Read Laura Marlin Mysteries 2: Kidnap in the Caribbean for Free Online

a plan and things seem to be working out, may I say how happy I am that you’re with us, Tariq – and you, Skye – especially since Laura is going to need the company.’
    ‘Thanks, Mr Redfern.’ Tariq gave him a huge smile. ‘I’m pretty happy about it too.’
    ‘So am I,’ added Laura fervently.
    They really did leave then, because her uncle’s eyelids were drooping and Laura wanted him to rest and forget for a while how a broken stairwell light had ruined his voyage. She wondered if he had grounds to sue.
    When they emerged from his cabin, however, they saw that the light was working perfectly. So perfectly that there was no mistaking the Hawaiian beachwear of the man and woman barrelling noisily down the corridor, their son trailing behind. Laura thought he had a lonely air about him, but when he spotted her and Tariq he gave them a cheeky grin.
    ‘Daylight robbery is what I call it,’ his mother was ranting. ‘Wait till I get back home. That travel agent’s life won’t be worth living.’
    Laura groaned. ‘Just our luck to be on the same deck as them.’
    ‘Don’t worry about it,’ Tariq reassured her. ‘It’s such a massive ship, this will probably be the last we ever see of them.’
    It was only when Laura unlocked the door to their cabin that she cast aside the worries of the past few days and her spirits truly lifted. While cabin 126 was a mirror image of her uncle’s in terms of decoration, it also had doors opening out onto a balcony, beyond which a limitless stretch of ocean was visible. Skye rushed over to the railings and barked at the flying spray.
    Laura’s whole being flooded with happiness. Despite everything the Fates had done to prevent it she was on board a luxury cruise liner, heading for the Caribbean. Best of all, Tariq and Skye were with her. They were in the middle of the sea. What could possibly go wrong?

LAURA’S DETECTIVE HERO , Matt Walker, had a saying: If something seems too good to be true it usually is. But she’d not found that to be the case with the ship at all. If anything, the Ocean Empress exceeded her expectations by about a thousand per cent.
    There were so many forms of entertainment they made her head spin. On that first afternoon, when she and Tariq had explored every corner of the cruise liner, they were like kids let loose in a chocolate bazaar. Especially since they’d discovered that everything really was free – or, at least included in the prize. That meant they could try anything, do anything, or eat anything they liked.
    After a delicious lunch of chips slathered with ketchup and ice cream sundaes piled high with honeycomb, banana, chocolate sprinkles and marshmallows, they went from deck to deck, mapping out their days.
    ‘We could have seafood tonight, curry tomorrow and fish and chips on Wednesday,’ suggested Tariq. ‘And maybe because the weather is still a bit grey and blowy, we should go ice-skating this afternoon? I’ve never tried it before. There weren’t a lot of ice rinks in Bangladesh.’
    ‘Ice-skating on a ship – sounds brilliant!’ agreed Laura. ‘How about going to the water park if it’s sunny tomorrow morning, followed by … ooh, I don’t know, nine holes of miniature golf. If you’re feeling brave, we could try the rock climbing wall on Wednesday.’
    Tariq laughed. ‘We could have ice cream sundaes every day and in the evenings we could try the whirlpool, the sauna, or the theatre.’
    Laura giggled. ‘How will we fit it all in?’ Then she felt a twinge of guilt. ‘Poor uncle Calvin. It’s so unfair that we get to enjoy ourselves while he’s trapped in his cabin.’
    ‘It is unfair,’ agreed Tariq, ‘but my foster father says that sometimes injuries or illnesses are nature’s way of telling people to slow down. Your uncle seems pretty exhausted from work. Besides, he’ll have lots of fun in Antigua.’
    Laura smiled. ‘You could be right. He did look pretty happy when we took him the ice cream sundae,