LITMIR.BIZ

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      “Don’t try to mollify me. I don’t want complimentary drinks. I just want to be assured that none of us will have to worry about our safety on board.”

      Thanasi nodded. “I understand. As stated, this was a highly unusual situation. I’ve already alerted the authorities and we’re putting steps in place to increase security.” He turned, hoping the videographers were still shooting. Spotting them, he said, “See over there? Every movement’s been recorded on film. It was stupid of that man to try stealing the pendant, because as soon as we look at that tape he’s as good as caught. You have my assurance security will be visible for the rest of the cruise, and if necessary we’ll have headquarters fly back-up personnel in.”

      Patti walked over to join him.

      “Hi, I’m Patti Kennedy, your cruise director. Is there something I can help with?”

      Gilles Anderson turned and immediately his stance became less aggressive.

      “We have it all sorted out, I think. Nice job you did soothing the fears of the passengers and reminding us what we’re here for.” He smiled at Patti, seeming to like what he saw.

      Patti flashed the man another wide smile, one that revealed perfectly straight white teeth and made her tanned skin look even darker. She was one of those people who came across as happy, healthy and even-keeled under the most adverse circumstances.

      “Thank you. You’re very kind,” she said. “Why don’t you stop by the Emperor’s Club later and join Thanasi and me for grappa.”

      Thanasi felt a flicker of annoyance as he watched the flirtatious exchange, but at least he had been included in the invitation. He just hoped he wouldn’t turn out to be the third wheel or the chaperone.

      “Sounds good to me—I’ll be there,” Gilles said, smiling back and looking at Patti as if she’d just told him he’d won another cruise. Patti could charm the most disgruntled passenger.

      “Look, I’m sorry about giving you a hard time,” Gilles said, turning back to Thanasi. “I’m just concerned about what happened to that woman. I came to relax and I don’t want to have to keep looking over my shoulder.”

      Thanasi touched the man’s forearm lightly. “Not a problem. I understand. Trust me, your safety is my biggest priority. I’ll see you at the Emperor’s Club after the late show, then.”

      “I’ll be there.”

      After Gilles Anderson left, Thanasi and Patti headed back to their offices. It seemed every step they took, they were stopped by anxious passengers who wanted to have their fears assuaged.

      “You were very good with the Anderson man,” Thanasi admitted grudgingly.

      So far Patti had proven to be competent and supportive, but he’d never told her so. The two had completely different styles of dealing with people. She was more relaxed, looser, while he preferred a formal businesslike approach. It was what he was comfortable with and the way he’d been trained.

      Patti tossed another devastating smile his way, the kind that went directly to a man’s heart. “I guess I’m putting my ‘charm school’ training to good use, eh?”

      She’d picked up the eh from the Canadian crewmembers, and while her words were said in jest, there was an underlying edge to them. Thanasi had been very vocal about letting the crew know that he wasn’t a proponent of “charm school.” Hospitality training taught the basics, but he truly believed the only way to know what it took to work a cruise ship and deal with people was to be hands-on. He’d had to learn from the bottom up and he felt that was an asset.

      “Do you have time for a coffee?” he surprised himself by asking Patti.

      For a fleeting moment her gold-flecked eyes registered shock, though she quickly recovered. She shot him another of those wide smiles. “Sure. Where would you like to go?”

      “My office. We’ll be able to talk without interruption.”

      Thanasi would have much preferred an alcoholic drink, but they were still on duty and both needed to keep a clear head. In an hour or so he’d be accompanying Sean Brady, the Acting Chief of Security, to the brig, where they would interrogate the thief and attempt to get a written confession from him.

      Opening the door to his office, he stood aside to let Patti enter.

      Her wide gaze swept the room before she eased into the chair he gestured her to. “You’re always so organized and so neat,” she said, taking the seat facing his desk. “I’m the total opposite.”

      “You just have your own style.”

      Thanasi had seen her office and could vouch that she wasn’t a minimalist. Paperwork was piled in neat stacks, but she had mementos of her visits to different countries all over the place. Patti had everything from Love Leaves purchased in Grenada to Evil Eye trinkets collected in Istanbul. Her office reflected her personality. It was warm, friendly and a little bit over the top.

      He, on the other hand, prided himself on order. The only way to keep on top of the arduous paperwork that came with his job was to have folders for everything. With the exception of his computer, the surface of his desk was clutter-free.

      He picked up the phone and spoke into it.

      “I need a fresh pot of coffee and Danish sent up right away.”

      “Danish,” Patti murmured. “I’m not sure I can afford the calories.”

      “You don’t need to watch your figure,” Thanasi said bluntly, and watched two little red dots pop out on Patti’s cheeks.

      He’d never seen her blush before. She had a figure most women would kill for. He’d seen her in a swimsuit at the crew gym when she was swimming laps. She had a flat stomach, shapely breasts and long legs. She was the kind of woman men fantasized about but seldom could get.

      “You flatter me,” Patti said, smoothing her hands over hips that were almost nonexistent. “If I get too complacent the pounds start piling on. It’s easy to let yourself go on a cruise ship with all this food around.”

      “Tell me about it.”

      Thanasi sucked in his gut, not that there was much there to suck in. During his off time, what precious little there was of it, he frequented the crew gym, pumping iron like a mad man. When you were forty-something you had to work at keeping in shape and keeping your stress-level down.

      “Oops! There goes my beeper,” Patti said, standing. “Rain check on that coffee. We’ll catch up at the Emperor’s Club later.”

      “What about dinner?”

      Patti was halfway out the door. The consummate professional, she was already answering the call.

      “ARE YOU SURE you’re up to going to the dining room?” Pia asked as she watched Serena painstakingly layer foundation on her neck.

      “Of course. I’m not going to let something as silly as a nasty bruise stop me from getting out and about.” Serena continued smoothing makeup over the ugly black and blue bruise resulting from the attack. “Help me pick out something to wear to dinner and afterwards we’ll take in a show.”

      Pia crossed over to the closet and threw the doors open. “I find it odd that you were the one singled out. There are a thousand people on board.”

      “It doesn’t make a whole lot of sense to me either. A man kept bumping into me while I was dancing. All of a sudden there was this tug, and I was dragged across the floor. Thankfully the ribbon holding the pendant broke.”

      Pia sifted through the clothing the butler had ironed and hung in the closet. “And be thankful that passenger flung his drink in the thief’s face or he might have escaped.”

      “What passenger?”

      “The dark-haired guy wearing cowboy boots. The videographers were filming, and I saw the

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