Miss Morand: The Cruise

Chapter 3

Quickly Charlie and Miss Morand scuttled off to the kitchen. They found the body lying in the freezer.

Charlie turned away from it trying to calm himself. He had never been with her for the examination of any victims. He had never seen a dead body in person before and it made him feel quite nauseated. He had worked as a nurse for some time but never had any close encounters like this with death. When he calmed himself down he turned back to Miss Morand and saw that she was speaking with the cook. "I need everyone out of this kitchen now and then I want to speak to you right away."

She examined the body as the cook shooed everyone out. Then he came back to Miss Morand.

"Sir, can you identify the body?" The way she asked seemed less like an interrogation and more like a simple question.

"Oh um, the Co-Captain I believe Ma'am."

"The Co-Captain huh. Was he well-liked? Did he have any issues with anyone on board that you know of?"

The cook looked at her baffled. "You think this wasn't an accident?"

"Sir, I'm really not sure yet. I need you to help me out here,"

He closed his eyes. "I can't think of anyone in particular. He has banned a few off of the boat and they certainly aren't fond of him but they wouldn't be on the boat. I heard him argue with the captain the other day but nothing too serious. Sorry, I'm not a bigger help."

"Thank you. Now I'd like a list of everyone who has access to the freezer when it's not open for cooking."

"It's me, the other chef, he's pretty young, and the Captain and Co-captain have, well in his case had, a key to everything on the ship which includes the freezer I suppose."

"Sir, may I please have the young chef's name?"

"Oh, Um Jared E. Leote. I just saw him in the hallway next to the kitchen and on the outside edge of the dining room."

Miss Morand let out a heavy breath of air and started off towards the hallway. It was less of a hallway and more of a walkway; It had no wall, roof, or glass, just a railing. She walked down the hallway. She saw a young man with incredibly dark hair pushing past people quickly. He looked back saw Miss Morand and started off faster. She started after him, it was as if he had just taken the class how to look suspicious 101.

As he sped up so did she until finally, thud. She smashed into a man wearing a classy brown suit.

"Oh, I'm sorry Ma'am." He bowed a little making his apology more authentic.

She didn't even bother to look at the man, but instead gazed past his shoulder. The young man was out of her sight. Still, without looking at the man, she apologized and started to run in the direction that the man was headed in. Her shoulder was tugged back.

"Katherine." The suited man called her by name. "Where on earth are you running off to in such a rush?"

For the first time, she looked up at the man. Dylan Coraine smiled down at her. "Dylan." Then she remembered what she was doing. "Hey! My possible suspect was running down that way!" She tried to push past him again but he stopped her.

"A suspect already? Aren't you jumping the gun a bit?"

"He ran off when I went to ask him some questions. A bit suspicious."

"Well, you can ask them later. We should examine the body while the scene is still fresh."

"But."

"What's gotten into you Kathy, an examination is always first, and we're on a boat, it's not like he's going anywhere."

"Don't call me Kathy, and why are you trying to get me to help, you're never this appreciative."