Diamond in the Blue: D.I. Simpers Investigates Read Online Free PDF Page A

drinks. The thought of cream in tea reminded him of the tinned sweet milk some of his neighbours drank on the council estate he grew up on. The smell of the stuff still made him wretch.
    The steward interpreted Simpers' discomfort immediately and, without fuss, added the merest touch of milk and two lumps of sugar. With a tiny nod of his head, he lowered his knowing eyes from an embarrassed Simpers. As the steward handed Simpers his drink, the detective became aware of a small piece of paper between the saucer and the steward's gloved palm. The young man gave Simpers an earnest look. Instinctively, Simpers covertly slid the paper into his jacket pocket. An appreciative smile crossed the steward's face as he completed a 360 degree turn to offer the Commodore refreshments.
    'Thank you, Malin. Please offer my compliments to the Purser and ask him to join us.'
    The steward acknowledged the order, took two steps backwards, then seemed to vanish into thin air.
    'Excellent chap, Malin, he's been with me for a couple of years now. His father also looked after me, too many years ago to mention.
    'You notice the tattoo on the back of his thumb? He comes from Goa; a lot of chaps from there are Catholics. They have a tradition of identifying themselves with the tattoo you noticed.
    'Of course, things are changing, and we now recruit from all over the world… and it's a double edged sword.'
    'How so?' replied Simpers.
    'Like it or not, people from different cultures sometimes don't behave well towards each other. What you need to understand, Detective Inspector, is that a ship is a small place. Misunderstandings and minor arguments can get out of hand if you don't jump on them. As you might expect, I maintain firm discipline; no exceptions made.'
    The light atmosphere that had prevailed up until then evaporated. Simpers took note of how the Commodore's demeanour had changed without effort. Also, how his assertiveness came to the fore. Simpers recognised the same trait in his own superior. He concluded that the ability to switch persona at the drop of a hat was common to those of senior rank. It wasn't something he recognised as part of his own make-up. With him, people got what they saw, though he accepted this was as much a weakness as strength. The tension of the moment passed as the Purser entered the room in the same manner as the steward. It was as if its walls were porous, allowing those in the know to pass through its structure at will.
    'Good afternoon, Commodore.'
    'Good of you to join us, Purser.'
    The Purser turned in Simpers' direction, smiled and offered his hand as he did so.
    'Detective Inspector, welcome aboard.'
    The Purser here looks after everything to do with passengers,' offered the Commodore, his previous hail fellow well met smile now having re-emerged.
    Simpers knew that although the two men carried the same number of gold strips, they were in no way equal. The subservient demeanour of the Purser towards the Commodore served to reinforce his assessment. Pleasantries over, the Commodore gestured the men to join him at the conference table. Its construction matched the exquisite quarter cut veneered panelling that lined the room. Several picture windows punctuated its starboard wall, flooding the space with light. The reflection of rippled water dancing across the room's wood surfaces had a soporific effect on Simpers. It didn't last long, courtesy of the Commodore's authoritative voice.
    'As you know, we have information that leads us to believe certain valuable items we are showcasing on this cruise are at risk.'
    Simpers' mind wandered for a moment at the thought of two weeks on water. With this would come myriad opportunities for the oceans to play havoc with the contents of his stomach. Then there was his vertigo to deal with. Being tied up in the shelter of Westbay Sound was one thing, but once the ship entered open water, he knew things would be different and it would be open season on his senses. Simpers had