European Voyage 04 - Misfortune [and Gouda] by Blake Pierce

Author:Blake Pierce [Pierce, Blake]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Goodreads: 56255578
Published: 2021-05-18T05:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER NINETEEN

The phone shook in London’s hand as she took the call.

“Well, well, well, London Rose,” the captain said in his dry English manner. “I just got an interesting call from a gentleman claiming to be the Hoofdinspecteur for Amsterdam’s Burgwallen district. I hope you can assure me it was some sort of prank call, albeit a rather tasteless one.”

“I’m afraid it wasn’t a prank, sir,” London said.

“Another murder, eh?”

“Apparently so.”

“But none of our own passengers was the victim?”

“No.”

“And not the killer either?”

“No.”

Captain Hays let out a grunt of annoyance.

“I suppose I should be relieved. But this particular cloud seems to come furnished with an unusually small silver lining. And I get the impression that the Hoofdinspecteur has doubts that the murderer isn’t … well … you.”

London began to stutter a reply.

“Sir … I don’t know how to explain …”

“Of course,” captain went on, “I’ll make a general announcement that our departure will be delayed. Where are you right now?”

“On a police boat on my way back to the Nachtmusik.”

“What is your current condition? Not drenched in beer again, I hope.”

London cringed a little at the memory of how she’d found a murder victim drowned in a vat of lager back in Bamberg. She and Bryce had both plunged into the vat to try to pull him out, only to find that he was already dead. She’d thought she’d never get the smell of beer out of her pores.

“No, I’m perfectly dry this time,” she said.

I didn’t even get dunked in a canal, she thought.

“That means you can come to my quarters as soon as you’re back aboard,” the captain said. “I expect to see you momentarily.”

He ended the call without another word.

By then the patrol boat was approaching the Westerdok, and the Nachtmusik was in view. A few moments later the boat pulled up to the pier where the ship was moored. London climbed out of the boat and set Sir Reggie down, and they both walked up the gangway. They found that the reception room was bustling with people and conversation. Sir Reggie leaped back into London’s arms to escape being stepped on.

Letitia was the first person to catch sight of her.

“Oh, London, is it true?” she said, rushing over to her. “The captain just announced that we won’t set sail for Copenhagen tonight.”

“I’m afraid not,” London said.

“But what on earth has happened?” Letitia asked.

With a nudge and a wink, she whispered, “Not another murder, surely.”

Of course, Letitia was joking—or at least thought she was joking. But London couldn’t bring herself to reply.

Letitia’s eyes widened.

“Oh, dear,” she whispered. “There was another murder!”

London took Letitia by the arm and whispered to her urgently.

“Please, please, don’t tell anybody. At least not yet.”

“I won’t,” Letitia replied with a nod. “I promise.”

Still holding onto Sir Reggie, London pushed through the crowded reception room toward the elevator. Of course she was bombarded by questions.

“How long will we be staying in Amsterdam?”

“What’s going on, anyway?”

“Does this mean more great deals and discounts?”

London kept her head down and muttered over and over again, “I can’t say anything about it right now.

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