Dead Calm by Shirley Wells Page A

cabins. Luke and Vicky went to theirs and Dylan struggled on with the shopping to his and Bev’s. Once inside, he dropped the bags on the bed.
    “Who knew cushions could be so heavy?”
    Bev shrugged that off. “I bought a couple of other things.”
    “I know.” A big box had bruised his leg as he’d walked. “If you’re going to sort this lot out, I’m going to have a wander around.” He wanted to see if he could find Jorstad’s sons. Finding needles in haystacks would probably be easy by comparison.
    “I hope you’re not going to spoil our holiday.” Bev faced him, hands on her hips. “A woman’s died, Dylan, and as sad and tragic as that is, it’s nothing to do with you. Okay?”
    “I know, I know. I’m just curious, that’s all.”
    “Go on then. I’ll meet you in the dining room for dinner.”
    He made his escape and strode along the thickly carpeted corridor in the direction of the sun lounge. He hadn’t gone far when he saw a familiar face.
    “Hello, Ruby. Have you been enjoying the sights of Trondheim?”
    “I have, and what a gorgeous place. I’ve visited it several times but never spent more than a few hours there. I’d love to take time to explore it properly so I might just book a week’s holiday.”
    “Good idea. So where are you heading now?”
    She was walking in the direction of the cabins yet hers wasn’t even on this deck.
    “What?” She slapped a hand to her forehead. “It pains me to admit it but Tom’s right, you know. I am going senile.”
    “You’re lost?” He smiled. “It’s easily done. This ship’s like a maze.”
    “Not lost, but senile. I was going to the cabin I was originally allocated.” She shook her head, amused at her own stupidity. “Tom will have the men in the white coats waiting for me when this ship docks.”
    “Wait a minute. You were allocated a different cabin?”
    “Yes. There was some mix-up when we boarded and I had to change cabins, probably because our booking was made at the last minute. Foolishly, I can remember the number of the one I was given originally but keep forgetting the one I’m actually in, 924.”
    “It wasn’t 836 by any chance?”
    “That’s it, yes.”
    “Hanna Larsen kicked up a fuss because she believed she’d been given the wrong cabin. She was responsible for the change. She died in 836.”
    “She died in my cabin? Oh no.” Ruby took a moment to let this sink in. “Hark at me. It was my cabin for all of half an hour. All the same, what a horrid thought. Goodness, I hope the stress of moving wasn’t responsible.”
    “I wouldn’t think so.”
    “Well, no, but even so.” She shuddered, then brightened a little. “She was very ill from what I’ve heard. If she was susceptible to stress, I suppose anything could have finished her off.”
    Ruby began walking back to the correct deck. Dylan fell into step with her, his mind working overtime. Of course Ruby wasn’t concerned. Why should she be? She believed the woman she’d changed cabins with had suffered a heart attack in the early hours of the morning.
    “I really am going mad,” she said. “I used to be able to remember names and faces, but these days—” She pulled a face. “I’m hopeless. I saw you talking to a chap and I know I recognised him. Can I place him? Can I heck.”
    “Someone I was talking to? What did he look like?”
    She laughed. “That’s just it. He looked average. Don’t worry, it’ll come to me. Eventually. Right, I’m off to my cabin. I’ll see you later, Dylan.”
    He watched her walk toward her cabin, not a care in the world apart from a failing memory.
    Ruby Jackson was a very wealthy woman, the sort who could afford to make charity donations of five million pounds. Maybe, just maybe, Hanna Larsen hadn’t been the intended victim at all.

Chapter Eleven
    Tom Jackson was about to leave his cabin and head to the dining room to meet his mother for breakfast when his phone rang. He stabbed at the screen. “Tom