Dark Passage Read Online Free PDF Page B

crew on the Royal Caribbean International ship Mariner of the Seas consume 20,000 pounds of beef, 28,000 eggs, 8,000 gallons of ice cream, and 18,000 slices of pizza in a week.
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    Wikipedia, March 31, 2013
    A t the entrance to the Firebird café stood an attractive, dark-haired steward whose name tag read ‘Sheila – Australia,’ a machine dispensing freshly squeezed orange juice, and a hand sanitizer. ‘Norovirus,’ said Ruth, as she gave her hands a squirt and rubbed briskly.
    â€˜A shot of O.J. would probably work just as well,’ I scoffed as we entered the café, an enormous, horseshoe-shaped room with a spectacular 180-degree view. We were ahead of the crowd, thank goodness, so while Ruth held down a table for four in a booth near the window, I grazed the buffet tables, assembling a lunch of pasta Bolognese, green salad and fresh, hot rolls with butter. When I sat down, Ruth took off, but not before a server had appeared out of nowhere to take our orders for drinks. I didn’t usually drink wine with lunch, but what the hell, I thought, handing Pradeep from India – as I worked out from his name tag – my sea pass. ‘A glass of merlot, please.’
    Tidal Wave must have passed muster because Georgina joined us after about fifteen minutes carrying a plate heaped with fried chicken, wild rice and sauteed green beans in one hand, and a small dessert bowl in the other.
    â€˜Where’s Julie?’ I mumbled around a mouth full of ziti.
    Georgina nodded in the direction of the buffet. ‘Filling up at the salad bar. She claims to be on a diet.’
    â€˜What on earth for? She’s as thin as a rail! When we turned sideways for that photograph I’ll bet she disappeared.’
    â€˜It’ll probably last all of ten minutes once she sees the dessert buffet,’ her mother said, pointing to the bowl that held her brownie smothered in hot caramel sauce.
    Ruth eased over so that Georgina could sit down, and a few minutes later I did the same to make room for Julie. ‘What did you think of the teen club?’ I asked my niece.
    â€˜It’s awesome! There’s a disco, and a lounge with a drinks bar where they serve mocktails and stuff. And a separate room with tons of video games.’ She paused to take a breath. ‘And a rock-climbing wall – I can’t wait to try that – and a bungee-jumping trampoline.’
    Georgina smiled across the table at her daughter. ‘When Julie asked the youth counselor how many teenagers were on board, she said two hundred and fifty.’ Georgina picked up a green bean between her thumb and forefinger and popped it into her mouth. ‘I don’t know how many counselors it takes to ride herd on that many kids, but I think there’ll be plenty to keep them and our girl occupied.’
    Ruth paused, a forkful of beef stroganoff half way to her mouth. ‘Julie? Over there? Don’t look now, but those guys are totally checking you out.’
    â€˜Where?’ Julie’s gaze flit curiously around our section of the dining room, but she was way too cool to turn her head.
    â€˜Up at the grill, in the hamburger line. Wearing the red T-shirts.’
    Chin slightly dipped, Julie glanced sideways through her eyelashes. ‘Oh,
them
.’ Her cheeks flushed. ‘That’s Connor and his cousin, Josh.’
    It certainly didn’t take Julie long to make friends, I thought to myself. Aloud I said, ‘They look too old for the teen club.’
    â€˜They are,’ Julie said. ‘Connor and Josh are part of that ginormous reunion group. They’re, like, twenty-one. They showed up at Tidal Wave to check it out for Josh’s little sister. She’s fifteen, but I can’t remember her name.’
    Julie scooped up the last of her potato salad, then shot up from her seat. ‘I’m going to check out the desserts.’
    As she flounced away, Georgina raised a