Over My Dead Body (Detective William Warwick #4)(15)

‘What next, sir?’ asked Franco.

‘I want this whole area roped off and the doors locked. No one is to be allowed to enter the dining room unless I say so.’

‘Understood, sir.’

‘I’m off to question Dr Lockhart and Hamish Buchanan. I need to interview them before they go to bed, although I suspect Hamish already has his story well prepared. I should be back in about an hour. Meanwhile, Franco, remember to make sure none of the passengers come into the room.’ He touched James on the shoulder and said, ‘Make your grandfather proud.’

William didn’t need to ask where the chairman’s stateroom was. James had already informed him that his cabin was on deck seven along with the rest of the family, and there were no other passengers on that deck.

When William stepped out of the lift, he was greeted by the eerie silence of mourning. A crew member was standing guard outside a door at the far end of the corridor that William assumed must be the chairman’s stateroom.

The tall, heavyset man opened the cabin door before William had a chance to knock. On entering, he found Mrs Buchanan seated by the body of her late husband, still holding his hand. She didn’t look up.

Dr Lockhart was standing on the other side of the bed. Without a word passing between them, he motioned William towards an adjoining room and closed the door quietly behind them.

‘I’m sorry to intrude on your grief, Dr Lockhart,’ said William, ‘but I need to ask you if there’s any doubt in your mind as to what caused the chairman’s death.’

‘None whatsoever,’ said Lockhart firmly. ‘In fact, I’ve already signed the death certificate, which I’ll hand in to the coroner as soon as we dock in New York. I’m only surprised it didn’t happen earlier. Frankly, Fraser Buchanan was a time bomb waiting to explode.’

‘You may well be right,’ said William. ‘However, there are one or two matters I still have to clear up. Hamish Buchanan claimed the flask he handed to his father only contained a mild sedative that he had been prescribed by you.’

‘That’s correct. One or two of the family, including Hamish, occasionally suffer from seasickness, so I always have something at hand to help them sleep. In any case, everyone saw Hamish and Fraser drink from the same flask, so there’s no reason to suspect that his death was due to anything other than natural causes.’

Once again, someone had delivered a sentence that wasn’t necessary. William wondered what else the doctor had to hide.

‘Do you have any more of that medicine, doctor?’ William asked. ‘As I don’t suppose I’ll be getting much sleep tonight.’

‘Of course,’ replied Lockhart, who opened his leather bag, took out a half-empty medicine bottle and handed it to William. As he did so, William spotted something else in the bottom of the bag that answered a question he would no longer need to ask.

‘I’ll leave you now, doctor,’ he said. ‘I’m sure Mrs Buchanan will be grateful for your company. But before I go, can you tell me which is Hamish Buchanan’s cabin?’

‘Number three. It’s the first door on the left as you go out.’

‘Thank you, doctor.’ William opened the cabin door, stepped back into the corridor and walked slowly across to number three. He took a deep breath and knocked on the door.

‘Enter,’ said a voice that sounded wide awake.

William walked into the cabin to find Hamish Buchanan seated in a large, comfortable chair, a goblet of brandy in his hand, a half-smoked cigar in the other. There was no sign of his wife.

‘I’m sorry to disturb you at such a late hour,’ said William, ‘but I need to ask you a couple of questions before you go to bed.’

‘No need to waste your time, Chief Inspector,’ said Hamish, not bothering to offer him a seat. ‘I’ve already spoken to my lawyer in New York and he’s advised me not to answer any of your questions until he can be present. He felt sure I wouldn’t have to remind you that this vessel is registered under an American flag. A country in which you have no jurisdiction.’

‘Nevertheless, I do have the commodore’s authority to carry out an investigation into your father’s death,’ responded William. ‘I can’t imagine my questions would worry someone who has nothing to hide.’

‘You won’t get me to rise quite that easily, Chief Inspector, so please leave me to mourn in peace.’ Hamish flicked a piece of ash into an ashtray by his side before adding, ‘My lawyer also advised me that once we enter American territorial waters you will no longer have any authority on board this ship, whatever the commodore says. Therefore, may I suggest you go to bed and try and get a good night’s sleep.’

‘I will,’ said William, producing the bottle Dr Lockhart had given him, which at least produced a flicker of concern on Hamish’s face. ‘Meanwhile, I would ask you to remain in your cabin while I continue with my enquiries.’

‘And if I don’t, Chief Inspector, what will you do? Have me clapped in irons before walking the plank? I don’t think so. Why don’t you run along.’ He raised his glass in a mock toast.

William left, convinced that, like the doctor, Hamish Buchanan had something to hide. But both of them in their own way had made him aware of just how little time he had to find out what that something was. ‘During the first forty-eight hours of a murder inquiry, you only go to sleep if you fall asleep’ was one of The Hawk’s favourite mantras. And then only after you’ve made an arrest.