Three Character Girl

Alibi assassination

"I - I - will speak to Adeline," the Colonel decided.

"We're coming" Pam said.

Pam quickly winked at Commissioner Saga.

"Maybe we can persuade him to come too" he added seriously. It seems Colonel Clapperton welcomed this proposal. It looks really relieved.

"Come on then. You two come along," he said lightly. The three of them walked along the deck alley. Curiously, Commissioner Saga, whose cabin was directly opposite the Colonel's, followed them. Somewhat tense Colonel Clapperton knocked on his cabin door.

"Adeline, my dear, are you awake?" Mrs Clapperton's sleepy voice recalls from within.

"Oh, shitwhat the hell is it?"

"It's John. You want to go to the beach?"

"Obviously no" the voice was sharp and firm.

"I couldn't sleep all night. I want to stay in bed today." Pam quickly interrupted.

"Oh, Mrs Clapperton, I'm very disappointed. We would love for you to come to the beach with us. Are you sure you don't want to come?"

"I'm absolutely sure" Mrs Clapperton's voice sounded even sharper. Colonel Clapperton turned the door handle, but in vain.

"What's up, John" The door's locked. I don't want to be disturbed by the waiter."

"Sorry, honey, sorry. I just want to take my Baedeker."

"You can't take her, '" hardened Mrs Clapperton.

"I'm not getting out of bed. Go, John, and let me just calm down a little."

"Of course, sure, my dear." The colonel backed off. Pam and Kitty approached and surrounded him.

"Come, we're leaving. Thankfully, you wear a hat. Gosh - your passport's not in the cabin, is it?"

"There's in my pocket" said the Colonel. Kitty held the Colonel's hand.

"Thank God! Let's go."

Leaning against the fence Commissioner Saga watched the three depart. He heard a soft sigh beside him and turned his head. Miss Henderson. The woman's eyes were fixed on the three body figures moving away.

"So they went to the beach" he said flatly.

"Indeed. You want to go to the beach?" She saw Miss Henderson wearing a sun hat, shoes, and a nice bag. His performance is impressive he is going to the beach. After a moment of silence, the one asked shook his head.

"No," he said, "I will stay on the ship only. I have a lot of letters to write." He flipped and left Commissioner Saga. Gasping for breath after running forty-eight times around General Forbes' deck in place of Miss Henderson.

"Aah!" he cried as his gaze caught the body figures of the Colonel and the two girls away.

"So, he went playfully! Where's his wife?" Commissioner Saga explained that Mrs Clapperton wanted to rest all day in bed.

"Don't believe!" the old hero winked one eye.

"The woman will surely get up and look for it - and if the poor man is known to leave without saying goodbye, there will be a bitter quarrel."

But the predictions of General Forbes did not come true. Mrs Clapperton did not appear at lunchtime. And by the time the Colonel and the two girls returned to the ship at 16:00, Mrs Clapperton had not shown up.

Commissioner Saga was in her cabin and she heard her husband knocking on the door of the other cabin rather timidly. He heard the knocking sound repeated, the cabin door tried to be opened, and finally he heard the Colonel calling the steward of the ship.

"I didn't get an answer. You got a key?" Commissioner Saga immediately got up from his bed and walked out, to the deck alley.

***

Very quickly this news spread throughout the ship. In disbelief but horror people heard that Mrs Clapperton was found dead in her bed - a dagger pierced through her heart.

A series of ivory yellow beads were found on the floor of his cabin. Rumors circulated without end. All the bead sellers who were allowed to board the ship that day were gathered and questioned!

"Where is the truth about all this?" sue Miss Henderson while stopping Commissioner Saga's move.

His face was pale and wrinkled.

"Good girl, how do I know?"

"You know for sure" said Miss Henderson. It was late at night. Most people have already entered their cabins. Miss Henderson took Commissioner Saga to a pair of deck chairs in the roofed section of the ship.

"Well, tell me," he urged. Commissioner Saga researched the woman seriously.

"This case is interesting" he said.

"Are some really valuable gems stolen?" Commissioner Saga shook his head.

"No jewels were taken. Just a small amount of cash stored in the drawer is gone."

"I will never feel safe on a ship again" Ms Henderson said trembling.

"There's a clue which violent, violent black man committed the murder?"

"Nothing" Commissioner Saga explained.

"Overall these events are a bit strange."

"What do you mean?" Ellie asked sharply. Commissioner Saga spread out both his hands.

"Eh, bien, look at the facts. By the time Mrs Clapperton was found dead at least five hours. Some money disappeared. A strand of beads lay on the floor near his bed. The door is locked and the key is gone. The windows - the windows, not the windpipe on the side of the ship - facing the open deck."

"Then?" ask the woman impatiently.

"Don't you think that a murder committed under such circumstances is very suspicious" Remember, the postcard sellers, beads, and money changers who are allowed to board the ship are well known to the police."

"Despite this, it's usually the flight attendant who locks the cabin" Ellie said.

"Indeed, to prevent small-time theft. But, it's murder."

"Actually what do you think, Commissioner Saga?" Ellie's voice sounded a little breathless.

"I thought of that locked door." Miss Henderson is considering Commissioner Saga's answer.

"I don't see anything in that locked door. The killer left the cabin through the door, locked it, and carried the key so that the crime would not be known too soon. He's very clever because his actions were only revealed at 16:00."

"No, not that, Mademoiselle. You don't understand the problem I want to bring up. I don't think about how he got out, but how he got in."

"With the window of course."

"Can be. But, there is very little chance this way is taken - after all people will go up and down the deck throughout the day. Remember?"

"Then, through the door," said Miss Henderson impatiently.

"You forgot, Mademoiselle. Mrs Clapperton locked the cabin door from the inside. He locked the door before Colonel Clapperton left the ship this morning. Instead the Colonel tried to open the door - so we know that the door is locked."

"Impossible. It's possible that the door was jammed - or the Colonel didn't turn the door handle properly."

"But it's not just based on his words. We actually heard Mrs Clapperton herself say that."

"We?"

"Miss Mooney, Miss Cregan, Colonel Clapperton, and myself." Ellie Henderson tapped her neatly-shoeed legs. For a moment he was silent. Then in a somewhat angry tone he said,

"Then - what exactly is your conclusion" I suppose - if Mrs Clapperton could lock the door, she could open it too."

"Exactly. Exactly." Commissioner Saga turned his beaming face to his interlocutor.

"And you know in which direction this thought takes us" Mrs Clapperton opened the door and let the killer in.