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Authors: Joan Lowery Nixon
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flash, and it’s loaded with superfast film. I can get some clear pictures.”
“It’s a waste of time,” Norton grumbled. He stepped forward and said to Kurt, “Let’s get this job over with.”
“No!” Madelyn took command. “We’ll want thepolice to know that we tried to cooperate in every way possible. I think Andrea’s suggestion is a good one. Please wait, and I’ll get the camera from my room.” She picked up a candle and went upstairs with such authority that no one moved.
Benita sniffled a few more times, ruining Norton’s handkerchief with her runny mascara. Norton walked to the open veranda doors and stood there, hands shoved into his pockets, probably hoping that if he looked hard enough, he could see help coming. Aldo stood silently, as closed in as a cupboard with locked doors. Ellison sat on the nearest chair, hands clasped between his knees, and Kurt stepped back, so that his features weren’t in the direct light, but I could see him carefully and slowly studying the others.
Aunt Madelyn returned quickly with the camera, and I took six or seven pictures of the judge’s body, aiming from different directions. Once I pointed the camera upward and Norton snapped, “Stick to the subject. You don’t need snapshots of the rest of us.”
It was a horrible job. I hated to look. I began to feel sick to my stomach.
Finally Aldo took my shoulders and steered me away from the body, “That’s enough,” he said. He motioned to Kurt to join him and he bent over, clasping the judge under his arms. Ellison came to help. Reluctantly, Norton edged toward them, waited until they had positioned the judge’s body on the rug, and gingerly took hold of one of the four corners.
“Through the dining room and the kitchen,”Kurt said “The door to the walk-in freezer is at the far end of the kitchen.”
With a great deal of grunting and puffing, they managed to hoist the makeshift litter and stagger with it out of the room.
Benita blew her nose and glanced around to make sure no one besides the three of us was in earshot. “Madelyn!” she hissed. “I’m terrified! I want to sleep in your room!”
“You can’t,” Madelyn said. “My room has only one twin bed.”
“I don’t care! I’ll sleep on the floor!”
“Benita, dear, I greatly value my privacy. You can sleep in your own room and in your bed.”
“But the murderer—”
“We’re not sure that Justin was murdered. And if he was, whoever murdered him is not going to murder you.”
“Don’t be so sure of yourself, Madelyn. You have no way of knowing that!”
“Think about it. Be logical. Suppose that Justin
was
murdered. During the confusion the artifact disappeared. Therefore, the murderer has what he was after.”
“Oh.” Benita sank back against the cushions on the sofa.
“Not necessarily,” I said.
They both turned to stare at me, and I added, “Well, you’re guessing, aren’t you? You can’t be sure where the artifact is, because it didn’t show up. Maybe the murderer has the artifact, maybe not.”
Benita made a funny noise in the back of herthroat, and Aunt Madelyn snapped, “Oh, honestly, Andrea! Just when I had her calmed down!”
“In spite of what happened, I see no reason for any of us to fear the others.” Aldo spoke from the doorway to the dining room, and I could see Norton and Kurt standing beside him.
“Oh no?” Norton sneered. “There’s a good possibility that a murderer is in our midst, we’re trapped on this island, and you see no reason for any of us to be afraid?”
“I agree with Norton,” Madelyn said quickly, sneaking a quick look at Benita. “The only possible reason for murder was to obtain the artifact. That seems to have been accomplished.”
Kurt stepped forward. “I’m sorry, Benita, that this happened and that you’re so frightened. Since I worked for the judge I feel responsible for doing whatever I can to help. In the morning I’ll try to swim to the nearest
“It’s a waste of time,” Norton grumbled. He stepped forward and said to Kurt, “Let’s get this job over with.”
“No!” Madelyn took command. “We’ll want thepolice to know that we tried to cooperate in every way possible. I think Andrea’s suggestion is a good one. Please wait, and I’ll get the camera from my room.” She picked up a candle and went upstairs with such authority that no one moved.
Benita sniffled a few more times, ruining Norton’s handkerchief with her runny mascara. Norton walked to the open veranda doors and stood there, hands shoved into his pockets, probably hoping that if he looked hard enough, he could see help coming. Aldo stood silently, as closed in as a cupboard with locked doors. Ellison sat on the nearest chair, hands clasped between his knees, and Kurt stepped back, so that his features weren’t in the direct light, but I could see him carefully and slowly studying the others.
Aunt Madelyn returned quickly with the camera, and I took six or seven pictures of the judge’s body, aiming from different directions. Once I pointed the camera upward and Norton snapped, “Stick to the subject. You don’t need snapshots of the rest of us.”
It was a horrible job. I hated to look. I began to feel sick to my stomach.
Finally Aldo took my shoulders and steered me away from the body, “That’s enough,” he said. He motioned to Kurt to join him and he bent over, clasping the judge under his arms. Ellison came to help. Reluctantly, Norton edged toward them, waited until they had positioned the judge’s body on the rug, and gingerly took hold of one of the four corners.
“Through the dining room and the kitchen,”Kurt said “The door to the walk-in freezer is at the far end of the kitchen.”
With a great deal of grunting and puffing, they managed to hoist the makeshift litter and stagger with it out of the room.
Benita blew her nose and glanced around to make sure no one besides the three of us was in earshot. “Madelyn!” she hissed. “I’m terrified! I want to sleep in your room!”
“You can’t,” Madelyn said. “My room has only one twin bed.”
“I don’t care! I’ll sleep on the floor!”
“Benita, dear, I greatly value my privacy. You can sleep in your own room and in your bed.”
“But the murderer—”
“We’re not sure that Justin was murdered. And if he was, whoever murdered him is not going to murder you.”
“Don’t be so sure of yourself, Madelyn. You have no way of knowing that!”
“Think about it. Be logical. Suppose that Justin
was
murdered. During the confusion the artifact disappeared. Therefore, the murderer has what he was after.”
“Oh.” Benita sank back against the cushions on the sofa.
“Not necessarily,” I said.
They both turned to stare at me, and I added, “Well, you’re guessing, aren’t you? You can’t be sure where the artifact is, because it didn’t show up. Maybe the murderer has the artifact, maybe not.”
Benita made a funny noise in the back of herthroat, and Aunt Madelyn snapped, “Oh, honestly, Andrea! Just when I had her calmed down!”
“In spite of what happened, I see no reason for any of us to fear the others.” Aldo spoke from the doorway to the dining room, and I could see Norton and Kurt standing beside him.
“Oh no?” Norton sneered. “There’s a good possibility that a murderer is in our midst, we’re trapped on this island, and you see no reason for any of us to be afraid?”
“I agree with Norton,” Madelyn said quickly, sneaking a quick look at Benita. “The only possible reason for murder was to obtain the artifact. That seems to have been accomplished.”
Kurt stepped forward. “I’m sorry, Benita, that this happened and that you’re so frightened. Since I worked for the judge I feel responsible for doing whatever I can to help. In the morning I’ll try to swim to the nearest
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