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

nations. She suspected the service people weren’t paid all that well, and depended on the guests’ tips to support themselves, and most likely their extended families back in their home countries.
    Kate didn’t think of herself as wealthy, even though she and Skip both made decent incomes and she had a sizeable brokerage account of investments, thanks to her first husband’s life insurance. By American standards they were middle class–well maybe upper-middle class based on assets alone–but they had both come from working-class roots. She wasn’t used to playing the role of the well-to-do tourist, waited on hand and foot by people from countries where what she spent on Starbucks coffee and lunches in a week would feed their families for a month.
    Skip picked up the thread of the conversation, or perhaps he read her thoughts as he had a disconcerting habit of doing. “They’re probably real glad to have their jobs, and to be able to send money home.”
    The captain approached their table, his expression serious. After greeting them and inquiring about their comfort, he tilted his head toward the two empty chairs. “Have you seen Mr. and Mrs. Dayton this afternoon or evening?”
    The others were shaking their heads but Rob spoke up. “I noticed them in one of the bars on shore as we were coming back to the ship. They seemed to be enjoying themselves.”
    The captain looked marginally relieved.
    “Was that who you all were calling for on the intercom this afternoon?” Liz asked.
    Kate put two and two together. “They missed the boat, didn’t they?”
    The captain nodded. “Hopefully they will be able to get a flight to New Orleans, our next port of call, and rejoin us there. Enjoy your evening, ladies and gentlemen.” He turned on his heel and walked away.
    Kate felt sorry for the young couple. She doubted they had the resources to do that, but they would have to get out of Mexico one way or another.
    “Why’d he look so grim?” Liz asked. “This probably happens a lot. People get to partying on shore and lose track of time.”
    “9/11,” Rob said. “Ever since then, they probably worry that there’s a bomb in the people’s luggage.”
    “But someone said they x-ray our bags when they’re brought on board,” Kate said. “That’s why we can’t bring them on ourselves.” And they were subjected to airport-level security every time they came back onboard.
    “There are some explosives that are hard to detect,” Rob said.
    Liz grimaced. “Now that’s a happy thought to start the evening.”
    Kate surreptitiously studied the mother and daughter combo across the table from her. The younger woman looked to be about twenty or so and was quite lovely. She didn’t look all that much like her mother. Of course, she might take after her father, or perhaps she was adopted. Kate wondered why she was traveling with her mother. Couldn’t be all that exciting.
    Stop that! she scolded her inquisitive psychologist’s mind. We’re on vacation here!
    Liz leaned past Rob to tap Kate’s shoulder. “Where’s your new shawl?” she whispered.
    “Darn, I forgot it.” It was rather chilly in the dining room. “Let me run back to the cabin and get it.”
    On Deck 10, Kate was slipping her card key into the cabin door lock when she caught movement out of the corner of her eye. She glanced down the hall. Cora’s cabin steward–Jorge, was that his name?–was stooping down outside her door to pick up a room service tray.
    Kate started to call after him to ask how Cora was doing but he rose quickly and headed away from her down the hall. After retrieving her shawl, she debated about knocking on Cora’s door. She decided to wait until after dinner. Her soup had probably been delivered by now and was getting cold.
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    K ate was feeling rather tipsy at ten o’clock when they headed back to their cabin. She was having trouble walking a straight line and couldn’t figure out if she was really that drunk or