andy and then Captain Armati, who gave her a small nod. She backed out of the room and then headed across the stage. They thought Andy was responsible for the man’s murder!

  Millie exited the theater and began pacing the outer hall as she mentally replayed what she’d told the authorities. She hadn’t intended to throw Andy under the bus and she hoped she hadn’t, but the two men had been having a heated discussion.

  Had something transpired after Millie departed, causing officials and authorities to suspect Andy’s involvement?

  She cast a nervous glance in the direction of the theater before heading to the galley to talk to Annette. She was halfway there when she ran into Danielle.

  “I’ve been looking for you.” Danielle grabbed Millie’s arm and dragged her off to the side, near the stairwell. “I heard Andy is being questioned about a crewmember’s death on board the ship. Can you believe it?”

  Millie shook her head. “No. I have no idea how the man died, but I would bet my life Andy had nothing to do with it.”

  Danielle leaned in and lowered her voice. “Rumor is spreading like wildfire that Andy and this Luigi dude were arguing. A short time later, the guy is deader than a doornail and his body found right outside the theater to boot.”

  “Andy is innocent,” Millie insisted. “The authorities can’t seriously consider blaming Andy for the man’s death. Andy and Luigi Falco had a simple disagreement. People don’t kill other people because of a small argument.”

  Several of the ship’s passengers descended the steps, and Danielle waited until they were out of earshot. “No, but I talked to Nikki Tan down in guest services and she said she heard that Andy filed a complaint earlier, insisting the man be fired.”

  “Does Andy outrank an electrical engineer?” Millie asked.

  Danielle shrugged. “Does it matter? The guy is dead and Andy is on the hook.”

  Muffled steps approached and several new crewmembers wandered down the steps.

  After they disappeared from sight, Danielle let out a wolf whistle. “Did you see the tall one with the dark hair? He’s a hottie. I need to find out where he works.” Danielle didn’t wait for an answer as she followed the crew.

  Millie shook her head and continued her climb to deck seven, passing by Ocean Treasures, the ship’s gift shop where Cat worked. Although the shop was c
losed while the ship was in port, she caught a glimpse of Cat’s signature beehive hairdo as she bent over a display case, rearranging items on one of the shelves in the back.

  She slowed, contemplating a quick chat with Cat, but decided to stop by on the way back through, after she talked to Annette.

  The galley was a flurry of activity as the crew prepared for the evening’s formal night and dinner. It was the cruise ship’s gala dining event and required all hands on deck as Annette and her crew worked hard to execute a meal fit for a king, or in this case, paying passengers.

  She spied Annette, along with Annette’s right hand man, Amit, standing near the dessert prep area.

  Millie zigzagged around the gleaming stainless steel counters as she made her way to the other side of the room.

  “This is too firm.” Annette pressed on the top of the chocolate dish, lightly dusted with powdered sugar. “See? It needs to be a little softer. I should be able to dig into the center and scoop out a spoonful of warm, melted chocolate.”

  “I’d eat it,” Millie quipped as she listened to the exchange. She winked at Amit and he smiled broadly. “Hello Miss Millie. Are you here for a lesson on creating Annette’s famous melted chocolate cake?” he asked.

  Millie lifted both hands. “No way, but I volunteer to be an official taste tester,” she teased.

  Annette patted Amit’s back. “Keep working on it, Amit. You’re getting close.” She turned her attention to Millie. “I can guess why you’re here.” Annette waved Millie to the other side of the galley. “Let’s chat in my office.”

  Annette’s “office” was the walk-in dry goods pantry. She led the way across the massive galley kitchen, opened the pantry door and flipped the light on. The women stepped inside. “Andy is on the hook for loathsome Luigi’s untimely death.”

  “Loathsome Luigi?” Millie asked.

  “Yep.” Annette nodded. “He has…had a reputation for being a real jerk.”

  “I had no idea. How come I’ve never heard his name before?” Millie asked.

  “We run in different circles, you and I,” Annette said. “Plus, I have hundreds of spies running around this ship.” She nodded her head toward the room full of kitchen staff.