Read Online Spooning Daisy by Maggie McConnell - Free Book Online
Authors: Maggie McConnell
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breakfast, sweetie,” Daisy cooed to Elizabeth as she put her in the compact shower stall for a little safe exercise. In one corner, she placed her food. “I’ll bring you some lettuce. Yum-yum.”
But Elizabeth seemed unimpressed with the promise as she slowly ate her pureed peas and minced beef.
Daisy went for her purse, sitting atop her sweaters in her opened suitcase. Spotting the open zipper, she pulled the bag wide and gasped. Where was her wallet? She rummaged in the side pockets. And her hidden stash of extra cash? She scrambled for her second pair of shoes—gold flats—and took out the socks she’d stuffed in the toes.
Her eyes popped, her mouth gaped. “Oh my God!” she squeaked. Then, as the situation registered, she inflated with rage. “That lying, thieving, miserable rotten bastard!”
Chapter Eight
“I ’ve been robbed!”
The seasoned purser lifted her eyes from her computer screen and considered the frantic woman who’d just stormed the office. “Are you all right? Try to relax. Are you all right?”
“There’s no time for questions! He’s getting away!”
“Ma’am, we’re at sea. There’s no place for him to go. Are you hurt?”
“I’m fine. Mad as hell, but fine.”
“I’m calling security.” The purser punched in numbers. After a short conversation she hung up the phone and focused on Daisy, who paced the utilitarian office, one short fuse from exploding. “Ma’am, what’s your name?”
“He broke into my cabin while I was sleeping ! Can you believe that?”
“Maybe I should call the medical officer—”
Daisy abruptly stopped. “Yes, please.” It would be nice to have Adam’s arm to lean on when she confronted Max Kendall. “Call Dr. Bricker.”
An understated gray brow lifted slightly. “You want me to call Dr. Bricker?”
“I know it’s not really a medical emergency, but it is an emergency, and he does know me.” Daisy spoke as if spilling a secret. “We had dinner last night.”
“Oh,” the purser answered, as if the request now made sense.
“I’d feel much better if he were here. If he’s not, y’ know, saving someone’s life.”
“I doubt that.” The purser lifted the phone from its cradle. “And your name, ma’am?”
“Daisy Moon. Adam knows me.”
“Adam?”
“Adam Bricker,” Daisy said.
“ Adam Bricker? ” Now both her brows were raised.
“Yes,” Daisy confirmed, fearing that this polite, grandmotherly type was losing her faculties. “ Dr. Adam Bricker.”
“Isn’t Adam Bricker the doctor from The Love Boat ?”
Daisy reflected back on the ’80s television show she had occasionally caught in reruns during the wee hours of the morning after coming home and winding down from the restaurant. She had bought the series DVD for her mom, who loved the sitcom as much for the G rating as for the old movie stars who made guest appearances—Van Johnson was her favorite.
“Huh. No wonder the name sounded familiar,” she said, more to herself than the purser. She shook off the coincidence. “Would you please call him? Now ?”
“What’s the extension?”
Daisy’s face contorted, her hands flailed. “How the hell should I know? Don’t you people have a phone list?”
The purser eased back. “What’s his cabin number?”
Daisy cocked her head at the daft woman. “Just call sick bay or the infirmary or whatever you boat people call it. He’s probably there.”
Easing back a little farther, the purser punched in the numbers for the medical office. “Don’t worry, ma’am, we’ll find your Dr. Bricker.”
Two uniformed men, one older and relaxed, one younger and intense, arrived at the office.
“Sorry for the delay.” The older man introduced himself as Chief Security Officer Stone and his taller assistant as Deputy SO Keller. “We had something come off the wire as we were leaving. Now”—he addressed Daisy—“you were robbed?”
“Yes! And I know who did it. If we hurry, we can catch him in the
But Elizabeth seemed unimpressed with the promise as she slowly ate her pureed peas and minced beef.
Daisy went for her purse, sitting atop her sweaters in her opened suitcase. Spotting the open zipper, she pulled the bag wide and gasped. Where was her wallet? She rummaged in the side pockets. And her hidden stash of extra cash? She scrambled for her second pair of shoes—gold flats—and took out the socks she’d stuffed in the toes.
Her eyes popped, her mouth gaped. “Oh my God!” she squeaked. Then, as the situation registered, she inflated with rage. “That lying, thieving, miserable rotten bastard!”
Chapter Eight
“I ’ve been robbed!”
The seasoned purser lifted her eyes from her computer screen and considered the frantic woman who’d just stormed the office. “Are you all right? Try to relax. Are you all right?”
“There’s no time for questions! He’s getting away!”
“Ma’am, we’re at sea. There’s no place for him to go. Are you hurt?”
“I’m fine. Mad as hell, but fine.”
“I’m calling security.” The purser punched in numbers. After a short conversation she hung up the phone and focused on Daisy, who paced the utilitarian office, one short fuse from exploding. “Ma’am, what’s your name?”
“He broke into my cabin while I was sleeping ! Can you believe that?”
“Maybe I should call the medical officer—”
Daisy abruptly stopped. “Yes, please.” It would be nice to have Adam’s arm to lean on when she confronted Max Kendall. “Call Dr. Bricker.”
An understated gray brow lifted slightly. “You want me to call Dr. Bricker?”
“I know it’s not really a medical emergency, but it is an emergency, and he does know me.” Daisy spoke as if spilling a secret. “We had dinner last night.”
“Oh,” the purser answered, as if the request now made sense.
“I’d feel much better if he were here. If he’s not, y’ know, saving someone’s life.”
“I doubt that.” The purser lifted the phone from its cradle. “And your name, ma’am?”
“Daisy Moon. Adam knows me.”
“Adam?”
“Adam Bricker,” Daisy said.
“ Adam Bricker? ” Now both her brows were raised.
“Yes,” Daisy confirmed, fearing that this polite, grandmotherly type was losing her faculties. “ Dr. Adam Bricker.”
“Isn’t Adam Bricker the doctor from The Love Boat ?”
Daisy reflected back on the ’80s television show she had occasionally caught in reruns during the wee hours of the morning after coming home and winding down from the restaurant. She had bought the series DVD for her mom, who loved the sitcom as much for the G rating as for the old movie stars who made guest appearances—Van Johnson was her favorite.
“Huh. No wonder the name sounded familiar,” she said, more to herself than the purser. She shook off the coincidence. “Would you please call him? Now ?”
“What’s the extension?”
Daisy’s face contorted, her hands flailed. “How the hell should I know? Don’t you people have a phone list?”
The purser eased back. “What’s his cabin number?”
Daisy cocked her head at the daft woman. “Just call sick bay or the infirmary or whatever you boat people call it. He’s probably there.”
Easing back a little farther, the purser punched in the numbers for the medical office. “Don’t worry, ma’am, we’ll find your Dr. Bricker.”
Two uniformed men, one older and relaxed, one younger and intense, arrived at the office.
“Sorry for the delay.” The older man introduced himself as Chief Security Officer Stone and his taller assistant as Deputy SO Keller. “We had something come off the wire as we were leaving. Now”—he addressed Daisy—“you were robbed?”
“Yes! And I know who did it. If we hurry, we can catch him in the
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