Death on the Danube

by Jennifer S. Alderson

  “Why you – ” Jess lunged at Sally. Tom sprung forward and wrapped the younger woman up in a bear hug. Frieda rushed to Sally’s side, blocking Jess’s kicking legs with a chair.

  “Why don’t you go to your cabin and cool off,” Lana said to Jess. “We’ll be back in Budapest within the hour.”

  “You’ve not heard the last of me. I am going to get to the bottom of this, even if I have to hire a team of lawyers! We’ll see who’s right once we get back to Seattle. I know Carl was telling me the truth. He never lied to me,” Jess said. She elbowed Tom in the ribs. “Let go of me!” As soon as Tom released his grip, Jess stormed out of the lounge.

  “I think I’m going to go lie down,” Sally said.

  “That sounds like a good idea. Tell you what, Lana, why don’t I sit with Sally for a while?” Frieda said as she took Sally’s arm and helped her stand. Sally seemed to have aged a decade within a few minutes’ time. Tears flowed freely down her plump cheeks.

  “Thanks, Frieda, I appreciate it.” Lana hoped that Jess would have the sense to leave Sally alone. Frieda would see that she did; of that, Lana was certain.

  20 An Afternoon Drink

  Lana left the lounge to check in with the captain, confirming the entire group was on board and that they would soon be back in Budapest. The police were waiting for them at their dock, ready to board and interview everyone – including the crew. Though it was pretty obvious Carl had fallen overboard, it was standard procedure to question everyone, before the tour could continue on to the next hotel.

  What a way to start off a new job, Lana thought as she climbed the staircase back towards the lounge. Was the tour cursed, as Dotty claimed it was, or was Lana causing this streak of bad luck? True, the guide and two guests had been injured before she arrived, but no one had actually died until she joined the tour.

  When she returned to the lounge, the remnants of her group were sitting at one table and chatting easily. Tom was pouring shots of pálinka for the group, and Helen was serving them fruit juice to wash it down. Based on their reddening cheeks and boisterous laughter, it looked as if her group was enjoying the fruit brandy. What is going on here? Lana had only been gone for twenty minutes or so, yet all of a sudden her clients appeared to be getting along better than they’d had since she joined the tour. Maybe it was the brush with death. Or the generous shots that Tom was pouring. Be grateful for small blessings, she thought.

  “Do you want a drink? We bought more bottles of pálinka than we’re allowed to take back. Would you prefer apricot or chocolate?” Tom asked.

  “Wow, that’s really kind of you, Tom,” Lana said, truly surprised by his generosity.

  Tom shrugged, a goofy smile on his face. “Helen figured this was a good time to share it with the rest. Carl’s death was quite a shock.” Helen’s back went stiff at the mention of her name, but she didn’t turn around and acknowledge her husband. “This lot complained about it being too strong on its own, hence the juice.” Tom chattered merrily away as if they were good friends.

  Lana was caught off-guard by his openness and helpfulness. Tom had a new spring in his step that she hadn’t noticed before they left for Visegrád. He seemed to be firmly under Helen’s thumb for most of the trip thus far, but now glimpses of his own personality were shining through. He wasn’t as much of a jerk as she’d thought. If only he would stop lying about his relationship with Carl.

  Lana glanced over at his wife, silently refreshing the Hendersons’ drinks. As Helen turned back to the bar, Lana noticed a vacant look in her eye. What the heck happened in Visegrád to make Helen so docile? Lana wondered.

  The Fabulous Five were giggling and laughing like schoolgirls. From the looks of it, they’d already had several shots during the short time Lana was away.

  “No thanks, Tom,” Lana said. “I appreciate the offer, but I need to touch base with my boss first. I’ll take you up on your offer after I’m done.”

  “Don’t take too long – the brandy might be gone,” he called after her.

  Lana stopped at the door and turned back to her clients. “I hope you’ll all be sober enough to talk to the police after we dock,” she said, mildly concerned the older passengers might pass out before they arrived back in Budapest.

  As if on cue, Mrs. Henderson yawned loudly. Lana couldn’t blame the older lady; this tour was far more exciting than advertised, and not in a good way.

  “Pardon me. I’m feeling quite tired. Between this morning’s tour and this horrible news about Carl’s death, I guess I’m pooped out. How are you feeling, Harold?”

  “I could use a short nap. That pálinka has quite a kick, doesn’t it? Lana, would you mind if we rested in our cabin until the police arrive?” Mr. Henderson asked.

  “Of course not. You aren’t required to stay here until we dock in Budapest. Take some time to enjoy the views or catch up on a good book. After the police are finished with us, a bus will take us to our hotel. It looks like a wonderful place to stay. And don’t forget about the traditional folk dancing performance after dinner. It’s still going to be a great night!”

  21 A Killer on the Loose

  “Lana, are you in there? You have to help me!” A muffled voice called through Lana’s cabin door.

  Lana blinked her eyes, adjusting to the dim light. With the curtains closed, the room was quite dark. She had tried to call Dotty as soon as she returned to her cabin, but her boss was out. So she had taken a short nap instead, after asking the captain to fetch her as soon as they were back in Budapest. But this was not the captain or first mate. “Mr. Henderson, is that you?”

  “It’s Margret. She won’t wake up.”

  Oh, no, not another one. Lana thought as she threw on a bathrobe and ran out into the hallway.

  Two doors down, Margret Henderson lay in her bed, peaceful yet cold. Mr. Henderson was right; she was gone. “I am so sorry,” Lana whispered.

  Mr. Henderson held his beloved wife’s hand to his forehead, choking back tears as he searched for any sign of life in her face. There were none to be found.

  “I’ll go get the captain,” Lana said, gently patting his shoulder. As she closed the door, Harold burst into tears, the sobs catching in his throat and racking his body.

  Lana wiped at her watering eyes as she headed downstairs to deliver the bad news to the captain.

  #

  Two investigators from the Budapest police force stood inside the riverboat’s lounge, notebooks open as they asked about Carl’s last night on earth. Around one circular table sat Lana’s entire group. Sally and Jess were locked in a glaring contest.

  “Sally killed Carl and Mrs. Henderson, I’m certain of it!” the younger woman shrieked. “When Carl refused to marry her, she killed him to keep him away from me. Then she tried to poison me! Sally is pure evil.”

  “This is ridiculous…” Sally began, but her heart wasn’t in it. Lana was shocked by how bad Sally looked. Since Carl’s body had been found, she was a shell of a woman, broken and unable to defend herself. Lana’s heart went out to her.

  “Officer, why are you letting –” Lana said, in an attempt to cut off Jess’s accusatory rants.

  The police investigator motioned for her to be silent. “Miss, you will have your say in a moment.”

  He turned his attention back to Jess, but was clearly having trouble following the young woman’s line of thinking. “How would Sally have killed Margret Henderson – or Carl, for that matter? And why? If she poisoned you, why is Margret Henderson dead?”

  “That’s what I’m trying to say – that jealous cow meant to kill me. She thinks I seduced her boyfriend, when really it was the other way around,” Jess smirked at Sally as she spoke. Sally looked like Jess had plunged a dagger into her stomach. “I bet she poisoned my drink and poor Mrs. Henderson drank it instead. Sally was the first one in the lounge when we got back from Visegrád. And she’s the only one with a motive to hurt Carl and me.”

  “And this motive would be?” The detective
sighed as he spoke, obviously ready to end this conversation. Luckily for Sally, he didn’t seem to think that Jess’s outburst was anything more than a squabble between guests.

  “If she doesn’t get rid of me before we get back to Seattle, she’ll lose everything. Carl left the yacht, tour company, and bank accounts to me – not her. And I have proof. You have to arrest her before she kills me!”

  Lana was shocked by Jess’s intensity. She was convinced that Sally was a killer. How could that sweet lady kill anyone? Lana refused to believe it, just as she refused to believe that Carl was secretly wealthy.

  Sally began to laugh manically. “What money? You are out of your mind! Carl didn’t own anything. Why do you keep insisting that he did?”

  “I wouldn’t blame you for bashing the cheating bastard’s head in,” Helen piped up, as if she was being helpful. The police investigators were writing every word down.

  “Jess, sit down. Helen, that’s enough,” Lana said sternly, unable to keep her mouth shut any longer. Sally didn’t deserve this haranguing, especially not in front of the police. “Nobody killed anyone,” she continued firmly. “Carl fell over the railing, probably after having one too many drinks. And Mrs. Henderson died in her sleep. Screaming about murder is not helping anyone, Jess. The police just want to know when you saw Carl last.”

  At that moment, the lounge door opened, and an officer pulled one of the investigators aside. They spoke in hushed Hungarian before turning to face the small crowd. The investigator looked quite somber as he announced, “My team has found blood on a rescue hook. I am afraid this is a murder investigation. I will need to speak to all of you individually.”

  “Aw, nuts,” Lana mumbled. Dotty was not going to be happy to hear this.

  #

  Lana escorted her group back downstairs to their cabins where they were to wait until the police were ready to speak to them. The investigators interviewed her first, but Lana had little to tell. She had slept poorly and heard all sorts of noises the night Carl died, but didn’t know which sounds had traveled across the river versus coming from her passengers.

  Within ten minutes, Lana was back in her room. After contacting their hotel and letting them know they would be checking in later than planned, she lay down on her bed and stared out the window. The sun was starting to set over the hills of Buda, casting a warm glow over the city center. The holiday lights, so festive and twinkly, grew brighter as the sky darkened.

  Enjoy it while you can, she told herself, well aware that the chances of Dotty ever asking her to lead a group again were nonexistent. Why would she? Lana figured two dead bodies and a police investigation within three days’ time must be some sort of Wanderlust Tours record.

  Lana looked at her watch and noticed the police had been questioning her guests for almost an hour. She sure hoped they would hurry up. After the police left, they would have to hotfoot it to the hotel so they wouldn’t miss their dinner and dance performance. Lana picked up the stack of information Dotty had given her about tonight’s events, when heart-wrenching screams caused her to drop the pile. The papers scattered across the room as Lana tore up the stairs to the lounge and the source of the noise.

  She pushed open the lounge doors and saw two police officers attempting to pull Sally’s arms behind her back. A detective had Jess in a bear hug, apparently to prevent her from attacking Sally.

  “Carl can’t be the father. He had a vasectomy years ago! She’s lying about being pregnant, just like she’s lying about Carl’s new will!” Sally yelled as the two policemen finally managed to handcuff her wrists.

  “Why should we believe you? You obviously didn’t know him that well. We’ve been together for seven months,” Jess retorted.

  “Jess must be setting me up. I don’t know what happened to those pills. Lana, thank God you’re here. Call Dotty and get me a lawyer!” Sally screamed when she noticed Lana’s presence.

  “You deserve to be locked up, you murderer! Why can’t you accept that he didn’t love you? You took my Carl away from me,” Jess cried. Lana could see crocodile tears already forming.

  Sally hung her head, allowing the police to lead her away without further protest.

  “Sally, don’t worry, I’ll call Dotty right now,” Lana shouted. The lead investigator held her back so the officers could get Sally down the gangplank and into a patrol car.

  After Sally was in the backseat, Lana turned to Jess and noticed the younger woman had a smartphone in her hand. An image filled the screen, though from where she was standing, Lana couldn’t tell what it was. Luckily for her, Jess was in a gloating mood.

  “I found a photo of Carl’s will. It’s right there in black and white how I stand to inherit his boat, company, and bank accounts.” Jess looked triumphant. Lana wanted to smack her. “Sally must have been targeting me, not Mrs. Henderson. If she doesn’t get rid of me before we get back to Seattle, she’ll lose everything.”

  Lana put a hand on the lead investigator’s arm, stopping him from getting into a second police car. “Please, this has to be a mistake. You can’t arrest Sally on the basis of this fake will. Sally didn’t kill anyone! I’m sure of it.”

  The officer flicked at her arm as if it was an irritating fly, then smiled condescendingly. “While searching Sally’s cabin, we also found prescription sleeping pills. They were phenobarbital, a strong barbiturate. She claims it’s for migraines, but it’s also a powerful sedative.”

  “So? I bet most of the guests take sleeping pills.”

  “You’re right. Helen also has a prescription for Valium. However, there is one difference. Sally’s prescription is new, yet the bottle is almost empty.”

  “But Carl fell overboard, he wasn’t poisoned. And Sally knows better than anyone that Carl was lying about being rich. Heck, the boat he supposedly left Jess is owned by Sally! Sally had no reason to want to harm Jess,” Lana protested, wondering whether that was entirely true. What else had the police discovered about her clients?

  As the investigator opened the patrol car’s door, Lana cried, “Wait, did Sally tell you about the Hungarian gangster that was threatening Carl? Maybe he snuck on board and killed him before we set sail for Visegrád! Shouldn’t you get all of your facts straight before making an arrest?”

  The detective’s face hardened to stone. “You’re right; it is important to get all of the facts straight before taking a suspect in for questioning. Incredibly, we were able to piece together what happened without your help. Carl’s head was bashed in with a wooden pole before he went overboard. The boat’s only security camera is focused on the gangplank, and we have confirmed that no one got off or on the boat after it was raised. Considering the gangplank was raised right after Carl boarded, it must have been one of you who assaulted him, not this mysterious Hungarian gangster. One Sally cannot describe because she’s never met or seen him. Did Carl tell you about this man?”

  Lana looked sheepish as she shook her head.

  “It seems odd to me that Carl would be threatened by a local gangster and not tell his fellow guide about it, if only out of fear for your group’s safety. It appears that you know this Sally person quite well and your feelings towards her are coloring your reading of the situation. In light of the information Jess has provided about Carl’s will and his public rejection of Sally, it is quite feasible that Sally wished to get revenge on both her fiancé and his mistress. Until the autopsy is complete, we won’t be able to determine whether Margret Henderson was poisoned or died from natural causes. And if she was poisoned, I want to make sure our poisoner is locked up. If not, we will release your guest from our custody, with our deepest apologies.”

  “You can’t just take Jess’s word for it that Carl was rich. I don’t know anything about this will, but I do know that Carl is definitely not the owner of Wanderlust Tours. He is simply one of the guides.”

  “I have no intention at taking anyone at their word. As soon as I am able, I will instruct our team to investigate all of Jess’s
and Sally’s claims. Considering Sally is the one with a bottle of medicine in her possession, she is the one I will be taking in for further questioning.” The investigator opened the patrol door and began stepping inside.

  “But why do you have to –” Lana began to protest, but was cut off.

  The investigator whipped around and asked, “Do you have any factual information to add that will help explain either Carl’s accident or Mrs. Henderson’s passing?”

  Lana gritted her teeth, wanting to regurgitate every bit of gossip she’d heard on this trip. Yet all of it was secondhand information, and the original sources had already been interviewed. As much as she wanted to implicate Helen, Tom, or Jess, she couldn’t shift the blame to another just to help set her friend free. She wouldn’t be able to live with herself if she did. Lana shook her head and let the officer leave.

  22 Comforting Mr. Henderson

  Lana walked back to her cabin, feeling defeated. She would have to call Dotty straightaway and see about getting Sally a lawyer. Afterwards, she needed to get her group onto the bus and over to their new hotel.

  A stretcher was in the hallway, and two paramedics were placing Mrs. Henderson’s corpse on it, now wrapped inside a black body bag. Lana sighed, saddened by the sight.

  Mr. Henderson’s door was open. He sat on the corner of his bed, a gray sock in one hand and a brown one in the other.

  Lana knocked on the door. “Mr. Henderson, are you okay?”

  He didn’t look at her, but kept his gaze fixed on the two socks. “Margret has been my rock for sixty-seven years. It may sound old-fashioned to you, but she chose my clothes for me. She always had more fashion sense than I did. What do I do now? I don’t even know what socks to wear. Which pair do you think Margret would approve of?”