Cruel Capers on the Caribbean: A Kate on Vacation Mystery (The Kate on Vacation mysteries) Read Online Free PDF Page A

the boat, Kate trudged up the ramp on tired legs. This time when she and Skip went to their cabin for an afternoon nap, they actually slept.
    ~~~~~~~~
    K ate awoke in the king-sized bed to discover she was alone. She heard the shower running in the tiny bathroom. She yawned and stretched, then glanced at the clock on the bedside table.
    In an instant she was on her feet and rummaging through drawers. She had less than forty-five minutes to get ready for the formal dinner this evening.
    Forty minutes later, she was showered and her make-up was done. In the small cabin, Skip was trying hard to keep out of her way as she flitted back and forth in her slip, first retrieving her shoes from the closet, then her jewelry from the safe inside a cabinet. “Why don’t you go on down?” she suggested to him. “I’ll be along in a few minutes.”
    Skip nodded and headed out the door.
    As she left their cabin ten minutes later, Kate decided to check on Cora. She knocked twice on her door. There was no response.
    She must’ve already gone down to dinner.

CHAPTER FOUR
    T he maitre d’ escorted Kate across the main dining room. Four other people, a thirty-something couple and a mother and daughter, were already seated at the large round table along with Skip and the Franklins. Kate noted that two people were missing–the young couple who’d told them the previous evening how they’d scraped and saved to afford this cruise.
    Poor kids probably don’t own anything dressy.
    Rob’s was the only tuxedo at the table. The rest of the men wore suits. Liz’s emerald green silk sheath matched her eyes. Her hair was mostly gray under the strawberry blonde dye, but she, unlike her husband, was winning the battle against middle-aged spread.
    Skip’s tan, Western-style suit was accented with a dark bolo tie. Kate’s ice-blue dress had a flared skirt and a low scoop neck. It was a bit more daring than her usual attire. The single diamond on its silver chain and those in her ears–gifts from Skip at various times during their relationship–sparkled in the soft lighting.
    Skip stood up to hold out her chair. As she stepped in front of him, he brushed aside her curls and whispered in her ear, “You look scrumptious. I know what I’m having for dessert.”
    “Behave,” she whispered back, as a pink tinge crept up her neck to her cheeks.
    “Excuse me,” a voice said from behind them. “Have you seen Cora today?”
    They turned around.
    Clem was wearing a stylish black suit, his white silk shirt open at the neck. But from that point up, he didn’t look so hot. His last attempt at shaving had been less than successful. Black stubble dotted his chin. His eyes were red-rimmed, and his skin tone had gone from artsy pallor to a sickly gray. Some of his hair had come loose from its ponytail. It hung limply along his cheek.
    Surprised, Kate said, “She hasn’t come down for dinner yet?”
    Clem shook his head, his loose hair swinging. He shoved it back behind his ear.
    “She’s caught a cold,” Kate said. “I checked on her this morning and she seemed better, but maybe she’s still not up to dealing with all this.” She waved her hand around the dining room.
    His worried face relaxed a little. “Her immune system isn’t all that great. She tends to get sick easy.” He shuffled his feet. “Well, you folks enjoy your dinner.” He turned and walked away.
    Skip and Kate sat down just as their exuberant waiter arrived to greet the group. He and the assistant waiter took drink orders, then scurried off to fill them.
    “I wish those two were a little less eager to please,” Liz muttered, once they were out of earshot.
    “They’re hoping for a big tip at the end of the cruise,” Kate said. She too was a little uncomfortable with their subservient attitude. She’d noted that most of the cabin stewards, cleaning people and wait staff were from developing countries, while most of the officers were lily-white and from industrialized