When the Shark Bites

Murder is a cruel and messy affair. And the business of private investigation is made dirtier by it. But without murder, there would be no investigations. Danielle and Timothy Hague were newlyweds successfully maneuvering both a happy marriage and a lucrative investigating business. Danielle Hague relaxed in the back of the white stretch limousine heading for the loading dock of the Baltimore Marine Terminal where she and husband, would board the cruise ship Pleasures of the Seaworthy Cruise Lines. She glanced over at Timothy who was in the middle of reading the business section of The Times. And now Danielle and Timothy were relaxing in the luxury of their balcony suite enjoying their honeymoon vacation and each other. Entering the Baroque dining room, the late couple was greeted by the head waiter. The seated guests had finished their appetizers and were eating salads. “Yes, please forgive our tardiness. We’re, he grinned, newlyweds. Let me introduce you to my wife, Danielle. And I am Timothy Hague.”

“I am Lew Leeds, and this is Lady Leeds my partner in crime for over fifteen years.” The petite brunette reluctantly smiled in the couple’s direction, nodded her head, but said nothing. “And we’re Julia and Jenna Ghiraldi. But please don’t mistake us for twins because I am five years her junior. If you are wondering how old I am, let me just inform you that Julia is eighty years young. You do the math.” Jenna said. When she lifted her head again Danielle noticed the sparkling marcasite brooch the image of a sleek shark. “What a lovely piece of jewelry, is it a family heirloom?” Danielle pointed. “Oh, this old thing.” she chuckled “Well, yes ma’am, antiques are usually old things. . ."

“Now, now Jenna no one here is interested in hearing your ancient stories about our family jewels.”

Danielle turned her attention to Mrs. Leeds. “How long have you and your husband been married?” “We’ve been married for close to fifteen years,” Mr. Leeds responded.

“Does Mrs. Leeds speak English? Better yet does she speak at all?” Danielle offered. Timothy stared at his wife, but she refused to make eye contact.

Mrs. Leeds looked sheepishly down at her half-eaten dinner, but no words spilled out. “Tim. Just who is Mr. Leeds and how can he pay for a champagne party for over one thousand guests?” “I don’t know Danielle.

After the feast, the Hagues strolled hand in hand out on the deck gazing out into the ocean. The waters were still, and they felt the cool freshness of the breeze. She spotted Mr. Leeds sitting at the Lido bar. He wasn’t alone. Danielle saw a woman who in a black sequined dress. Danielle turned to her husband. “Mind your business, Dani” was Timothy’s stern response. “He should be with his wife.” Danielle responded. Timothy gently grabbed her elbow and escorted her to the nearest exit. She looked over her shoulder and was appalled when Reed gave her a devilish wink. “Did you see that? How dare he!” Tim ignored her and kept walking. The Casino is on the second deck. Come on Dani, let’s risk a few dollars.”

Danielle heard the familiar voice of the voracious octogenarians. Mr. Reed had moved a little closer. One of the Ghiraldi sisters was holding on to Mr. Reed hugging him and pulling him close. "Seven!” The casino dealer exclaimed. " Jackpot!” The Ghiraldi sisters yelled in unison and the crowd went wild. A second later, the crowd heard a loud curdling scream. Timothy and Danielle rushed toward the noise. In a crowd of onlookers was Mr. Reed face up, gagging for air. His coloring was gray. The ship’s doctor was attentively kneeled above him and had already initiated CPR. Timothy peered over the shoulder of the doctor. “What happened to him?” “Not sure, he replied feeling his patient’s wrist. Timothy looked down at the dead man’s wrist and noticed a drop of blood dripping from a miniscule opening the size of a pin prick. The doctor paused and gave Timothy an annoyed. Hey, just who are you? “Danielle interjected we’re private investigators on vacation. We were actually dinner companions with Mr. and Mrs. Leeds.”

Where is she?” the doctor asked. Jenna Ghiraldi was the first to ask about their neighbor’s demise. “Young lady…” Her sister interrupted,” We want to know how he met with such an untimely death. Danielle asked them, wasn’t he right by your side? You hugged him? And where is your lovely shark brooch? Jenna answered “There was too much excitement. But I spotted that redhead he seemed to be so enamored with.” Danielle asked about the brooch again. But Jenna Ghiraldi smiled and responded, “Oh, that old thing. Are you sure I was wearing it tonight, my dear?” “Never mind, Miss Jenna. I am sure your brooch will turn up again.” sighed Danielle. “But dear we never said that it was missing.” she smiled and exchanged a look with her sister that proclaimed that a secret was shared between them. Danielle noticed her husband and a tall muscular gentleman. He waved her over.

The ship’s detective, Orlando Rilaggio.”

“Mr. Leeds is dead,”

“I know this darling; I was there!”

“No, Dani, not that Mr. Leeds . . .. Mrs. Leeds’s real husband.

“But who was he if not Mrs. Leeds’s husband?

Rilaggio interjected, we discovered that Leeds was disguising himself as the Mr. Leeds in the newspaper article, a man who was already dead.”

“But why would he pretend to be a dead man?”

the Leeds booked the cruise last year. But Mr. Leeds or shall I say Jason Leeds, the brother-in-law was not just aiming for a free ride. He had been blackmailing Mrs. Leeds.”

“Did Mrs. Leeds kill him?”

“No.” Detective Rilaggio said.

“The Ghiraldi sisters provided an airtight alibi for her. They made; I say quite a killing at the expense of the ship’s casino.” He chuckled.

Danielle replied, “Yeah, quite a killing!”

The detective looked quizzically at Danielle, “As I said, the Ghiraldis stated in a signed statement that they had given the restless Mrs. Leeds a sleeping pill dissolved in a cup of chamomile tea to calm her. When she awakened, the steward led her to the captain’s quarters where he gently informed her of her husband’s demise. Her reaction was more a sign of relief, not of grief.”

Puzzled, the Captain called the detective. Before the interrogation began, Mrs. Leeds informed them that the dead man was her brother-in-law and not her husband. The entire blackmailing plot was disclosed and as a sick joke, Gerald forced himself on the cruise.

Her hands were tied because he threatened to contact the authorities. Any scandal would threaten the inheritance of her three children because the money would be tied up for years in probate over the contesting of the will. She disclosed that Gerald Leeds had a tape of a woman of the same size and coloring

The hour-long tape revealed a tete’-a tete’ of intimate detail. And at quick glance, it appeared that Mrs. Leeds was having a scandalous affair with her brother-in-law. Gerald had given his sister-in-law a copy of the video tape that she showed to them.

“So, the Ghiraldi sisters alibied for Mrs. Leeds, very interesting.” Tim said

“Whatever,” shrugged Danielle.

“What’s wrong, Dani. Don’t you find the little old ladies gracious and gentile? I felt your annoyance when detective Rilaggio mentioned their connection.”

“I know I’ve got to let this go, but what was the cause of death? She asked.

“They won’t know without a doubt until we reach the next port where a full autopsy report will be available, but the doctor surmised he suffered a severe stroke.” Tim said.

“How clever of them.” Danielle interjected.

“Clever of them?” Timothy responded puzzled.

“I’ll explain over the midnight buffet.”

On the lido deck, they joined the crowd of vacationers still in search of the delightful cuisine and festive ice sculptures. The sound of calypso music permeated the air.

At the pastry bar, Danielle and Timothy spotted the Ghiraldi sisters.

“Hello, miss Danielle and master Timothy, so nice to see you again.

“Thank God that poor dear will have her life back to normal again. We were glad to have been able to help the child.” added Jenna.

“What a killing you made at the blackjack table!” Timothy cackled.

“Yes, we made out quite handsomely.” Julia said.

“Danielle smirked and repeated “Yeah, what a killing!”

The Ghiraldi sisters nodded to the couple and continued their walk around the humongous buffet of desserts.

At the end of the table, Danielle spotted the redhead laughing and grinning her arms around someone else.

“Humph,” she whispered.

“Now, Danielle. He scolded. Let’s get our desserts and retire for the evening. We have had enough commotion for one night.”

“For the night, why I’ve had enough for an entire cruise.” she scoffed. Just then she noticed out of the corner of her eye a glimmer from the top lapel of the redheaded woman’s jacket.

It was the Ghiraldi brooch. She couldn’t keep from laughing to herself. How clever. She walked casually over to the young woman

“That’s a lovely piece of jewelry. Is it a family heirloom?” Danielle asked.

“Why no, well I don’t really know. It was a gift.” The redhead answered.

“From whom?” Danielle remarked quite amused.

“Mr. Leeds, I mean Gerald. I . . . um knew him …er met him on the ship. I’m afraid he’s now deceased.” She responded.

“Luciano, the room steward, brought it to my room with a lovely card, which read,

‘Remember me always.’

“I will never take it off.” She sniffed. Crocodile tears formed at the corners of her eyes pouting her lips in almost the same fashion she had given Mr. Leeds at the bar. Danielle remembered that Mr. Leeds’s real name was not discovered until his death, but it appeared that the redhead knew him a little more intimately than she and Timothy suspected.

The redhead was flushed after realizing she may have revealed too much. “Did Gerald, I mean Mr. Leeds family own that fine piece of jewelry? It looks a lot like a family heirloom.” Danielle continued her questioning.

“Do you think so?” purred the redhead.

“Yes, it could be worth a lot of money. He was very generous; it seems.” Danielle said trying not to snicker.

The redhead glanced hesitantly at Danielle and said, “I noticed you admiring the brooch from a distance. Would you like to try it on?”

Danielle stepped back. “Oh no. No, ma’am, family heirlooms are like family secrets. Better kept to those who deserve them. And I believe you deserve everything that’s coming to you.” She said grinning. Danielle quickly walked away before the redhead could react.

“Well, darling, we set sail tomorrow morning. How would you like to extend our honeymoon?

“Why Timothy, that would be perfect. We can relax on the white sand beaches of the Caymans and pretend to be as rich as the celebrities.” Danielle cooed.

“We won’t have to pretend too much. Close your eyes and open your hands.”

“As long as it isn’t a brooch.” Danielle signed.

“It’s definitely not a brooch, baby.” He said excitedly. “Remember me spinning you around and around. This is the reason,” he replied as he placed what felt like smooth silk in her open palms.

Danielle opened her eyes and held back her desire to scream, in her hands were twenty crisp Franklin bills.

“So, you think we can finally do our honeymoon right?” she said.

“There’s no doubt in my mind, baby together we can do anything!” he said kissing her full on the lips.

They walked hand in hand toward the Lido deck for the all-night buffet. She felt self-assured that everyone else on board would remain safe while the Hagues enjoyed the remaining hours of the night without interruption.

After all, the Ghiraldi sisters had already retired for the evening.