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

“This is a massive feast.” Millie ran a light hand along the table, decorated with a festive fall cornucopia tablecloth and filled with so many Thanksgiving dishes that even the pilgrims would be jealous.

Another separate table was filled with Italian dishes…

fettuccine, spaghetti and meatballs, ravioli and deep dish lasagna.

Felix placed his hands on his hips and licked his lips. “As tantalizingly delicious as this spread looks, I’m not sure I could eat this much food this early in the morning.”

“It seems a little excessive,” Millie said. “I guess professional eaters don’t eat by the clock.”

The galley door flew open. Annette, with Barth “Barty,” her new assistant close behind, wheeled carts filled with even more food into the room .

They veered off toward an empty side table and promptly filled it with decadent desserts. Annette’s warm chocolate melting cake, baked Alaska, key lime pie, fruit pies, chocolate croissants—every type of dessert imaginable.

“I think this is everything, Miss Annette.” Barty stepped back to inspect the arrangement. “If they eat all of this food, I will be amazed.”

“The Belly Busters paid extra for it.” Annette dusted her hands. “We’ll take whatever they don’t eat down to the crew mess hall for the crewmembers to enjoy.”

The conversation ended when a commotion near the door caught their attention. Astrid and the female contestants cut through the dining room, making their way toward the back.

Millie caught up with them midway. “Good morning.”

“Morning, Millie,” Astrid beamed. “It’s gonna be a great day. ”

“I hope so, and I hope you’re hungry.”

“Famished.” Dixie patted her stomach. “Eating exercises are awesome. Mornings are best, at least for me.”

“I have to admit, I’m curious…why mornings?” Annette asked.

“It’s all about digestion,” Wendy said. “It’s like exercising in the morning, when you’re most rested. Same thing with the stomach muscles.”

Millie introduced the others. “Annette, who runs the galley, her assistant Barty, Felix and I will be on hand to help with anything you might need.”

“Let’s dig in.” Roxanne the Rumbler, according to her nametag, grabbed a plate and worked her way along both tables, filling it with food…

a literal mountain of food. When Millie was certain her plate couldn’t hold another scoop of stuffing, she piled a dinner roll on top and plopped down in an empty seat .

One by one, the contestants grabbed plates and loaded them with food, all filling them with equally ginormous portions. By the time the last one finished, they had put a sizeable dent in the Thanksgiving and Italian feasts.

Conversation was kept to a minimum with one-word responses as the women gobbled up the goodies. Several, including the top three contestants, Gail, Dixie and Wendy, went back for seconds, loading up their plates with as much food as they had the first time around.

Annette pulled Millie off to the side. “I’ve never seen anything like this. They’re all so thin. Where do they put it?”

“I have no idea,” she whispered back. “I gotta say, devouring this much food would make me feel sick.”

Working his way along the table, Barty began collecting the empty platters and trays. Felix jumped in, helping rearrange what was left. He stacked the empty dishes on the cart near the kitchen. “I think they’re finally slowing down.”

“Not yet.” Barty nodded toward the dessert table. With the dinner plates emptied, the contestants moved on to the cakes, pies and other delicious treats.

Astrid plodded past carrying a bowl of salad and a small slice of key lime pie.

Millie stopped her. “You’re not taking part in the feasting festivities?”

“No way.” She made a gagging sound. “I love food, but not when I eat so much I feel like throwing up.”

Roxanne was the last to peruse the desserts. Similar to the others, she filled a dinner plate with the goodies and returned to her table for one.

Wendy sprang to her feet, waving her empty plate in the air. “I finished first. I’m the exercise-eating champion of the day. ”

Dixie, who was seated beside her, pushed her chair back. “Hang on. I finished before you. I didn’t know we were competing.”

“Ditto for me.” Gail pointed her finger at Wendy. “You didn’t beat either of us.”

Wendy placed her hands on her hips. “I won fair and square.”

Dixie took a menacing step closer. “You didn’t win. Gail and I both finished before you.”

“Then why didn’t you call it?” Wendy’s voice rose several octaves.

The room grew quiet, all eyes on the battling Belly Busters, the top contenders who stood glaring at each other. Things devolved quickly into a shouting match with each of them accusing the other of cheating.

Millie made a move to step in and smooth things over .

Astrid, who was in the back and on her cell phone, cautiously crept toward them. “This wasn’t a competition but merely an eating exercise. There is no winner.”

“There goes Astrid, changing the rules again,” Wendy griped. “We’re supposed to get points, and now we’re not.” She removed a crumpled paper from her pocket. “It says right here on our schedule we earn points for this morning’s exercise.”

The argument spiraled quickly with several of the contestants surrounding poor Astrid, talking loudly and arguing amongst themselves.

Millie had trouble keeping track of who was yelling at whom until the moment when Dixie, standing at her full almost six-foot height, towered over Wendy. “Back off before you get hurt.”

Wendy’s eyes flashed with anger. “Are you threatening me?”

“I’m warning you,” Dixie shot back. “Don’t start on me again. ”

“Me start on you?” Wendy roared. “You’re the one who needs to watch it. It’s no secret you want me out of this competition because I’m going to win.”

“You wish you could win,” Dixie taunted.

Gail muscled in alongside them. “Stop fighting! Both of you before Astrid kicks us out of the group.”

Roxanne laughed out loud. “Mousy Astrid couldn’t fight her way out of a paper bag,” she smirked.

Crack. A loud cracking sound echoed in the dining room.

All heads turned to find Astrid standing on a chair, a metal pan and spoon in hand. “Knock it off! We’re better than this. We’re a team. Let’s start acting like one.”

Millie clapped loudly, proud of Astrid for finally stepping up and putting her foot down. Her praise was short-lived .

Out of nowhere, a meatball, with a piece of spaghetti wrapped around it, flew through the air and sideswiped Gail’s cheek.

“What the.” Her face morphed into pure rage. “Who hit me?”

Another meatball, this one aimed at Wendy, torpedoed across the room. The woman’s reflexes were spot on. She easily ducked, leaving Annette, who was in the line of fire, getting grazed.

From the back of the room, someone yelled, “Food fight!”

Millie felt strong arms grabbing her around her waist, dragging her beneath a table. Barty nudged her aside and crawled in next to her. “This went south fast.”

“No kidding.” Millie tugged her radio from her belt. “It looks like we’re gonna need some backup.”