“The timing seems unlikely. I have an idea as to how we can find out, but for now we best get ready for dinner. At least there we will be able to corner some of our suspects.”
Chapter Eleven
That night in the dining room one never would have guessed there had been a murder on board. People ate their food and sipped sparkling water—Nora noted that Aunt Julia’s glass was clear—as if they’d forgotten all about Delilah’s death.
Despite Aunt Julia’s earlier gaffe with the Hinchcliffes, Martha waved them over with enthusiasm. Tonight she was wearing a sky-blue gown loaded with rhinestones on the top and a matching ostrich-feather boa. The outfit was more fitting for a younger woman, but Nora was finding that Martha was rather unconventional. Interestingly enough, Vera was seated at the table next to her mother-in-law. Every other time Beau had been in the middle. Johnny Stokes was also at the table.
Vera looked radiant in a gold gown laden with pearls and gold beads that showed off her figure to advantage. She appeared relaxed and fully recovered from the excitement of the morning. Beau couldn’t keep his eyes off her. In contrast, Nora had worn a lavender low-waisted dress that made it look as if she had no figure at all. At least it complimented her red hair and fair skin, or so Aunt Julia said.
Julia seated herself next to Johnny. “I do hope you are recovered from your shock during breakfast this morning.”
He looked confused. “Shock?”
Julia lowered her voice but in a way that everyone could hear. “The death of that singer… Delilah Dove.”
Johnny blanched. “Oh, yes. Well, that was disturbing.”
“Indeed, even more so to discover it might have been… well… there’s no easy way to say this. It might not have been an accident.”
“What do you mean?”
“I heard that someone pushed her.” Aunt Julia shot Nora an apologetic glance. At least she was starting to realize when she overstepped her bounds in the investigation duties.
Nora leaned over Julia to address Johnny. “Don’t let my aunt worry you, she has an overactive imagination. Either way Delilah’s death is a tragedy. So young… she must have been around your age, right?”
“Yes, she was a few years older.” Johnny gulped his water, perhaps realizing that the way he’d said that implied he knew her age. He could have read it in any paper, but Nora wondered…
“Oh? Did you know her?” Aunt Julia must have wondered too. Nora kicked her under the table.
“Know her? No. I mean, I just heard.” Johnny fiddled with his fork nervously. “Why would someone want to kill her?”
Aunt Julia shook out her napkin and spread it on her lap. “I can’t say. I don’t suppose anyone here saw anything…” She glanced up, looking around at each of them.
They shook their heads.
Martha leaned in toward Julia. “Have you heard anything more about the investigation?”
“No. But I’m sure if it was murder, the killer will be brought to justice.” Aunt Julia took a sip of water and stared at the suspects over the rim of the glass.
Beulah and Harry Entwhistle joined the table.
“It’s a bit strange tonight.” Beulah glanced at the stage where Kenny played a soft tune on the sax. The melancholy notes drifted out into the room, setting a somber mood. Later on the full band would join him and Lily would take over for Delilah. “To think just last night we listened to Delilah Dove and tonight….” She drifted off, her hand reaching up to fiddle with her brooch.
Johnny looked at her sympathetically. “It is, isn’t it. But don’t worry, we’ll make the best of it.” He cast a glance at Nora and Aunt Julia who nodded. The waiter came and they ordered dinner and the conversation turned to more mundane matters. At least Aunt Julia didn’t bring up her mystery novels again.
Nora watched the others as she ate her pork chops. The chops were stuffed with cornbread and were quite delicious and the asparagus tips on the side were perfectly cooked. She would have loved a nice wine, but the ship was dry. The suspects all seemed a bit nervous, but who wouldn’t be after having been informed a murder had happened? She noticed that Max Lawton wasn’t in the dining room. Come to think of it, she hadn’t seen him make any friends on the trip and he often ate alone. She assumed he preferred to spend his time at the gambling table and, perhaps, murdering passengers.
Vera barely ate a thing, though Nora supposed that was her norm. She wouldn’t be able to eat much if she wanted to keep that figure. As Vera nibbled a piece of lettuce, her eyes darted about the room as if expecting the killer to come at her—or a police officer to come arrest her.
Johnny had taken an interest in Beulah, trying to calm her, as the old lady was visibly upset about what had happened to Delilah. Good thing she hadn’t heard Aunt Julia mention murder—at least not unless she had very good hearing—but Nora supposed the rumor would get around to her eventually.
Johnny must have been a kind soul, as Nora had gathered from the look in his eyes when he’d talked about his grandmother. He joked with Beulah during dinner and, after the plates were cleared, he took her out on the dance floor when it became obvious she wanted to dance and Harold didn’t seem to want any part of it. Johnny whirled her around somewhat carelessly. He wasn’t a great dancer, stepping on her feet a couple of times but helping her not to fall. Nora made a mental note to avoid dancing with him.
When it came time for Lily to sing, the room quieted as if everyone was holding their breath. She took the mic but didn’t launch into song straight away.
“I’d like to thank everyone for coming to hear me… and I dedicate this song to Delilah Dove.” Lily’s voice had an appropriate tremble. She was a good singer. The first song was a little sad but then she jazzed it up with fast tunes and things got lively again. When the band played an instrumental version of the Charleston, Aunt Julia saw her opening to talk to Lily and Joy.
She pushed up from the table and inclined her head toward the table in the corner where the two singers were taking a break. Nora followed.
“What a lovely set. Such a sweet voice.” Aunt Julia’s compliments brought a smile to Lily’s face.
“Thank you so much.” Her smile faded. “Of course, given the circumstances it’s bittersweet to be singing.”
Nora studied Joy while Aunt Julia gushed about Lily’s vocal abilities. Joy didn’t look very happy for Lily. Was she jealous? And how had Lily gotten the coveted lead-singing role instead of Joy?
“At least a tragedy has a silver lining, but is it hard with only one backup singer?” Nora looked from Lily to Joy. “You both have lovely voices so it must have been hard to choose which one would become the lead. Did you do it by seniority? Or were there some other criteria?”
Lily glanced at Joy, then hurried to explain. “Well, honestly, Joy didn’t want to sing the lead, isn’t that right?”
Joy nodded. “Yes. I’m just not ready.”
“One can’t rush into things,” Aunt Julia said. “I assume there was some sort of party last night? It was very late when Delilah was found but she was still in the gown she wore to sing. Were you all at the party? Whatever possessed her to go up to the sun deck?”