Death on the Danube by Jennifer S Alderson

Author:Jennifer S Alderson
Language: eng
Format: azw3, epub
Publisher: Traveling Life Press
Published: 2019-11-15T05:00:00+00:00

14 Carl, Where Are You?

December 30 – Day Four of the Wanderlust Tour in Budapest, Hungary

Lana woke up groggy and stiff. The nightstand lamp was still on, and a paperback mystery novel lay open on the pillow next to her. It had taken several chapters before she fell into a deep sleep. The boat creaked and groaned as it bobbed in the cold water. Her room was close to the main entrance, meaning she’d heard the heavy door to the hallway opening and shutting as her tour guests returned from their night on the town. Helen and Tom’s whopper of an argument, audible through the thin walls, hadn’t helped with her insomnia, either. More splashes, thumps, and laughter had also traveled into her room via her balcony. At one point, she’d sworn someone was knocking on the hull. Yet no one would have been stupid enough to go swimming in this icy cold water, and at night no less.

With great difficulty, Lana rose out of her comfortable bed and took a hot shower. At least she didn’t have to do much today besides keep the peace during breakfast. At 6 a.m., their boat had set sail for Visegrád, a small village in the Danube Bend known for its castle, fruit brandy, and spectacular views over the river. It was a three and a half hour ride from Budapest, meaning they should be arriving shortly after breakfast. Their tour guide would meet them at the local marina to take them by taxi to Visegrád Castle, followed by a traditional lunch and a brandy tasting.

After they returned, their riverboat would travel on to the picturesque village of Zebegény and dock there for the night. Tomorrow morning they would sail back through the Danube Bend to Budapest, stopping off at the colorful village of Szentendre along the way. Dotty said this two-day trip to the smaller villages upstream was the highlight of the tour. Lana couldn’t wait to tag along.

Lana opened the door to the dining room with trepidation, afraid to see who was awake and what everyone’s mood was.

The Fabulous Five were polishing off their first round of eggs, bacon, and toast. “Well, speak of the devil. How did you sleep, Lana?”

“Like a baby,” she said as she crossed over to their table. “And did Lady Luck smile on you last night?”

“She sure did,” Frieda said, her tone satisfied. “All of us ended up leaving with more money than we came in with. I don’t think that’s ever happened before. Rebecca even won a slot machine jackpot!”

“I’ve never seen so many coins in my life! It’s only too bad they were fifty-cent pieces and not those two-euro coins,” Rebecca grumbled.

“It was a waterfall of money,” Sara laughed.

“Wow, I wish I’d seen that,” Lana said.

“And we got quite the show, thanks to Carl,” Nicole added.

Lana’s smile froze. “Do you mean, Sally pushing him into the Danube?”

“No, he showed up at the casino about an hour after we arrived. When he tried to enter, one of the bouncers asked whether he had another Rolex to trade in.

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