Murder on Board Read online

  Murder on Board

  A Cruise Ship Cozy Mystery Book 1

  Ivy Dawson

  Copyright © 2019 by Ivy Dawson

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  Contents

  Description

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Afterword

  Description

  Shae Jordan is trying to get a fresh start. She wants to take beautiful pictures and see the world, and so decides to take employment on a cruise ship. Unfortunately, life isn’t on a cruise ship isn’t one big holiday, as Shae is about to find out. After her first night, a body is found in one of the main pools.

  The victim is heiress, Nova Ashcroft. It also becomes immediately apparent that it was no accident when they find out that Nova had been stabbed.

  When the Captain approaches Shae and asks her to take a look around, Shae knows where to start. However, members of the crew are determined to keep the whole thing a secret, and surprisingly, so is Nova’s husband.

  Will Shae find the truth? Or will the secret of who killed Nova be lost at sea?

  Chapter 1

  Shae Jordan looked up at her new life. She was more than ready for a fresh start, but as with all big decisions, she felt a sense of unease and nervous excitement. She stood on the bustling deck, taking in every detail of the massive cruise liner.

  The Princess Araminta was a massive ship with several stories and every luxurious amenity that man could think of and fit onto a massive ship. As far as fresh starts went, the ship looked more than ready to carry her into a new life.

  Shae stood there, like a rock against a sea of tourists with knee-socks and sandals or Hawaiian shirts. Several had both paired with cargo shorts. It wasn’t a pretty sight. She felt conspicuous in her simple jeans and button-up shirt. How did one dress when they were about to start a new job on a cruise liner? Was business casual acceptable?

  “Shae!” a high-pitched voice called. She turned around dutifully and was nearly run over by an over-excited woman. Shae narrowly managed to grab her friend before she toppled over Shae’s luggage.

  “Alexa,” Shae said with a warning tone, “please calm down. Don’t want my luggage going overboard.”

  “We’re not onboard yet,” Alexa pointed out, still grinning widely. “Friend! You’re here! I can’t believe it!”

  “Neither can I,” Shae sighed, looking at the ship apprehensively. “I nearly didn’t get off the plane.”

  “Well, you need this,” Alexa said resolutely, grabbing Shae’s bags and starting off toward the boat. Shae laughed and tried to help, but Alexa waved her off determinedly. “You couldn’t stay after what that idiot did to you.”

  “Can we not talk about my past?” Shae asked, a deep pit of shame opening up in her heart and causing her to look down at her feet.

  “Oh, I’m so sorry,” Alexa gasped. She stopped right before they could embark and help her hand up solemnly. “From now on, we won’t talk about you-know-who. We’re going to leave all that behind us, and we’re going to get on this ship and forget all about it. Do you solemnly swear to live your new life to the fullest?”

  “What?” Shae asked with an amused smile.

  “Do you swear to carpe the diem?” Alexa spoke over Shae, raising her voice and causing a few tourists to look at them curiously.

  “That’s not how you…” Shae started, looking around nervously. This wasn’t the first impression that she wanted to make. How had she forgotten about how loud and determined Alexa was?

  “Are you going to carpe diem?” Alexa asked again, sounding like a drill sergeant.

  “Yeah, okay,” Shae said, feeling flustered, “let’s seize the day then. Come on, I want to see my room.”

  “I was aiming for a little more enthusiasm,” Alexa said, narrowing her eyes, “but I’ll take it. Onward, let’s march!”

  “You’re ridiculous,” Shae couldn’t help but laugh as Alexa marched forward, holding Shae’s toiletries bag like a sword.

  “So, newbie, there are a few things you need to know before your maiden voyage begins,” Alexa chattered, expertly weaving her way through the throngs of tourists.

  “Maiden voyage?” Shae interrupted in confusion. “I thought this ship has been around the world.”

  “Not the Princess’ maiden voyage,” Alexa said, rolling her eyes, “this is your maiden voyage. Keep up, I only took off two hours to show you around. There’s not enough time.”

  “You take time off by the hour?” Shae asked with a frown.

  “If you’d let me speak,” Alexa teased, “then I’d be able to explain all this. Now, the crew has their own quarters. We only bother with the guests when we’re working. I tried to score you a single room, but those things are like unicorns. Magical and rare.”

  “I have a roommate?” Shae asked, feeling a little put-out.

  “Don’t worry,” Alexa said brightly, “it’s more like a tiny apartment. And you don’t spend much time in your cabin anyway. You only go there to sleep and change really. Just make sure to check the bathroom before you want to go clean up. Sometimes it’s busy, and sometimes it’s not.”

  “What have I done?” Shae asked. Alexa turned around in concern, but Shae was smiling good-naturedly. She’d done all her research before applying for the position. Alexa was so excited to explain everything to her that she didn’t have the heart to say that she already knew everything Alexa was saying.

  The Princess Araminta was a luxury cruise liner that docked in Panama then visited strategic points around the world in a month-long loop. Guests could board at any port of their choice and stay as long as they wanted. Very few guests stayed the full month. The routes varied, and sometimes the Princess would dock at different cities and explore different parts of the world. For Shae’s first voyage, they’d be sailing around South America.

  “You know,” Alexa said slowly, “I never actually thought you’d do something like this. I mean, it’s totally unlike you.”

  It was true. Shae was the type of person who wanted stability. She researched a product online before buying it and dreamed of a house with a white-picket fence. The craziest adventure she’d ever had was when she went for pizza at 3:00 a.m. because she couldn’t sleep.

  “I thought we were leaving all talk of my past life behind?” Shae reminded her. Alexa ducked into the crew-only passage, and Shae noted that they were much narrower than the corridors that the guests used. Thankfully, she wasn’t claustrophobic.

  People were milling around, talking and shouting. Several doors were open, and Shae had to fight the urge to peek inside. It reminded her of one big dorm room. She was also expecting this, so it didn’t faze her.

  Alexa seemed to be in her element and took the time to greet everyone by name.

  “You’ll get used to everyone eventually,” Alexa explained, “I mean, there are only so many of us, and you’re here on a six-month contract, right?”

  “Six months,” Shae agreed, “taking pictures of tourists on vacation and showing the best side of this ship.”

  “It’s better than my job,” Alexa assured her, tapping lightly on Shae’s expensive camera bag. “I’ve got to answer the same hundred questions a day and sit at the front desk. Not to mention babysitting spoiled VIPs. I swear, you need to teach me your photography ways. Then I don’
t have to be an information girl anymore.”

  “Is this my room?” Shae asked, interrupting Alexa’s complaining.

  “Hold on,” Alexa dug a piece of paper out of her pocket. “Yeah, 32D. Home sweet home.”

  Alexa handed her a pair of keys, and Shae opened the door excitedly. This was going to be her refuge for the next six months.

  Unfortunately, her refuge was already occupied by a gorgeous woman in a skin-tight dress.

  “What do you want?” the woman snapped, turning away from the mirror and holding her mascara wand threateningly.

  “I’m your new roommate,” Shae explained, trying not to be offended. Alexa had no such fears, she scowled at the woman, stomped in and dropped Shae’s bag on the empty bed.

  “Luciana, I told you Shae was coming,” Alexa snapped. “Your clothes better not be in her closet.”

  Luciana turned back to the mirror apathetically, ignoring Alexa’s warning. Alexa ripped the tiny closet open and glared at the sparkly dresses and feather boas that came spilling out.

  “Seriously?” she asked in annoyance. “Where’s she supposed to put her clothes?”

  “She’s got bags, doesn’t she?” Luciana pointed out. Shae frowned, trying to place her accent.

  “No,” Alexa shook her head vehemently. “No, no, no.” She started grabbing clothes and chucking them over to Luciana’s side of the cabin.

  “Those are expensive!” Luciana screeched, jumping up and grabbing her clothes out of Alexa’s hands.

  “Find somewhere else to put them!”

  Shae scratched her head uncomfortably and looked out down the hall. Everyone was backing away slowly, looking alarmed. Shae frowned. Usually people were eager to see a catfight. She was glad that they were getting some privacy, but it confused her.

  She realized why they were backing away when she saw a man in a pressed uniform storming down the hall toward them. People jumped out of his way, and within seconds, the hallway was deserted.

  “Uh…” Shae said slowly, looking at the two women in alarm, “you guys… something’s happening.”

  “I need the space!” Luciana shouted.

  “What’s going on here?” the man asked, moving Shae out of the way and glaring at the three of them. Alexa and Luciana froze, each clutching one end of the same sequined red dress.

  “Luci won’t empty the closet for Shae,” Alexa said in a subdued tone, letting go of the red dress at the same time Luci did. The dress fell on Shae’s bed, and she winced. The officer turned to her with a disgusted look.

  “Is this your first day?”

  “Yes,” Shae said slowly.

  “And this is how you wanted to start the day?”

  “It’s hardly my fault,” Shae scoffed. “I just came aboard.”

  Alexa covered her eyes with her hand, and Luci looked pleased. The officer stiffened and gave her a disdainful look.

  “Is that how you want to greet your boss?” the man asked in a dangerous tone. Shae blushed and looked over at Alexa who nodded slowly. “I suggest you learn some respect,” he told her nastily, “or we’ll leave you at port. Ms. Freemont,” Alexa immediately snapped to attention. “We’re hosting a journalist for the week. Show her around and make sure there’s nothing to cause a bad review.”

  “This is my time off,” Alexa protested, but the officer glared angrily at her, “but I’ll get to it right now.”

  The officer glared at her for a second longer before turning on his heel and walking out.

  “Mark Rodriguez,” Alexa explained, scrambling over the bed and a pile of sparkly clothing. “First mate, and royal pain. He isn’t even supposed to get involved.”

  “Great,” Shae groaned, “that’s not the first impression I wanted to make.”

  “I’m sorry,” Alexa said sympathetically, “but I’ve got to get to work. We can talk about it later.”

  Alexa started walking away, and Shae looked over at Luci, who was glaring murderously.

  “You know what,” Shae said, “I think I’ll go with you.”

  She rushed to Alexa’s side and the two walked over to the main deck.

  “It’s not that bad,” Alexa said thoughtfully, “just make sure that Mark’s boss likes you. Then you won’t have to worry about Mark.”

  “Isn’t his boss the captain of the ship?” Shae pointed out. “How much time have you spent with the captain since you’ve worked here?”

  “I said hi to him at a party once,” Alexa admitted sheepishly, “and it was on a dare.”

  “Great,” Shae sighed, “that’s just perfect.”

  They were so distracted by their dilemma, that Alexa accidentally walked into one of the guests.

  “I’m so sorry,” Alexa cried, frantically picking up his bags.

  “That’s okay,” he chuckled. Alexa froze when she met his gaze. He was quite easily the most handsome man that any of them had ever seen.

  “I wasn’t looking where I was going,” Alexa explained in a daze. Shae chuckled to herself and gave the guest a friendly smile.

  “Harry,” a woman walked up behind him. She looked incredibly pale and there was sweat forming on her brow. The woman was obviously beautiful, even through her sickly demeanor. “Can we please find the cabin?”

  “Where’s Grant?” Harry asked in annoyance. “He should be helping us with the luggage.”

  The woman shrugged weakly and picked up one of the bags. It swung toward Shae, and she caught it expertly. The bag was made from leather and had the name “Nova Ashcroft” embossed near the handle.

  Shae had to stop herself from gaping. Nova was the heiress of an extensive chain of hotels that dotted every continent, even Antarctica. Her family owned the cruise liner. And by the looks of her, Nova sincerely regretted acquiring the luxury ship.

  Harry sighed in annoyance then turned back to Alexa with a flirty smile.

  “Feel free to bump into me any time,” he winked and held out his arm to Nova, who clung to it as they walked away.

  Chapter 2

  “Oh, my…” Shae trailed off in horror, unable to tears her eyes away from the grisly sight on the main deck.

  The crisp morning air blew over the deck, and Shae took a deep breath to calm herself down. It was still an hour until the sun was supposed to come up, but Shae thought it was the perfect time to take a stroll on deck and familiarize herself with the place before she started.

  She’d gone to bed early the previous night, despite Alexa’s pleas. She wanted to be well-rested for her first day of work, and maybe she’d be able to make a better impression on the first officer. Unfortunately, she had tossed and turned all night, and hadn’t gotten any sleep. At about two in the morning, Luci had stumbled into the cabin.

  Luciana Ricci was the featured singer in the cocktail lounge, so her shifts tended to go late. The singer also didn’t care if her entrance was noisy and distracting. Shae had decided to do something proactive and had gotten up to take a walk.

  The ship was a peaceful place when everyone was asleep and in their cabins. She enjoyed walking around and taking everything in, but things changed when she walked onto the main deck. The crystal blue pool, which was a draw for many tourists, was occupied.

  At first, Shae had dismissed the floating object, thinking that it was a flotation device. It wasn’t until she’d gotten closer that she found that the flotation device had hair.

  She looked around frantically, wondering what to do. She noticed a payphone booth on the deck and quickly made her way over. It was made from clear and white plastic, and there was a directory of emergency numbers that she was supposed to call.

  The list wasn’t long, and she quickly found the right one. Security.

  “What?” a voice barked. “It’s too early for this.”

  “There’s a body,” Shae choked out, holding the phone close to her face. She kept her face turned toward it; an irrational urge kept her from turning her back on the poor person. “In the pool on the main deck. Come quickly, she’s
dead.”

  “If she’s dead, then why rush?” the voice asked sarcastically. She frowned in confusion, but the security officer put the phone down.

  “Oh, Shae,” she mumbled to herself, creeping toward the edge of the pool and staring at the woman who was face-down in the pool. “What have you gotten yourself into?”

  A few minutes later, two burly men in uniform came onto the deck, carrying a stretcher.

  “You found the body?” one of them barked at her. He was a tall, beefy man with several small features. He had small eyes and a small mouth, but a gigantic nose on a face with too much space.

  “Yes,” Shae nodded frantically.

  “Someone drowned,” the man decided. He walked over to his colleague, and together they removed the body and laid it on the stretcher. When she was on her back, her dark hair covered her face. Shae tucked a strand of her own hair behind her ear and walked closer.

  “No,” Shae said suddenly, pointing to the woman’s abdomen, “she was stabbed. This might be a murder; we need to get the police.”

  “Lady,” the man said in annoyance, “we’re in the middle of nowhere. International waters. You know what that means?”

  “No,” Shae said honestly, looking at the woman in concern.

  “We ask where she’s from,” the man said simply, “then we let her country sort it out.”

  “There are hundreds of people onboard,” Shae pointed out, “all of them are getting off at different ports. If we wait until we get home, the murderer will be long gone, and no one will know what happened to her.”

  “Not my job,” the man shrugged. Shae quickly found his name embroidered on his shirt.

  “Okay, Ivan,” Shae said with a sigh. “What are you going to do with her?”