Murder on the QE2 by Jessica Fletcher & Donald Bain

Author:Jessica Fletcher & Donald Bain [Fletcher, Jessica & Bain, Donald]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Mystery
ISBN: 0451192915
Publisher: Signet Book
Published: 1997-09-30T22:00:00+00:00

Chapter Sixteen

James Brady’s satellite feed represented an impressive exclusive for his network. With the sun shining and a stiff breeze causing his yellow necktie to flap, he stood in front of a huge camera and assorted supporting electronic gear supplied by the ship’s communications department, and told of Marla Tralaine’s murder, stressing that the cause of death had not been released by shipboard medical personnel. He mentioned the names of others traveling with her—her personal manager, Peter Kunz, her hairdresser, Candy Malone, and her personal trainer, Tony Silvestrie—and also reported that the founder and chairman of the Teller Cable Network, Sam Teller, and his actress wife, Lila Sims, were aboard. Before ending his report, he glanced over at me, then faced the camera again, and said, “And America’s most famous mystery writer, Jessica Fletcher, is here with us, perhaps poised to solve this murder before we reach Southampton. This is James Brady reporting from the North Atlantic on the beautiful QE2, which unfortunately is also the scene of controversial actress Marla Tralaine’s murder.”

“How was it?” he asked.

“Sounded good to me. You’re the only television commentator with the story. As they say, timing is everything.”

He laughed. “Have you learned anything new this morning?”

“No.”

“Anything new about Scotland Yard flying to the ship in a couple of days?”

“No,” I said. I would have been happy to share the information with him because not only had he been a friend for years, but his reputation as a journalist was pristine. But I couldn’t betray the confidence George Sutherland had placed in me, so I added nothing.

Because my next lecture wasn’t scheduled until the following day, the afternoon promised to be a more tranquil one than yesterday. I would, of course, attend Act Two of the play, and was determined to again enjoy the tea dance. TV chef Carlo Di Giovanni was to give his lecture and cooking demonstration at five, with Mary Ward as his special dinner guest.

I wasn’t hungry after my sizable breakfast and would have preferred eating lunch at the last possible minute. But that would mean missing the beginning of Act Two. I opted to skip the Queens Grill, going instead to The Pavilion, at the stern of the ship just off the One Deck swimming pool, where meals are served cafeteria-style, including light fare. A lot of other passengers evidently were in the same mood, because the lines were long. But they moved quickly, and I eventually found a table for my grilled chicken Caesar salad and cup of tea.

Although a few passengers stopped by to say hello, only one asked anything about my insert in that day’s program. He wanted to know whether there was any truth to the rumor that Marla Tralaine’s body was to be buried at sea. I said I hadn’t heard anything about that, adding that 1 doubted it since her death was not from natural causes, and a full investigation would have to be launched once we got to England.

What rumor would be next?

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