Cruise Fashions and Fatalities: A Humorous Cruise Ship Mystery (Cruise Ship Cozy Mysteries Book 27) by Winters A.R

Author:Winters, A.R.
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2025-12-26T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

CHAPTER 15

“What does one wear to a modeling gig?” Sam stood outside my door in the morning.

I looked down at myself. Sweat pants, a T-shirt and flipflops. “Something to easily change out of?”

Sam was wearing the dance she usually wore when we went dancing with Cece. “Huh. Who am I trying to show up?”

“It’s not going to matter. You’ve seen the show. Makeup experts and stylists are going to go at us. Maybe no one will recognize us when they’re done.”

Sam looked up and down the empty corridor. Nobody was awake for the day shift. “Maybe we blow this off. Go find a place to hide and wait it out.”

“Hide from Cece?” I gave her a pointed look.

Cece’s earlier gig in housekeeping gave her a lot of familiarity with the best places to hide aboard Swan so she could take a nap. We didn’t stand a chance.

“You’re right. She’d find us. We don’t stand a chance against the hide-and-seek expert.” Sam sighed. “How is the murder case anyway?”

“Sidelined,” I had to admit. “Since last night, I haven’t been able to think straight.”

Sam turned toward the elevator. “I hear that. Didn’t sleep a wink, you?”

“Maybe a wink.” The two of us marched like condemned prisoners toward our execution.

We were the first victims, I mean models, to arrive in the auditorium. Marnie rushed over to us. “Glad to see you’re early. It’s going to take a long, long time to get you ready. Alice!”

Sam gritted her teeth. “What do you mean—”

I stopped her with a hand on her arm.

Alice appeared instantly, clipboard in hand. “This way, ladies. Oh, don’t you look nice,” she said.

To Sam.

We were plunked down into seats in front of lighted mirrors. My eyes kept straying to the private dressing room where Veronique had been stabbed. I hadn’t bothered with my usual lipstick and a quick swipe of cat-eye. And it was a good thing. I watched as Sam’s technician frantically scrubbed her face with a cluck of her tongue.

“I hate this already,” Sam said when we were left to stare at our blank faces. “Why didn’t you let me tell Marcie off?”

“It didn’t occur to me until we got here. But this is my chance to talk to the models about the murder. What they saw. What they’ve seen on the show. One of them might have some insight.”

Sam nodded. “Back on the case already. Even before we get shoved in front of the cameras.”

Her words made my heart ice over. But I tried to hold it together. One of the show’s regular models sat in the makeup chair beside me.

“Hi, I’m Addi. I’m a big fan. I’ve seen you on the show a lot.” Although I couldn’t recall her name.

The model, African with a mostly shaved head and a killer profile, stuck her nose up in the air. “I don’t like amateurs horning in on my gig.”

“Oh. Sorry.” Her comment felt like a punch.

Sam leaned over. “It wasn’t our idea.”

But the model ignored us, talking to the makeup woman when she arrived to start the makeup process.

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