by Rich Foster
“Come look, honey! You can see the whole city.”:
Behind his back, on the bed Julia rolled her eyes and made the motions of a mouth yapping with her hand, but she said nothing.
Harvey gave up on what he thought was a grand view and entered the cabin, slid the glass door shut and sat down on the bed. He reached over and began to massage Julia's shoulders but under his fingertips he felt her flinch.
“Can I get you anything, baby?”
“Just turn up the A.C. And give me a little time alone,” she answered giving him a tepid smile.
Harvey spoke. "I guess I'll go explore a bit. They have everything you could want aboard.” His enthusiasm faltered and died against her stony silence. At last he shrugged and abandoned the cabin.
The Sterling Line had four ships and the Princess was the newest having been launched only the year before. People were crowding the companionways, learning their way about. Others staked out deck chairs while poorly supervised children took to the small pool with screams and splashes. Harvey stopped at one of the numerous bars, ordered a pina colada because they were heading for the islands, and then felt foolish to be standing alone sipping a drink with a paper parasol rising from it. So far, his plan for a romantic getaway was failing. His thoughts were interrupted by a male voice that was commenting upon his drink.
“I see you love pina colada's too!” The speaker was in his early thirties and impeccably dressed. He had a models good looks that left Harvey vaguely nervous.
“Are you cruising alone? The voice inquired.
With a start, Harvey realized he was being hit upon. Feeling flustered and a bit intimidated due to a homophobia he would publicly deny, he answered a bit too curtly, “No, I am with someone!”
“Well my loss, dearie.” And with that the voice cruised off.
Harvey dropped his drink into the trash.
An hour later he found himself foot weary, frustrated, and lonely among a sea of smiling faces, smiling and couples, coupling. He retreated to one of the buffets where he took too much, ate too much, and found the fare was rather bland and tasteless when eating alone. Feeling defeated he retreated to their cabin where he found that Julia had gone out.
The next four days were not too different, Julia was either out or suffering a headache, fatigued, or in a mood to fight. They bickered over insignificant things. The trip from Harvey's perspective was a failure. His earlier desire to woo her gradually turned to dislike, snub by snub and rejection upon rejection. His ego suffered from a growing antipathy for his wife, it took the form of imagining scenarios for her demise.
To add to his displeasure he was certain he saw a familiar face aboard, one with which he had no desire to renew acquaintance. The facet reappeared with increasing and unsettling frequency around the ship.
The whole disaster came to a head while they were walking among the vendors on Bay Street in Nassau. When Harvey insisted she try a straw hat on, Julia, much to his surprise suggested it was time to consider a divorce. The mere suggestion first startled and then outraged him.
I'll be dammed if I am going to let her walk away scot free, he thought.
Neither found much to say. Finally, they abandoned all attempts to enjoy Nassau and returned to the ship. Back in their stateroom Julia took possession of the bathroom to, as she said, “shower and wash off the tropical heat and grime.” Alone in the stateroom Harvey opened the nightstand and removed two pills from the plastic vial of fast release Ambien that ever since her sister's death Julia regularly used for getting to sleep quickly. He dropped the container back into the drawer. On a sheet of ship's stationary he used a glass to grind the pills into a fine powder. He hands trembled with nervous excitement as he mixed the powder into a glass of wine. The fact that drinking while using Ambien was contraindicated on the prescription label did not worry him in that it would be irrelevant to Julia in light of his plans for her.
When she came into the stateroom wrapped in a towel he handed the glass to her and entered the bathroom taking his own glass of wine with him. He took his time showering. When he came out Julia was sprawled naked across the bed, the wine glass empty on the dresser. She breathed rhythmically. Harvey jotted a quick note, “Went to the casino, get me for dinner”.
As soon as he was gone, Julia sat up. She picked up the wine glass, made a small moue at the finely ground residue in the cup. She rinsed the glass in the bathroom sink. And then settled down with a book to await Harvey's return. His two mistakes were failing to make sure the pills were fully dissolved and not getting the cap tight on the pill container so when she opened the drawer the pills spilled out as the cap rolled off. When she noticed it, she had tossed the wine off the balcony and assumed the tactics of a possum until Harvey made his move.
*
Two day later the rain in Red Lake finally broke. The sun poked through to dry out the ground and brighten spirits. The temperature rose heralding the coming summer. Harry tried fishing the river but the flow was too great. No quiet pools remained. Another week and they'll start biting. The thought pleased him.
Instead he went to the marina and got his 35' houseboat out of the cradles, onto the rails, and launched into the water. However, Cody Marina's floating docks were not in the water yet, so he motored over to his cabin and tied to his mooring buoy. Once the season began he would use his slip at Cody's. The 18' runabout in his garage he would use to get to the marina or his office. The runabout the trip to town a short one, despite Red Lake's summer tourist traffic.
He spent the afternoon cleaning and setting the boat to order after the winter months. Late in the afternoon, he stripped down and dove into the water and swam toward his cabin. The water was still frigid, his chest grew tight and his limbs numb in the short swim. He pulled himself up on his floating dock and jogged up to the house.
Paula got a quick kiss in passing as he dashed for the shower.
“There was something odd on the news,” she called to him making impossible chit chat over the noise of the shower.”
“About what?” he shouted back attempting to make himself heard.
Paula wandered over to the bathroom and leaned against the door jamb. “A cruise ship returned to port without a passenger.”
Harry rinsed his hair and waited for more. “His name was Harvey Stockman. Isn't that an odd coincidence? That's the same name as that client we had last month.”
Harry swung the glass shower door open and angrily said, “That was my client from last month!”
“Really? How strange. Why are you so angry?'
“Because he still owes me a check!”
*
Harry needn't have worried. When he got to the office he found Stockman's check among unopened junk mail in the basket on his desk. Lest his client was really dead and the accounts became frozen he walked to his bank and cashed it.
As he came down the hallway in the Edison Building that led to his second floor office he could hear his phone ringing,. He fumbled with his keys, trying to hurry to open the lock fearing he would miss the call. However, it continued to ring with persistence.
“Harry Grim Investigator,” he said breathlessly as he grabbed the extension on Paula's desk.
“Mr. Grim?”
“Speaking.”
“My name is Julia Stockman, I believe my husband hired you to do some work for him?”
Thinking of the deposited check he said, “Yes some background checks for his campaign.”
Why is she calling me about this now? Didn't her husband just disappear?”
“Well sir, we went on a cruise together.”
“Yes, Mr. Stockman mentioned he had travel plans.”
“Well he's missing.” A long pause followed. Static crackled on the wire. In the background there were office sounds. “He's disappeared from our ship and the authorities in Miami are holding me as a material witness.”
Make that suspect, honey. Harry thought. “How can I help, Mrs. Stockman? “
For some p
erverse reason Harry kept picturing her in her tiny red panties during this conversation.
“I want you to come down and represent me.”
“You need a lawyer, ma'am not a private eye.”
“I have retained one but I told him I wanted you to investigate.”
Why she put such faith in a man she never met, puzzled Harry.
Perhaps, Harvey exaggerated my talents to her?
Harry looked out the window where the sun shone and thought about fishing. Why didn't she call a week ago? Heck, its a free trip, maybe Paula will want to go?”
Having decided, somewhat reluctantly he said, “Okay, Mrs. Stockman, I’ll fly down. I can catch a flight later today and should be in Miami on the Red Eye by tomorrow morning. Where are you staying?”
“The Dade County Pretrial Detention Center. I'm suppose to appear before a judge tomorrow to see if they can hold me. My lawyer will meet you in the lobby.”
“I'll see you there.”
*
“Please stow your personal possessions and put your seat back in the upright position., we will be landing in a few minutes.”
The voice roused Harry from a fitful sleep. Fortunately, the flight crew had been content to leave the passengers undisturbed during the flight, one of the small advantages of dwindling airline service. He slid up the shade. They were descending between thick thunderheads and a pale sunrise that faded into a dark gray dawn as they dropped through the clouds.
Not more rain, please God!
The plane made a gut wrenching rise and harder plunge on a wave of turbulence. They were all was pressed down in their seats as the pilot pulled up to compensate. The port wing dipped and the plane came around on final approach, below him lay a cancerous sprawl of tract homes and industrial buildings. What charm Florida once had was reserved for the beach, the rest was despoiled by developers.
The ground rushed by and drew close. The pilot throttled up and the plane seemed to barely reach the stripes at the end of the runway. They bounced hard and were down.
“Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to Miami International. Local time is 5:30 EST. The current weather is eighty-two degrees and 99% humidity. Rain is in the forecast. Thanks for flying with us today.”
As they taxied toward the gate, the occasional sprinkle turned into a cloud burst that caused raindrops to bounce and dance in a white haze over the concrete aprons and water sleeted down the fuselage windows.
The Miami terminal had an abandoned feeling. A desultory janitor pushed a wide broom and somnolent clerks pulled the grates up from terminal shops as if opening the gates of hell, as they prepared for early morning departures. Harry carried his overnight bag on his shoulder and made his way to the street exits.
Outside the terminal the air was thick with humidity.
Even at it's wettest Red Lake never feels like this.
Harry slid into the first cab. The driver was Jamaican or Haitian.
“Where to ma-a-a-n?” The driver dragged the word out between a toothy smile. A multicolored knit beanie covered his head. “”You looking for action?”
“Dade County Pretrial Detention Center.”
The driver was crestfallen. “Aw man what you wanna go there for? There's no action there, I take you to the beach, eh?”
Harry just pointed.
“I won't get no good rides back. Why don't you grab another cab?”
Harry silently pointed again with one finger.
The driver grumbled but pulled into the flow of traffic. They left the airport and headed north on LeJuenne Road.
Harry tapped on the glass.
“When you are ready to start the meter, turn around and head toward the Dolphin Expressway, okay buddy?”
The man's upper lip bent up in a sneer, “Sorry man, my mistake.”
*
The high rise detention center might have been a condominium project or an off-brand hotel. In the tiled lobby voice's echoed off the walls.
“Javier Guezman, I represent Mrs. Stockman.”
Harry took the proffered hand of the well dressed Cuban. The lawyer's demeanor discouraged the use of Christian names.
Probably not cheap, Harry thought looking at the suit.
“Harry Grim.”
“A pleasure, Mr. Grim. As you know your license is not valid in Florida. Nor is your gun permit I might add, if you brought one. However, my client is determined to have you support her interests, though please do not take offense, I fail to see what you can do.”
Harry spread open hands but said nothing.
“The Princess Sterling is registered in Panama, therefore any investigation of crimes aboard the ship falls to them. The only reason Mrs. Stockman was detained is due to the question of timing. If her husband disappeared within the three mile limit of the United States, law enforcement here can investigate.”
“That seems a bit sketchy.”
“It is, Mr. Grim. The way International Law works I am afraid the cruise industry is a law unto themselves while at sea. Few crimes are ever solved, much less significantly investigated.”
“The next time I want to murder somebody I guess I'll take a cruise.”
Guezman gave a tight smile. “Sad to say that is what others have found to work. To accommodate Mrs. Stockman I am willing to list you as an assistant, that should provide you access and client privilege confidentiality should it be required, however, I doubt you will discover anything. The cruise industry is very tight lipped in these situations.”
“Thank you, anyway. I appreciate your co-operation. I know I must seem like an interloper to you.”
“I have no problem with that, Mr. Grim, you are welcome. That said, please understand that I reserve the right to terminate our agreement at any time.”
“Fair enough Mr. Guezman. I may not prove to be of use but I did some work for Mr. Stockman so you might say I have an interest in his welfare.”
“Well why don't we meet with Mrs. Stockman, she is scheduled for court today. I hope to obtain her release, however, when it comes to a material witness the power lies with the government.”
Julia Stockman looked as good in person as she had through the lens of Harry's telescope, though she was currently showing less flesh. Lines of stress brought on by sleeplessness showed from her two days in detention.
“Thank you, Mr. Grim. I appreciate your coming. I felt I needed a friend and Harvey told me all about you.”
I'll bet he did!
“I am glad to help. What can you tell me about your husbands disappearance?
“Very little. Harvey was in the Casino playing craps. I felt tired so I went to our cabin. I fell asleep.”
“And he never came in?”
“Not that I am aware of, I awoke about two and Harvey was not in the bed. I assumed he was still gambling. I fell back to sleep until almost eight. By then the ship was docking here in Miami.”
“Weren't you worried that your husband never came in?”
A brief look of disdain crossed her face and was gone.
“Harvey is a grown man Mr. Grim, we were on vacation. I assumed he had come in and already gone out again.”
“Did you go ashore in Nassau?”
“Yes but I'm not a big drinker and shopping bores me.”
Harry's eyebrows arched, “I thought all women liked to shop?”
“Well I'm not one of them. Anyway, nothing happened while we were ashore”
The lawyer interrupted, “I am afraid we will need to pursue this after the hearing. It is getting late.”
“One more question, Mrs. Stockman.”
“Julia, please.”
Harry nodded.
“Just when did you report your husband missing?”
“That morning when he didn't return to pack. After all we were expected to debark and the cleaning crews were already working vacated cabins. I reported this to the Purser who I might say seemed more concerned that Harvey's absent would delay their schedule than that my husband was missing.”
Javier put legal papers into his briefcase, then rose.
“Really, Mrs. Stockman needs to go back to the cell block for transport to the courthouse.” He turned to Julia. “I have every expectation we can get you released.”
“One last question, was your any of your husband's effects missing?”
“No.” she paused, “Except for the things he was wearing."
"What about his passport?"
"It was in our cabin. I gave it to the authorities.”
*
With a business card and a note from Guezman, Harry set out to ask a few questions.
When he arrived at the berth in the Port of Miami where the Sterling Princess docked, he found an empty slip. The ship sailed twelve hours after Mrs. Stockman debarked.
Harry proceeded to the office for the Sterling Cruise Line. The company operated four ships, the Princess, the King, the Queen and the Crown Prince.
“We at Sterling Cruise Lines are extremely concerned by Mr. Stockman's unreported departure,” the public relations spokesperson unctuously told Harry. She was middle-aged and armored in a navy blue, double breasted blazer, emblazoned with a faux crest on the pocket. “When a passenger departs without notice it is always difficult.”
“It's tough to give notice if you've been pitched overboard?”
“Unless you have some information to that effect I would recommend you refrain from making such accusations. Our company takes such matters rather seriously. If on the other hand you do have pertinent information it should be provided to the proper authorities in Panama.”
“And who might that be?”
“I don't know. You would have to ask them.”
“And has Mr. Stockman's absence been reported in Panama?”
“I am not free to discuss any possible internal investigations.”
“That quite convenient for you.”
“Your sarcasm is not appreciated, sir. We are trying to be helpful. Hopefully, Mr.... um,” she glanced at her notes to find the name, “Mr. Stockman will turn up in Nassau.”
