Janine Marie - Rigging a Murder 01 - The Single Shoe Mystery by Janine Marie Read Free Book Online Page B

Thomas stopped us.
    “Good: the Blackwoods are both still at Trent’s boat!… We need a plan,” he said as he looked at me.
    “Fine,” I grumbled, “what do you have in mind?”
    “We need to play to our strengths here. I’ll go up to the bridge and get back on the radio, let the police and Coast Guard know about the tree, and find out when they think they can get here.
    “Greg, you should check on the body, make sure it’s secure… and that no one has disturbed it. Janeva, check on Catherine and Nancy the cook. I expect we will be seeing Trent, Wiffy, John, and Stella soon enough, so let’s try and detain them in the salon until the police arrive.”
    “Right; better to observe them and see who acts guilty!” I exclaimed. “Greg, here—take my phone and get some photos of the crime scene,” I added.
    “Janeva, this isn’t a TV show, this is REAL,” growled Thomas. “Try to control yourself; we could be in real danger.”
    “Okay, okay; what do you want me to do?” I asked.
    “Look around, see if you can find out what happened to the two other crew members. They have to be somewhere, and we didn’t see them on Trent’s boat.”
    A half hour later found us sitting on the settee in the lavish main salon of the Atlantis.
    “Well,” I broke the silence, “what did the Coast Guard and police say?”
    “Nothing… in short, we are trapped here until the storm—well, fog in particular—clears up, and/or that tree moves. Did you find any sign of the missing crew, and how are Catherine and the cook?”
    “No sign of the two missing crew. I checked the cabin, and their uniforms, toiletries, etc. are still there. I did a quick search of the boat and didn’t see anything else amiss,” I replied. “Catherine is still sleeping and I was able to calm Nancy down by ordering up a huge lunch.” Looking around, I mused, “I know we’ve already eaten, but she needed something to do, and anyway I’m sure Trent’s group will be happy to have lunch.” I paused for breath. “As requested, I also asked her about the missing crew. Apparently Carl, the first mate, was a diesel mechanic by trade and one of his jobs was to keep the boat running. He also drove the boat when Lorenzo got bored or was entertaining, did any repairs, and did all the other maintenance to keep the boat in tip-top shape.”
    “What about the body?” Thomas asked.
    Greg held up a key: “Just as I left it.”
    “Are we sure that John or Stella don’t have a key?” Thomas asked, looking worried.
    “Nancy said… when I asked her if she had seen anyone going into Lorenzo’s office, what was most interesting is that she said it’s always locked, only Lorenzo had keys,” I replied.
    “Oh, it sounds like we are about to have company,” Greg interrupted, hearing voices and standing up to look outside on the dock.
    John and Stella Blackwood were walking alongside, chatting amiably with Trent and his wife.
    “What are we going to say to them?” I asked.
    Thomas steepled his fingers, looking thoughtful.
    “Here is what we are going to do. Janeva, you head off the women, and find out why John and Stella left. We know Trent was planning to leave this morning, but there was no mention of John and Stella going with them at dinner last night. Distract them with the missing crew, and if asked if you have seen Lorenzo, say he is sick or missing if they press you. Watch their faces, look for discomfort; one of them might be our killer.”

Chapter Six
     

    The Call
     
    From a telephone transcript acquired by Janeva in a later book, she felt it important and appropriate to add here
     
    L ooking at his watch as he typed furiously on his laptop, Max thought Why does everything always happen at the last minute? I’m about to board, and now this!
    Grabbing his iPhone and dialing, he demanded into the device, “…Where are you?!”
    “Princess Louisa,” came the faint voice.
    “Why are you still there?” growled Max.
    “A storm,…