“It really has,” Nancy and her friends agreed.
“Is your car nearby?” George said. “Do you need any help with the packages?”
“No, I had the salesperson call me a taxi,” Amber said. “I’ll be fine.”
While the salespeople finished wrapping the rest of Bess’s and George’s purchases, a cab pulled up in front of the boutique. Another salesgirl helped Amber load her packages into the trunk.
As Amber got into the backseat she waved to Nancy, Bess, and George, and then she mouthed, See you on the SS Great Lakes!”
The girls mouthed back, Okay!
As they headed to Nancy’s car, loaded down with bundles, Bess said, “If the rest of the passengers on the ship are as nice as Amber, I’ll never want the trip to end.”
“Me either,” George agreed.
But Nancy didn’t say anything. She couldn’t exactly explain it, but she felt there was something mysterious about Amber.
2
Amber’s Strange Boyfriend
Nancy surveyed the pile of luggage that had been stacked at the entrance to the pier where the cruise ships docked on Lake Michigan—just east of downtown Chicago. “Are you sure we didn’t forget anything?” she asked her friends with a wry smile. “There are only, let’s see … forty or fifty suitcases!”
“If you’re at sea,” Bess said, “you can’t just get in the car and run down to a store to get something you might desperately need!”
Nancy and George smiled at each other.
Just then one of the crewmen arrived with a flatbed truck to pick up the girls’ luggage. Nancy noticed that some of the other passengers had started to board the ship.
The girls followed the crewman to the gangway. The captain and some of the ship’s staff were standing at the top, greeting everyone personally.
When the girls got to the top of the gangway, the captain gave them a big smile. “Good morning and welcome aboard.” He shook her hand and offered Bess and George the same greeting. The girls introduced themselves.
A man next to the captain stepped forward and said, “I’m Eric Rankin, the cruise director, and this is one of my assistants, Adam Carson. He’ll show you to your cabin.”
“It’s a pleasure to meet you,” Adam said. He consulted a chart he was holding. “You have one of the suites on deck 5. This is deck 3. We’ll take the elevator up. If you’ll just follow me, please.”
As they followed Adam toward the elevators Bess said, “Adam, does your list have the names of all the passengers?”
“It does, yes,” Adam replied. “Were you wanting to know about anyone in particular?”
“Amber Cosgrove,” Bess said. “What deck is she on?”
Without missing a beat, Adam checked the chart and said, “Amber Cosgrove, deck 5, cabin 525. It’s just down the way, in fact, a couple of cabins past the elevators.”
“Should we see if she got on all right?” George said.
“No, we need to unpack and find our way around the ship first. We’ll call her later,” Nancy said. “She may be with Craig now, anyway,” she added in a whisper. “I don’t think we should bother them.”
When they reached their suite—number 502—Adam opened the door and held it so that Nancy, Bess, and George could enter.
“This place is huge!” George exclaimed.
“Our luggage is already here too!” Bess said. “That was fast.”
Nancy noticed Adam smiling at them. “Will there be anything else?” he asked.
Nancy shook her head. “No, we’re going to unpack and then take a look around the ship.”
Adam consulted his watch. “You should have time to see most of it before the safety drill. That’ll be on deck 3, about thirty minutes before we sail.” He took a few steps toward the door. “If you think of anything else, just dial 43 for Guest Services,” he said. “They’re here to make sure you’re as comfortable as possible.”
“Oh, one more thing, Adam,” Bess said. “When do we eat?”
Adam walked over to the door and showed them the schedule of mealtimes. “The restaurant is on deck 3,” he said. “That’s where all the main meals are served. You’ll also find refreshment tables set up in the different lounges all over the ship.”
“That sounds good to me!” Bess said.
“Believe me,” Adam said, “you won’t go hungry.” He gave them a polite nod and left.
“We have three closets,” George said as she began unstacking the suitcases and placing them in front of the three closets. “This is great. We won’t be climbing over one another when we’re trying to get dressed.”
“Nancy, there are two bathrooms!” Bess exclaimed. “You didn’t tell me that.”
“Actually, I didn’t know until now,” Nancy admitted.
The girls unpacked their belongings, looking over all of the great things they had bought in River Heights.
