Page 22 of Waylaid in Whittier (Cruise Director Millie Mysteries #5)

Millie climbed into the driver’s seat of the fancy four-wheel-drive pickup truck. She rolled the window down, fired up the engine and shifted into reverse.

Annette waved her arms, motioning her back. “Back a little more…a couple inches. Perfect. Stop.”

Leaving the engine running, Millie climbed out to check her location. “I couldn’t have maneuvered any more perfectly if it was broad daylight.” She reached inside and shut the engine off.

Danielle dropped the tailgate. “Using the tailgate as a stepladder is a pretty slick trick, Millie.”

“I’ve been known to come up with a clever idea a time or two.” She grabbed hold of the tailgate and tried pulling herself into the truck bed. It was higher than it looked.

Danielle chuckled. “Do you need a hand?”

“I need to be another six inches taller,” Millie gasped.

“That’s what the nifty little sidestep is for.” Her friend tapped the step.

“Why didn’t I notice this before?” Millie stuck her sneaker in the cutout and grabbed onto the truck’s frame. With a little momentum, she easily stepped up and into the bed.

“These newer trucks have all the bells and whistles,” Annette said.

Millie reached down and gave Danielle a hand up, and then Annette. “You can see a lot more from up here.”

“And even see inside the screen vents on top of the mystery building.”

“You know it.” Millie scooched onto the lowered tailgate and turned her flashlight on. Leaning as far forward as possible, she shined the light through the screen. “It’s empty.”

“Are you sure?”

“Positive.” Millie shifted to the side. “See for yourself.”

Danielle, who was a few inches taller, leaned forward and looked inside. “You’re right. It’s clean as a whistle.”

“I hate to admit it, but so far, this trip has been a waste of time.” Millie dusted her hands. “Hopefully, Sharky and Brody are having better luck.”

Annette checked her watch. “They’ve been exploring the creepy building for a while now.”

Millie hopped down and ran around to the driver’s side. She took the keys from the console and locked the truck. “I see a flash of light coming from the second floor. They must be upstairs.”

Falling into step, the women trudged across the gravel driveway. Walking single file along the bridge, they entered the metal building.

Danielle lingered in the doorway. “This is exactly how I pictured this place to look.”

“Right out of a scary movie,” Annette said. “Remember those movies about the redheaded doll that stalked and killed people? It could easily have been filmed here.”

“I was thinking the same thing.”

“Horror movies?” Millie grimaced. “I make it a rule not to watch them. Real life is scary enough.”

“It’s a good thing because this place nailed the backdrop,” Annette said. “I’m not one to get spooked, but you couldn’t pay me to spend the night here by myself.”

Creak. Pop.

Millie froze in her tracks. “Did you hear that?” she whispered.

“It sounds like the building is settling.” Annette spun in a slow circle. “Old building. Metal walls. Earthquake prone area.”

“There are earthquakes in Alaska?” Millie shot her friend a worried glance. “Are you sure?”

“Positive.”

“Huh,” Danielle murmured. “Who would have thought?”

A scurrying noise echoed from somewhere nearby.

“Sharky?” Millie called out. “Brody?”

Neither answered.

“Let’s keep moving.” Danielle nudged Millie forward. “You’re doing an excellent job of taking the lead.”

“Scaredy-cat,” Millie teased.

“Not always, but in this instance, yes. I would rather be on the commercial where a bunch of teens are standing in front of a barn with the sharp tools hanging on the wall and a killer is lurking in the shadows watching them.”

“Seriously?” Millie paused. “What happens?”

“I don’t know. The clip ends when they decide not to escape in their vehicle but head for the barn where the killer is waiting.”

“You should stop watching those kinds of shows and commercials.”

“I like being scared. Although I can tell you, I wouldn’t watch a thriller or horror movie involving a cruise ship.”

“I don’t think I would watch that kind of show either,” Annette said. “We have enough action happening on board in real life.”

“Seeing how we both like scary movies, we should hang out one night, pop some popcorn and get the daylights scared out of us,” Danielle said.

“I’m up for it. When is your next night off?” Annette asked.

“On Wednesday. Dawn of the Dead is playing. It starts at ten.”

“I can make it. My cabin or yours?”

“We can watch it in mine,” Danielle said. “You bring the popcorn. I’ll grab some sodas and the rest of the junk food.”

“Dawn of the Dead. It sounds like a nice, wholesome family movie,” Millie said sarcastically.

“It’s about zombies,” Danielle said.

“No kidding. What a coincidence.”

“Why is it a coincidence?”

“Because we might have a zombie group booked on one of our upcoming Caribbean cruises.”

Danielle made a choking sound. “For real?”

Millie grinned. “You should see the look on your face. I thought I mentioned it to you. I don’t recall the name of the club or group, although it’s on the tip of my tongue. The coordinator and I even had a zoom call to discuss a few event ideas.”

“Like what?” Danielle clapped her hands. “I have a bazillion ideas for zombie-themed activities. A zombie costume contest. A zombie scavenger hunt. Whodunnit zombie murder mystery.”

“I put all of those on the table.”

“How many passengers are we talking about? Is it a large group?”

“The bigger, the better, if you ask me,” Annette quipped. “It would be fun making zombie dishes.”

Millie eyed them with interest. “You two are really into this zombie theme.”

“It’s all I’ll be able to think about,” Danielle said. “You have the handy dandy group cruise calendar. Can you check to see if they booked?”

“Right now?”

“Sure. Why not? What better place to find out if you have a zombie group booked than when you’re standing inside one of Alaska’s spookiest buildings?”

Millie turned her phone on. She logged into her Majestic Cruise Lines’ account and tracked down the group cruise coordinator app. She scrolled through the screen to the first set of group bookings after their return to the Caribbean. “They did. The zombie group is booked.”

Danielle threw her hands in the air and shimmied around. “Seriously?”

“Yep.” Millie turned the phone around so her friend could see. “Mark it on your calendar.”

“You know it. Can you forward me the coordinator’s contact information? I’ll reach out to them with some other themed event ideas. I can’t wait. A zombie group.”

“Had I known you would be this excited, I would’ve told you weeks ago.” Millie slipped her phone back into her pocket.

“Back to the Dawn of the Dead. Do you want to hang out with Annette and me for movie night?”

“No thanks. Gone with the Wind is more my speed. Besides, like Annette pointed out, we have enough real life action on Siren of the Seas as it is. Thank you for the offer, though.”

“You’re welcome.”

The building groaned and creaked again.

Millie tightened her grip on her flashlight. “Surely, Brody and Sharky have had enough time to scope this place out.”

“Let’s track them down and get out of here,” Annette said.

“You read my mind.” Millie cautiously crept forward, her eyes moving from side to side. “I wonder what sort of critters have taken up residence inside this old building.”

“We probably don’t want to know.”

Moving at a steady pace, the trio continued making their way toward the stairs.

Thunk. A dull thunk echoed off in the distance. The hair on Millie’s arms stood straight up. She got the distinct feeling they were being watched.

Suddenly, from out of the shadows, a hulking figure lunged at them.

Millie froze in her tracks, screaming at the top of her lungs as the shadowy figure came at her.