A retired couple sails away on the cruise of a lifetime - around the world! But just as they get into the excursions, fabulous food, and carefree days, Rob witnesses their neighbor thrown overboard in the dead of night. He and Kris join forces with the security captain, who appears a little rattled, and a friendly couple who always seem to show up in the wrong place at the right time. When a friend gets beaten up in Cadiz, Rob and Kris are sure that both events connect to a drug-smuggling operation. Between exotic ports of call, Kris struggles to break a cipher, the key to everything. But after Rob gets kidnapped in Jerusalem and Kris stumbles on deadly plans in Greece, their dream vacation quickly turns into a dangerous game of survival.
The wall behind his pillow shook, rousing Rob from his dream, one he had almost every night. He was the captain of his jet airliner, shooting the approach in a thunderstorm. He raked his hand over his face to clear the cobwebs and listened. There it was again. It wasn’t the thunder of his dream, but a muffled thumping and whimpering.
“What is it? Where is that noise coming from?” Kris touched his arm. “What’s going on?”
He leaned over and whispered, “I’m not sure, but it’s coming from the cabin next door, right on the other side of this wall.” Both were silent, listening intently. “It’s quiet now. Maybe he was having a bad dream.”
Kris settled back on her pillow. This cruise ship was very nice, but the walls between the cabins were not soundproof. “Well, maybe he’s OK.”
Just as Rob relaxed, something hit the wall with a thud. He leaped up. “I’m going over to check on him.” Pulling on his gym shorts and a t-shirt, he slipped on his sandals.
“What time is it, anyway?” Kris picked up her phone from the bedside table. “My gosh, Rob, it’s after three!”
“I don’t care what time it is. Maybe he’s hurt or having a seizure or something.” He walked to the door, cracked it open, and peeked outside into the hallway’s bright light.
“Be careful, Rob! We know nothing about this guy. And he may not be alone in there!”
The man had boarded the ship less than a week ago in Montevideo. From their cabin balcony, Rob saw Stefan, the Peary Dream’s general manager, practically falling over himself as he enthusiastically greeted the newcomer. Rob and Kris thought he might be an auditor, here to discover the reason for the premium food shortages. Angry Peary Dream passengers demanded answers about the lack of lobster, prime rib, and steak.
It was surprising when the VIP moved into the empty cabin next door. Rob and Kris traveled lean, and though comfortable, their cabin was not in the deluxe range. They introduced themselves the following morning when they bumped into him on their way to breakfast. Although stiffly polite, the tight-lipped gentleman failed to provide his name. He mentioned he was here for a short time, “on business” from the corporate office. Now, Rob wanted to check on their neighbor, who might be in trouble.
He cautiously stepped into the hallway, scanning up and down for any activity. All was quiet. Kris threw off the bedcovers, stood, and grabbed her bathrobe from the hook inside the bathroom. “I’m going with you.”
Rob turned and put his hand on her shoulder, pushing her gently back into the room. “Oh, no, you don’t! Stay here and wait for me. I’m going to see what—”
He heard a loud “oomph,” and the door in the next cabin rattled. Rob stepped back into their room, pushing his wife behind him. Leaving the door slightly open, he motioned for her to keep quiet. She jumped when the door in the next cabin suddenly banged shut. They heard nothing more, and after a few seconds, he opened the door wider to peer out. He closed the door and turned to her, wide-eyed.
“Two people are dragging someone down the hall. I’ve got to follow them. Stay here!” Grabbing his baseball cap, he opened the door, looked both ways, and entered the hallway. “I’ll be back. Stay here!”
Kris looked after Rob, but saw no one else. “I hope he knows what he’s doing. After all these years, I don’t want to break in a new man.”
Kris sat on the rumpled bed, pulled her knees to her chest, and wondered what was happening. “I hope he doesn’t get into a mess. Who would do such a thing? This could be bad. Really, really bad.” After a few minutes of worry, she wondered what department to call for help, but she couldn’t remember what officer was in charge of something like this. There were people on duty, but how could she reach them? She walked to the desk and examined the numbers displayed on the phone.None of them looked ideal. “I could call room service. I think they’re on duty 24 hours a day. They could reach the right person.” She picked up the receiver and, with her finger poised over the Room Service button, a sharp rap sounded on the door. She replaced the receiver and rushed to the door, letting Rob in. He looked like he had run a marathon.
“What happened to you? Did you find the men?”
His hands pressed to his knees, Rob leaned over, panting. Finally, he looked up. “They pushed him overboard! They took him to the railing and shoved him over, and I couldn’t stop them!”