Depth of Deception (A Titanic Murder Mystery) (46 page)

Roger quickly added,
"
You have no proof! Such wild conjectures from a fugitive…
"

He jabbed his chin towards Callum, then pointed to Edward’s recorder,
"
We can have that recording suppressed as entrapment and just wait until the public hears that you believe this young woman is your mother. They’ll have you committed.
"

Edward gritted his teeth as he replied,
"
Not when I tell them that she was an actress… who I first saw in a production of…
"

"
My Fair Lady,
"
Myra blurted.
"
Off-Broadway.
"

"
Right,
"
Edward said,
"
She was playing Eliza Doolittle with… oh I can’t remember the name of the actor who played Henry Higgins.
"

"
Leonard Winslow,
"
interjected Myra.

"
Right!
"
Edward pointed to Myra and continued,
"
As soon as I saw her I realized she was the spitting image of my real mother. You see, Dr. Ballard discovered Mr. Fluffy and the locket in his ongoing search for the wreck of the
Titanic
… you see,
Father
, I can play the art of war as well as you.
"

Pamela leaned in to Archibald,
"
With the assistance of André Bossard from the real Interpol, we have learned that there has been a global network of assassins using very expensive guns that shoot expensive, untraceable bullets. Thanks to my ex-husband here, one of the assassins was taken down and we have his weapon in our forensic lab… I’m sure we’ll trace it to the owner soon enough.
"

Archibald grew increasingly pale, as he murmured,
"
No court in the world will convict two elderly people confined to wheelchairs.
"

ding, ding, ding
!

The elegant Art Nouveau gilt-bronze and mahogany clock
,
which sat on the fireplace mantle, continued to chime its melody, bringing Archie’s attention to it. He suddenly began to panic,
"
We have to get off this ship!
"

"
We will, when we reach New York,
"
replied Pamela.
"
The authorities in America have been notified and they will be taking custody of Roger for the attempted murder of Dr. Lindsay.
"

"
We have to get the last Ferry to Cobh!
"
Archibald roared.

"
Ireland is long behind us!
"
Callum replied.

"
We’re moving?!
"

"
Couldn’t you tell?
"
asked Edward.

Archibald was starting to hyperventilate,
"
This ship is never going to reach New York!
"

"
Are you planning to hit another iceberg?
"
Edward asked. Callum laughed.

Archie made no response. He looked like he was going to have a stroke. Callum stopped laughing. Edward looked at Roger, who stared blankly back. No one said a word.

"
There’s a bomb on the ship!
"
blurted the old woman.

"
A what?
"
Myra asked.

"
A time bomb!
"
replied Archibald looking at his old wind-up wristwatch.

"
What did you do?!
"
Edward demanded as he roughly grabbed his father.
"
Why the hell would you do something like that?
"

"
Where is it?
"
Pamela demanded.

Archibald made no reply.

"
Don’t play games now,
"
Edward demanded.
"
Please don’t tell me you’re sacrificing the lives of everyone on board for some insurance payout.
"

"
Actually an insurance company won’t pay out for sabotage…
"
began Callum.

Pamela looked at him incredulously.

"
What? They wouldn’t!
"
Callum said. He had enough experience at Lloyds to know that… hmm… he needed more painkillers. "I'll shut up now."

"
It makes no sense… we’ve spent so much money… publicity… the Royal…
"
Edward paused. He looked at Myra, then at Archie.
"
Argentina!
"

"
What?
"
asked Pamela.

"
There were supposedly threats against the Queen unless Britain withdrew its armada from Argentina.
"
Edward turned to Archie,
"
Your phony inspector on the runway made a reference to a warrant in Argentina. You planned to make this look like a terrorist attack on the Queen…
"

"
The death of
the
Queen by radical terrorists would create a huge uproar,
"
Pamela followed aloud.
"
That would put an end to the war protesters because the British citizens would demand retribution.
"

"
That’s why you gave in to the name change so easily. You needed Her Majesty to be on board. You were paid to kill her.
"

"
I was not!
"

"
You would profit from the war if…
"

"
We don’t have time for this,
"
interrupted Pamela.
"
Where is the bomb?
"

Archie shrugged,
"
Why should I help you? What kind of immunity can I get?
"

"
Where is the bomb?
"
Edward demanded as he yanked his old father completely out of the wheelchair and started shaking him violently.

"
I don’t know. I just hired someone…
"

"
Notify the captain and the Queen’s security detail,
"
ordered Pamela as her men dashed out the door, their voices barking into their two-way radios.
"
Get everyone to the lifeboats!
"

Edward dropped Archie back into his wheelchair and then turned and dashed out of the room.

Pamela produced a few pairs of handcuffs and turned to Callum,
"
Could you give me a hand?
"

Callum kept his gun aimed as Pamela started to handcuff all three of them to the wrought-iron décor around the fireplace, then brought the oxygen tank to the old woman.

"
Wait,
"
Archibald exclaimed.
"
You’re not going to leave us here. We have to get off the ship!
"

"
Better pray your son finds the bomb,
"
Pamela said.
"
If you have any idea, now's the time to speak up.
"

"
I already said I don’t know. Someone was hired to plant it!
"
exclaimed Archibald.

"
You can’t leave us here!
"
wailed the old woman as she took a breath from the tank.

"
Watch me,
"
Pamela replied as she clicked the old lady’s handcuffs shut,
"
You left Myra to die in 1912. Call it poetic justice.
"

She then gave them a little smile, turned and quickly dashed from the stateroom.

Myra started after her, then stopped at the doorway and looked back at the two old wretched, withered trolls,
"
Oh, and Miss Langlea… remember on your 21st birthday when you said you told me you wished you had my life?
"

Callum saw the look of shock in the old woman’s eyes as her memory stirred.

"You had my life. I’m taking it back,
"
Myra continued, and glanced at Archibald,
"
I was wrong about you two. You deserve each other. I sincerely hope you both rot in hell…
"

Chapter
LXI

00 H 30 M

. . .

"
…fasten lifejackets and proceed to the upper decks,
"
a voice on the loudspeaker instructed.
"
Crew will assist in the orderly evacuation of the ship…
"

Callum could hear Pamela approaching as she barked into her radio,
"
What is the status? Over.
"

A voice crackled in response,
"
All ships large enough to accommodate the
Titan
’s compliment have been deployed to Argentina, over.
"

"
Lovely,
"
Pamela growled sarcastically, then into the radio,
"
Copy. What about the
Britannia
… the Royal Yacht… I know it couldn’t make the trip to Argentina. At least get it here for Her Majesty?! Over.
"

"Copy!"

She looked up to see Callum limping, using Dolanna’s wheelchair for support, with Myra following close behind.
"
Why aren’t you at the lifeboats yet?
"

"
The elevators stopped working when the alarm went off,
"
Callum grumbled with annoyance.

"
Let me help,
"
Pamela said. They all struggled to carry Dolanna’s wheelchair up the stairs to the upper level.

"
You think a tycoon in a wheelchair would have made his ship more wheelchair friendly,
"
huffed Callum.
"
If I get off this ship in one piece, I’ll never complain that my life is boring again.
"

"
I’ll try to walk it,
"
Dolanna said as she looked up the stairs.

"
Are you sure?
"
Callum asked.
"
That was a
nasty spill you took when your
house blew up.
"

Dolanna nodded as she used the handrail to pull herself up, Callum helped to support her weight as Myra struggled to lift up the empty wheelchair.

"
Here
,
like this,
"
Pamela offered, and collapsed it like an accordion, making it only slightly less cumbersome to carry up the stairs.

Once up top, Pamela unfolded it and Myra held it steady as Callum helped Dolanna into it again. He took a moment to catch his breath; his leg was throbbing with pain.

"
Your grandfather would be proud of you,
"
Pamela smiled.
"
This plan that you and Edward cooked up was crazy.
"

"
But brilliant!
"
Callum huffed. He was proud that his plan worked.
"
They had destroyed some of my evidence in my flat, so it was the only way to get Archibald to confess.
"

"
Thank you for trusting me,
"
Myra said.

"
I thought he was crazy,
"
Pamela added.

"
But, as I said, brilliant!" Callum happily interjected. "I
learned to trust my instincts…theyt served me well these
last few days.
"

Callum then looked at Myra
.
"
I had faith in you.
"

"
Actress, huh?
"
Pamela said.
"
That’ll look good in a report.
"

Myra smiled.

The harsh Atlantic wind hit them hard as they pushed open the door and stepped onto the outer deck. They looked about. Mayhem had begun to set in. People were crying, huddling together trying to stay warm. The davits’ wheels were squeaking as they began to lower lifeboats into the ocean. A small five-piece orchestra was playing
‘God Save the Queen.’