Prologue

It was a dark, grey, and gloomy afternoon on a late summer Friday. A shroud of thick grey clouds covered the sky as far as the eye could see. Crashing waves filled the vast surface of the deep, blue sea, each one rising and crashing down with incredible force. A large cruise ship slowly approached the dock as the wistful waves fought against it.

The S.S. Iris had finally returned from its long voyage. The passengers however, all still resided in their respective rooms…. Who would ever dare to move an inch outside? At first glance, it almost seemed as though not a soul was ever on board. The vacant hallways echoed with silence, the once busy deck was unoccupied. Only the loud roar of the waves and the chants of seagulls in the distance could be heard. Nobody was allowed to leave the ship.

Nobody had even the slightest desire to step out of their cabins after what had occurred that week. An investigation was underway for the murder of Marigold Seashine, the captain’s own sister. With a heavy heart, the captain knew the only way to honor her life was to find out the culprit behind her brutal, untimely demise.

It wasn’t long before a slew of police offers stormed into the ship. Several authorities came aboard in order to investigate what had happened. Nevertheless, their efforts were to no avail. Perhaps it was because of a lack of interest or pure incompetence. To the captain’s dismay, the investigation was determined inconclusive.

In a final attempt, the captain decided to hire a private detective. Her name was Penelope Walker.