The Cruise Ship Murders: A Sadie Weinstein Mystery

By Reva Spiro Luxenberg

The Cruise Ship Murders

A series of murders besets the four thousand passengers on a luxury cruise ship headed to Honduras, Belize, and Mexico. Sadie and Nathan Weinstein have sold their Brooklyn grocery and relocated to a senior community in Florida. Sadie, a zany amateur sleuth in the past begins an investigation, but she also becomes a suspect herself. Enlisting help in cracking the case, she organizes the Cruise Ship Murder Squad. The visions of Rhajmah, a pickle-eating psychic, are indispensable. Nathan, calling the ship a “boat” consistently, warns his wife to mind her own business. But Sadie doesn’t listen even in the face of life-threatening danger. The action takes place in the casino, the buffet, the infirmary, and on many decks. It was not a relaxing cruise to be sure.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Nov 28, 2018
• ISBN: 9781984567710

Reva Spiro Luxenberg

REVA SPIRO LUXENBERG embarked on a writing career after she retired as a school social worker. She has written nineteen books—mysteries, dramas, non-fiction books, anthologies, and humorous versions of two of the books of the Bible. She is married to Dr. Edward R. Levenson, who has edited eight of her books. She is a member of Florida Authors & Publishers Association. Her hobbies are reading, painting rocks, and taking care of her puppy Sekhel and her tortoise Mordy. She is a proud grandmother of seven and great-grandmother of six and one on the way.

Book preview

CHAPTER 1

I AIN’T GOING on no cruise. I changed my mind. You go with Rhajmah, Nathan said in his raspy voice. He sat on the twin bed in the bedroom watching Sadie pack her clothes in a large suitcase that had pictures of elephants holding umbrellas on the outside.

It’s too late to change your mind. Everything is paid for. I won’t enjoy myself without you, dear. What’s your objection? Sadie added another pair of her polyester slacks to the suitcase. She was a petite older woman who had maintained her trim figure. She still dyed her wavy brown hair an attractive ash blond. Age had added some wrinkles to her face, but she looked and acted fifteen years younger than her chronological age. Nathan’s appearance had changed. His protruding stomach had deflated to the size of a small melon. His dark hair had turned a distinguished gray, and there was a bald spot on the crown of his round head.

Nathan’s dark eyes scrutinized every move that his wife made. The hurricane season starts in June and that’s now. The boat will capsize in a hurricane. We’re too young to die.

Sadie and Nathan had sold their grocery in Brooklyn when they hit their late seventies. Their three children were grown and on their own. After their friends Rhajmah and Asif had bought a villa in a retirement community in Boca Raton, Florida, they persuaded Sadie to visit and check out the community of seniors. The couple spent a few weeks at the Holiday Inn motel, and eventually they did buy a villa next to their friends.

So when a year later Rhajmah told Sadie that she and her husband were taking a cruise Sadie tried to convince Nathan to go along with them. This would be a first for both of them. Whenever Sadie proposed a new adventure Nathan objected, but he was used to giving in to her coaxing, and he relented after a few tries.

We’ll be going on a big ship, Sadie said.

Nathan pursed his lips. I don’t know. Suppose we sink like the Titanic, which was also a big boat? I don’t wanna drown.

Sadie sighed. The Titanic hit an iceberg. We’re going to the Caribbean where there are no icebergs.

This is hurricane season. Suppose there’s a hurricane?

With a soft voice she tried again. Honey, it’s not a boat. It’s a ship with twenty-one decks. It’s huge, over a thousand feet long. There won’t be a hurricane, and if there is one there’s very little chance that a ship that size will capsize. Rhajmah told me one of her friends went on the Blue Dolphin, and she loved a drink that she never had had.

What kind of drink? Nathan’s lips curled up in a smile. He had been a gourmet aficionado since his youth but wasn’t acquainted with cocktails.

"It’s called a Bahama Mama, and it’s made with rum mixed with pineapple and orange juice, and grenadine."

Umm. What’s grenadine?

It’s a sweet red syrup. I can’t wait to have one.

Nathan, a short man, got up on his toes and pulled his black suitcase from the top of the clothes closet. What should I pack?

Dress is informal, so pack another pair of shorts, one long pair of pants, and a few shirts. I already packed sunblock. Take your spare pair of eyeglasses, your comb, and don’t forget your hearing aids. I’m bringing a few mysteries to read. We need plenty of dollar bills for tips, but I already got them from the bank. I’m very excited about going on a seven-day cruise, aren’t you?

I don’t know. How’s the food?

Fantastic. Keep packing.

I’m taking my blood pressure pills. I have a feeling my pressure is going to go up.

Sadie looked thoughtful. Did you take your razor, shaving cream, and your passport?

I forgot those, but I did take my deodorant. I’m almost finished packing. How are you doing, Sadie?

All done.

Why do we need passports? Nathan asked.

Because we’re going to other countries?

Nathan cast a quizzical look at his wife. What countries? France? England?

No. We’re going to Honduras, Belize, and Mexico.

"Mexico? I can speak a little Spanish like ‘adios, amiga’."

"`Amiga’ is feminine for ‘friend.’ Are you going to speak to women?"

Never. My heart belongs to you. I’d follow you to the moon.

I’m not going to the moon. Now we can go to sleep. All we have to do in the morning is eat breakfast and you’ll have to take out the trash. I’ll raise the air-conditioning temperature to eighty. I have our boarding passes.

What would I do without you, Sadie?

I feel the same about you, Nathan.

*     *     *

As they boarded the ship, Sadie and Nathan walked up the steep gangway holding on to the handrail for support. A member of the crew dressed in a white shirt and white pants greeted the passengers. Welcome to the Queen Lela. Your staterooms will be ready by 1:30 p.m. Meanwhile you may go to Deck 15 for a buffet lunch, he said as he directed people to the elevators. You will find your luggage in your stateroom by 7:00 p.m. this evening or possibly earlier.

Sadie, Nathan, Rhajmah, and Asif took the elevator to the buffet. Four thousand passengers were boarding and the elevators were jammed with happy faces. They roamed around the tables looking for seats. They had to wait at one table until a family with a crying infant left. Nathan said to Asif, Let Sadie and Rhajmah get their food. We’ll wait until they come back. Asif nodded. He was a man of few words and most often no words at all.

Everyone seemed to be talking at once. There were passengers speaking English, French, Spanish, German, and languages Nathan couldn’t identify. The chatting and the hustle and bustle filled the long rectangular dining room. People were carrying their selections, not on trays, but on dishes and in cups and glasses. Nathan was surprised at the hullabaloo. Sadie and Rhajmah returned with tuna salads and croissants. We’ll get our drinks later, Sadie said. You men go ahead. The spread is marvelous.

At 1:30 p.m. they took the elevator to the fifth deck. Their cabins were adjacent to each other. Nathan slid the plastic ID card with his picture into the slot. The green light went on, but it went off almost immediately. I can’t open the door, he said with dismay. A crew member came to his aid.

Sir, you need to insert the card and immediately open the door as soon as you see the green light. I’m Carlos, your steward. If you need anything just ask. There will be a mandatory life boat drill at 3:30 p.m. When you hear the blast of the horns, you are to leave your room. You will be directed to your designated spot. You will not be required to put on a life preserver.

Thanks, Nathan said.

One more thing, insert your card in the slot in your stateroom for the lights to go on. I’ll show you how. Before you leave your cabin unplug all electrical appliances, and take your card with you. Always carry it with you.

When the steward left, Nathan turned to Sadie, There are too many things to remember. I ain’t up to it.

Sure you are, Sadie said. This will be our best vacation ever. Remember when we owned our grocery in Brooklyn and we had many adventures, but not many vacations?

I remember it well. You became an amateur sleuth and I worried sick about you.

That was then—this is now. Nobody gets murdered on a cruise ship like this.

Nathan shrugged. There better not be no more murders for you to solve.

Sadie sat down on the bed. I needed Rhajmah at that time to help me. She has that wonderful gift of having psychic visions.

Nathan sat down on the opposite bed. Without my delicious sour pickles she couldn’t have gotten no visions. She loved my pickles.

Sadie had a wicked grin. She told me she called the cruise line and ordered sour pickles, and they accommodated her.

Nathan grunted. "Once a pickle lover—always a pickle