Chapter One
The Device
Bibi’s client of the moment, Mark Colbert, the ridiculously wealthy Austrian business executive, suddenly decided that he needed to be somewhere other than on this gigantic cruise vessel. Without telling anyone but the vessel’s captain, he jumped ship in the Azores, helicoptered to meet his private G50 in Tenerife and flew off to Madrid, leaving most of his personal staff and bodyguards on board to await his promised return when the ship reached its next port.
Bibi was bored and hoped that someone or something would come along to relive that boredom. It was after 2300 hours, ship’s time, and most of the tourists on board were either throwing Euros down the black hole that the cruise line laughingly called a casino or had already gone to bed. Thus, the suggestion of some after hour’s fun by Nate, the barman in the Stratosphere Lounge, got more attention than it might have otherwise.
“Exactly what do you have in mind,” Bibi asked the good-looking, dark-haired young barman whom she had been flirting with on and off for the last three days.
“I get off at two,” he said, slowly wiping the brass and mahogany bar surface that separated them. “We could take a walk around the deck. It’s quiet at this time of night.”
“And do what?” Bibi asked, smiling and leaning over the bar just enough to display large portions of her superb chest. “By two, I’m usually pretty much ready for bed.”
“Well,” said Nate, who was about Bibi’s age and in similar fine physical shape. “We could skip the walking and just camp in Pomperoy’s cabin. He’s got some pretty interesting stuff.”
“Interesting stuff? Like what?” she asked, frowning.
“Ah, he has a hobby that’s sort of like, well, whips and chains, if you know what I mean.”
“You’re kidding.”
“No. But I thought that since you mentioned last night that you had an interest in bondage, it might be worth checking out. You gotta see it.”
“Well first, Nate, I think you may have misunderstood what I said. Working on crime cases where bondage was involved is not the same as having an interest. But I must admit that I find the practice and some of the fetishes that often go with it to be fascinating…within some boundaries.”
“Oh, sure, right. I didn’t mean…” Nate quickly added, sounding embarrassed.
“And where will Mister Pomeroy be while we occupy his concierge level penthouse and check out his bondage gear?” Bibi laughed, thinking about some of her past BDSM experiences and wondering how the rest of the night might go if she agreed to this invitation.
“He’s, well, I guess it’s fair to say that he’s otherwise occupied with Jean Groff. In his other cabin.”
“…which is, if I remember correctly, just down the corridor…” Bibi added quickly.
“Right. But no worries. They are both cool and no one would bother us until after noon.”
“Oh yes. Jean is pretty cool. I know. She’s working with me on this cruise.”
“Right. I think she’s hot,” said Nate. Then, realizing that the remark was possibly counterproductive to his goals, he said
