During a lull in the storm which had tossed and rocked the sturdy little steamer "Dauntless," a shot rang out on "A" deck.
Professor Gorakski threw down the detective story he was trying somewhat unsuccessfully to read and hastened into the companionway where, as it turned at the far corner, he found Steward Munzer bending over the body of a man who had been instantly killed. Just then the heavens opened; lightning flashed and thunder boomed as if in ghoulish mockery.
The dead man's head bore powder burns. Captain Kinnard and the criminologist started checking the whereabouts of everyone aboard, beginning with those passengers nearest where the body was discovered.
The first questioned was Don Theobald, who said he was just completing a letter in his cabin when he heard the shot.
"May I see it?" Kinnard asked.
Looking over the captain's shoulder Gorakski saw the small precise handwriting, on the ship's stationery, was apparently addressed to a woman.
The next cabin was occupied by Miss Sheila Bisenius. On being questioned regarding what she was doing at the time, Miss Bisenius became excited and nervous, stating she had become so frightened of the storm she had gone (about 15 minutes before the shot was fired) to the cabin of her fiance, Roger Collins, directly opposite. The latter corroborated her statement, saying they hadn't rushed into the passageway because it would have looked compromising were they seen emerging together at that hour. Gorakski noticed a dark red stain on Collins' dressing gown.
The rest of the passengers' and crew's whereabouts were satisfactorily checked.
WHOM DID CAPTAIN KINNARD HOLD ON SUSPICION? WHY?