Page 56 of Millie's Cruise Ship Mysteries
“Warm. Like I do after I come inside from the freezing cold and drink a cup of hot chocolate with marshmallows sprinkled on top,” Gloria said.
“What about energy?”
Millie thumped her chest. “The heat is spreading and my scalp is tingling.”
“Which means the ginseng is kicking in.” Giselde tossed the empty cups in the trash and put the sample container back inside the cabinet before locking it. “You’ll have an energy boost for the rest of the day, mark my words.”
“Thank you for letting us sample it.” Millie, with Gloria and Camille falling into step, returned to the spa’s check-in desk.
“I feel pretty peppy.” Camille bounced on the tips of her toes. “If a little shot makes me feel this energetic, I can’t imagine what chugging a container would do.”
“I’m not sure I would want to find out.” Millie tugged on her lanyard. “We better get going. I need to track down Patterson to see if he caught anyone on the surveillance cameras.”
“Good luck. Hopefully, they’re isolated incidents.”
“I wish, but my gut tells me this isn’t the case.”
Walking at a brisk clip, the cousins descended the stairs, not slowing to take a breather on their way to the bottom.
“I have to say, I’m feeling a pep in my step,” Gloria said.
“Me too. This way.” Making a sharp left, they strode to the end of the corridor, stopping when they reached the security department’s office.
Millie rapped on the door and stuck her head around the corner. “Hey, Patterson.”
“Hello, Millie.”
“Do you have a minute?”
“I do.” He motioned them inside. “Sharky told me you were targeted by the vandal too. I figured you would stop by sometime today.”
“Gloria and I hosted an event at the spa. When we finished, Camille showed us the fitness center’s door and how someone had tried breaking into a storage cabinet.”
“I can safely say the same person is responsible for the damage.”
“You caught them on camera?”
“We did.”
“Who is it?”
“Unfortunately, I don’t know. I couldn’t see the person’s face.” Patterson told them it appeared to be a lone vandal. “It happened around one thirty this morning.”
“When almost everyone on board the ship was asleep,” Millie said. “This may not matter, but in what order did it happen?”
“The fitness center was hit first, followed by your office. Scout’s framed photo was last, almost as an afterthought, I suspect.”
“You wouldn’t happen to have the footage handy for us to watch,” Millie said.
“I do.” Patterson offered them a chair. “Have a seat.”
“Actually.” Millie began tapping her foot. “I would rather stand.”
“Me too.”
“It’ll take me a second to pull them up.”
Millie fidgeted, regretting her decision to swing by Patterson’s office while still under the full effects of the energy shot.
