Murder at Sea

Ashton Gan Kai Yi (J1 Canberra) 2023479

        The ideal season for a voyage on a Japanese ship was spring, with its beautiful floral aroma and brisk ocean breeze.

        But, Conley didn't anticipate a murder.

        In the murky light of a lantern, Conley was reading a novel in his cabin below deck. Suddenly, Conley could hear sailors shouting above deck. Reluctantly, Conley left his cabin to investigate the disturbance.

        The top deck was in chaos. In the din of frantic sailors, Conley could only make out one thing, "The captain's been shot!"

        "Everyone calm down! What happened?" Conley enquired, "I'm a detective."

        "I discovered the captain lying in a pool of his own blood when I gazed into the captain's cabin after hearing a gunshot coming from inside!" a sailor explained.

        Conley descended into the captain's quarters, finding out what the sailor said was true. It was a horrifying sight. The captain had a bullet hole through his temple, with a pale and shocked expression on his face. A window was ajar, meaning the murderer must've escaped through it.

        "I need to interrogate everyone on this ship. Tell me where you were and what you were doing in the last ten minutes," said Conley as he emerged from the cabin.

        Conley narrowed the list of suspects down to one. "Where were you and what were you doing?" asked Conley. "The flag had been hung upside down, so I climbed up the flagpole to fix it," a sailor replied.

        "But, this is a ship with a Japanese flag. The flag looks the same upside down! That means you're lying, you killed the captain!"

        "I'm sorry! It was an accident! I was helping the captain when my flintlock triggered!" cried the sailor.

        Conley handed the sailor to the police on the next port. Conley solves another murder yet again. ■