Chapter 28
Millie stood at the gangway, greeting guests while keeping watch for her cousins and friends, her concern growing with each passing minute.
Finally, to her relief, she noticed Liz, Dot and Margaret climbing the gangway and passing through the ship’s security screening.
She bounced on the tips of her toes, scanning the crowd for Gloria, Lucy, and Ruth.
Liz snatched her beach bag from the conveyor belt and rushed over. “Gloria, Ruth, and Lucy are locked in the lighthouse,” she blurted out.
Millie’s eyes widened. “Locked in the lighthouse?”
“After you left, they decided to tour the lighthouse. The plan was to check it out and be back before the boarding deadline,” Dot said. “Lucy tripped and sprained her ankle. They weren’t able to make it out in time, and the lighthouse employee locked them inside.”
Millie reached for her cell phone. “The person didn’t check to make sure no one was still in there?”
“She rang the bell to let them know she was locking up, but by the time Gloria got to the bottom to tell her what had happened, it was too late,” Dot said.
“Something about the wind blowing and the woman couldn’t hear them,” Margaret added.
“Let’s call the lighthouse office.”
“Gloria already did. She got an automated recording, and then the line disconnected.”
“Great.” Millie blew air through thinned lips. “The ship is leaving in half an hour.”
“Ruth had some tools on her and was going to try picking the door lock,” Margaret said. “We haven’t heard back, so I’m guessing it didn’t work.”
“I’ll see what I can do.” Millie jogged to the stairs, taking them two at a time until she reached the bridge. Using her new keycard, she let herself in and made a beeline for her husband.
Nic stood at the central control panel, chatting with the harbor pilot.
“I’m sorry to interrupt,” Millie apologized. “Do you have a minute to talk in private?”
He excused himself and stepped aside.
“Gloria, Lucy and Ruth are locked in the lighthouse.” She gave her husband the abbreviated version of what had transpired. “The bottom line is, they can’t reach anyone who works there to let them out. The last update we have is that Ruth was trying to pick the lock.”
Nic’s expression grew grim. “Unfortunately, we’re required to leave port.”
“Because of the fee for staying over and the fact they weren’t booked on a ship’s excursion,” Millie said.
“Correct. You know the drill.”
“This is awful.” She cast a concerned look through the bridge’s wall of windows toward the shore. “They’ll have to book flights back to Miami.”
“Unless…”
“Unless what?” she prompted.
“We depart as planned and send Sharky in a rescue boat to pick them up.”
“Again, they’re trapped inside the lighthouse with no way out.”
“It appears they’ll need some assistance,” Nic said.
“I’ll go rescue them.”
“I figured you would volunteer. I’ll have Suharto arrange for a tuk-tuk. You rescue Gloria and the others. Sharky will pick you up at the port and bring you back to the ship. I hope they know how to swim.”
“You and me both,” Millie said. “I’ll grab some stuff and head out.”
Nic stopped her. “I don’t want you going alone. Take someone with you.”
“No worries. I have just the person in mind.”
“The tuk-tuk will be waiting at the gangway,” Nic promised. “Be careful.”
“I will. You’ll have a bird’s-eye view of us in that small tender boat returning back to the ship,” Millie said.
“Good luck.”
“Thanks. I’m gonna need it.” After making a quick call, Millie wasted no time changing out of her work uniform. She slipped her sneakers on, shoved her wallet, sunglasses and bottle of water in her backpack and took off.
The gangway was now empty with the back on board deadline having passed, except for Suharto, who stood keeping an eye out for Millie.
He met her near the exit. “Your transportation is already waiting. The driver will stay with you the entire time and return you to the dock where Sharky will be on hand to tender you and the others to the ship.” Suharto looked around. “Who is going with you?”
“Felix. He should be here any second.” Millie noticed a flash of bright color sprinting toward her. “I see him now.”
Felix, sporting neon orange running shorts, a button-down shirt with pink grapefruit splashed across the chest, and electric blue sneakers, sprinted to the door. “I got here as fast as I could.”
“You look…” Millie gave her friend the once over.
“Colorful,” Suharto said. “Like a rainbow of colors.”
“It’s the only clean non-work outfit I had. At least you won’t lose me in a crowd.”
“No, I won’t.” Millie slung her backpack over her shoulder. “Let’s get this rescue mission underway.”
“We shall see you back on board Miss Millie,” Suharto said.
“Hopefully sooner rather than later.”
As Nic had promised, the tuk-tuk, a three-wheeled, motorized mini-cab, and driver sat waiting. The duo hopped in. “We’re heading to Bay Tide Lighthouse.”
“The captain stressed time is of the essence. We will drive quickly. Hang on.” The driver stepped on the gas and sped to the end of the dock. With a quick check for traffic, they veered around the corner and onto the main road.
“Captain Armati has asked me to stay with you and return you to the port,” the driver said. “What is at the lighthouse?”
“We have passengers…friends…who are stuck inside.”
He glanced at her in the rearview mirror. “Stuck inside?”
“They weren’t able to make it out in time. The lighthouse worker didn’t know they were still in there, locked the door and left.”
“I know the employees and have visited the lighthouse many times. Did they not hear the warning bell?”
“They heard it and started to head down. One of them tripped and sprained her ankle. By the time they reached the bottom, it was too late.”
“I have known a person or two who ended up locked inside. It can be scary at night.”
“I bet.” Millie leaned forward. “We need to contact someone to try to get them out. Do you have any suggestions on where we might start?”
“The manager, Franklyn, lives next door to the lighthouse.”
Felix whooped loudly, giving Millie a high five. “Sounds like this won’t be as complicated as we thought.”
“I will take you there first.”
They reached an intersection and veered left, curving inland before turning onto a driveway, not much more than a dirt path. The driver slowed, jostling over the potholes until reaching a compact, single-story block house.
“We are in luck,” their driver said. “Franklyn’s golf cart is here.”
As soon as the tuk-tuk stopped, Millie and Felix jumped out and ran to the door.
A man, in his late forties or early fifties if Millie had to guess, with soft brown eyes and an easy smile sat watching them from his porch rocking chair.
“Good day, Franklyn.” The tuk-tuk driver greeted him. “These two people are from the cruise ship. They claim some of their friends are locked in the lighthouse.”
“Olna didn’t ring the bell?”
Millie briefly filled him in on what had transpired. “Olna rang the bell, but my friends didn’t make it out in time because one of them sprained her ankle.”
“We will rescue them quickly.” Franklyn told them to hold on. He left the trio standing on the sidewalk, returning moments later holding a ring of keys in his hand.
The rescue team of four hopped in the tuk-tuk and took off. Cutting through a side yard, they reached the caretaker’s cottage, the gift shop and finally the lighthouse.
As soon as they stopped, Franklyn exited and hurried to the entrance. Flipping through the keys, he quickly found the right one, unlocked the door and flung it open.
Instead of finding three trapped women, the main entry was empty. “No one is here.”
Millie joined him on the stoop. She stuck her head inside, noticing the spiral staircase. “Gloria?” she called out.
A flit of movement caught her eye. Her cousin leaned over the railing. “Millie?”
Ruth scrambled down the steps. “We had to sit by the window to get cell reception. Lucy’s ankle is starting to swell.”
“We will help her down.” Franklyn and Felix climbed the steps, returning a short time later carrying a pale Lucy with Gloria close behind.
“We watched Siren of the Seas pull away from the dock.”
“Sharky is waiting for us. We’ll have to tender back to the ship.”
“Bless his heart.” Gloria blinked back sudden tears. God had answered their prayers.
“Shoot, I would swim back if I had to.” Ruth impulsively hugged Felix. “Millie and team to the rescue.”
“You guys are a sight for sore eyes,” Lucy said. “Unfortunately, I’m going to have a little trouble boarding the ship.”
“We’ll drag you back on if we have to.” Millie gazed at her cousin, noticing a tense look on her face. “Are you okay?”
“I drank a very tall Arnold Palmer lemonade on the beach and…”
“You need to use the restroom.” Franklyn jangled the keys. “Follow me.”
“To be honest, I should probably use the facilities as well,” Ruth said.
“Hop in the tuk-tuk. We will drive you there.”
Crammed into the compact vehicle, with the friends sitting on each other’s laps, the rescuers and “rescue-ees” made a fast track to the public restrooms. As soon as the women finished their business, the driver dropped Franklyn off at home.
Millie tried to pay him, to which he adamantly refused. “I have done my good deed. I am relieved we have a happy ending.” Franklyn patted Lucy’s shoulder. “Be careful getting back on the ship, young lady. I think you’ve had enough excitement for today.”
“Today?” Lucy winced in pain. “More like for the rest of the cruise.”