He shrugged again and said to London, “I guess that’s all thereis to tell. But I do want to thank you for unraveling the truth. I must havealways wanted to get caught deep down. Otherwise I wouldn’t have continued mycharade even after Sigmund’s death.
“I want you to know something else,” he added. “I truly meant itwhen I said I would miss him. My mourning was perfectly sincere. I meant itvery much. I still do.”
London stood watching as Detektiv Erlich and his menloaded Preiss into the van and drove away with him.
London was startled by how genuinely sorrowful Helmut had soundedjust now.
They really were friends, she thought.
She felt sad that their friendship had come to such a terribleend.
When London returned to the bench, she was delighted to see Brycesitting there with Sir Reggie and Audrey.
“I got a bit lost in back in the streets,” he explained. “ButAudrey has told me everything she could.”
“Is everything all right now?” Audrey asked London.
“I … I guess,” London stammered.
“Nobody’s going to arrest us or anything?”
“No,” London said.
Then London took out her cell phone.
“I’d better call the captain again,” she said. “He won’t believewhat I have to tell him.”
CHAPTER THIRTY FIVE
The Nachtmusik was about to leave Bamberg. When Londonwalked up the gangway with Bryce, Audrey, and Sir Reggie, she saw that the crewwas already preparing the boat for departure.
“I’ll certainly have some vivid memories of this place,” Audreymused as they stepped on board.
“It’s turning out to be an interesting voyage,” Bryce said.
Too interesting, London thought.
Captain Hays met the group in the reception area.
Shaking his head with wonder, he said, “I’m glad to see all ofyou back in one piece. We’re ready to set sail as soon as all passengers andcrew are accounted for. Could you check on that for me, London?”
London took out her cell phone and opened an app showing who waschecked in.
“Everybody is still with us,” she told Captain Hays.
“Excellent.” He raised his own phone and notified the crew toremove the gangway. Then he said, “Oh, by the way, London, that was quite somestory you told me over the phone. Are you sure that you’ve finally caught allthe culprits?”
London let out a tired laugh and replied, “If not, I’ll leave itto Detektiv Erlich and his team to take things from here.”
Captain Hays stroked his walrus-style mustache.
“You know, London—Bob Turner and his, eh, chronicler, StanleyTedrow, came by my stateroom and gave me their own briefing of the case. I mustsay, there are a few discrepancies between his account and yours.”
“I’m sure there are,” London said with a grin.
“For example,” the captain continued, “Bob said nothing at allabout a dishonest brewer, only a short-tempered security guard wielding adeadly cudgel. The way Bob tells it, he single-handedly nabbed the fellowthrough an astonishing feat of derring-do. I believe he and Mr. Tedrow haveforwarded a written account of their investigatory prowess to Mr. Lapham. Wouldyou like me to get in touch with our CEO and try to set him right as to facts?”
London laughed heartily.
“No, please don’t,” she said. “Just leave well enough alone.”
“Very well, then,” Captain Hays said. “I expect you’ll sleep welltonight.”
The captain headed away to the elevator, leaving London withBryce, Audrey, and Sir Reggie. For an awkward moment, the three humans didn’tseem to know what to say to each other.
Bryce and London exchanged yearning glances.
He wishes we could be alone, London realized.
And so do I.
But Audrey didn’t seem to notice any such signals.
Bryce shuffled his feet and cleared his throat.
“Well,” he said finally, “I guess I’d better go check how thingsare in the kitchen. You will let me know if you need anything, won’t you,London?”
“I promise,” London said.
Bryce sauntered away and disappeared down the stairs.
Audrey demanded, “Are you really going to let that Bob Turnerfellow take all the credit for solving the case?”
“Oh, absolutely,” London said.
“Whatever for?”
London laughed again.
“I’m just as happy that Mr. Lapham doesn’t know much about mydetective work. I don’t want him to develop expectations. I’m quite happy withmy job as Social Director, thank you very much.”
“Then your detective work is a secret?” Audrey askedthoughtfully.
“It’s definitely better that way. If we ever have to go throughanother one of these ordeals, I’m sure you’ll understand how I feel.”
Audrey let out a squeal of enthusiasm.
“Oh, I can hardly wait!” she said.
Then she raised her hand to her lips as if shocked by her ownwords.
“Not that I hope anyone else will get killed, understand,” shesaid to London.
“Of course not.”
“It’s just that this has been … well, an adventure. It’s made mefeel so very alive, more so than I can ever remember. Meanwhile, I’m utterlyexhausted. I’m going to turn in for the night. Thank you for an exciting day,London Rose. And thank you for … well, everything else.”
London smiled as she remembered what Audrey had said aboutgratitude earlier today.
“You helped me feel something really important.”
“Any time,” she said.
Audrey leaned over and scratched Sir Reggie under the chin, thenheaded away.
London sighed wistfully.
“If only Bryce had hung around for a few moments longer,” shesaid to Sir Reggie.
The little dog let out a sympathetic murmur.
“Well, I guess I’d better make my final rounds for the night,”she told him. “We’ve got to make sure that everybody is occupied and happy.”
Sir Reggie followed her on into the Amadeus Lounge, which wasquite busy now that all the passengers had come back aboard. The first personshe encountered there was Letitia Hartzer, who called out to her from a tablewhere she was having drinks with some friends.
“Oh, London! Exactly who I wanted to see! I’m so excitedabout our upcoming visit to Amsterdam, and I wanted to study a map of the citybefore we get there. The tiny little dinky map I get on my cell phone is simplynot up to snuff. So microscopic, it hurts my eyes. I wonder whether …”
“I could get you a physical map?”
Letitia chuckled. “Yes, the old-fashioned analog kind, allprinted out in wonderful colors on a big, folded sheet of pressed-and-dried woodpulp—paper, I think it’s called.”
“Yes, I believe that
