Antics in the Adriatic : An Ocean Cruising Cozy Mystery (Ocean Cruise Cozies Book 6) by Cheryl Dougan

Author:Cheryl Dougan [Dougan, Cheryl]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Dougan Press
Published: 2024-06-27T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 9

BENEATH KOTOR SKIES

Adelle sipped her morning coffee by the railing of the cruise ship, her gaze fixed on the horizon as the first light of dawn began to paint the sky with soft pastel hues. The sun, a glowing orb of golden warmth, slowly emerged from behind the rugged mountains that surrounded the bay of Kotor. As its rays danced across the tranquil waters, the ancient city gradually came into view, its red-tiled roofs and stone walls bathed in the gentle morning light.

“It’s beautiful,” Tilly exclaimed, joining Adelle at the railing with reverent awe. “Sleeping beauty has missed another glorious sunrise.”

Adelle chuckled softly. “Debbie was up late again?”

Tilly nodded, her expression turning thoughtful. “She’s determined to pinpoint who is helping the smugglers, so she’s made it her mission to chat up every passenger until they retire for the night.” Tilly groaned. “When she finally returned to our cabin in the wee hours, she was as loud as the barn door slamming shut in the wind.”

Adelle winced, knowing all too well how Tilly could be a bear when she was tired. “She woke you up?” she asked sympathetically.

Tilly nodded, her eyes bright despite the early hour. “Yes, she stumbled in when I was in the middle of a deep sleep,” she replied. “After gallivanting all night, she was buzzing with excitement, talking a mile a minute about her plans for today.”

Adelle chuckled to herself, amused by Debbie’s boundless energy even in the wee hours.

“She told me not to wake her up this morning,” Tilly continued. “She’s going on an afternoon optional tour with a couple who might be of interest.”

“Let’s hope she manages to uncover something useful,” Adelle said with a hint of resignation. They had exhausted all their leads and were out of suspects.

Tilly’s gaze swept across the deck, eventually settling back on Adelle. “What’s Barb going to do today? Does she have any leads?”

“Barb signed up for an off-road tour. Her group will be exploring Lovcen National Park in 4x4 vehicles. Since we’ve gone through our list of suspect passengers, she’s shifting her focus to potential drop sites for the gems, thinking they might be hidden in remote locations.”

“That makes sense,” Tilly said before she snapped her fingers. “I just remembered that Debbie mentioned we should keep an eye on Ruby today. Apparently, Debbie overheard her discussing a Venetian exchange in Kotor.”

Adelle perked up at the mention of exchange. “That’s all she said?”

Tilly nodded. “That’s all I caught. I was dead to the world when my sister woke me up.”

Adelle cradled her hot coffee in her hands, her mind ablaze with thoughts about Ruby. Despite Barb’s thorough social media search the previous night, doubts lingered about Ruby’s presence on the cruise. Ruby stood out among the well-off passengers, raising questions about her financial status. Adelle couldn’t shake the feeling that there was more to Ruby’s story than what met the eye. With each sip of her coffee, she reminded herself of the core principles of any investigation: means, opportunity, motive.

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