Read Online The Island of Dangerous Dreams by Joan Lowery Nixon - Free Book Online

authorities,” Aldo demanded. He paused. “What country governs this island?”
    “The Bahama Islands government,” Kurt said. “The nearest office is in Freeport.”
    “How do we get there?”
    “Only by boat, and the judge’s boat won’t be back until Sunday afternoon.”
    “Maybe we could send up a signal,” Madelyn suggested. “Like a bonfire. Yes! Maybe we could light a large bonfire down on the beach. Would that bring a passing boat?”
    “I doubt it,” Kurt said, “
If
a boat happened to be passing, which isn’t too likely, anyone on it would just think we were having a beach party and would leave us alone.”
    “What about the other islands in the Bahama Banks?” I asked. “We saw some houses and boats when we came in here. Could we reach any of those islands?”
    “You probably didn’t realize how far apart the inhabited islands were,” Kurt said. “It would be a good long swim, if anyone could even make it.”
    I shivered. “With sharks and barracuda.”
    Madelyn pushed open all the doors to the veranda, as though in some way that would help. It was dark outside, with little moonlight. “We must think in an orderly fashion,” she said. “It’s our only help.” She whirled to look at Ellison. “How soon can you repair the generator?”
    Ellison’s glasses mirrored the candlelight so that I couldn’t see his eyes. “No way I can start work on it till morning,” he said.
    Madelyn gave him one of her looks. “How did you fix it earlier? It was dark then.”
    “Not at first. I got a good start before dark, so I knew what I was doing. Then I use the lantern and finish up.”
    “Lantern?” Benita perked up. “You mean you’ve got some other sources of light beyond these pitiful candles?”
    “Yes, Miz Robley,” Ellison said. “We got a couple of lanterns and some flashlights. Soon as we take care of everything, I get them for you.”
    “Thank goodness!” Benita dropped onto the nearest sofa and laid a hand over her heart. “This has been exhausting! I am absolutely longing to get to bed!”
    “While Justin is left lying here on the floor?” Madelyn asked. Benita gave a little shriek, and Madelyn turned to Ellison. “You know this place the best. What can we do with his body?”
    “There’s a walk-in freezer,” Ellison said. “We can use that.”
    “That sounds like a sensible idea,” Aldo said, but I interrupted.
    “When a crime is committed, aren’t you supposed to leave everything the way it was until the police come so they can look for clues?”
    “In a case like this, no,” Kurt said. “It’s more important to take care of the body.”
    “Besides,” Madelyn said, “what clues could there be, except for the lamp? Each of us had access to the room and to the lamp, and when the crime happened we were all present.”
    “No, we weren’t,” I said. “Kurt and Ellison weren’t here. They were in the kitchen.”
    They looked at each other. “Maybe so,” Ellison said. “I think Mr. Cameron may be in the kitchen, but I wasn’t there. I was in the bathroom.”
    Benita put her hands against her ears and squeezed her eyelids tightly shut. “Stop it! Stop it! I can’t stand all this!” she cried. “Everybody’s accusing everyone else, and we don’t know who the murderer is!”
    “
If
there was a murder,” I mumbled.
    She ignored me, wailed, “I’m frightened!” and began to cry.
    Norton pulled a handkerchief from his pocket, shoved it into one of her hands, then stood by and looked uncomfortable.
    “Come on,” Kurt said to the others as he bent to tug over the small area rug, “lend me a hand. If we roll the body onto this, we can carry it or drag it into the freezer.”
    “Wait a minute,” I told them. “At least let me take some pictures of—of the judge with my camera.”
    “There’s not enough light,” Aldo said.
    “Ellison could bring in the lanterns,” Benita suggested.
    “It doesn’t matter,” I said. “The camera has a good