Murder on the Marmora by Conrad Allen Read Free Book Online

woman’s eyes when Genevieve Masefield called on her. Mrs. Prendergast was amazed to learn that her visitor was a detective but she burst out crying again the moment Genevieve asked her to explain what had happened.
    It was several minutes before she managed to control herself. “I’m sorry, Miss Masefield,” she said, dabbing at her eyes with a handkerchief. “I never thought that anything like this would happen.”
    “We’ll do our best to recover whatever was stolen.”
    “My cabin was locked. How on earth did the thief get in here?”
    “That’s what we’ll need to find out.”
    “It’s not the loss of the money that upset me,” explained Mrs. Prendergast. “It was the theft of the jewelry. Some of those pieceshad great sentimental value. They were gifts from my husband. He’ll be terribly hurt when he hears about this.”
    “Isn’t your husband traveling with you?”
    “I’m afraid not. His health would never permit it. He’s very frail. No,” she went on, “I decided to make the effort while I’m still able to do so. Our son works in Cairo, you see, and his wife has just presented us with a first grandchild.”
    “A boy or a girl?”
    “A baby girl. I simply had to go out to see her.”
    “Of course,” said Genevieve.
    “To be honest, we never thought that David, our son, would ever marry. He seemed to be wedded to his career in the diplomatic service. Then, about eighteen months ago, he found himself a wife at last and he’s now become a father.” She wrung her hands. “David will be so shocked by this. I mean, you don’t expect it on the P and O.”
    “Every shipping company has the same problem, I’m afraid. When people go on our cruise, they tend to relax and lower their guard. That’s when a thief will move in.”
    “But I was only out of my cabin for about twenty minutes.”
    “Two minutes would have been long enough, Mrs. Prendergast,” said Genevieve. “Where were the stolen items kept?”
    “The jewelry was in a box. I hadn’t even unpacked it from my trunk.”
    “But the trunk was unlocked?”
    “Oh, yes,” replied the other, glancing across at the large wooden trunk in the corner. “My clothing was scattered all over the floor. That’s what shook me most, I think. The idea that someone had been rummaging through my belongings. It’s disgusting!”
    “I know.”
    “I felt as if I’d been invaded, Miss Masefield.”
    “P and O recommend that passengers have anything of value locked in a safe.”
    “That’s where I’d intended to put it as soon as I took the jewelry box out of the trunk. It was tucked away right at the bottom. The thief had to burrow for it.”
    “What about the money?”
    The old woman looked a trifle shamefaced. “It was in my handbag,” she admitted, “and I left that lying on the table. Yes, I know that it was stupid of me,” she said, cowering defensively, “but I thought that it would be perfectly safe in here.”
    “How much was taken?”
    “Well over a hundred pounds.”
    “Oh dear!” sighed Genevieve. “That’s a real blow. Was anything else stolen from your handbag? Your passport, for instance?”
    “No, Miss Masefield. That’s still here. So is my train ticket to Cairo.”
    “That’s some consolation, anyway.”
    “I don’t feel very consoled.”
    “Now,” said Genevieve, taking a notebook and pencil from her pocket, “the first thing I’ll need is a list of the items stolen from your jewelry box. If any of them are distinctive in any way—engraved with your name, perhaps—make sure that you tell me. Have you met anyone on the way here or since you came aboard?”
    “Yes, lots of people.”
    “I’ll need their names, if you can remember them.”
    “But they were so nice and friendly. You surely can’t suspect any of them.”
    “We have to explore every avenue, Mrs. Prendergast. What’s very clear to me is that you were deliberately chosen as a target. No other passengers in second class have reported