Cruise: A Thriller Read online

  Cruise

  A Thriller

  Suzanne Vermeer

  Contents

  Prologue

  Part 1

  1

  2

  3

  4

  5

  6

  7

  8

  Part 2

  9

  10

  11

  12

  13

  14

  Part 3

  15

  16

  17

  18

  19

  20

  21

  22

  23

  24

  Part 4

  25

  26

  27

  28

  29

  30

  31

  32

  33

  34

  35

  Part 5

  36

  37

  38

  39

  40

  41

  42

  43

  44

  45

  46

  47

  48

  49

  50

  51

  52

  53

  54

  55

  56

  Epilogue

  “A lost illusion is a newly found truth.”

  – Multatuli

  Prologue

  His hand slid across her sleeping body—thigh, belly, and breast. Her skin felt warm and still exuded the intensity of their lovemaking. A residual drop of sweat clung to his finger. He tasted it and closed his eyes.

  The smell of sex penetrated his nostrils; the taste tingled on his lips and on the tip of his tongue. He took a deep breath and exhaled slowly and quietly. His body and mind finally felt at peace. The gorgeous surroundings radiated warmth and security.

  A soft breeze slipped in through the open window. The fresh smell of the rolling green hills and sea salt made the picture complete. This was paradise. Everything that was beautiful came together here.

  The fatigue began to leave his body and his head began to clear up. He pondered the complex situation in which he found himself. To get what he wanted, he had to take certain steps and risks. It was not a business deal, although it certainly felt like it was at times. He smiled. See, how complicated it is … ?

  His hand slid across the amazing body beside him again. They had been together for three years now, usually just for very short periods of time and with long intervals in between. But the outside world knew nothing about it, and, for now, it should stay that way. They had been the best years of his life. He would not and could not give this relationship up. Too many things had happened; besides, it was impossible to turn back the clock now.

  In his mind he quietly reviewed all the plans that were made over the past few years. The preparation stage was finished now and the time to execute the plan had finally come. All he had to do was take the last and final step. He dreaded it, but there was no way back. His plan was immoral and cruel. What he was about to do, you wouldn’t wish upon your worst enemy, let alone a person you’ve been in a loving relationship with for so many years. And yet he was doing it. He didn’t even have the slightest doubt or feeling of remorse about it. He didn’t lose a minute of sleep over it. In fact, on most nights he slept like a baby.

  He slowly turned on his side and pressed a gentle kiss on the shoulder of his beloved. Tomorrow he had to leave this wonderful place to return to a life he knew all too well. But the knowledge that the end of his boring middle-class life was in sight was beginning to make him cautiously happy.

  Part 1

  1

  Heleen van Rijnsburg set the alarm for half past seven. If she read for half an hour, she would get seven hours of sleep. That was just enough; six hours was too short, and eight hours, too long. A lack of sleep always gave her a splitting headache the next day, and if she stayed in bed too long, she would feel lethargic and drowsy all morning.

  On the nightstand next to the bed was a novel written by her favorite author. She had devoured all nine books written by the English writer. The books all took place in Africa. The author really managed to fire up her imagination with the unique atmosphere and circumstances. In her mind, she experienced all of the adventures herself, instead of the attractive female character who managed to overcome all the adversity that came her way.

  She placed two pillows behind her back and opened the book. While she read, she ran her left hand across the queen-size duvet cover. It always gave her a sense of comfort, and was something she had started doing a long time ago and had become a habit. She adored her husband, Frank. Their relationship had lasted for seventeen years already; their initial infatuation, over time, had developed into mutual respect, love, affection, and a deep attraction to each other. It was the foundation on which their marriage was built. No one could come between them. Frank was the love of her life.

  She had mixed feelings about his job, however. Frank held a top position with a tour operator. The job came with a very high salary, but he also had to travel abroad a lot. He was the link between the hotel management and the tour operator management team in the Netherlands. If he closed a deal with the providers, all the directors had to do was to sign the contract and their company would be featured in a high-end travel guide. Heleen and Frank had been able to afford the luxury of buying a lovely house just outside of the city of Eindhoven. Heleen was home alone a lot, but she wasn’t sure if Frank’s job truly had a negative effect on their marriage or not. Even though she obviously adored him, she couldn’t fathom the thought of plopping down on the couch together every night. Staring at some mindless game show on TV, or the umpteenth soccer game, with a beer and potato chips always within reach. Or to make the obligatory visits on the weekend to friends and family, to see the same faces and hear the same tall tales, neighborhood gossip, and people bragging about how good the kids were doing in school or in sports … Kids. She blinked a few times and took a deep breath. That trick always worked. Why was she doing this to herself? It was a good thing she still had her job; otherwise she would have lost her mind years ago.

  She worked four days a week, from nine a.m. to two p.m. at an accountant firm. It was a fun job that helped to channel her energy. During the hours at the office she usually functioned in super-hero mode. She trained new people, took notes at meetings, chatted up the regular customers, hand-delivered urgent packages when the courier companies had a backlog …

  She didn’t need to work for the money, but she would never consider giving up this job. The social aspect meant far too much to her. She wouldn’t trade the relaxed work environment and the after-work outings with her colleagues for anything. They were good for her overall state of being and gave her peace of mind. Heleen closed the book. It wasn’t going to happen tonight. She couldn’t muster up the concentration—her thoughts kept wandering off. She thought about Frank again. Apparently, tonight, his absence affected her more than it normally did. She was better off just going to sleep.

  She put the book back on the nightstand, turned off the light, and turned on her side. Her hand slid across the spot where Frank would be tomorrow. He would return after four days in Barcelona and Mallorca. As far as she was concerned, tomorrow couldn’t come soon enough.

  2

  “That was really delicious, darling,” Frank Eldering said sincerely. “You can wake me up in the middle of the night for this kind of Dutch stew.”

  Heleen got up and waved away his compliment and giggled. “I’m going to ask you to repeat that sentence tomorrow morning around five a.m.—want to bet you won’t feel the same way then?”

&
nbsp; Frank rolled his eyes theatrically.

  “So typical of a Dutch woman; always bringing us men back down to reality,” he said, followed by a long sigh.

  “Wow, your life is really rough,” Heleen answered as she teased. “Have you considered a divorce?” As she started to clear the table, he grabbed her hand.

  “You don’t have a secret lover, do you? That would break my heart!”

  She made a funny face.

  “Of course I do—when you’re out of the country, hot, horny guys are in and out of this house all day.”

  Frank started to chuckle. He stood up, pulled her close to him, and kissed his wife tenderly on the cheek. She grabbed two pans from the table and walked into the kitchen. Frank followed close behind with the plates and utensils. He slid the leftover food from the plate into the garbage can and helped Heleen put the dishes into the dishwasher. This surprised her. When it came to household chores, there seemed to be a clear, but unspoken agreement between them. She took care of the house, and he worked full-time and enjoyed his time off. An old-fashioned way of living, which they both enjoyed.

  “I want to show you something I’m pretty excited about,” Frank said as they took a seat on the couch. He took a fancy, glossy brochure from his attaché case; it featured a cruise ship at sea on the cover.

  “An English company that specializes in Mediterranean Sea cruises,” Frank said. “They’ve been up-and-coming for the past two years. Their product is excellent, and their margins are great. Next year we’re giving them a prominent spot in our brochure.”

  Heleen flipped through the brochure, the kind of magazine geared toward consumers who could afford to pay significantly more than the average tourist.

  “They are particularly enthusiastic about their eight-day trip that begins and ends in Nice.” He pointed his finger to the corresponding information in the brochure. “Naples, Palermo, Tunis, Mallorca, Barcelona …”

  “Sounds very nice,” Heleen replied, somewhat reserved. She didn’t understand where Frank was going with this. He never really brought his work home with him. Sometimes he talked about it, but he had never really involved her like this before. She knew that making a good deal with a cruise company was part of his job. One day he would speak to a hotel chain in Greece, and a few hours later he would close a deal by phone with a German consortium that owned a bungalow park. All in a day’s work.

  “Apparently the Superior Suite is available from the third to the sixth of June. This is rather unusual in itself, because the luxury cabins usually sell out first.”

  Heleen glanced at the price list.

  “For that amount of money?” she asked in disbelief. “We could go on vacation for a month and eat out every day!”

  Frank grinned. “This doesn’t qualify as a regular vacation destination, dear. The Columbus is in a smaller cruise ship category and has the service of a five-star hotel. They consciously chose a ‘compact’ package deal. It is a super-luxurious vacation on a relatively small surface area, which creates a far cozier and comfortable atmosphere, with much more ambiance. And it feels more intimate than the larger vessels do.”

  Heleen could not restrain her laughter. “You sound like a used-car salesman,” she said as she nodded at the picture of the Columbus. “But, in a way, that is exactly what you are.” She winked. “You refer to it as a relatively small surface. Well, when I look at this I see a huge battleship, one you could easily get lost on.”

  “It just seems that way. The Columbus is a hundred and thirty yards long and only has four decks. The bigger ships are well over two hundred yards and have seven decks or more. They only cater to all of the mass tourism on the big blue pond. Compared to those ships, this is a freestanding mansion in an all-inclusive resort.” He grinned wide and ran his hand through his jet-black hair. His brown eyes sparkled, seeming to smile too.

  Interested, Heleen read about all of the services and facilities offered on the ship. Those were indeed very impressive. As her gaze fell onto a picture of the Columbus casino, Frank moved closer against her.

  “The date?” he said.

  She could kick herself! How could she forget?

  “Our wedding anniversary … I must be the only woman in the world who forgets her own wedding date.”

  Frank laughed.

  “Good, then we can end that misconception about men from now on. So? What do you think?”

  She frowned.

  “What do you mean? You’re not saying that …”

  “It’s a unique way to celebrate our anniversary, Heleen, with a bottle of champagne in the moonlight on the Mediterranean. That’s a lot more romantic than sipping a glass of red wine over dinner at the Four Oaks restaurant on the outskirts of Eindhoven, isn’t it?”

  She moved her fingertips across the pictures; they seemed to become more attractive by the second. The sun, the sea, decadence, and even a hint of culture—it sure was a lot more enticing than a boring dinner close to home with a drink on a terrace, usually interrupted by a typical Dutch rainstorm. The weather alone would be reason enough to go on this Mediterranean adventure.

  Frank grabbed her hand and looked at her. The laugh lines next to his eyes appeared, which she found so irresistible. The sensuality in his eyes gave her a sense of excitement. Casually, he placed his other hand on her thigh.

  “I think it will be great,” he whispered. “Just the two of us watching the sun go down on the endless horizon.” Before she had a chance to answer, he took her in his arms.

  When Heleen fell into bed after an exhausting evening, it hit her that she couldn’t even remember the last time they had made love on the couch. The things the sheer anticipation of a cruise can cause, she thought right before she fell asleep.

  3

  Heleen stood on the balcony of the Superior Suite. The luxurious accommodation was located on the starboard side of the ship and equipped with every comfort imaginable—a spacious double bed, two leather armchairs, a fridge, a bathroom with a shower, and a flat-screen TV with a whole slew of channels. They also took care of the Internet addicts and workaholics—there was a computer on a dark lacquer table, so the passengers could surf the Web.

  Heleen didn’t even consider using the computer for a second. She had been behind a computer screen at her job long enough. And besides, there was nothing better than the sights surrounding her now. Frank pretty much felt the same way. He was sprawled out across the bed, occasionally sipping from a glass of champagne on the nightstand. For him, this unabashed laziness was a rare luxury. She let him enjoy the moment and took in the sun as it went down, the pleasant breeze, and the view onto the promenade and a section of the older part of Nice.

  The Columbus was anchored at the Quai Amiral Infernet. From the shore, the first part of this broad pier was meant for the ships. The second part was considerably narrower and went on for about another hundred yards. At the end there was a small lighthouse, to warn the incoming ships headed toward the Bassin du Commerce. Once the ships had passed here, they could anchor in Bassin des Amiraux, where the Columbus was now.

  The picturesque view of Nice from the balcony would make a perfect postcard. The coastline, with its stately buildings and luxury hotels, and the promenade, which was surrounded by palm trees and neatly kept lawns, exuded the exquisite atmosphere of the South of France. It was an impressive city, Heleen thought. At least the parts she had seen so far.

  They had landed that afternoon at the airport, located just outside of the city after the extension of an enormous promenade. A man in a black suit waited for them at the airport exit. He held up a sign with their name on it. He turned out to be the driver of the limousine that would bring them to the cruise ship. She felt a little awkward when she first got in, but after a little while she enjoyed the comfort and decadence. It was all a part of their super-luxurious vacation. Something you don’t do every day. During their drive, the water remained on their right side. Meanwhile, the extremely long promenade changed names. Promenade des An
glais turned into Quai des États Unis. There was a large building on the corner with a very historical feel to it. It clearly became a lot busier in this area; restaurants and bars followed one another in quick succession. Heleen could see that it was just as crowded inside as it was outside.

  The driver dropped them off at the docks, right in front of the ship. There they were welcomed by pursers all dressed in spotless white. All four men were of Asian descent. After one of these pursers had accompanied them to their suite, Frank had casually told her that ninety percent of these very hardworking men came from a ship from the Philippines.

  “Honey?” Frank interrupted her thoughts.

  “Yes?”

  “Would you like some champagne?”

  She hesitated for a moment. Even though it was a very tempting offer, she decided to stick with mineral water for now. The night was still young. A jazz trio was starting around ten o’clock; undoubtedly, the alcohol would flow freely after that. Until then, it seemed smarter to her to take it easy with the alcohol. She would certainly join in later.

  “No, thank you. I’m still stuffed from dinner.”

  “All right,” he said, and she heard him refill his glass of bubbly.

  “Do you like the view?”

  “It’s fantastic; it is really an interesting city. At first glance, it looks like a nice mix of old money and the nouveau riche.”

  “Sadly neither applies to us,” Frank joked. “After this little get away, we have to get back to working hard for our money.”

  “Well, for now let’s just enjoy this amazing cruise ship, shall we?”

  “Absolutely!”

  He gave an inviting pat on the bed. “Why don’t you come and lie down with me, honey?”

  “I would love to Frank, but I’m really still so full from dinner.”

  Frank let out an understanding grunt.

  “You’re right. Let your food settle first. We’ll see how it goes later on, okay?”

  “Deal,” Heleen answered. She was actually in the mood for sex. Even a quickie if they had to. But she was afraid she wouldn’t enjoy it very much with such a full stomach.