This story is for persons of eighteen years or over. All comments, good or bad, are welcome and all will be answered.
Part Four
We were woken in the morning by a banging on the door and the voice of James, rather shrill, shouting that there wouldn't be any tea but we were to assemble in the lounge immediately.
I didn't bother with a shower or a shave, just brushing my teeth after my toilet and sluicing my face, Stephen doing the same, missing out of having me fuck him again.
`What's this all about now?' he asked round my toothbrush that he was using. Just because we'd made love together during the night now thought it okay to use my toothbrush but I didn't say anything and quickly got dressed and waited till he was ready before we went along to the lounge to find that we were the last ones to arrive.
`Good. We're all here now. Well after last night's murder I have to announce that there's been another one!' Gasps came from nearly all of us as we heard these words. Who, was the whispered question from someone.
`The cook! He was found by James this morning when he went to start preparing the morning teas. He's been stabbed in the back with a knife!' More gasps though only from the women this time.
`It means that the murderer isn't finished yet and the problem is we don't know why. He was stabbed between six and seven o'clock this morning. We know this for he always started work at six and it was at seven that James found him.'
`Couldn't it have been James himself?' Knox queried.
That we'll try to find out when the captain and I talk to each of you, ah.' He paused because the captain had entered the saloon with the two crewmen and James following him. Right. Now that we're all here, the captain and I will talk to each one of you alone in the saloon so that you can speak freely. We'll speak to the ladies first, so Muriel, if you wouldn't mind following us.'
We watched the three of them move off into the saloon and there was quite a bit of whispering going on amongst the others and Knox heaved himself up out of his chair.
`I know the sun's not over the yardarm yet but I'm having a drink. If anyone else wants one, help yourselves for I'm not the steward here.'
`I...I'll get them,' James stuttered, finally moving from where he'd been standing since entering the lounge.
I'll get my own thank you,' Knox said. I'd rather poison myself than have someone else do it.'
`That was a nasty thing to imply,' Stella shouted as she stood up. Knox gave a snort.
Two murders? More likely be another one soon. Like buses, three always seems to be the optimum number,' he retorted. Mark my words, there will be another one.'
If there is,' said Tricia, I hope it's you.' He glared at her as he went behind the bar. Emboldened by the girls standing up to Knox prompted Stephen to speak.
`Maybe you're the murderer if you say there's going to be another one!'
`Poppycock,' Knox blazed back as he poured himself a large brandy and knocked it back in one go.
`Would you like a drink?' Stephen asked me.
`Yes please. A large gin and tonic for it looks as though it'll have to do instead of breakfast.' As he went and got a drink for me and I supposed, one for himself, Muriel came back into the lounge in tears. She pointed to Tricia and indicated the saloon as she slumped down on a sofa and Stella immediately went and sat next to her and put an arm round her shoulder as Tricia got up and left the lounge.
`They were beastly,' was all I heard her say as Stephen came over with my drink in one hand, his own in the other. He passed me my glass and stood behind me and put his hand on my shoulder and gave it a squeeze. I'm not sure what I was supposed to assume from that and mentally shrugged it off.
With the cook dead, who's going to get the meals I'd like to know?' asked the surly Mark Snares. I'm no good in the galley.'
`No good anywhere,' muttered Knox knocking back his second drink.
`You can shut up,' Snares responded, starting to move forward but got blocked by both James and the other crewman, Downes. Any further words between them ceased as Tricia came back also in tears and indicated that it was Stella's turn.
Why would I kill the cook?' she asked the room. I liked his cooking!' and burst into tears again. There was no answer to this and so the lounge fell into silence, apart from the drying up sobs of Tricia till Stella came back, stony faced.
You next James,' she said as she went and sat with the other two women. The bloody sauce of them both. They want us three to do the cooking now,' she said to the other two.
Me!' exclaimed Tricia. I can't even boil an egg!'
`You can at least peel potatoes,' Muriel said.
`Ho ho, jankers,' exclaimed Knox.
`Shut up!' the three women said as one as James reappeared.
You next Ralph,' he said to the helmsman standing by the door. I'm to help you ladies do the cooking,' he said in a crestfallen voice as Ralph went on through to the saloon.
Mark was next followed by Stephen and then Knox leaving me till last. As Knox went out, Stephen came and sat on the arm of my chair and I could see tears in his eyes.
`I had to tell them Daniel,' he said in a low voice and my heart started to thump.
`Tell them what?' I answered in the same way, my voice a whisper.
That...that we had slept together last night,' and I could see that he was fighting to hold back the tears. I didn't say anything else, honest.` I patted his knee.
`It's alright for I'll be telling them the same thing. At least we've got an alibi for the cook at least,' I said. Then it was my turn as Knox came through into the lounge, his face as black as thunder.
`Bastards,' I heard him say as he went behind the bar again. I went and entered the saloon to see that Sir Tobias and the captain were sitting together on one side of the dining table and it was indicated that I sat opposite them.
It's not a slight that you were left till last Daniel,' Sir Tobias said. It's because you've only met the engineer and cook, what, two days ago. God, it seems longer. So you didn't really get to know them as had the others. Now tell us what you did yesterday between three and seven o'clock.'
Well I suppose I was on the after deck with the others till we dropped anchor, though what time that was I don't know. I then had a swim. Stephen also swam with me.' They were nodding their heads as I spoke. I think this must have been around six o'clock, maybe a bit after for when we climbed back on board, we both went below. Stephen went to his cabin and I went to mine. I had a shower to get the salt off me and had a shave, got dressed and went up to the lounge which I assume would be about seven.' They were both still nodding.
`Between leaving Stephen and going into your cabin, you didn't leave it at all until you came up to the lounge?' the captain asked.
`No sir.'
`Okay. Now to this morning. Where were you between six and seven?'
`In bed.'
`Alone?' I kept calm for they already knew that I wasn't.
`Er, no. I wasn't alone,' I said.
`Who was with you? One of the girls?'
Er, no. It was Stephen.' Sir Tobias gave a snort. he can vouch for that,' I said.
He already has,' the captain said and I could see the distaste in his eyes. Well you've already told me that you are not familiar with a boat like this so it lets you off the hook. Now I've one other question, or rather a favour to ask.'
`Go ahead,' I said.
Not only was the radio smashed but the yacht has somehow been disabled. The intention had been to leave the engineer's body where it was. Covered up of course until the police could inspect it when we got to Nassau. But as we can't move the yacht and the added complication of the cook, we cannot keep the bodies on board in this heat, if you get my meaning,' to which I nodded. Therefore,' he continued, `we'll have to get them ashore and bury them. I'm asking you to be a volunteer to help in this matter.'
`I fully understand the problem sir and will help in any way that I can,' I replied.
`You're not squeamish about seeing and handling a dead body then?' the captain asked.
`In my journalistic career I have come across a couple,' I smiled.
Well I haven't,' said Sir Tobias, and it made me feel sick to see them, so I'll leave it to you two to see to the bodies.'
With my interview over and being the last one, we all got up from the table and went through to the lounge where everybody turned to look as we entered.
`Well I'm afraid that we've been unable to identify the killer so I must warn each and every one of you to be on your guard from now on. Stay as pairs if you can and watch out for each other's back. Now the captain would like to say a few words.'
`Now we had intended to return to Nassau with the bodies where they lay, but we cannot. So, due to the heat, we'll have to bury them ashore so that the autopsies can be performed later. Mr Redgrave has volunteered to help and I need two others to help. Mr Knox?'
`No bloody way,' he spluttered, almost choking on his brandy.
`Mr Scott?' he asked, looking at Stephen.
`Oh I couldn't,' he said and shuddered.
`Okay. Snares, Downes, get the inflatable off and down by the gangway and then give Mr Redgrave a hand. Jump to it!' The two crewmen then left for their task as I went with the captain out of the lounge and down into the engine room.
I thought we'd start with him,' he said as he indicated the blanket covered body of the engineer. It's a bit messy I'm afraid. His head's been bashed in and I think it was done with that.'
I looked in the direction he'd nodded and saw a large wrench lying on the deck.
`We'll bag it up later for fingerprints.'
I pulled the blanket off the engineer to find him lying face down, his head in a pool of congealed blood. So I re-covered his head and rolled him over onto his back and brought the blanket round his upper torso before pulling him up into a sitting position.
I'll use a fireman's lift if you'll help me get him upright captain,' I said as I put my hands under the armpits and lifted as he helped from the back. I'd bent down as I lifted and between us, managed to get him over my right shoulder. Just steady me as I go up these stairs,' I said over my clear shoulder.
So with the dead weight on my right, and the hand on that side holding it steady, used my left hand on the rail to help get me up one step at a time. With the captain pushing me from behind, made it to the top where I stood with my burden till he opened the door to the outer deck for me to step over the coaming and along the ship's side to the gangway.
This was tricky for the gangway was on the starboard side which meant that the rope that was used as a handrail was also on my right, so I had to steady myself with my left hand against the yacht's side as I descended. It was at the bottom that the other two lifted him off my shoulder and laid him down in the dinghy.
With him settled, the two men came back up the gangway, following me as I followed the captain. We went through and into the galley to see another blanket covered body, only this time, with a pointed hump. The pointed hump turned out to be the haft of a knife that was stuck into his back as revealed when I pulled the blanket off him. I knelt down beside the body of the cook and looked closely at the knife embedded into him.
`Can someone get me a plastic bag or some cling film. The knife will be needed for forensics for latent fingerprints,' I said and almost immediately, a plastic bag was thrust in my hand. I put my right hand inside it and grasped the hilt of the knife and pulled it out of the back of the cook. It had a slight resistance but came out with a slight sucking sound and I heard someone behind me being sick. I then pulled the bag over from my hand to completely cover the knife and passed it up to a waiting hand.
This time I let Snares and Downes do the lifting and carrying of the body down to the dinghy and wondered where on earth had they found a spade aboard a yacht that was lying next to the thwarts.
With two bodies and the two crewmen in the dinghy, there was only room for one more person and I again volunteered to go ashore and help with the burial, seeing the thankful looks on both the captain and Sir Tobias' faces.
Snares pulled the lanyard that started to outboard engine and with him doing the steering, shortly ran up onto the sandy beach where he cut the engine. We didn't bother with securing the dinghy for the weight of the bodies would hold it on the sand as we were not moving far to dig two graves. We took it in turns to dig down through the soft upper sand which was difficult because it kept sifting back into the hole. When we hit the damp and more solid stuff, it was easier and it wasn't long before we had the two holes dug deep enough.
I was helped out and we went and collected the two bodies and dumped them into the holes and quickly shovelled the sand in on top of them. Downes found two pieces of driftwood and stuck these into what would be the head part of the hasty graves for them to be exhumed at a later date for examination.
Not a word was said as we motored the short distance back to the yacht and one of the two tied it to the bottom of the gangway as I went up, feeling the need for a shower.
Well done Daniel,' said Sir Tobias who greeted me at the top. The girls have prepared some food for I'm sure you're hungry.'
I was indeed hungry and it was now past mid morning and made my way through to the saloon, putting the shower off till I'd eaten. It was only scrambled eggs and grilled tomatoes but at least it was edible and I had no objections to Snares and Downes sitting down and eating with me. When I'd finished, I left the saloon and went through the lounge and gave Tricia a kiss on the cheek.
`Thanks for the breakfast,' I said.
`I didn't cook it,' she replied.
`Well it's thanks for the washing up then,' I smiled as I went down below for a shower.
Now what do we do I thought as I soaped myself. Even though the shower was on, I heard someone enter the cabin and waited to see if they came into the bathroom, but they didn't, and as soon as I turned off the shower, I heard the door close again. I went out into the bedroom and looked around and couldn't see that anything had been disturbed. I dried myself and put on my shorts and a shirt and went barefoot up to the lounge and found Sir Tobias and the captain there alone.
`Did either of you just enter my cabin?' I asked as I went and helped myself to a drink from behind the bar.
`No,' the captain replied.
`Well someone just did while I was in the shower,' I said.
`Male or female?' Sir Tobias asked.
`I don't know. They left before I got into the room.'
`Why would anyone go into your cabin?' Sir Tobias asked.
`I don't know, that's why I'm asking you,' I said, sitting down on one of the stools by the bar.
`Well I've no idea, have you Andrew?' Tobias asked.
`No sir,' he replied and we all then turned for Stella had just walked into the lounge, looking as lovely as ever with her miniscule bikini being almost worn.
`Ah, there you are. I've been looking for you,' she said, looking at me.
`Did you look in his cabin?' the captain asked.
No,' she answered in a surprised voice. If I didn't find him here I would have done, why?'
No reason,' he replied. Just thought I'd ask.
`Why were you looking for me?' I asked.
`Well I was really looking for Tricia, and as she wasn't in her cabin I thought, well from what she's said about you, I thought you might be up here with her,' she replied.
`I'm flattered, but no, I haven't seen her. Why?'
`Well I need a hand in the kitchen,' she said.
`Galley,' the captain corrected her automatically.
`Galley, kitchen, front, back, stairs are all the bloody same to me. I need help in the kit...galley to prepare lunch. Even James seems to have disappeared.'
Oh Christ!' The captain exclaimed getting up from his seat. I hope not. Not again!' He then dashed out of the lounge and Tobias and I gave each other a bewildered look before the penny dropped. I was off my stool and heading for the door before Tobias got his backside up out of the chair and it was Stella who followed me out onto the deck to see the Captain shaking the shoulders of James.
`Where are the others?' he was asking him.
I don't know sir,' he cried, getting himself loose from the captain's hands. I've only just come up from my cabin to start getting lunch.'
Well stay with them,' indicating us, while I check on the others,' he said, moving off again and disappearing round the corner.
I need a drink,' said Tobias looking a little shaken. James, fix me a large one please,' he said, moving back into the lounge. We all followed him in to find obnoxious Knox already helping himself and a worried looking Stephen waiting to get one himself.
`Tricia's not here,' Stella said in a slightly hysterical voice grabbing my arm when she saw the other two in the lounge.
Don't worry,' I said, giving her a hug. The captain will find her.'
He found her. Downes and Snares hadn't appeared when he came into the lounge and beckoned Tobias and myself out. I patted Stella's hand as I stood up and went out through the door that led to the galley and engine room.
`Down there,' he said to the pair of us when we joined him. We looked where he was pointing and we could see her lying at the bottom of the companionway that led to the engine room.
She was sprawled out and not moving. I was the first to react and almost fell down in my haste to get to the bottom. I knelt down and put my hand to her neck to see if I could feel a pulse, but there was nothing. I looked up at the other two and shook my head as I looked at the angle that Tricia's head was at and could see through beneath half closed eyelids that the pupils of her eyes were fixed and glazed. I picked up a limp wrist as they came down to stand round us and I shook my head.
`She's dead. Looking at the way she's lying I think her neck is broken. Now whether she fell or was pushed, I can't say. What do you think?' I asked as I looked up at the captain.
`Neither can I but judging that we've already had two murders, the odds are she was pushed I'm sad to say.'
`Did you find Muriel and the two crewmen?' I then asked him.
`Yes,' he replied.
`Well get the men to carry her up top for I think it would be better for me to break the news to Stella,' I said, choking on a sob.
`Yes, yes. It would sound better coming from you than me,' said Tobias. I gave him a glare as I stood up knowing why he didn't want to break the news after having beaten her for God knows how long for his own gratification.
I went up and into the lounge and saw that Muriel was now in there and I went straight over to Stella and sat down beside her and took her into my arms.
`I'm sorry Stella. I'm truly sorry to be the tider of bad news.'
`No!' she screamed, and Muriel came hurriedly over and sat down on the other side and held her as I did as she shook and cried out Tricia's name over and over again. As I helped comfort her I noticed that Knox was at the brandy bottle again and knew that he wouldn't be interested in missing lunch as he did breakfast.
I left Stella with Muriel and went out on deck just as they were carrying Tricia's body down to the dinghy and went and joined them to give a hand at digging another grave. We laid her down next to the other two and dispiritedly went back to the yacht.
I was bloody tired by now and it was only just about one o'clock in the afternoon and like Knox, didn't feel like having any lunch.
What did I say?' he called out from behind the bar. Didn't I say like buses,' as he downed another drink. How many he'd had since first thing in the morning, I couldn't say, but he was well on the way to becoming drunk. I accepted a drink from Stephen and sank down in a chair and closed my eyes and I think I actually dozed off.
I had fallen asleep to the voice of Knox and now I came awake to it as I heard him roar.
Drunk! I've never been drunk in my life,' he roared. Strong as an ox,' and it was at this point that I opened my eyes to see him thump his chest to emphasis his words and watch him give out a gasp. His face went from a florid red to an ashen grey in the blink of an eyelid as he gave out another gasp as he kept his hand up to his chest. He half turned and looked as though he was trying to walk out from behind the bar but he just seemed to lurch to one side and then slid his elbow along the back shelf, knocking several bottles to the deck as his body seemed to follow his arm and he disappeared from sight to crash to the deck.
I knew a heart attack when I saw one and just didn't have the energy to jump up like some of the others to see if they could help him. I didn't care one way or the other if he died considering those that were already dead. What I was thinking about was that it was just another hole to dig in the sand and I didn't relish the idea of trying to lift his great bulk up and down to the dinghy.
`He's dead,' announced Downes, the first one to reach him. His voice drifting up from behind the bar. Others had crowded round and I just didn't give a damn. Even though I had nodded off, my glass was still in my hand and upright with some gin and tonic still inside. I finished it off and gave out a sigh and heaved myself up out of the chair.
`I'll help bury him but I'm not going to carry the bastard,' I said.
`That's not very charitable,' Muriel snivelled.
Hark at you!' I cried. You wanted him filled in not two days ago and now that I'm willing to do just that you say that I'm uncharitable.' I strode across to the bar and leaned over to see him lying there with Downes and the captain trying to resuscitate him in that confined space. Well at least that's not murder or an accident captain,' I said. More like suicide.'
This prompted a smothered giggle from Stella.
`It's not funny!' snapped Muriel giving Stella a slap on the arm and I could now see that she too had had quite a bit to drink since the death of Tricia. It made me wonder if we would run out of drink before we were all dead.
Okay,' I said wearily, where's the shovel Ralph?'
`I forgot to bring it back. It's still on the beach,' he said, straightening, giving up any further attempts to revive Knox.
`Doesn't matter. The way things are going we might as well leave it there,' I said.
`Another callous remark Daniel,' Muriel spoke again.
Oh shut up woman,' Stephen cried. Can't you see he is as tired as we are over these deaths.' Thank you Stephen I said to myself for saving me the effort of replying to her.
It took four of them to get Knox's body down the gangway and into the dinghy. I insisted that all four went across to help this time for I opted to swim. It was only fifty yards or so and tired as I was, I thought that the water would not only cool me but revive me for the digging that was to come.
With Knox interred in the sand, there was now room in the dinghy for me on the return trip to the yacht. I followed Tobias up and I went straight through to the galley to find Stephen and Stella making sandwiches.
You must have read my mind,' I said when I saw what they were making. I don't think I could have faced a four course dinner and was going to just make one for myself before I turn in.'
`Turn in? But it's not quite six o'clock,' Stella said.
`I know, but in just this one day I've helped dig four bloody deep holes and I bloody tired, so if you don't mind, I'll just take one of those and go to bed,' I said. I saw a look pass between the two and it was Stephen who spoke first.
`Would you like company?' he asked.
`Thanks, but no thanks. I'm no fit company for man or woman tonight. I just want to sleep. Say goodnight to the others for me will you,' I said as I left the galley with one huge sandwich and went down to my cabin to sleep.