Page 26 of Tiki Hut Tragedy (Cruise Director Millie Mysteries #6)

“I would remember her, especially if she was hanging out in the casino every night.” Brody handed Millie her phone. “Watching people is part of my job.”

“Something isn’t adding up.” Millie blinked rapidly, trying to figure out if Sharky’s RFID tracking site was off or if Astrid was keeping a low profile and just hadn’t hit Brody’s radar.

“You said you found out she’s been in the casino every night between ten and twelve,” Cat said.

“Correct. Like clockwork. There were a couple of other times during the day, but mostly at night.”

“Then it’s simple. Go to the casino and see if you spot her. ”

“I suppose that’s the only way to confirm she’s in there. Clearly she’s not causing any trouble or issues for Brody,” Millie said.

“I’m telling you I remember faces,” he insisted. “I can promise you this woman hasn’t been in the casino.”

“Then there’s a disconnect. I’ll have to figure it out.” Millie thanked him. After she left, she called Sharky.

“Hey, Millie. Long time no talk.”

“I chatted with Brody. He swears Astrid hasn’t been in the casino at night.”

“She has, at least according to the RFID tracking.”

“Is there any chance it recorded bad information?”

“No way. It’s amazingly accurate.” Sharky made a similar comment about how she must have somehow slipped under Brody’s radar. “Maybe you should check it out yourself.”

“I guess I’ll have to.” Millie ended the call and waved her phone in the air. “It looks like I’ll be scoping out the casino tonight.”

“Good luck. I try to avoid the place unless I want to take a shower after I’m done.”

“The cigarette smoke can be a little much. However, in the spirit of a full investigation, it looks like I’ll have to bite the bullet.” Millie and Cat went their separate ways, with Millie hosting a round of trivia before the first seating dinner began.

It was Elegant Night, which meant Millie would eat at the Captain’s Table. On her way to her seat, she greeted the special guests who had been invited to dine with Nic. Donovan arrived moments later and made his rounds.

Nic showed up last, apologizing and vaguely mentioning an unexpected issue had needed his attention .

Millie caught his eye. Her husband shook his head and gave her a look that said he would explain later.

Having devoured Annette’s delicious lobster roll, Millie ordered smaller dishes from the appetizer menu…gazpacho soup and stuffed mushrooms.

The conversation flowed easily with guests giving feedback about their sea day. All the while in the back of Millie’s mind, she couldn’t help but wonder which one was wrong—Sharky’s tracking system he insisted was accurate or Brody who swore he’d never laid eyes on Astrid.

The meal ended, and Millie and Nic lingered, waiting until Donovan and the guests had left.

“What’s going on?”

“Remember the problem with the propulsion system?” Nic didn’t wait for her to answer. “It’s glitching again. Nothing serious, but enough that I’ve arranged for the fleet’s head mechanics to check it out when we return to Miami. ”

“Better safe than sorry.”

“What about your evening?” Nic grasped his wife’s hand and kissed the top. “I spoke with Patterson. He mentioned your anonymous note about how the woman’s tiki hut drowning wasn’t an accident.”

“I’ve been doing a little digging around. So far, I haven’t come up with anything.”

“But you’re still digging.”

“Maybe.”

Nic pinned her with a stare, giving her “the look.”

“Okay, I am. If it’s true, I don’t like the thought of a killer getting away.” Millie told him about Astrid visiting the casino every evening, yet Brody insisted she hadn’t been there.

“How do you know she’s been there? ”

“I…uh…” Millie could feel her armpits grow damp. “I can’t tell you on the grounds that I might incriminate myself.”

“I don’t know why I bother,” he sighed.

“My natural curiosity and inquisitiveness are what attracted you to me in the first place.”

“Yes, and I got more than I bargained for in that department.” He kissed her forehead. “All I ask is for you to stay out of trouble. If the unidentified person is correct, it means we have a killer wandering around on board.”

“I will.” Millie pointedly changed the subject. “I’m looking forward to visiting South Seas Cay tomorrow.”

Not only was the island one of her favorite stops, but it was a passenger favorite as well. Because the ship tracked the number of guests who got off in each port, a way to gauge a stop’s popularity, she knew the pristine private island was one many visited .

And who wouldn’t? Palm trees, ocean breezes, lounge chairs offering expansive views of the turquoise waters. A water park for the kids, an adults-only retreat. It was everything the Caribbean islands offered all rolled up into one, but without the hassle of dealing with hagglers or hustlers.

Nic returned to the bridge while Millie worked her way to the theater. She introduced the brand-new headliner show, a comedian. Stepping off the stage she watched from the sidelines.

Based on the enthusiastic applause and frequent laughter, he was well-received, and she was relieved. A few of the ship’s most recent entertainers had been, for lack of a better word, duds. Because it was her job to line up the entertainers, the pressure was on for her to deliver.

She returned to the stage to wrap it up. After finishing, she caught up with him. “Congratulations on a great show. The passengers loved it.”

“Thanks. I appreciate you giving me the opportunity.” A young man with sandy brown hair and an easy smile, he’d given Millie a good vibe from right off the bat.

He engaged easily and, when checking in with her team, was thrilled to discover he seemed to fit in with Siren of the Seas’ staff, something not all did, thinking they were the “stars” who deserved preferential treatment.

They chatted briefly, and then Millie headed upstairs to pop in and check on karaoke. Up next was an introductory chat about all South Seas had to offer.

Ten o’clock finally rolled around. Millie slipped inside the casino and searched for Brody. She found him standing near the ATM machine.

“You’re here to see if you can spot the elusive Belly Buster’s host,” he teased.

“Something like that. Sharky swears his information is accurate, and Astrid has been here every night between ten and twelve.”

A group of boisterous passengers passed by, strolling over to the baccarat table. “Time for me to make my rounds. Good luck.” Brody took off, and Millie continued making her way up and down the aisles.

The longer she hung around, the more crowded the casino became, to the point where she had to wiggle her way through certain sections.

She checked the tables, the sports booking section and every slot. For two hours, Millie searched for the woman. At a quarter past twelve, she finally gave up.

Brody caught up with her on her way out. “Well? Did you see her?”

“Nope. Maybe she decided to skip the casino.”

“Or maybe Sharky’s information was wrong and she hasn’t been here.”

“Either way, you’re still on your game and didn’t miss her.” Millie playfully punched him in the arm. “I have a few more stops to make before calling it a day. Stay safe. ”

“Always.”

With a final check from stem to stern, Millie was almost home when Sharky called, asking if she’d had any luck.

“Astrid never showed. Maybe she took the night off.”

A clicking sound ensued on the other end of the line.

“What are you doing?”

“Deciding if I’m gonna break my promise to Patterson and take a quick look at the RFID tracker.”

“I don’t want you to do that. Are you in your office?”

“Yep.”

“I’ll come down and check it out.”

“You sure? It’s late. ”

“I won’t be able to sleep unless I confirm for myself,” Millie said. “You’re positive the…information is accurate?”

“One thousand percent. I would bet my life on it.”

“I’m on my way.” Millie signed off and picked up the pace, making it to the maintenance department’s office in record time.

Sharky stood in the hallway, waiting for her. He ushered her inside and closed the door behind them. “Reef’s on duty. I sent him to the engine room so we would have some privacy.”

“I heard the propulsion system is still glitchy.”

“And starting to make me nervous. We got ten minutes, maybe fifteen tops, to check out the you-know-what.” Sharky patted the top of the laptop. “I have everything all set and ready to roll.”

“Thanks.” Millie settled in at the desk. She slipped her reading glasses on and logged into the passenger portal. With a few quick clicks, she located Astrid’s folio number. Copy and paste, and she was back in the RFID system. “I just noticed this has a timeframe range.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Sharky said. “You don’t need to wade through all the other tracking activity. It can pull up exactly what you need.”

“I like it.” Millie typed in the date and drilled down to an exact timeframe, from nine until twelve fifteen. She pressed the enter button.

A short list of activities appeared. At nine, Astrid was tracked to the Hurricane Bar, deck twelve midship. From there, she swung by the buffet. The next time increment posted at nine forty-five. Astrid showed up at Lucky’s bar, directly outside the casino.

“What’s this button?” Millie tapped the screen.

“Activity on Astrid’s card. Go ahead and click it.”

Millie clicked on the link. A list of purchases appeared: a chocolate martini, and a bottle of water. “This tracking system is incredible. ”

“Your every move is recorded. I’m sure the bigwigs use it to analyze passengers’ purchases, their habits, stuff like that.”

“No kidding.” Millie clicked out of the transaction and scrolled down to the next entry. Astrid entered the casino at five minutes past ten. The next entry was an hour later. She left, used the restroom and returned to the casino.

Millie stared blankly at the screen. “Astrid was at the casino when I was there. Either she’s invisible or…”

Sharky finished her sentence. “Unrecognizable.”