Serial Fiction "The Cruise" Week Two

A momentary hush fell over the crowd, then pandemonium took hold. A rotund blonde woman with more rings than fingers, stood up abruptly and shouted

"What about the Ball!?"

Captain Russell held up his hands for quiet. " I'm sure Mrs. Hunter that if everyone cooperates with the police we will go forward with all of our scheduled activities."

"No!" Screamed Mrs. Belmonte, "you can't mean that!" She had just entered the main dining room on the insistence of the police. "My baby is lying dead down below somewhere and you still want to have your Ball?"

"You mustn't be so selfish Mrs. Belmonte." Mrs. Hunter was sincerity itself. "Our daughters have waited and prepared for this day for years, you

can't expect them to just throw that away, now can you?" She had a Grinchy smile. Sherri Lee half expected to see termites. She giggled.

Mrs. Hunter turned a different face to Sherri Lee. An altogether more frightening face. Before she could speak, Alex had her in hand and Mrs. Belmonte wailed on.

"Of course I expect them to stop the Ball you heinous cow!" Ms. Belmonte was becoming hysterical. She picked up a plate as if to wing it at Mrs. Hunter. One of the waiters put a hand on Mrs. Belmonte's and led her to another part of the room.

"Alexander, this is horrible! That poor woman just lost her daughter and she finds us discussing the ship's activities."

"True, darling, but it is important for the rest of the passengers to return to a sense of normalcy as soon as possible. I believe this Captain Russell understands that.

"But why Alex, I don't understand."

"So there will not be panic, as you are beginning to feel, Sherri. You must remain calm."

"But Alex...." His expression stopped her cold. She knew that look. All business. It was that look that had gotten her this far. Sherri Lee's father would join them just before the Ball, boarding at the last stop. He was necessary for the ceremony, but that had been and would be his only role. Alex had done everything else.

"You're right, of course, Alexander." Sherri Lee took a deep breath.

Just then, Alex took her by the arm and moved her to another part of the main room. He had been doing that periodically ever since the police showed up.

"Sherri, we need to make our exit now. It will not do for you to miss the Ball because of police questioning."

"Alex, the Ball isn't until tomorrow night; why would I miss it?"

"We were there in the passageway , possibly only moments after Miss Belmonte's death. They could question you for hours and even hold you as a material witness." His eyes never left the group of detectives scanning the crowd.

"Alex, no!"

Alex maneuvered Sherri Lee out through a service entrance he had been watching, but that the police had not. They went to one of the lower decks and looked out over the ocean.

"Alex, who would want Mary Beth dead? We both know that was no accident.

"That is the question I feel we must answer quickly Sherri; I can not have your life in jeopardy."

Suddenly, they heard the sound of dozens of running feet and voices calling out for a girl: Susanna Ozier.

"Susanna!"

"Miss. Ozier!"

"Susanna!"

The sounds were coming straight toward Alex and Sherri Lee.

"Time to go." Alex took Sherri Lee by the hand and began moving away quickly.

Sherri Lee barely had time to nod, but as she did so, she caught glimpse of...

©TSW 2007