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

had conquered science. It seemed larger on the inside than its immense exterior hinted at and he was mesmerised by the sights, sounds, and smells assaulting his senses. Chaotic it may have appeared, but there was a distinct purpose about the place. The corridor had markings of various colours that separated foot traffic from mechanical trolleys. These carried a myriad of supplies. The volume of provisions stored astounded Simpers.
    'Think of it this way,' said the Deputy Captain, 'on a two week cruise, each passenger will, on average, put on over half a stone. We'll get through around seven tons of beef, five tons of fish and twenty-five thousand eggs. You don't gain that sort of weight by eating carrots all the time you know!'
    As the two men reached the midpoint of Watling Street, the Deputy Captain stopped in his tracks.
    'Immediately above us is the medical centre. It's always situated low down and midships to counter any movement of the vessel in rough seas.'
    The mention of rough seas made Simpers take a sharp, silent, intake of breath through clenched teeth. He closed his eyes in an involuntary action. Simpers mind projected an unwanted image of mountainous seas on the back of his eyelids.
    'Oh, I see,' replied Simpers. He mused that Cross's comment and his self-generated imagery were doing nothing for his vertigo.
    'That's also why these are here.'
    Simpers looked puzzled. The area looked exactly the same as the rest of the vast thoroughfare. Cross pressed a button marked 'M lift' on a section of enamel painted panelling behind Simpers.
    To the detective's surprise, the panelling opened with quiet efficiency. It revealed a space measuring about eight feet by four.
    Cross pointed to an otherwise nondescript panel to one side of the elevator. Taking a key from his pocket, he inserted it into a small opening covered by an escutcheon plate, just above head height. Turning it to the right, Simpers heard a discrete 'click' as the panel opened. The Deputy Captain swung the panel open to reveal three empty shelves around three feet wide at around two foot intervals. At the same time Simpers felt a stream of cold air brush across his face.
    'It's a sad fact that people sometimes die while on-board. Inconveniently, they don't always time their demise with a port visit. The days of packing them in barrels of rum went out with Admiral Nelson. And anyway, it's too expensive now, and, of course, health & safety regulations wouldn't allow us to re-use the rum.'
    Simpers observed the glint in the officer's eyes as he delivered a well practised line.
    'So you see, we are completely self-contained on board. Should the worst happen, we have a medical centre and operating theatre. We also have the means to store those who can't make it ashore under their own steam, so to speak.'
    'Yes, I see, of course,' Simpers replied, trying hard not to look surprised, though in truth, he hadn't thought of the need for a mortuary while afloat.
    'OK, let's move on. In here we have the crew eating and social area.'
    As they walked through the various dining rooms and crew lounge area, Simpers hesitated.
    'Why two different kitchens?'
    'Historically, we've had staff from different cultures doing different jobs. They have different food requirements. Over the years we've found it works best to have separate kitchens to cater for their needs, using their own specialist cooks.'
    'Sounds expensive,' Simpers responded.
    'Not as expensive as a restless crew.'
    Simpers got the point.
    'By the way, Detective Inspector, please don't come into these areas, even if invited by a crew member. Unless, that is, you are with a senior officer.'
    'Why?' responded Simpers.
    'Well, the vast majority of crew do not have deck privileges.'
    'Deck privileges?' quizzed Simpers.
    'Yes, apart from officers and a small number of other staff, crew are not permitted in public areas once they are off shift. So you can see that just as they are not allowed in passenger areas, they don't