I rubbed the corner of my eye with my thumb. “I…ah…don’t suppose anybody’s said anything incriminating, the last few minutes.”
Oscin had the grace not to recognize a moment of uncertainty when he saw one, “Farley Pearlman claims to have had some problems breathing. He’s sure the air’s going bad, but everybody else thinks it’s just fear and the stench coming off what’s left of the Khaajiir. I believe we may have to move everybody into one of the suites, for humanitarian reasons. That tableau over there is really more than people unaccustomed to crime scenes should ever be expected to take.”
I considered that. “They’re going to have to wait. Nobody except us, and whomever we’re questioning, goes in or out of any of the other rooms until we can check them out ourselves and eliminate the possibility of evidence tampering. If they have any trouble dealing with the smell, we’ll put them on an oxygen unit.”
“That won’t compensate for the evidence of their own eyes. The body’s sickening.”
“I know. But if we’re very, very lucky, it will bother the killer too.”
Oscin and I returned to the bar area, where the others stood, watching our return with varying mixtures of hope and fear. By the time we got there the Pearlmans were huddled together, breathing into cloth napkins. The somber but dry-eyed Colette remained behind the bar, where she’d been joined by Arturo Mendez, Loyal Jeck, and Paakth-Doy. Dejah Shapiro and the three Bettelhines all stood at the opposite end of the bar, all managing to look defiant and glum at the same time, if that was possible. Vernon Wethers and Monday Brown stood apart from them, the first with his hands clasped behind his back, the other with hands clasped in front. I don’t believe either one intended to be a parody or an editorial response to the other, it just worked out that way. As for Skye, she’d moved to the easy chair where the corpse of the Khaajiir sat, still leaking black ooze into the cushions.
Jason said, “So, Andrea, have you come up with anything?”
Damned if he didn’t seem to be showing genuine affection for me. Couldn’t have that, not now. “First things first, sir. Out of my own intimidation by the circles where I now find myself traveling, and my confused uncertainty over your father’s purpose in inviting me here, I’ve been allowing the members of your family to get away with calling me by my first name. That assumes a familiarity you have not earned. I don’t know if we’ll ever be cordial enough to merit such liberties, but until I find out who among you killed the poor Khaajiir I must insist that everybody except my traveling companions return to calling me Counselor. It’ll remind us all where we stand. Are we agreed on that?”
Jason’s nod had the ghost of a smile in it.
Philip’s eyes bugged a little at my effrontery. He might have objected, but his siblings appeared, if anything, even more pleased by me, and that bothered him more.
Jelaine flashed a shell-shocked grin. “Whatever you say. Counselor.”
I didn’t know what was going on here, but sooner or later, I’d have to teach those two that I was not a pet performing tricks for their amusement. But not now. “Second. In a few minutes I’m going to start questioning you, one or two at a time. I will need to do this away from the others, to make sure that everybody speaks freely and without contamination by other testimony. You may nominate one person, preferably one of the stewards we know to have been belowdecks during the emergency stop, to monitor those interviews and ensure that we do not do anything to obstruct or alter the results of the investigation. That person will remain sequestered with us unless he, or she, finds reason to object to our activities. One of the Porrinyards will also stay with me throughout, while the other stays with you, serving the same purpose as the person you have designated to watch me. While I’m doing this I must insist that you refrain from discussing your testimony with one another. The reasons for this should be obvious, but just in case any of you decide to defy this request, my associate will be monitoring you to detect any signs of collusion in the meantime. Are we agreed on that?”
There was even less enthusiasm for this, but everybody mumbled and nodded and allowed as how it was all right, they guessed, the sole exception being Dejah, who actually raised her glass in approval.
According to the Porrinyards, she’d called me “her girl,” earlier, assuming ownership based on the few short weeks we’d worked together a few years ago. That rankled. Sooner or later I might have to teach her that I did not belong to her any more than I belonged to Jason and Jelaine Bettelhine.
“Third,” I said.
This was the part that never worked. The first thing any investigator learns is that everybody lies, even if they don’t have to, even if their lies are innocent, even if their lies have nothing to do with the crime. There were always things people were ashamed of, things they thought harmless to hide, things that interest the investigator not at all but that, when hidden, hide the truth behind a thicket of false leads. It was useless to even try to prevent that with a mere warning. But I had to try. “I haven’t been shy about my lifelong assessment of the Bettelhine Corporation. I think it’s a criminal enterprise, run by blood-soaked dynasty with a bottomless capacity for evil. I have no illusions over my own ability to bring you down. I’m just one woman with problems of her own. But right now I’m not interested in bringing you down. I’m interested in solving this one crime, and only this one crime. The time may come when you may find yourself faced with a choice between answering my questions and concealing other crimes filed under the category ‘Corporate Secrets.’ When that time comes, if you lie and I catch you in a lie, it will only give me more reason to consider you responsible for the Khaajiir’s death. If you tell the truth…well, I give you my word that nothing you tell me today will ever leave Xana.”
Philip’s voice was a soft vessel releasing its venom in drips. “Except if you think it’s relevant to your case.”
I showed teeth. “That’s the point, sir. I’m in your jurisdiction, not mine. Whatever happens, I won’t be involved in the prosecution except, if you wish, as a witness. The best I can do once I identify the culprit is present my evidence to you and let you pass it on to whatever passes for Bettelhine justice, even if that killer ultimately turns out to be a Bettelhine and the worst he gets is a scolding from Father.”
“Now wait just one minute,” he began.
I held up a finger. “Honestly, Mr. Bettelhine. I don’t give a damn. What happens to our unknown culprit is up to you. Either way, there’s absolutely no reason for my superiors to ever hear of it. My only interest in asking any question that leads to finding out who did this terrible thing is that it furthers all of our chances of ever getting off this vessel alive.”
“You still don’t have the right to demand access to corporate secrets—”
Jelaine cleared her throat. It was a gentle sound, less an interruption than the mere suggestion of one, but it had enough power to summon the attention of everybody in the room. “I think I can guarantee that Counselor Cort won’t abuse the situation.”
“In God’s name,” he demanded. “How?”
“She’s Father’s guest. His honored guest.”
Once upon a time, Philip had been a child, throwing tantrums and stamping his foot when he did not get his way. I don’t know how well the elder Bettelhines disciplined their kids, so there was no way of telling whether his foot-stamping phase ended when he was two, ten, or thirty, but the contortions that twisted his face now established to my satisfaction what he must have looked like when he did it. “You’re still risking the family’s future on an outsider.”