High Sea Murder

by Chuck Antone, Jr

  "That's right," Kat said. "At this very moment Inspector Rashan's in the Showroom giving the guests information about Barsha's death. You don't have to go there; just go back to your assignments. In the meantime if either of you can think of anything else that would help us not only to find the thief, but also the murderer of your friend, please let us know. We want you to get hold of us if you do, and any time of the day or night is fine. We can assure you, you won't be disturbing us. We need your help."

  We suggested that they kept their ears open, and passed on to us any gossip they picked up that might be relevant, whether it was from their fellow workers or guests. We hugged each one as they left.

  Kat reminded Berta that she would be available to her if she needed to talk to someone any time, day or night.

  So, now we knew that our three servers had told several people about the necklace. Kat had written their names down, and she handed me the list. I read the names out loud.

  "Mike, Alex's roommate, and Ken Andrews. George King, good friend of James. Cody and Nancy, friends of Berta."

  We didn't know if Barsha had told anyone. We also wondered if any of these new names on the list had told anyone else.

  Kat obviously was reading my mind. "So how many more people will we have to interview before we have a suspect?" she asked.

  Chapter 11

  Kat and I talked about the best way to approach each name on the list. We decided to talk to them one at a time, along with the one who told them about the necklace. We'd do it in the order that Kat had written them down. That is, unless the Captain had another idea. For instance, Alex with Mike and Ken. James with George King. Then last of all Berta with her friends Cody and Nancy.

  It was late . . . after midnight, and we had been sailing for some hours. So we thought we would wait until tomorrow. First we had to get permission from the Captain so people on our list would be free to come and talk to us. Besides, we also wanted to get the okay from Inspector Rashan. After all, it was his case.

  Our thoughts started to go back to the people at table nine . . . could it possibly be one of them, maybe working with a crew member they knew from a previous cruise? After all, Maria had been on an earlier cruise with this line, and had probably been wearing the necklace before.

  We were hoping and praying that during the next five interviews we would come up with more answers. That way we'd be at peace, knowing that it wasn't someone from our table.

  The next morning we went to the breakfast buffet. This was our fourth day on the ship. The passengers all seemed pretty happy so far.

  Our first stop after leaving Athens had been in Istanbul. That was before the robbery, so obviously we had been allowed to go off the ship. After our tour of the Istanbul area, Kat and I had decided to take a taxi to the largest market place in the world. In the market place were over two thousand quaint shops, some large and some small. And they were selling all different types of wares.

  It was very well organized and much cleaner than either of us thought it would be. Parts of the market were underground. And most of the people on board the ship had ended up there as the day went on.

  So although our second morning in the harbor in Istanbul, after the robbery, had meant everyone was confined to the ship, no one yet was getting ship fever, and not really seeming that concerned about the missing necklace or the death of Barsha, since very few people knew her.

  Inspector Rashan hadn't gone into the details when he'd mentioned Barsha's death to the guests in the Showroom. He just told them that one of the staff had passed away. He explained that they didn't know the cause of the death yet, but that it was most likely caused by an accident. He also told them that they didn't have to worry.

  After sailing overnight, our ship anchored just outside the port of Kusadasi, where we had been due to dock to be taken by bus to Ephesus. Many of the guests were on the deck watching as the huge anchors ran down into the sea. I'm sure that like us, they were wishing we were docked in the harbor so they could get ashore to explore this amazing area that was new to the majority of them, but we all knew that was impossible.

  As the Captain had explained to everyone, there must be no possibility of the thief leaving the ship and disappearing, so we were staying well outside the harbor. I wondered if some suspected that there was more to this restriction than a robbery, but Kat and I had heard no whispers of a murder.

  In an attempt to keep everyone's spirits high, a lot of activities were planned. The casino was now opened twenty-four hours each day. There was plenty of food around the clock and many prizes given away for those who entered the games. And of course the dancers and singers in the main Showroom kept everyone entertained.

  As Kat and I got our buffet breakfast, we noticed the Captain and Inspector Rashan sitting together in a quiet place. They motioned for us to join them.

  "Good morning, Captain and Inspector. Anything new developing since we saw you last?" I was asking the question.

  Kat added, "Any new suspects on the thief and Barsha death?"

  She was being careful to not use the word murder, just in case a passerby might hear, and then for sure mass confusion and panic would take place on the ship.

  Inspector Rashan shook his head. "No, nothing new. We're still not ruling out your table nine. How about both of you?"

  "Nothing yet, Inspector. Kat and I interviewed the three servers from our table last night. James and Alex both said they'd told one other person, and Berta said she'd told two of her friends. Plus, the person Alex told had then told someone else."

  Kat continued, "Captain, we'd like to talk with these five staff workers and the three servers again, with Inspector Rashan's permission, of course."

  We both looked at the Turkish police inspector, and he smiled and nodded his head.

  "Is it possible for us to speak with them sometime today?" I asked.

  Kat handed the Captain the list of names. The Captain read it quickly. "Of course, anything that will help us solve this situation and then move on with the cruise as planned, I'm for it. I'll check to see what jobs they've been assigned to, and what the best time for them to come and see the two of you would be. Do you have any special timeframe that would be best for you?"

  I looked at Kat, we both shook our heads. "No, Captain, whatever's best for you is good for us."

  "Alright, we don't want the crew or the passengers to start thinking there's more to this than what we've told them. Our responsibility is to keep them happy and safe."

  I nodded in agreement. "We're with you on that. And, Captain, you and your crew are doing an excellent job. Please let us know the best time for our interviews. There's no one we'd specially like to speak to first, so whatever you plan will be fine with us."

  Even though we'd started out with a plan of order, we quickly changed it to accommodate the Captain.

  The Captain stroked his chin. "Many of the passengers seem to be pretty fed up with being stuck on board, and the harbor within sight. But we had to come here to keep to our schedule, or we'd have been too early for our next stop. And there was always the chance that the necklace and the murderer would be found before we reached here.

  "Early tomorrow we're sailing to the island of Mykonos, and will be there by the evening. Then it's up the Adriatic to Dubrovnik in Croatia, and then to the jewel of the cruise – Venice. If we can find the necklace and the murderer before Mykonos, the company and the passengers will be extremely grateful."

  No pressure there then! When we finished eating, Kat and I went back to our cabin, changed our clothes and headed for the hot tub, one of my favorite places to be.

  Chapter 12

  We baked in the sun for an hour or so after drenching ourselves with a high number sun block lotion. On the way to our cabin, Berta saw us. She waved and we waved back. She came running over.

  "Kat, you said if I needed someone to talk to, you'd be available. Did you mean that?"

  "Yes, definitely. When would you like to meet?"


  "In twenty minutes time I'm off for an hour. Can we talk then?"

  "Of course. Is our cabin okay? I think we'll have more privacy there and I'm sure we won't be interrupted."

  "Great, I'll see you in about twenty minutes."

  Kat turned to me as Berta ran off. "She looks very nervous. I wonder what's going on."

  "Yes, she's definitely jittery, and looking around to see if anyone was watching her. Do you think I should stay with the two of you, or should I leave before she arrives?"

  "I'm not sure. Of course, I'd love for you to stay and be praying while we talk, but I'm not sure what Berta will think. Why don't you stay in our cabin until she arrives, then we can decide after we see her reaction to you being there."

  "Sounds good to me. I won't mind if you think I should leave. I can go up on the deck and pray for the two of you there. After all, isn't that why we're both having separate offices, just in case someone wants to talk to one of us alone?"

  We held hands and both of us prayed that the Lord would give Kat wisdom and that she would be a comfort to Berta, and also have an opportunity to share Christ with her. We prayed that the Holy Spirit would open doors and warm Berta's heart.

  When we were through praying, we felt the power of God and knew He would be in the room, and that His Spirit would give Kat the words to say.

  We continued to pray off and on until we heard a knock on the door. I went over and opened the door, taking notice to what Berta would think of me being there. I could see no hint of her being uncomfortable with my presence.

  "Come in, Berta." Kat went over and gave her a hug. "Have a seat. Would you like some water or a cola?"

  "Nothing thanks, not just yet. First I'd like to tell you why I've come here."

  The two of them sat on the couch facing each other. I sat on one of the lazy boy chairs and started to pray silently.

  Kat asked, "What happened? You look so frightened. Has anyone threatened you in any way?"

  "No, but I'm afraid whoever killed Barsha will want to kill me too."

  "Why do you think that?" Kat asked gently.

  "I was thinking about Barsha, and knew she must have been killed because she somehow found out who stole the necklace. I began to think that maybe the killer would wonder if Barsha might have told me whom she suspected. That's when the thought came to me that my life could be in danger. I haven't told anyone, because you asked us not to talk to anyone about Barsha being murdered."

  Berta shivered. "I'm afraid all the time. If anyone looks at me I turn away, and instantly tears fill my eyes. When I do that, maybe people think I'm the guilty party."

  Kat looked over at me and we both nodded our heads in agreement. It was a possibility that Berta could be the killer's next victim.

  Kat looked at Berta. "If it were so, the killer would have already tried to harm you. He or she knows we're interviewing people. They would have attempted to carry out their plan by now. Since nothing has happened, I'm pretty sure you're safe. But just to make certain, we'll tell the Captain and Inspector Rashan about your concern, and have the Captain assign you to work where there are plenty of other people around. Does that sound alright with you?"

  Berta wiped her eyes and nose with a white tissue. "Yes, I feel better already just knowing someone understands my fears. And like you said, if the killer thought I knew anything I would probably be dead by now. I never thought of that. Thanks, Kat. But I won't feel completely safe until the murderer is caught and in jail."

  Berta turned to me. "If it's okay, I'll have that glass of water now."

  When I got up to get her water, I heard her tell Kat, "The two of you have a peace and a joy that I don't understand. You both seem to be so happy and comfortable with yourselves and with each other."

  Kat was facing me, and I mouthed the words and gestured with my hands "Thank you, Lord, the door is being opened."

  Kat had a great big smile on her face, and I could see her eyes glistering as she held back her tears.

  Then Berta continued, "Why is that?"

  Chapter 13

  Kat didn't hesitate for one moment. "Well, Kit and I are both Christians. Do you know what that means?"

  "Yes, it means you sometimes read the Bible, go to church and pray every once in a while. It means you're both religious. I have other friends who are also religious, but you two are different. I want to know what the two of you have that my other religious friends don't."

  "First of all," Kat said, "we're not religious, and we don't belong to a so-called religion. We're Christians. That means that we have opened up our hearts and invited Jesus Christ to come in and live in us. Yes, we do go to church, we do pray, and yes we read our Bibles. But the thing that gives us the peace and joy that you see in us is a personal relationship with God's Son, Jesus Christ. Berta, what do you know about Jesus?"

  Berta looked puzzled. "Not much. I've heard of Him of course, but I don't know as much about Him like the two of you seem to do."

  "Would you like to know more about Jesus?"

  "Yes, Kat, I would. Would you please tell me all the things that you feel I should know?"

  "Yes, of course," Kat continued. "The Bible tells us that Jesus came to this earth, was born of a virgin who was with child by the Holy Spirit. At the age of around thirty, Jesus started to teach about God His Father, and the kingdom to come. He did many miracles and healed many people, even raising some from the dead."

  Berta nodded slowly. "I know about that," she said. "And I know He died horribly."

  "He did," Kat agreed. "But it wasn't a mistake. He came to earth to die for all the sins of the world, so we could live with Him for ever in that kingdom which we call Heaven. He was crucified by being nailed to a cross like a common murderer."

  Berta's eyes were open wide. "I guess I've never thought it has anything to do with me. Please tell me more. Hearing you tell it seems like I'm hearing it for the very first time."

  At that moment, Kat and I both knew that the Holy Spirit was working in Berta's heart.

  Kat continued, "The cross was the way the Romans put murderers and thieves to death. Jesus of course was neither of these. But because He went around doing good things and healing people on the Sabbath, and saying He was God's Son, they beat Him and crucified Him.

  "Actually, I believe it was all in God's plan, so that all of our sins could be washed away at that moment. From the very beginning when Adam and Eve sinned, an animal had to be sacrificed to clothe them.

  "Jesus became our sacrifice. His death, the shedding of His blood for all the sins of the world took place the day He was crucified."

  Kat paused for a moment, looked directly into Berta's eyes, and said, "I know this must be very difficult for you to understand . . . so much all at the same time. So please, if you have any questions, interrupt me. I won't mind."

  "Many times in my life," Berta said, "I've heard this story – even here on this ship from some who are workers. They've told this to me and have invited me to a service that they have for the staff early on Sunday mornings. I believe it starts at five a.m. I've never gone, but I think the next time someone asks me, I'll say yes. For some reason I have a yearning to hear more about God and His Son, Jesus."

  Kat looked so relaxed as she was speaking to Berta. "Can I show you some scriptures in the Bible? And please, Berta, don't wait to be asked to go to one of their services on Sunday mornings – just go."

  I reached over and got Kat's Bible, then handed it to her.

  "Yes, please read it to me," Berta said. "I'm so excited to learn and hear about this man, Jesus."

  Kat took her through the Romans' road, starting with Romans 3:23, then 6:23 and also Romans 5:8. And again in Romans, the powerful verses 9 and 10 in chapter 10. She told Berta that we call these verses T.N.T. She said the . . .

  "T" was for chapter Ten.

  The "N" for verse Nine.

  And the last "T" for verse Ten."

  T.N.T., she told her, stands for Dynamite. And that was exa
ctly what these verses were. Kat then read the two verses from Romans chapter 10 aloud from her Bible.

  "That if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation."

  Tears were filling Berta's eyes. And then we heard her whisper, "I do believe."

  Kat continued reading to her in verse thirteen, just three verses down, "Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved."

  She paused again. We both were trying to hold back our own tears as Berta's were sliding down her cheeks accompanied by little sobs and a great big smile. I could feel the power of the Holy Spirit. He was surely in the room with us. Silence fell upon all three of us.

  The power and the love in the room made my heart pound faster and faster, like it was going to jump out of my skin. I wasn't afraid. I knew we were being comforted by the Spirit of God.

  I knew that the peace and joy, that Berta said she saw in us, was now flowing throughout her body. We didn't speak or move, we just let the Holy Spirit empower our bodies. I don't know how long we were like that before Berta broke the silence.

  "I feel like Jesus is knocking at the door of my heart saying, 'Invite Me in, invite Me in.' Help me to do that. I don't know how."

  "Please, Berta, just repeat this prayer after me.

  "Dear Lord Jesus, I believe You are the Son of God. That You died on the cross for my sins. That You rose from the dead just as You said You would. Today I confess You as my Lord and Savior. Today I invite You to come and live in me. Thank You, Jesus, for giving me eternal life and forgiving me of all my sins, and loving me like no one else can . . . Amen."

  Berta repeated every word with a voice of confidence. We remained perfectly still and quiet. And again for how long, I don't remember.

  Finally, Berta said, "Today I've found the peace and joy that you both have. Thank you -- and thank You, Jesus!"