The Killer Touch by Ellery Queen Read Free Book Online Page A

east wind carried moisture in such fine particles that he didn’t know it was raining until he found his hair damp. The lagoon was like a blanket being shaken; the surf washed over the jetty and made tentative passes at the pilings which held up the beach club. Rolf’s launch was gone, and Burt could hear Joss’s voice raised in shrill anger behind the kitchen.
    He found her standing over Coco, who was squatting on the ground, sullenly picking a scab on his instep.
    â€œWhat’s wrong?” asked Burt.
    Joss turned, looking sheepish. “This ignorant ass let the rowboat drift away last night.”
    Coco looked up. “Mist’ March, I leave it on the beach where the surf do not reach.”
    â€œLet’s go see.”
    In front, Coco showed him the boat’s keel mark in the sand. It extended three feet above the line of coral, driftwood and coconut husks which marked the high-water point.
    â€œShe lie here when I go to sleep,” said Coco. “Not here this morning.”
    â€œYou must have moved it,” said Joss.
    â€œNo, mistress. I am sure.”
    They all stood looking at the marks in the sand as though, if they looked long enough, the boat would materialize. Finally Coco shuffled off, mumbling. Joss shrugged. “Weather like this bugs these people. They don’t know it, but it does.”
    Burt walked with her to the club. “What bugs me is losing the boat.”
    Joss waved her hand airily and sat down at a table. “Hell, it wasn’t worth much. It’s just that one by one all my rowboats disappear. That boy gets out there day-dreaming and a boat gets carried onto the rocks; he forgets to put in a drainplug and a boat swamps; he goes skin-diving alone and his boat drifts away.” She sighed and signaled Godfrey to bring coffee. “I’ll get another one made on Bequia. Meanwhile there’s no problem. I just bought a pile of supplies, food and liquor, with the money I got from Keener and Smith. And O’Ryan will be through again in two or three days.”
    â€œSuppose somebody gets sick?”
    â€œYou feeling bad?” She eyed him quizzically, then shrugged. “I’m sure, if there was an emergency, Rolf Keener would lend his launch.”
    At that point Burt realized what really bothered him about losing the rowboat. Rolf Keener now had the only means of transportation on the island—and Rolf Keener had gone out early this morning to check his launch.
    â€œWhere’d the Keeners go?” he asked.
    â€œFor a cruise,” said Joss.
    Burt frowned at the frothing sea. Fifteen-foot rollers broke against the rocks around the lagoon and sent up explosions of spray. Black-toothed rocks bit through the surface each time a wave receded.
    â€œHe’s in no danger, Burt,” said Joss. “He’s got twin outboards, besides his inboard engine, and he seemed to know what he was doing.”
    â€œYes,” said Burt. “He gives that impression.”
    Godfrey brought two mugs of French coffee, hot and strong and heavy with chicory. Burt sipped it slowly, squinting out beyond the dripping thatch. He thought about Rolf, not because he feared for his safety, but because he wondered what could lure a man out to sea in this weather.
    â€œYou made a good impression on him,” said Joss after a long silence. “He said you could keep cabin one. He wants you for a neighbor.”
    Burt gave a wry smile. “I wonder what else he wants.”
    â€œWhy?”
    â€œHe told me his life story last night. Some men do it because they like to talk. Rolf isn’t a compulsive talker. I think he wanted to exchange confidences.”
    â€œDid you?”
    â€œWasn’t much more I could tell. He knew I was with the police, searched my wallet while I was out cold.”
    Her mouth dropped open. “No! But that doesn’t sound like—”
    She broke off as Jata appeared at the railing and morosely