The Valentine Voyage: Book Six: The Cozy Cruise Mysteries by Josephson Lizzie

Author:Josephson, Lizzie [Josephson, Lizzie]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2021-02-01T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER ELEVEN

Adrianne glanced around. Everybody in the Starlight Lounge seemed to be either dancing or engrossed in their own conversations.

Good.

She didn’t need wide-spread alarm and panic spreading throughout the Opera, especially if Doris had, as her husband suggested, merely misplaced the pendant somewhere in their luxurious accommodation.

Security Chief Lew Hamilton and two of his officers met them at the door to Doris and Ridley’s suite.

“If you don’t mind, my staff and I will thoroughly search your suite, Mrs. Davidson-Monroe. Maybe you could all sit out on your balcony for a few minutes? It won’t take us long.”

Everybody nodded, walked through the suite’s living room to the large balcony and took a seat. They watched as the three security specialists systematically searched everywhere. Doris was amazed when Lew Hamilton opened the safe.

“I thought our password stopped anybody getting in there!” she exclaimed.

“Anybody who isn’t the Chief Security Officer, Doris,” said Adrianne. “You’d be surprised how often people leave the Ship without taking their valuables with them. Chief Security Officer Hamilton has a combination that overrides the one you set.”

“In that play, the thieves could get into any safe,” said Veronique, remembering the plot of the drama they’d all enjoyed aboard the Louisa, as the Opera had been named before Adrianne purchased the Azura Seas Cruise Line and upgraded all three ships to a six star rating.

“I’m sure a professional safe-cracker could get in as well,” said Doris. “We had a break-in at the Blue Heron Distilleries Head Office a year ago and they were able to access our vault. The Police said they were slick professionals.”

“How much did they get?” asked Veronique curiously.

“Only twelve million dollars, thank goodness,” said Doris. “They didn’t realize there was over a hundred million in gold bars in the cardboard boxes in the corner. My son thinks they were crooks for hire who were looking for our secret formulas and the money was manna from heaven for them. He’s sure one of our Russian competitors hired them and they didn’t split the money with their bosses!”

“Twelve million is still a lot of money, Doris,” said Ridley.

“Yes, dear, it is,” said Doris. “But to me, the theft of the Bulgari pendant is worse, much worse. I know the Distillery will go on making our family lots of money forever, but there’s only one Bulgari emerald and diamond pendant brooch that was owned by Elizabeth Taylor! Just think of the history!”

Everybody thought of the history, sighed and nodded.

Lew Hamilton and his men finally finished their search.

“Ridley, we found seven thousand dollars in a man’s leather jewellery case on the bureau. Is that all that was in there?”

Ridley shook his head.

“I left about twenty grand in there, Officer Hamilton. Twenty grand, a Rolex watch and a couple of signet rings. And there should have been a wallet beside my case with another fifty thousand in it. I brought the cash with me because I’m going to buy Doris a stunning present for Valentine’s Day and you can always bargain better with cash than with a credit card.

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