artifact appears, and it’s obvious that I had taken it.”
She shook her head, and her eyes bored into those of her three competitors by turn. “Benita represents an art auction house and goodness knows who else, since it’s possible that she could be involved in some secret dealing. She’s done it before.”
“Well, really!” Benita exploded. “There’s nothing wrong in—”
But Aunt Madelyn hadn’t finished. Imperiously, she held up a hand and continued. “Norton, of course, is here for his elusive employer, Franklin Granakee, in whose private collection the stone would be just as elusive. And off in some Mideastern country the person Aldo represents could possess the artifact in secret forever.”
The three angrily denied the accusations until Kurt suddenly raised his voice. He was holding the black velvet cloth and the empty jewel case. “Where is the artifact?”
It was easy to see that it was not on the floor.
Benita gingerly pointed at the judge’s body. “Why—uh—Justin must have it.”
Kurt shook his head. “It wasn’t in his hands or under his body. I checked.”
All of them moved aimlessly, searching the floorand the tables, as if they could see the artifact in plain sight if they just stared hard enough.
I got up and walked over to Aunt Madelyn. I was so frightened that I needed to be close to someone.
“No point in looking around,” Kurt said. “And no point in looking anyplace else. Nobody had time to get out of this room, put that thing somewhere, and get back in again before the candles got lit.”
“He could have hidden it in a vase or drawer or someplace like that,” Benita suggested, which set off a rapid, fumbling search.
I pressed back out of the way, against the wall, wondering why one of the antiques didn’t get broken.
They came up empty-handed, all of them migrating to the center of the room.
“Obviously, the murderer has the topaz,” Benita said.
“Then the next step is obvious,” Madelyn said. “A personal search.”
“Absolutely not,” Norton said.
“Oh?” Madelyn’s dark eyebrows rose dramatically. “You must have a strong reason for refusing”.
“I do,” he snapped. He was so hyper that if he had jumped into the air, I wouldn’t have been surprised. “To begin with, a personal search would be a great indignity. But the most important reason is that none of us can trust any of the others. Would you want to be searched by Justin’s murderer?”
“I wouldn’t,” Kurt said quickly.
“I wouldn’t either!” Benita cried.
Madelyn shrugged. “I agree.”
I studied each in turn, wondering if one of them had killed Judge Arlington-Hughes. I forced myself to take a deep breath and think logically. “Dr. Kirschman always pointed out that we had to study scientific evidence before reaching a conclusion,” I said. “We can’t just decide by ourselves that the judge was murdered. Maybe it was only an accident.” I didn’t believe what I’d just told them, and it was obvious from their expressions that they didn’t believe me either.
Aunt Madelyn’s lips were tight. “Andrea, be realistic.”
“I’m just trying to say that it’s up to the police to make the decision.”
Norton’s voice was high and tight, and I could see him clenching and unclenching his fingers. “Of course we must call the police. There are things they should know. We can’t stay trapped here on this island with—with a dead body.”
“There’s no telephone,” Kurt told him. “The judge liked to really get away from it all.”
“Ham radio, then?”
“The only broadcast radio was on the boat.”
“What about on the rest of this island?” Benita asked, her fingers plucking nervously at the fringe on a small pillow. “Are there other people living here? Anyone who could help?”
“No. It’s just undeveloped property. The island belonged to the judge, and his is the only house on it.”
“Surely there must be some way we can reachthe
She shook her head, and her eyes bored into those of her three competitors by turn. “Benita represents an art auction house and goodness knows who else, since it’s possible that she could be involved in some secret dealing. She’s done it before.”
“Well, really!” Benita exploded. “There’s nothing wrong in—”
But Aunt Madelyn hadn’t finished. Imperiously, she held up a hand and continued. “Norton, of course, is here for his elusive employer, Franklin Granakee, in whose private collection the stone would be just as elusive. And off in some Mideastern country the person Aldo represents could possess the artifact in secret forever.”
The three angrily denied the accusations until Kurt suddenly raised his voice. He was holding the black velvet cloth and the empty jewel case. “Where is the artifact?”
It was easy to see that it was not on the floor.
Benita gingerly pointed at the judge’s body. “Why—uh—Justin must have it.”
Kurt shook his head. “It wasn’t in his hands or under his body. I checked.”
All of them moved aimlessly, searching the floorand the tables, as if they could see the artifact in plain sight if they just stared hard enough.
I got up and walked over to Aunt Madelyn. I was so frightened that I needed to be close to someone.
“No point in looking around,” Kurt said. “And no point in looking anyplace else. Nobody had time to get out of this room, put that thing somewhere, and get back in again before the candles got lit.”
“He could have hidden it in a vase or drawer or someplace like that,” Benita suggested, which set off a rapid, fumbling search.
I pressed back out of the way, against the wall, wondering why one of the antiques didn’t get broken.
They came up empty-handed, all of them migrating to the center of the room.
“Obviously, the murderer has the topaz,” Benita said.
“Then the next step is obvious,” Madelyn said. “A personal search.”
“Absolutely not,” Norton said.
“Oh?” Madelyn’s dark eyebrows rose dramatically. “You must have a strong reason for refusing”.
“I do,” he snapped. He was so hyper that if he had jumped into the air, I wouldn’t have been surprised. “To begin with, a personal search would be a great indignity. But the most important reason is that none of us can trust any of the others. Would you want to be searched by Justin’s murderer?”
“I wouldn’t,” Kurt said quickly.
“I wouldn’t either!” Benita cried.
Madelyn shrugged. “I agree.”
I studied each in turn, wondering if one of them had killed Judge Arlington-Hughes. I forced myself to take a deep breath and think logically. “Dr. Kirschman always pointed out that we had to study scientific evidence before reaching a conclusion,” I said. “We can’t just decide by ourselves that the judge was murdered. Maybe it was only an accident.” I didn’t believe what I’d just told them, and it was obvious from their expressions that they didn’t believe me either.
Aunt Madelyn’s lips were tight. “Andrea, be realistic.”
“I’m just trying to say that it’s up to the police to make the decision.”
Norton’s voice was high and tight, and I could see him clenching and unclenching his fingers. “Of course we must call the police. There are things they should know. We can’t stay trapped here on this island with—with a dead body.”
“There’s no telephone,” Kurt told him. “The judge liked to really get away from it all.”
“Ham radio, then?”
“The only broadcast radio was on the boat.”
“What about on the rest of this island?” Benita asked, her fingers plucking nervously at the fringe on a small pillow. “Are there other people living here? Anyone who could help?”
“No. It’s just undeveloped property. The island belonged to the judge, and his is the only house on it.”
“Surely there must be some way we can reachthe
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