Murder on the Mary Jane by Evelyn James

Author:Evelyn James [James, Evelyn]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Red Raven Publications
Published: 2018-05-23T22:00:00+00:00

Chapter Sixteen

There was nothing else for it. Simon Noble was not going to confess to anything and the case against him was becoming flimsier and flimsier. He tried to take back his shirt, but Clara refused. That had to stay with them else they had nothing. Noble argued the discoloration was meaningless, trying to suggest the stains were caused by rusty water in the lifeboat and not by blood. Clara replied that that meant there was no harm in her retaining it to give to the police. There was a potential for the situation to dissolve into an argument, but the presence of Captain Pevsner and Captain O’Harris kept matters from over-boiling. Reluctantly, Simon Noble allowed the captain to lock the shirt in his safe. It was out of all their hands now and could be given to the police in due course.

“And what will they do with it?” Simon Noble huffed.

“That is up to them,” Clara answered. “You may think you have won, but things are far from over. If you really did kill Henry Kemp I shall learn why.”

“You really think a stained shirt will lead to me being arrested?” Simon Noble was amused.

“I think it is a start,” Clara replied.

“You really have nothing,” Simon Noble scoffed, he threw back his shoulders and grinned arrogantly.

Clara wanted to slap him. He thought they had nothing, and he was more than a smidge right.

“I’m getting back to the party,” Simon Noble snorted. “I am bored with your games. I’ll take my spare cabin key, too.”

He held out a fat hand. Clara hesitated for a moment, but she could not deny his request. She handed over the key.

“I’ll be having words with Miss Dodd about this,” he said as he clasped his fist about the key.

“She thought she was helping you,” Clara lied boldly. “She knew we thought you had something to do with the murder of Mr Kemp. She thought by letting us search your cabin we would find nothing and so be forced to reconsider our suspicions.”

That statement clearly threw Simon Noble. His arrogance faded a fraction and a frown crept onto his forehead. He wasn’t sure what to believe.

“Miss Dodd has always been very loyal to the family,” he said uneasily.

“She thought she was doing you a favour,” Clara insisted. “She was convinced you were innocent and wanted to prove it. It is not her fault she was mistaken.”

Simon Noble’s scowl returned, he puffed out his cheeks and looked ready to explode. Clara had deliberately goaded him, to turn any anger he might have at Miss Dodd onto herself. She did not want the woman losing her job because she had cared about finding the truth.

“You used Miss Dodd,” Simon snapped. “You tricked her into thinking she was being helpful. Shame on you.”

Clara did not care if he belittled her, as long as it protected Miss Dodd from his wrath.

“I’m getting back to the party. I’ve had enough of all this nonsense,” Simon Noble turned on his heel and stormed out.

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