Chapter 1 - THE CALL THEY NEVER EXPECTED
The person who answered on the fourth ring was named Marissa.
“Voyager Crown Guest Protection. How can I help you?”
Deborah’s smile disappeared before I even spoke.
“My reservation was changed without my authorization. Two minor passengers were removed and replaced with two other children.”
Melissa sat straighter.
My father finally muted the television.
Marissa asked for my booking number.
I gave it to her.
Then my full name.
Date of birth.
Billing ZIP code.
The last four digits of the card I had used for the original payment.
There was a long pause.
“I see the changes.”
Melissa whispered, “She can’t undo them.”
I looked at her.
Marissa continued.
“Ms. Bennett, for security purposes I need to ask whether you authorized passenger substitutions yesterday at 3:17 P.M.”
“No.”
Deborah stepped toward the phone.
“This is a family misunderstanding.”
I raised one finger.
She stopped.
Marissa’s tone changed.
“Was that another person speaking?”
“Yes.”
“Does that person have permission to make changes to your booking?”
“No.”
Another pause.
“Then I am placing an immediate fraud hold on the reservation.”
Melissa stood.
“What?”
Marissa kept speaking.
“No boarding documents associated with the substituted passengers will be valid until the review is completed.”
The color drained from Melissa’s face.
“You can’t do that!”
Marissa heard her.
“Ms. Bennett, are you in a safe place to continue this call?”
“Yes.”
I almost laughed.
For six months, every extra shift had gone toward this trip.
Every weekend I told Owen and Lily we would do something special “later.”
Later had finally arrived.
And my family thought they could erase my children with a few clicks.
Marissa asked me to verify Owen’s and Lily’s original information.
I did.
Then she said the most beautiful sentence I had heard all week.
“I have restored the original passengers provisionally while we investigate how the account was accessed.”
Melissa’s mouth fell open.
Deborah grabbed the back of a chair.
My father stood.
“You’re really going to take this away from children?”
I turned toward him.
“No.”
I pointed at the phone.
“I’m taking back what was stolen from mine.”
Then Marissa added:
“There is another issue.”
My stomach tightened.
“What?”
“Four additional excursion packages were purchased after the passenger names were changed.”
“How much?”
“Four thousand eight hundred and sixty-two dollars.”
I stared at Deborah.
She looked away.
“I didn’t buy any excursions.”
Marissa went quiet.
Then:
“They were charged to the same card used for your original cruise deposit.”
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My stepmother had not only stolen my children’s places.
Someone had gone back into my account and spent nearly five thousand more dollars using my card.
