The Treasure of the Bermuda Triangle by Steve Stevenson

Author:Steve Stevenson
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Penguin Group US
Published: 2014-06-25T16:00:00+00:00

Santiago put the hammer down, wiping the sweat from his brow. “When the storm started tossing the boat around and the captain went below, I went up to the bridge to make sure the boat stayed on course.” He stopped abruptly to glare at Watson, who was weaving in and out of his legs. “Hey, is that your nuisance?” he growled.

Uncle Conrad knelt down to scratch the Siberian cat’s head. “Come on, Watson, why don’t you go for a little walk,” he suggested gently. The cat stalked away, tail straight and expression offended.

“Was the calendar still in its place?” Dash continued.

“I checked it myself. It was strapped down securely.”

“What happened after that?” asked Agatha. “How long did you stay on the bridge?”

“Not very long. The storm got worse fast. I was heading back below deck when I heard the crash.”

“What crash?” interrupted Chandler.

“This winch.” Santiago pointed at a broken pulley in front of them. “There was a loud bang and the AUV sank within seconds.”

“How can you be sure? Did you see it go down?” Agatha wanted to know.

“No, I just heard the noise. Maybe it was a rogue wave or the wind that pushed it into the sea. The AUV was attached to the boat by two metal cables. When I got back up here, one cable had snapped, but the other was still holding fast. The shock must have been pretty strong, because the whole pulley was bent around to one side—see?”

Santiago picked up his hammer. “And now I need to finish bending it back, if you don’t mind . . .”

“Is it possible for the AUV to sink that fast?” asked Uncle Conrad. “Doesn’t it have a flotation system?”

The boatswain had clearly had enough. “Look, the thing sank, okay? Who knows where those giant waves took it. We searched and searched the ocean floor, but there’s no trace of it anywhere.” He paused again. “That cat of yours is a real pest, you know?”

Watson had knocked over a slop bucket. A mass of fresh fish spilled out over the deck, and he yowled with delight, anticipating the snack of a lifetime.

“Chandler, could you please grab Watson before he does any more damage?” asked Agatha.

The butler obeyed immediately. Watson squirmed in his arms as the girl went on questioning Santiago. “What happened after the crash?”

“I battened down the pulley. I was scared it might get damaged beyond repair. Once I’d taken care of that, I went below deck to get out of the rain.”

“Did you see anybody else on deck while you were up here?”

“I was working too hard to admire the view,” he said with a sarcastic grin. “You think someone stole that calendar, don’t you? Or is that what McBain thinks?”

“It seems like quite a coincidence that the calendar was finally found, then immediately disappeared in a storm,” replied Dash. “Don’t you find that odd, Santiago?”

“Actually, boy, I don’t think it was a coincidence at all!”

Agatha tapped the tip of her nose. “So you think it was stolen, too?” she ventured.

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