The False Inspector Dew

2

When Captain Rostron returned to the bridge, the ship's doctor was waiting to see him.

'If you can spare a few minutes, Captain, I'd like you to look at the body in the mortuary.'

'I saw her last night, doctor. I didn't recognize her.'

'It isn't that. It's something nobody noticed last night.'

'Can't you tell me about it?'

The doctor's eyes flicked towards the other officers in range of his voice.i think you should see for yourself, Captain.'

'Very well. Let's get it over with. I shall probably hold you responsible for ruining my lunch, doctor.'

In the narrow storeroom on the lower deck that served on occasions as a mortuary, the captain watched the doctor peel back the sheet and indicate the reason for his concern.

'I see.' The captain heaved a deep sigh. 'Bad, doctor. This is bad. Have you shown it to Mr Saxon?'

'Not yet, captain.'

'I think you had better. At once. Between ourselves, I hope he is equal to this. I really do.'

Livy Cordell found Barbara shortly before lunch. She was sitting at a table in the smoking room with Paul. They had some playing cards face upwards and seemed to be discussing them.

'Jesus, am I glad to find you!' said Livy.

'Hi, Livy,' said Barbara airily. 'You're just in time. Can you play auction bridge? Paul is trying to teach me.'

'We haven't seen you all morning. Your mother is nearly out of her mind with worry.'

Barbara shook her head gravely. "She's worried? Livy, how do you think I feel about a parent who panics when I miss breakfast? I'm not a child any more. I managed to live in Paris for a year without Mother holding my hand. You and I are going to have to talk to her.'

'Barbara, she had a reason to be worried. You weren't in the lounge for morning service, were you?'

'Is that it?' Barbara turned to Paul, i miss church. I really am a lost soul now.'

Livy ignored the sarcasm. 'What I mean is that you didn't hear the captain tell us about the dead woman.'

'Dead woman? Who died?'

'That's it. No one knows. She fell in the sea last night and she was dead when they got her out. They don't know who she is. Now do you see why Marje is in such a state over you?'

Barbara got up. 'I'd better go to her right now. Where is she?'

'She went up to check your stateroom.' As Barbara left, Livy said to Paul, 'That'll be quite some reunion. How about a beer?'

They took their glasses back to the same table. Livy said, 'So you want to teach Barbara to play bridge?'

Paul nodded. 'It's a good game. We played whist with some people last night and we were getting on quite well towards the end. They said that bridge is a better game, so I was trying to show Barbara how the bidding goes.'

'You young people ought to make a good team. Didn't you both study maths in col lege?'

'I don't know if that's much of an advantage,' said Paul with a smile.

'These people you were playing with — how did you come to fix up the game with them?'

'Oh, it was pure chance. I happened to be talking to the guy who handed in my billfold and this woman came around asking us to join the concert party.'

'The one who was in here talking to Barbara?'

'Right. Jack made some chance remark about whist and the lady said she wouldn't bother us any more about the concert if we agreed to make up a game of whist. So I asked Barbara to be my partner and we had quite a nice game until the other two fell out.'

'Why?'

'The usual thing. She criticised his play. He took it pretty well until the end when she put some money on the table. Gambling for cash is not allowed and he told her straight to put the money away. It was all a little foolish, but people get like that over cards. He walked out and she was on the point of tears, but Barbara calmed her down. That was when I met you at the bar.'

'I see. And this hasn't put you two off cards?'

'Why should it? We didn't quarrel. We won.'

'Barbara isn't so placid as she first appears. She can get quite forceful over a game of cards. She doesn't like to lose.'

'I discovered that,' said Paul. 'Livy, it's a positive attitude. I like it.'