Location, Location, and More

PROLOG

FOUR YEARS EARLIER

The sea was calm as forecasted with gentle swells of three to four feet. The cruise ship had left Cabo San Lucas at sunset and was headed back to San Francisco.

Marcia, a female steward had just finished her shift and returned to her small cabin located on the employee deck. She was dog tired after eight hours on her feet waiting on passengers who were continually making demands on her time.

After covering her long dark hair with a shower cap, she stepped into the shower and let the hot water slowly relax her muscles.

When the tension drained from her shoulders and lower back and her legs began to feel like rubber, she decided she’d had enough. As she was toweling off, she thought she heard her cabin door opening which meant someone had entered her room. She cautiously opened the door and got a glimpse of a familiar co-worker who ripped the towel from her grasp and body. She began to scream and struggle and fought as the towel was thrown over her head. All resistance ended when she felt the club strike her head with crushing force. Her lifeless body slumped to the floor.

Across the companion way and down about thirty feet towards the stern was a large door used when the ship was in port. It was used to allow passengers to easily get in and out of the small boat that ferried them back and forth from ship to shore. He carried the body to the door and hit the open button. As it opened, he dropped the body into the sea and hit the close button.

Six months later the woman’s husband received $250,000 from the insurance company for the wrongful death of his wife.