Bermuda Schwartz by Bob Morris

Author:Bob Morris
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
ISBN: 9780312328931
Publisher: St. Martin's Press

42

By nine o’clock the next morning, Fiona and I are in downtown Hamilton, sitting across the desk from Chief Inspector Worley.

“I assure you, Ms. McHugh, we are not trying to shut you out of this investigation,” Worley says. “We intend to keep you in the loop every step of the way.”

“Then why didn’t you tell me about the other two murders?”

Worley falters for a moment.

“I apologize for that. I was waiting for the appropriate moment.”

“That would have been the moment I first sat down with you two days ago. As it was, I knew nothing about the other murders until Zack told me.”

Worley looks at me.

“I heard about it from a taxi driver,” I say. “Then his niece told me more. Janeen Hill. She works for the Gazette. Used to anyway.”

“Yes, I know Janeen Hill.” Worley says it with more than a little weariness. “I’ve dealt with her many times over the years. Spoke with her again yesterday.”

Fiona and I share a look.

Fiona says, “She called you?”

“That’s right.”

“When?”

“Late. I was getting ready to call it a day.”

“What did you speak with her about?”

“Spoke some about your brother. She said she had met with you and Mr. Chasteen earlier in the day and learned that your brother was a marine archaeologist. She said she thought he might have been looking for the same thing that brought the previous victims to Bermuda.”

“The wreck of the Santa Helena?”

“Yeah,” says Worley. “That nonsense.”

“Nonsense?”

“Let’s just say that I don’t put much stock in the stories I’ve heard about that ship.”

“And you’re an authority in such matters, Inspector?”

If Fiona’s words touch a nerve in Worley, then he doesn’t let it show. He observes her coolly for a moment, then says, “No, Ms. McHugh, I’m not an authority. But I’ve consulted on a frequent basis with someone who is—Dr. Michael Frazer.”

“The curator of wrecks,” I say.

“That’s right,” says Worley. “You know him?”

“We’ve met. Briefly.”

“Frazer’s a smart man, one of the smartest around. If there’s anyone who knows shipwrecks then it’s him,” says Worley. “He says there’s no proof that this Santa Helena ever existed. Calls it an archaeological urban myth, something that has been floating around for years and years, leading people on wild-goose chases all over the world.”

Fiona says, “What about the Fratres Cruris?”

A dismissive laugh from Worley.

“You mean the secret brotherhood that built the ship that doesn’t exist?”

Fiona plods ahead anyway.

“I’m told they pulled out the eyes of their victims before they killed them.”

“And who told you that?”

“Janeen Hill.”

Worley studies Fiona for a moment, shakes his head.

“Ms. McHugh, in training to become a police officer in Australia, did they teach you anything at all about verifying the credibility of an individual who comes forth with possible information in a case?”

“Of course. Why? Are you saying that Janeen Hill isn’t credible?”

Worley shrugs.

“Oh, Janeen’s OK. Flaky as hell, but harmless. Typical journalist. More interested in making headlines than anything else. On a ten-point credibility scale, I’d give her about a two.”

Fiona mulls it over, says: “Credible or

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