It's Murder, On a Galapagos Cruise: An Amateur Female Sleuth Historical Cozy Mystery (Miss Riddell C by P.C. James (easy novels to read txt) 📕

Pauline watched as the doctor continued examining the body, gently raising the man’s chin to observe the wound. She was irritated by the fact the doctor wasn’t wearing gloves. He was damaging the crime scene. Then she remembered she’d done the same and banished the thought from her mind.

“What will you do?” she asked the security officer, who looked bemused by events.

“I’ll have to report to the captain. He will then check with the head office,” Sanchez said. “There are procedures for this but I’m not sure they’ve ever been used. A death, possibly murder, on our first cruise! It’s a disaster.”

“We won’t have to turn back, will we?” Freda asked.

“I don’t think so,” Sanchez said, “but we will do whatever the procedure says. I haven’t read it yet. To be honest, I couldn’t believe there was a death onboard. I hope it will prove to be an accident or some other understandable occurrence.”

The doctor stood up, saying “We should move the body to our medical center.”

“But the police will need to see the undisturbed crime scene,” Pauline reminded him.

“The police can’t come on board until tomorrow,” Sanchez said, “and we can’t leave the body here all that time.”

“Then you need to get the ship’s photographers to come and take photos,” Pauline replied sharply.

“Good idea,” Sanchez said, brightening now that he had some positive course of action to follow. “I’ll get them here immediately.”

“They have to understand they can’t touch anything,” Pauline said.

“Of course,” he replied, “of course. This has thrown me completely. I can’t think straight. We need to keep everyone away from here until a photographer has captured the scene and then we can move the body to the medical bay, Doctor.”

“Someone must stay with the body.”

“Will you do that, Doctor?” Sanchez asked. “And I’ll get the photographer, plus instructions from the captain and company. As well, Doctor, you may want to consider if Miss Riddell and Mrs. Holman require any medical attention.”

“We do not,” Pauline snapped. “We are both quite familiar with dead bodies. Freda is a nurse and I’m a consulting detective.”

“Then I will leave you and send a security officer to stand guard over the body so you, Doctor, can make the arrangements to move it,” Sanchez said. He hurried away, much to Pauline’s relief. She didn’t think highly of either of the two men, though she thought Sanchez at least respectable.

An officer stepped out onto the deck and came toward them. She was a tall, blonde woman with a stern expression. Eastern European, Pauline thought, and she was right. Her name badge said, ‘Nina, Poland.’ One of those fleeing the Eastern Bloc as the iron grip of its rulers frayed.

“I have come to relieve you of your guard duties, Doctor,” the woman said.

“Is a photographer coming?” Pauline asked. Though Sanchez had earlier hinted she should leave, she was determined to stay until she’d seen the body properly photographed. None of those assembled had any idea what crime scene photographs needed to capture.

“Yes. He just has to get the right equipment. He’ll be here soon,” Nina said. “You should return inside. It is growing cold.”

“We shall do that as soon as I’ve advised the photographer what needs to be photographed and I’ve seen him do so,” Pauline said. “I have some expertise in these matters, you see.”

Nina shrugged and turned away to speak to the doctor who was preparing to leave. Before he did, Pauline saw the photographer step out from the lounge farther down the deck and into the darkness. He was carrying lights as well as his camera and for that Pauline was grateful. He, at least, had thought about his job and prepared accordingly.

Once the area was lit, the photo taking went quickly. The young photographer seemed happy to accept Pauline’s advice as she directed him to the body’s chin, hands, and unusual angle of the neck. She also suggested photos of the railings and decks of the two floors above from where the man must have fallen.

Sanchez and the captain returned, and Pauline advised the captain he should have the relevant areas on all three decks roped off. Police from the first stop at the Islands would want to see them before deciding if this warranted further investigation.

The captain wasn’t put out by this at all. “I’d heard you were something of a celebrity in the criminal investigation world, Miss Riddell. I see that is true. You have experience in these matters.”

“I couldn’t have afforded to be on this trip if I wasn’t a celebrity, to use your word, Captain,” Pauline said. “And, yes, I do have practice. However, I understand there’s a police detective among the passengers as well. Unless your company wishes to hire me, I suggest you approach him as a more official sounding representative. The local police may find my involvement unacceptable. Police often do, I’m afraid.”

“I will take your advice, Miss Riddell, but I am going to put your name forward to our head office should we have need of an investigator. The incident happened in international waters, on a Bahamian-registered ship, operated by a Canadian travel company. I’m not sure who would be best to look into this if it turns out to be something other than an accident.”

“I should warn you, and your head office; my fees are high nowadays and I don’t accept anything but the truth. For me, the law must be adhered to. However imperfect it often is, it is our only hope of maintaining civilization in the long run.”

“We can discuss all this if the need arises, Miss Riddell,” the captain said. “Now, I can see you’re both shivering with cold. Please go inside and get warm. We don’t need you falling ill and adding to our difficulties.”

As the photographer had taken all the photos Pauline wanted, she agreed this was a sensible thing to do, so she and Freda hurried away.

5

Next Morning. At Sea

“Thank you for joining us, Miss Riddell,” the captain