Date: Sun, 20 May 2012 08:54:58 +0200
From: Amy Redek <adultreading@gmail.com>
Subject: Retribution. Part Four.

         This story is for persons of eighteen years or over.  All
comments, good or bad, are welcome and all will be answered.

     Part Four

     We were woken in the morning by a banging on the door and the voice of
James, rather shrill, shouting that there wouldn't be any tea but we were
to assemble in the lounge immediately.

     I didn't bother with a shower or a shave, just brushing my teeth after
my toilet and sluicing my face, Stephen doing the same, missing out of
having me fuck him again.

     `What's this all about now?' he asked round my toothbrush that he was
using. Just because we'd made love together during the night now thought it
okay to use my toothbrush but I didn't say anything and quickly got dressed
and waited till he was ready before we went along to the lounge to find
that we were the last ones to arrive.

     `Good. We're all here now. Well after last night's murder I have to
announce that there's been another one!' Gasps came from nearly all of us
as we heard these words. Who, was the whispered question from someone.

     `The cook! He was found by James this morning when he went to start
preparing the morning teas. He's been stabbed in the back with a knife!'
More gasps though only from the women this time.

     `It means that the murderer isn't finished yet and the problem is we
don't know why. He was stabbed between six and seven o'clock this
morning. We know this for he always started work at six and it was at seven
that James found him.'

     `Couldn't it have been James himself?' Knox queried.

     `That we'll try to find out when the captain and I talk to each of
you, ah.' He paused because the captain had entered the saloon with the two
crewmen and James following him. `Right. Now that we're all here, the
captain and I will talk to each one of you alone in the saloon so that you
can speak freely. We'll speak to the ladies first, so Muriel, if you
wouldn't mind following us.'

     We watched the three of them move off into the saloon and there was
quite a bit of whispering going on amongst the others and Knox heaved
himself up out of his chair.

     `I know the sun's not over the yardarm yet but I'm having a drink. If
anyone else wants one, help yourselves for I'm not the steward here.'

     `I...I'll get them,' James stuttered, finally moving from where he'd
been standing since entering the lounge.

     `I'll get my own thank you,' Knox said. `I'd rather poison myself than
have someone else do it.'

     `That was a nasty thing to imply,' Stella shouted as she stood
up. Knox gave a snort.

     `Two murders? More likely be another one soon. Like buses, three
always seems to be the optimum number,' he retorted. `Mark my words, there
will be another one.'

     `If there is,' said Tricia, `I hope it's you.' He glared at her as he
went behind the bar. Emboldened by the girls standing up to Knox prompted
Stephen to speak.

     `Maybe you're the murderer if you say there's going to be another
one!'

     `Poppycock,' Knox blazed back as he poured himself a large brandy and
knocked it back in one go.

     `Would you like a drink?' Stephen asked me.

     `Yes please. A large gin and tonic for it looks as though it'll have
to do instead of breakfast.' As he went and got a drink for me and I
supposed, one for himself, Muriel came back into the lounge in tears. She
pointed to Tricia and indicated the saloon as she slumped down on a sofa
and Stella immediately went and sat next to her and put an arm round her
shoulder as Tricia got up and left the lounge.

     `They were beastly,' was all I heard her say as Stephen came over with
my drink in one hand, his own in the other. He passed me my glass and stood
behind me and put his hand on my shoulder and gave it a squeeze. I'm not
sure what I was supposed to assume from that and mentally shrugged it off.

     `With the cook dead, who's going to get the meals I'd like to know?'
asked the surly Mark Snares. `I'm no good in the galley.'

     `No good anywhere,' muttered Knox knocking back his second drink.

     `You can shut up,' Snares responded, starting to move forward but got
blocked by both James and the other crewman, Downes. Any further words
between them ceased as Tricia came back also in tears and indicated that it
was Stella's turn.

     `Why would I kill the cook?' she asked the room. `I liked his
cooking!' and burst into tears again. There was no answer to this and so
the lounge fell into silence, apart from the drying up sobs of Tricia till
Stella came back, stony faced.

     `You next James,' she said as she went and sat with the other two
women. `The bloody sauce of them both. They want us three to do the cooking
now,' she said to the other two.

     `Me!' exclaimed Tricia. `I can't even boil an egg!'

     `You can at least peel potatoes,' Muriel said.

     `Ho ho, jankers,' exclaimed Knox.

     `Shut up!' the three women said as one as James reappeared.

     `You next Ralph,' he said to the helmsman standing by the door. `I'm
to help you ladies do the cooking,' he said in a crestfallen voice as Ralph
went on through to the saloon.

     Mark was next followed by Stephen and then Knox leaving me till
last. As Knox went out, Stephen came and sat on the arm of my chair and I
could see tears in his eyes.

     `I had to tell them Daniel,' he said in a low voice and my heart
started to thump.

     `Tell them what?' I answered in the same way, my voice a whisper.

     `That...that we had slept together last night,' and I could see that
he was fighting to hold back the tears. `I didn't say anything else,
honest.` I patted his knee.

     `It's alright for I'll be telling them the same thing. At least we've
got an alibi for the cook at least,' I said. Then it was my turn as Knox
came through into the lounge, his face as black as thunder.

     `Bastards,' I heard him say as he went behind the bar again. I went
and entered the saloon to see that Sir Tobias and the captain were sitting
together on one side of the dining table and it was indicated that I sat
opposite them.

     `It's not a slight that you were left till last Daniel,' Sir Tobias
said. `It's because you've only met the engineer and cook, what, two days
ago. God, it seems longer. So you didn't really get to know them as had the
others. Now tell us what you did yesterday between three and seven
o'clock.'

     `Well I suppose I was on the after deck with the others till we
dropped anchor, though what time that was I don't know. I then had a
swim. Stephen also swam with me.' They were nodding their heads as I
spoke. `I think this must have been around six o'clock, maybe a bit after
for when we climbed back on board, we both went below. Stephen went to his
cabin and I went to mine. I had a shower to get the salt off me and had a
shave, got dressed and went up to the lounge which I assume would be about
seven.' They were both still nodding.

     `Between leaving Stephen and going into your cabin, you didn't leave
it at all until you came up to the lounge?' the captain asked.

     `No sir.'

     `Okay. Now to this morning. Where were you between six and seven?'

     `In bed.'

     `Alone?' I kept calm for they already knew that I wasn't.

     `Er, no. I wasn't alone,' I said.

     `Who was with you? One of the girls?'

     `Er, no. It was Stephen.' Sir Tobias gave a snort. `he can vouch for
that,' I said.

     `He already has,' the captain said and I could see the distaste in his
eyes. `Well you've already told me that you are not familiar with a boat
like this so it lets you off the hook. Now I've one other question, or
rather a favour to ask.'

     `Go ahead,' I said.

     `Not only was the radio smashed but the yacht has somehow been
disabled. The intention had been to leave the engineer's body where it
was. Covered up of course until the police could inspect it when we got to
Nassau. But as we can't move the yacht and the added complication of the
cook, we cannot keep the bodies on board in this heat, if you get my
meaning,' to which I nodded. `Therefore,' he continued, `we'll have to get
them ashore and bury them. I'm asking you to be a volunteer to help in this
matter.'

     `I fully understand the problem sir and will help in any way that I
can,' I replied.

     `You're not squeamish about seeing and handling a dead body then?' the
captain asked.

     `In my journalistic career I have come across a couple,' I smiled.

     `Well I haven't,' said Sir Tobias, `and it made me feel sick to see
them, so I'll leave it to you two to see to the bodies.'

     With my interview over and being the last one, we all got up from the
table and went through to the lounge where everybody turned to look as we
entered.

     `Well I'm afraid that we've been unable to identify the killer so I
must warn each and every one of you to be on your guard from now on. Stay
as pairs if you can and watch out for each other's back. Now the captain
would like to say a few words.'

     `Now we had intended to return to Nassau with the bodies where they
lay, but we cannot. So, due to the heat, we'll have to bury them ashore so
that the autopsies can be performed later. Mr Redgrave has volunteered to
help and I need two others to help. Mr Knox?'

     `No bloody way,' he spluttered, almost choking on his brandy.

     `Mr Scott?' he asked, looking at Stephen.

     `Oh I couldn't,' he said and shuddered.

     `Okay. Snares, Downes, get the inflatable off and down by the gangway
and then give Mr Redgrave a hand. Jump to it!' The two crewmen then left
for their task as I went with the captain out of the lounge and down into
the engine room.

     `I thought we'd start with him,' he said as he indicated the blanket
covered body of the engineer. `It's a bit messy I'm afraid. His head's been
bashed in and I think it was done with that.'

     I looked in the direction he'd nodded and saw a large wrench lying on
the deck.

     `We'll bag it up later for fingerprints.'

     I pulled the blanket off the engineer to find him lying face down, his
head in a pool of congealed blood. So I re-covered his head and rolled him
over onto his back and brought the blanket round his upper torso before
pulling him up into a sitting position.

     `I'll use a fireman's lift if you'll help me get him upright captain,'
I said as I put my hands under the armpits and lifted as he helped from the
back. I'd bent down as I lifted and between us, managed to get him over my
right shoulder. `Just steady me as I go up these stairs,' I said over my
clear shoulder.

     So with the dead weight on my right, and the hand on that side holding
it steady, used my left hand on the rail to help get me up one step at a
time. With the captain pushing me from behind, made it to the top where I
stood with my burden till he opened the door to the outer deck for me to
step over the coaming and along the ship's side to the gangway.

     This was tricky for the gangway was on the starboard side which meant
that the rope that was used as a handrail was also on my right, so I had to
steady myself with my left hand against the yacht's side as I descended. It
was at the bottom that the other two lifted him off my shoulder and laid
him down in the dinghy.

     With him settled, the two men came back up the gangway, following me
as I followed the captain. We went through and into the galley to see
another blanket covered body, only this time, with a pointed hump. The
pointed hump turned out to be the haft of a knife that was stuck into his
back as revealed when I pulled the blanket off him. I knelt down beside the
body of the cook and looked closely at the knife embedded into him.

     `Can someone get me a plastic bag or some cling film. The knife will
be needed for forensics for latent fingerprints,' I said and almost
immediately, a plastic bag was thrust in my hand. I put my right hand
inside it and grasped the hilt of the knife and pulled it out of the back
of the cook. It had a slight resistance but came out with a slight sucking
sound and I heard someone behind me being sick. I then pulled the bag over
from my hand to completely cover the knife and passed it up to a waiting
hand.

     This time I let Snares and Downes do the lifting and carrying of the
body down to the dinghy and wondered where on earth had they found a spade
aboard a yacht that was lying next to the thwarts.

     With two bodies and the two crewmen in the dinghy, there was only room
for one more person and I again volunteered to go ashore and help with the
burial, seeing the thankful looks on both the captain and Sir Tobias'
faces.

     Snares pulled the lanyard that started to outboard engine and with him
doing the steering, shortly ran up onto the sandy beach where he cut the
engine. We didn't bother with securing the dinghy for the weight of the
bodies would hold it on the sand as we were not moving far to dig two
graves. We took it in turns to dig down through the soft upper sand which
was difficult because it kept sifting back into the hole. When we hit the
damp and more solid stuff, it was easier and it wasn't long before we had
the two holes dug deep enough.

     I was helped out and we went and collected the two bodies and dumped
them into the holes and quickly shovelled the sand in on top of
them. Downes found two pieces of driftwood and stuck these into what would
be the head part of the hasty graves for them to be exhumed at a later date
for examination.

     Not a word was said as we motored the short distance back to the yacht
and one of the two tied it to the bottom of the gangway as I went up,
feeling the need for a shower.

     `Well done Daniel,' said Sir Tobias who greeted me at the top. `The
girls have prepared some food for I'm sure you're hungry.'

     I was indeed hungry and it was now past mid morning and made my way
through to the saloon, putting the shower off till I'd eaten. It was only
scrambled eggs and grilled tomatoes but at least it was edible and I had no
objections to Snares and Downes sitting down and eating with me. When I'd
finished, I left the saloon and went through the lounge and gave Tricia a
kiss on the cheek.

     `Thanks for the breakfast,' I said.

     `I didn't cook it,' she replied.

     `Well it's thanks for the washing up then,' I smiled as I went down
below for a shower.

     Now what do we do I thought as I soaped myself. Even though the shower
was on, I heard someone enter the cabin and waited to see if they came into
the bathroom, but they didn't, and as soon as I turned off the shower, I
heard the door close again. I went out into the bedroom and looked around
and couldn't see that anything had been disturbed. I dried myself and put
on my shorts and a shirt and went barefoot up to the lounge and found Sir
Tobias and the captain there alone.

     `Did either of you just enter my cabin?' I asked as I went and helped
myself to a drink from behind the bar.

     `No,' the captain replied.

     `Well someone just did while I was in the shower,' I said.

     `Male or female?' Sir Tobias asked.

     `I don't know. They left before I got into the room.'

     `Why would anyone go into your cabin?' Sir Tobias asked.

     `I don't know, that's why I'm asking you,' I said, sitting down on one
of the stools by the bar.

     `Well I've no idea, have you Andrew?' Tobias asked.

     `No sir,' he replied and we all then turned for Stella had just walked
into the lounge, looking as lovely as ever with her miniscule bikini being
almost worn.

     `Ah, there you are. I've been looking for you,' she said, looking at
me.

     `Did you look in his cabin?' the captain asked.

     `No,' she answered in a surprised voice. `If I didn't find him here I
would have done, why?'

     `No reason,' he replied. `Just thought I'd ask.

     `Why were you looking for me?' I asked.

     `Well I was really looking for Tricia, and as she wasn't in her cabin
I thought, well from what she's said about you, I thought you might be up
here with her,' she replied.

     `I'm flattered, but no, I haven't seen her. Why?'

     `Well I need a hand in the kitchen,' she said.

     `Galley,' the captain corrected her automatically.

     `Galley, kitchen, front, back, stairs are all the bloody same to me. I
need help in the kit...galley to prepare lunch. Even James seems to have
disappeared.'

     `Oh Christ!' The captain exclaimed getting up from his seat. `I hope
not. Not again!'  He then dashed out of the lounge and Tobias and I gave
each other a bewildered look before the penny dropped. I was off my stool
and heading for the door before Tobias got his backside up out of the chair
and it was Stella who followed me out onto the deck to see the Captain
shaking the shoulders of James.

     `Where are the others?' he was asking him.

     `I don't know sir,' he cried, getting himself loose from the captain's
hands. `I've only just come up from my cabin to start getting lunch.'

     `Well stay with them,' indicating us, `while I check on the others,'
he said, moving off again and disappearing round the corner.

     `I need a drink,' said Tobias looking a little shaken. `James, fix me
a large one please,' he said, moving back into the lounge. We all followed
him in to find obnoxious Knox already helping himself and a worried looking
Stephen waiting to get one himself.

     `Tricia's not here,' Stella said in a slightly hysterical voice
grabbing my arm when she saw the other two in the lounge.

     `Don't worry,' I said, giving her a hug. `The captain will find her.'

     He found her. Downes and Snares hadn't appeared when he came into the
lounge and beckoned Tobias and myself out. I patted Stella's hand as I
stood up and went out through the door that led to the galley and engine
room.

     `Down there,' he said to the pair of us when we joined him. We looked
where he was pointing and we could see her lying at the bottom of the
companionway that led to the engine room.

     She was sprawled out and not moving. I was the first to react and
almost fell down in my haste to get to the bottom. I knelt down and put my
hand to her neck to see if I could feel a pulse, but there was nothing. I
looked up at the other two and shook my head as I looked at the angle that
Tricia's head was at and could see through beneath half closed eyelids that
the pupils of her eyes were fixed and glazed. I picked up a limp wrist as
they came down to stand round us and I shook my head.

     `She's dead. Looking at the way she's lying I think her neck is
broken. Now whether she fell or was pushed, I can't say. What do you
think?' I asked as I looked up at the captain.

     `Neither can I but judging that we've already had two murders, the
odds are she was pushed I'm sad to say.'

     `Did you find Muriel and the two crewmen?' I then asked him.

     `Yes,' he replied.

     `Well get the men to carry her up top for I think it would be better
for me to break the news to Stella,' I said, choking on a sob.

     `Yes, yes. It would sound better coming from you than me,' said
Tobias. I gave him a glare as I stood up knowing why he didn't want to
break the news after having beaten her for God knows how long for his own
gratification.

     I went up and into the lounge and saw that Muriel was now in there and
I went straight over to Stella and sat down beside her and took her into my
arms.

     `I'm sorry Stella. I'm truly sorry to be the tider of bad news.'

     `No!' she screamed, and Muriel came hurriedly over and sat down on the
other side and held her as I did as she shook and cried out Tricia's name
over and over again. As I helped comfort her I noticed that Knox was at the
brandy bottle again and knew that he wouldn't be interested in missing
lunch as he did breakfast.

     I left Stella with Muriel and went out on deck just as they were
carrying Tricia's body down to the dinghy and went and joined them to give
a hand at digging another grave. We laid her down next to the other two and
dispiritedly went back to the yacht.

     I was bloody tired by now and it was only just about one o'clock in
the afternoon and like Knox, didn't feel like having any lunch.

     `What did I say?' he called out from behind the bar. `Didn't I say
like buses,' as he downed another drink. How many he'd had since first
thing in the morning, I couldn't say, but he was well on the way to
becoming drunk. I accepted a drink from Stephen and sank down in a chair
and closed my eyes and I think I actually dozed off.

     I had fallen asleep to the voice of Knox and now I came awake to it as
I heard him roar.

     `Drunk! I've never been drunk in my life,' he roared. `Strong as an
ox,' and it was at this point that I opened my eyes to see him thump his
chest to emphasis his words and watch him give out a gasp. His face went
from a florid red to an ashen grey in the blink of an eyelid as he gave out
another gasp as he kept his hand up to his chest. He half turned and looked
as though he was trying to walk out from behind the bar but he just seemed
to lurch to one side and then slid his elbow along the back shelf, knocking
several bottles to the deck as his body seemed to follow his arm and he
disappeared from sight to crash to the deck.

     I knew a heart attack when I saw one and just didn't have the energy
to jump up like some of the others to see if they could help him. I didn't
care one way or the other if he died considering those that were already
dead. What I was thinking about was that it was just another hole to dig in
the sand and I didn't relish the idea of trying to lift his great bulk up
and down to the dinghy.

     `He's dead,' announced Downes, the first one to reach him. His voice
drifting up from behind the bar. Others had crowded round and I just didn't
give a damn. Even though I had nodded off, my glass was still in my hand
and upright with some gin and tonic still inside. I finished it off and
gave out a sigh and heaved myself up out of the chair.

     `I'll help bury him but I'm not going to carry the bastard,' I said.

     `That's not very charitable,' Muriel snivelled.

     `Hark at you!' I cried. `You wanted him filled in not two days ago and
now that I'm willing to do just that you say that I'm uncharitable.' I
strode across to the bar and leaned over to see him lying there with Downes
and the captain trying to resuscitate him in that confined space. `Well at
least that's not murder or an accident captain,' I said. `More like
suicide.'

     This prompted a smothered giggle from Stella.

     `It's not funny!' snapped Muriel giving Stella a slap on the arm and I
could now see that she too had had quite a bit to drink since the death of
Tricia. It made me wonder if we would run out of drink before we were all
dead.

     `Okay,' I said wearily, `where's the shovel Ralph?'

     `I forgot to bring it back. It's still on the beach,' he said,
straightening, giving up any further attempts to revive Knox.

     `Doesn't matter. The way things are going we might as well leave it
there,' I said.

     `Another callous remark Daniel,' Muriel spoke again.

     `Oh shut up woman,' Stephen cried. `Can't you see he is as tired as we
are over these deaths.' Thank you Stephen I said to myself for saving me
the effort of replying to her.

     It took four of them to get Knox's body down the gangway and into the
dinghy. I insisted that all four went across to help this time for I opted
to swim. It was only fifty yards or so and tired as I was, I thought that
the water would not only cool me but revive me for the digging that was to
come.

     With Knox interred in the sand, there was now room in the dinghy for
me on the return trip to the yacht. I followed Tobias up and I went
straight through to the galley to find Stephen and Stella making
sandwiches.

     `You must have read my mind,' I said when I saw what they were
making. `I don't think I could have faced a four course dinner and was
going to just make one for myself before I turn in.'

     `Turn in? But it's not quite six o'clock,' Stella said.

     `I know, but in just this one day I've helped dig four bloody deep
holes and I bloody tired, so if you don't mind, I'll just take one of those
and go to bed,' I said. I saw a look pass between the two and it was
Stephen who spoke first.

     `Would you like company?' he asked.

     `Thanks, but no thanks. I'm no fit company for man or woman tonight. I
just want to sleep. Say goodnight to the others for me will you,' I said as
I left the galley with one huge sandwich and went down to my cabin to
sleep.

                                                            *