Ocho Rios, Jamaica 

Joe smothered a jaw-cracking yawn as he settled into the chair facing the table. As tired as he was, he was suitably awed by the Grand Master Suite on the Scorpio deck where Nikos and his family berthed when they’d cruise on the Procyon.

Staff Captain Constantine and an older man with a thatch of silver hair and faded blue eyes were seated at the table with Nikos and Fenton. “This is Captain Jason Stefanos,” Nikos introduced the older man. “Captain Constantine informed me he has already met you.”

Frank, looking a bit more awake, nodded. “When we first stepped on board.”

With one accord, everyone looked at Fenton. The man looked tired but then he’d been up since around one a.m. when Joe and Frank had awakened him. Fenton let out a long sigh. “The man is Murray Sanders. He was traveling alone and works for an up-and-coming tech company out of California.”

Fenton shifted his gaze to his younger son. “He stood roughly six feet tall and had blonde hair and blue eyes.”

Joe sat up straighter in his chair. “Dad—”

Fenton turned to Nikos. “From a distance he could have been mistaken for two people in this room.”

Nikos frowned. “Do you think that it was a fatal case of mistaken identity?”

“I don’t know,” Fenton said tiredly. “Your chief medical officer told me he has no expertise in forensics, therefore he can’t give me a time of death, although according to the people who attended the midnight buffet none of them recall anyone near the Olympia pool at that time.”

“We have another problem,” Captain Stefanos said gravely. “We are due in port in less than an hour. Ocho Rios is a busy port and the main highway, A1, leads south straight to Kingston and Norman Manley International Airport.”

“Meaning the killer could easily exit the ship, head to the airport and be gone before we’d ever catch them.” Fenton massaged the bridge of his nose and sighed.

“We cannot not dock at Ocho Rios,” Constantine said. “Many passengers who used online services to plan their cruise requested shore excursions and tours at Ocho Rios.” He glanced at his watch. “In fact, the first tour leaves at 8:30 local time, culminating with a visit to Goldeneye in Oracabessa.”

Joe glanced over at Constantine. “There’s a place named Goldeneye? That was the first James Bond movie with Pierce Brosnan.”

Stefanos managed a tight smile. “Ian Fleming lived at his villa, Goldeneye, in Oracabessa, Jamaica. All thirteen of his novels were written there.”

Fenton recognized the gleam in his younger son’s blue eyes. “Joe, I don’t think it would be wise for you to go ashore—”

“Dad,” Joe said, interrupting him. He managed to drag out the one syllable into about three. “I’ll be fine. Frank will be with me. Dad...James Bond.”

“There is also James Bond Beach along A1,” Nikos said, then had the grace to look sheepish. “I apologize for egging him on.”

Even Frank looked interested. “Dad, Jess and Hannah can go with us. We’ll stay with the tour group.”

Fenton didn’t look all that convinced there wouldn’t be trouble. “Don’t try to convince me, it’s your mother who will need convincing.”

Joe leaned forward. “She can come with us.”

Fenton gave his son a sharp look, wondering if Laura had ever mentioned her favorite actor in front of either Frank or Joe. “Go talk to her, then.”

“What about the potential for the killer to flee?” Stefanos asked, the moment the brothers had left the room.

“We can alert local authorities,” Nikos answered. “It is the best we can do.”

Constantine shifted in his chair. “We must transfer the...body off the ship. There will be ill luck if he continues with the cruise.”

“It’s a murder investigation...” Fenton began, not sure of shipboard protocol. He took a deep breath. “The man was obviously stabbed but we have no idea what the weapon was.

“This is in essence a floating hotel, with hundreds of passengers,” Nikos said in a weary tone. “Not to mention several hundred crewmembers and officers. It will be a Herculean effort to find the weapon and the killer unless said killer turns himself in.”

“Then we investigate the victim. Find out everything about Murray Sanders, what secrets he might have been hiding and who on board could possibly have known him.” Fenton looked at Nikos. “Is there Internet access on board?”

“Yes, a small area in the library on Virgo Deck, just above this one.”

Constantine was the one who answered. He pushed himself to his feet. “I will contact port authorities about the body.”

“I will return to the bridge,” Stefanos said heavily. He nodded to Fenton. “Please keep me informed.”

Fenton waited until both men had left the cabin and looked at Nikos. “So I am investigating this, right?”

“Yes, Fenton, do. I will not rest until this is...resolved. My wife and daughter are both upset. Raquel has even hinted that she may leave the ship herself with Mary for safety reasons.”

“Nikos, that might not be a bad idea. Especially if it was a case of mistaken identity.”

Nikos frowned. “I don’t understand. Yesterday...”

“My wife commented on something yesterday. How much you favor Joe from the back, same athletic build, same blond hair. Someone may have thought Joe was you.”

Nikos shook his head. “I have no enemies—”

“Actually, yes you do. The crewmembers you fired and had arrested. There may be crewmembers on board at this very moment that resent that and will do anything in retaliation.”

Nikos went white. “Including murder?” he asked in a shocked tone.

Fenton hunched his shoulders and sighed again. “Including murder.”

** ** **

Joe noted a change in the pitch of the engines as the ship docked at Ocho Rios. A long sunlit pier reached out from the shore to meet the ship.

Laura placed a sunhat over her blond hair and glanced at him. “Are you sure you feel up to this?”

“Mom, it’s gorgeous out and we get to see Ian Fleming’s house.”

Frank stood behind them, waiting for the okay to step out onto the pier. Jessica and Hannah waited with him. He eyed his mother a moment, wondering why she’d agreed so readily to join them on the tour.

A tall man with blue-black hair and hazel eyes walked up to them. “I’m your deputy cruise director, Damon Matthias. Our first stop is the Reggae Xplosion, an open air Island Village shopping center. It is owned by Chris Blackwell, Island Records tycoon.” Matthias stepped out onto the pier. “Please follow me.”

Jessica looked excited. “I love reggae. I hope we get to visit the Bob Marley Centre while we’re here.”

Apparently, Matthias had overheard her. “It is one of our stops, miss.”

The rest of the morning was spent visiting various tourist attractions: Dunn’s River Falls, Coyaba River Garden and Museum, Mahoe Waterfalls and Fern Gully. Eventually the group wound their way to Goldeneye.

The once luxurious estate of Ian Fleming was now an exclusive resort boasting the original house and three villas nestled among lush gardens. Joe was wide-eyed through the entire tour. On the trip back, they made a stop at James Bond Beach and then finished their itinerary at Ocho Rios Fort, a seventeenth century ruin of barely one wall and four cannons facing the sea.

It was just past the lunch hour when they returned to the pier. While Laura returned to the ship, Joe and Frank and the girls opted to eat  at the Hard Rock Café.

“Isn’t this just amazing,” Jessica whispered as they settled at their table. She still held on to her purchases from the Bob Marley Centre.

Joe nodded. “Really.” He nudged Frank. “Hey, I can solve your little mystery.”

“What mystery?”

“Why Mom was so willing to come. She’s a big fan of Sean Connery.”

“Oooh, the first James Bond,” Hannah said softly. “He’s still kind of cute...” She cleared her throat. “Well, for an old guy.”

The four of them laughed and ordered lunch. Afterwards they checked out all the music memorabilia including Bob Marley’s handwritten lyrics for Jammin’ and a guitar he used in the recording of Kaya.  It was nearly 2:30 when the four of them walked out onto the pier to return to the ship.

They were halfway along the pier when they heard the gunshot. Splinters of wood pelted the girls’ bare calves. Hannah let out a squeal of shock. Frank grabbed her free hand. “Come on!”

Joe reached for Jessica but she took off at a dead run for the ship. Joe headed after her just as another gunshot went off. Frank watched in horror as Joe’s left foot hit the edge of the pier – he staggered and fell into the bay. “Joe!”