Depth of Deception (A Titanic Murder Mystery) by Alexander Galant Read Free Book Online

still had control of his faculties. He was living proof that money could buy everything... even longer life. Over the last few decades he had been the recipient of a kidney, a cornea , and had somehow successfully placed himself at the top of a heart transplant list last year. At this rate, Edward suspected that Archibald would Frankenstein himself into a new man by the end of the decade. If only the good die young, Archibald Hoffman would live forever. He definitely showed no signs of slowing down, and had been down to South America last week to meet with El Consorcio , their Latin American counterpart. Archibald felt that their staff needed motivation and went personally to meet with them.
    Over the years Edward had witnessed the ruthless, cutthroat actions of his father. Archibald lived by the Sun Tzu’s Art of War and read it several times a year, treating family and colleagues alike as the enemy, using their weaknesses to his advantage. Even now, Edward was acutely aware of the recorded music playing on the old record player. Was it a coincidence that the familiar tune of The Last Rose of Summer was now haunting the room? It was taking him back to a painful time. Edward would never forgive his father for w hat he did to him… to Dolanna… p oor Dolanna. The only woman Edward had ever loved. The coughing stopped. Edward had to re-focus. He would not fall prey to his father's mind-games.
    " Aside from the poor taste, " Edward continued, trying to ignore the music. " It’s bad luck to name a ship after a doomed one. "
    " Isn’t it also bad luck to change the name of a ship? " asked Archie as he wheeled himself in front of the west-facing window. It was a tactical positioning that he often did, forcing his opponent to squint into the afternoon sun, putting them at a disadvantage. Edward was not going to fall prey to his father’s tactics and casually strode over to one side. Without the sun in his eyes, he turned to his father, " Only after it’s been christened on its maiden voyage. " His father had some gall debating nautical superstition with him. He needed to get back to the heart of the issue. " If you don’t retract that statement... "
    " If I do that it will look like I gave into that hag’s petition. "
    " Hag? " Edward asked.
    " Eva Hart. Didn’t you see that interview with Eva Hart? " His finger stabbed towards the blueprints of the new ship. " She called it ‘macabre’ and whined that it would bring back a nightmare of memories."
    Edward shook his head in dismay. He could never understand, as a fellow survivor, how his father could be so callous with such a tragedy. As unfathomable as it might seem, Archie Hoffman always seemed ‘glad’ that the Titanic sank.
    Choosing his words carefully, Edward calmly said, " Like me, she was a child when Titanic went do wn. But she wasn’t as fortunate: she lost her father. "
    Archibald replied in some incomprehensible grumble.
    " Do you recall what her mother said that night at dinner, the night before the ship struck the iceberg? " Edward asked, but Archibald made no attempt to answer. " She s aid, ‘To boast that a ship was u nsinkable was a slap in the face of God.’ "
    " I was there, I remember better than you do. I’m not senile you know. "
    " Did I say you were? " Edward asked, " You didn’t answer when I asked. "
    " Did you see the story of the woman found in the North Atlantic? " asked Archibald, obviously changing the subject.
    " Yes, I did, " replied Edward. " Intriguing wouldn’t you say? "
    " Rubbish! " wheezed the old man without missing a beat. " That’s all that is, sheer rubbish. "
    Archibald turned and trolled through a cabinet, hunched over the stuff, hunting, " Someone organized that hoax to steal my thunder. "
    " Now, who would do that? " asked Edward.
    " Could be any number of past rivals. It wouldn’t surprise me if Eva Hart or someone like that Dr. Alpo put that woman in the ocean to draw attention away from our moment of glory. "
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