Death in the Middle Watch by Leo Bruce

that’s all,” said Lady Spittals. “Half of them don’t. Have you put your name down for the deck tennis, though?”
    â€œOh yes, indeed. I feel we should essay every sport even though we have no experience. I trust you have done the same, Deene?”
    But Carolus seemed to be interested in something far out at sea, and did not answer.

    He was however, fully awake during the following night when, as if drawn by those curious instincts of his, he pulled on his clothes and left his cabin. The group he found outside the Purser’s office had much in common with the trio he had found on deck on the first night out. The Captain was there and Mr Porteous but instead of the deck-hand Leacock, Carolus found the Purser and Dr Yaqub Ali. They were talking not excitedly but with quiet seriousness.
    The doctor said: “There is no doubt, I’m afraid, that it was murder.”
    Mr Porteous said “Oh God!” but Carolus coolly asked
what
was murder.
    â€œAn unfortunate lady passenger,” said the doctor. “A Mrs Darwin. Some considerable violence was used.”
    â€œKnife? Club? Or strangled?”
    â€œStrangled, apparently. I haven’t been able to make a definite decision but I think there is no doubt.”
    â€œWasn’t her door locked?” asked Carolus.
    It was the Purser who answered.
    â€œNo, Mr Deene,” he said.
    â€œWhy not?”
    â€œIt was not wished to alarm the cruisers. If we had issued general instructions it would certainly have caused alarm. For many of them it would have spoilt their holiday.”
    â€œIt might have saved a woman’s life,” said Carolus. Then perhaps recalling Leacock’s account of single women on a holiday cruise, he added, “Unless she opened the door of her own accord.”
    This seemed to cheer Mr Porteous.
    â€œYou think she may have done?”
    Carolus could not answer in Leacock’s words because he
was
, in fact, paid to think.
    â€œIt’s a possibility,” he said.
    â€œShe has seemed rather friendly with one of the passengers,” said the Purser, “though I have no idea whether that has anything to do with it. She was sitting in the saloon with him all yesterday evening, a Mr Gorringer.”
    Carolus turned on him.
    â€œDon’t be a fool, Ratchett,” he said. “They were playing Scrabble.”
    As though to relieve the tension the doctor said, “Scrabble? What on earth is that?”
    Someone answered rather contemptuously. “It’s a game.” Then the Purser said, speaking directly to the Captain, “I have locked the door, sir. I think we may leave things as they are until the morning.”
    â€œAnd in the morning?” Carolus asked, “what do you intend to do? Report it to the Port Authorities?”
    Porteous answered him.
    â€œNo need for that at all. The doctor is quite uncertain of the manner of the woman’s death. There may even be some uncertainty about whether she
is
dead. Isn’t that so, Dr Yaqub Ali?” He hurried on before the doctor could answer. “There is no need to report it to anyone. The lady is indisposed—in her cabin.”
    â€œYou can’t get away with this, Porteous,” Carolus said. “It wasn’t certain that a man was overboard. It is quite certain that a woman has been killed.”
    Porteous began, “Let’s say, for the sake of argument …”
    â€œThere’s no argument,” said Carolus.
    â€œWhat you should be concerned with, Mr Deene,” said Porteous, “is the identity of the murderer. You can safely leavethe matter of reporting this occurrence to the Captain and me. Have you any idea what it would mean if we reported it? Half the Portuguese police on board, the ship not allowed to leave port, the passengers cross-examined, their holidays completely spoilt … After all, you undertook to do your best to prevent anything like this