Murder Mystery, and Merlot

The wine tasting was taking place deep in the temperature controlled wine cellar of the QE2 (Queen Elizabeth 2, cruise ship). Jonathan Drake had never been to a wine tasting before and didn't really know what to expect.

Jonathan and Winifred O'Riley; his 86 year old student; had spent the first two days at sea doing the usual things: shopping on the promenade, exploring the main decks, taking pictures, eating sumptuous food, dancing, and, to solve a murder on the high seas. It just so happened that this crossing was also a “Murder Mystery Cruise,” put on by Global Publications.

Today, Jonathan and Winifred decided to take a little break from the Amateur sleuthing and enjoy some of the cultural aspects aboard ship; and the wine tasting party had just the right flavor.

When they emerged from the elevator in the depths of the ship they both shivered at the sudden drop in temperature. Jonathan wa glad he was wearing his light gray Pierre Cardin suit.

The wine cellar was like walking into an underground cavern.

Jonathan had read about the wine tasting from the brochure in his room. The QE2 boosted over 25,000 bottles of wine and 171 varieties. It was rated the most prestigious collection at sea.

The staging area was nothing more than a large cavernous room with three tables arranged in a semi circle. All around there were wine racks filled to the ceiling. One table contained small china plates with assorted cheeses and fruit. The middle table was decorated with the six wines they would be tasting today, and the third had enough wine glasses for the passengers who attended.

Jonathan moved over to the table containing a variety of wine, studying each one as if he knew what he was doing. There were four red and two white wines. Each bottle had a small card in front of it with the name of the wine, the region, and the year it was bottled. He had just begun to read one of them when the elevator doors opened again.

Looking up, Jonathan watched an elegantly dressed woman with amber red, shoulder length hair stride into the room. She wore a stunning dark green dress and three inch heals that echoed throughout the chamber when she walked.

Jonathan's heart skipped a beat. “It's the woman from the balcony.” He thought to himself.

On the first day of the cruise; at the afternoon tea dance; Winifred and Jonathan were dancing in the Queen's Lounge. A slow Foxtrot was playing and Jonathan had the feeling he was being watched.

He scanned the crowd as he navigated the crowded dance floor seeing nothing unusual, but he couldn't shake the feeling. Then, in the middle of a difficult turn in the Starboard corner of the dance floor, he was cutoff by another couple. He had to improvise with a slow turning hover step. Winifred held the pose and rotated her head and balance perfectly. That's when he saw her.

On the upper shopping promenade balcony; on the Port side of the ship; she stood at the railing looking down watching them. Watching him. Their eyes caught for just a moment and Jonathan almost faltered. She had a curious look on her face; and for a fraction of a second, just before Jonathan had to descend out of the turn; he thought he saw the hint of a smile. When he came out of the turn and looked again, she was gone.

For the next two days; in between looking for murder suspects, dancing and enjoying the finer delicacies onboard, Jonathan thought about the woman on the balcony, hoping he would run into her. Now, here she was at the wine tasting.

A man entered the room and stood behind the wine table.

“Good Afternoon, ladies and gentleman.” Speaking with a heavy french accent. “I am Grand Sommelier, Philippe Garnier, and I will be your host today. I will be sharing with you some of the finer points of what makes a good wine, how to detect the robust flavors in each, and how to pair a wine with your meal. Our responsibilities cover the seven restaurants onboard, and it is our job every night to make sure that we have the finest wines for the evening meals.”

Jonathan tried to listen, but he kept stealing glances at the mystery woman from the balcony.

The wine master continued: “Today, we will take your taste buds on a world tour of six very special and unique wines for your pleasure. Our journey will begin in the Veneto region of North-eastern Italy, with this 1989 Bardolino.” He indicated the dark red wine to his left.

“Next, we will travel to California for an exquisite experience in wine country with this 1987 Merlot.”

Jonathan's mind drifted again as the Grand Sommelier shared characteristics of each wine. He vaguely remembered something about a white Riesling wine from the Rheingau region in Germany, and finally finishing off with a Cabernet Sauvignon from Argentina. It was really a world class tour of expensive wines.

Jonathan wanted to walk over and introduce himself to the woman in the dark green dress, but he didn't want to upset Winifred. His mind pictured the mystery woman in a long flowing ball gown, swirling around a large dance floor to a slow waltz or an Argentinian Tango. At the same time, he was nervous about speaking to her. Somewhat of an old romantic at heart, he was actually shy, when it came to woman and his personal life. Suddenly, the wine tasting was over.

Jonathan heard enough to learn how to let a good wine breath. How to swirl slowly and examine the cling to the glass. How to sniff and let the aroma tantalize and excite the taste buds before sipping (never gulp the Sommelier said). And finally, lightly swish the liquid in your mouth to capture the finer flavors of each new wine. They had also learned that the reason you eat cheese between sampling various wines is to neutralize the flavors of the wine before so you can experience the full richness and body of the next.

A voice was speaking nearby and Jonathan realized someone was talking to him. He turned his head. It was Winifred.

“Ah, what? I'm sorry. I was thinking, that was a lot to take in all at once.”

“Yes it was. I said, are you ready to leave? I would like to rest a bit before dinner.”

“Me too.” Jonathan extended the crook of his elbow as they walked to join the line waiting for the elevator. He spotted the woman from the balcony slipping into the crowded elevator and turning toward him. As the doors closed, she looked at him and smiled a warm friendly smile that seemed to say: “hello again, and goodbye.”

The next day was filled with activities. During the murder mystery part of the cruise, another woman died. Shot from the shopping promenade overlooking the Queen's Lounge. The next two hours were filled with looking for more clues, and chasing the usual suspects. Winifred finally tired of the game and needed her late afternoon rest. Jonathan was thankful. He was also tired and needed a break.

Jonathan stepped out on deck to get some fresh air. He walked slowly to the stern of the ship, slipped into the Princess Bar and Grill and ordered a drink and exited out onto the open Lido Deck. There she was again. Alone. Reading a book. Mustering all the courage he could find, he slowly walked up beside her. Thinking to himself; “it's now or never.”

“Is that a good book?” He asked, and then thought; “that was a stupid thing to say.”

She looked up from behind her designer sunglasses and paused. A slight smile crept into her face. “Why, yes it is. It's a Clive Cussler novel. Have you heard of him?”

“That's one of my favorite Author's. I love the Dirk Pit Adventures. Which one are you reading?” Before she could answer, Jonathan continued: “I'm sorry. I apologize for intruding on your quiet time. I know how I get when someone interrupts me while I'm reading.” he was babbling now. He turned to walk away embarrassed.

“Wait. I don't mind. Would you like to sit?” She took off her sunglasses and Jonathan could see that her eyes sparkled deep green like her dress the day before.

“I'd like that. My name's Jonathan, Jonathan Drake.”

“Well Jonathan Jonathan Drake, my name is Sabrina. It's a pleasure to meet you.” laughing at the joke on his name.

It was an easy laugh. A real laugh. A comfortable laugh.

The next hour flew by with alarming speed. The Mariachi Band stopped playing and half the guests had left the Lido Deck to get ready for the early dinner seating in the Mauritania Restaurant. Jonathan suddenly realized he had to pick up Winifred.

“I'm sorry Sabrina. I just realized I have to leave. I have to pick up Winifred for dinner.”

“The woman you were dancing with and at the wine tasting?”

“Yes. She's my student. But I was wondering if you'd like to meet for a drink when I get off work at 11pm. If it's not too late, that is. Maybe we could have a drink or catch a bite to eat at the Midnight Buffet?”

She hesitated and Jonathan was sure she was going to say no. “Well... I'll have to check my schedule.” Her head tilted to the side as if in thought. “Looks like I'm free. I'd like that.”

“Great! How about I meet you here at 11:30pm?”

“See you then.”

“Great.” Jonathan realized he was repeating himself like a shy school boy asking the most popular girl in school for a first date.

As the night passed, Jonathan did everything he could to focus on his job – entertaining Winifred. He wore his best dark gray, double-breasted suit and tie.

After he walked Winifred to her cabin, he rushed back to the Princess Bar and Grill before they closed at midnight and ordered two glasses of the 1987 Merlot; it was the only thing he could remember from the wine tasting; and walked out onto the Lido Deck. To his surprise, she was sitting in the same place he had met her earlier. She had two glasses of the 1987 Merlot sitting on the deck table next to her.

They looked at each other and laughed.

Epilogue

A middle-aged couple sat together at a table on the open Pool Deck of the QM2 (Queen Mary 2) cruise ship. It was dark. Almost midnight. They looked up at the expanse of stars that blanked the night sky and the full moon glistening on the open ocean, shimmering off the wake left behind. They each held a long stemmed wine glass filled with their favorite wine.

The Gentleman raised his glass. “A toast to you my dear. Happy Anniversary! To think, it all started on a night like this 25 years ago.”

“Over a glass of Merlot,” she added. “And you, who were so shy you almost didn't speak to me. Remember?”

“I could never forget. Just think what would have happened if we hadn't gone to that wine tasting on the QE2.” She smiled at him with that same smile that sparkled in her eyes and captured his heart all those years ago.

He continued: “Well, here's to you. 'If the second half of the road is half as good as the road we have known, here's hail to the rest of the road.”

“Oh Jonathan, you still are an old romantic.”

They smiled warmly at each other, clinked their glasses, and sipped their Merlot.