http://youtu.be/nUachCwtZCY

Onboard SS ERIN 0730 08NOV17:

Tom Dodge entered the room and took his seat at his normal table (he had requested that particular seat so that his back was to the bulkhead and he could see all three doors. He was suprised to be the first to take his seat. He thought: curious? Señora Blanco, a difficult widow who just buried her second husband, usually insisted that she be seated first and served first. Maybe she is unwell. Woman are weak creatures who find it difficult to adjust to life at sea. Old sailors were right, women do not belong on ships.

His thoughts shifted as Tom Junior entered the room. A good man, but he lacks experience. He is too quick to resort to his fists or a knife and has a short temper - probably due to insecurity over his small height and youthful looks. Still a good choice. He easily shifts into his role as if he was a born actor.

Professor Ciruela entered shortly after Tom Junior. So young thought Tom Dodge. How could someone so young be a professor? He was a notorious archeologist accused several times of grave digging and stealing artifacts. Tom remembered he is wanted for questioning in several South American and Asian countries. He has a pistol and a bull whip in his cabin, but Tom does not consider him a threat. Immediately behind the Professor entered Joe Totsuiko, a Japanese. He has an ornate and very sharp sword in his cabin. Joe apparently collects Japanese Sheriff badges. He has six in his cabin (carefully hidden). Tom is unsure of why Joe is on this ship. He is not on the reported passenger manifest. He boarded at the last minute and was not added to the manifest. Why? He...

Tom's thoughts were interrupted by the arrival of the two Turner sisters. Elizabeth with light brown hair is the elder sister. She seems remarkably mature and confident for someone so young. Tom smiled as he thought I think she likes me...Too young, but so attractive. Her sister a vivacious blonde is too immature and impulsive. Tom doubted she would have been allowed to be here if not for the presence of her elder sister.

Tom's thoughts shifted again as Señora Escarlata strolled into the room like a tigress on the prowl. A stunning beauty with a million dollar wardrobe and an impressive collection of expensive jewelry hidden in her cabin. Tom watched her sway to her seat eyeing all the men in the room and making sure every man watched her. Tom was unable to find any information on her. He wondered who see really was. In his conversations with her, she said nothing of consequence but was always entertaining. He contemplated that she was always listening to every conversation in a room as if she was a spider on the wall. He wondered if she was the pampered mistress of a powerful man or the mistress of a bordello???

Tom looked again to the door as Rev. Verde entered the room. Tom felt that he appeared to be a simple man of God. A quick search of his room found nothing of consequence.

Again Tom's thought shifted as Señora Pavo Real, wife of a powerful Chilean Senator Arrived. An elderly and annoying woman obsessed with food. Always prattling away about some delicacy she had eaten. Tom thought thank God she doesn't sit at my table.

Tom was relieved to see Col. Mustaza enter the room giving him something to think about that was not Señora Pavo Real. Tom reminded himself that he had found an Army Revolver and a ceremonial officer sword in the Col.'s cabin. The Col. was not considered to be friendly to the United States. Tom resolved that he would keep a close watch on the Col.

Tom looked to the door to see who would be the next to enter. It was Rick Lealand, another unknown. Tom thought there is something strange about him. He comes from New York but has a California accent. He speaks with a raspy voice but women appear to be attracted to him. He has an Army Issue .45. Tom pondered if it had been stolen or bought on the black market. Rick is a dangerous man. Tom decided that he would have Tom Junior try to make friends with Rick and see what he could learn.

Tom thought that leaves Dr. Lorenz, a fat man with a quick whit. Obviously German, he claims to be returning to California where he has a medical practice. But why not take the Railroad??? Why??? What is he up too?...

Meanwhile:

The Captain decided that breakfast could be a little late. He was dealing with two major problems: the unsolved murder of a woman with the killer loose onboard his ship and a missing crewman.

The woman's body had been quickly moved and the shower room inspected and the bloody mess cleaned up before any of the passengers awoke (most apparently had been up quite late). None of them stirred until there was a knock on the door by the steward or the Junior Steward after Sam had been returned to duty.

Inspection of the shower area was consistent with Sam's account of what happened. A trail of Blood was found from the shower, up the wall across the ceiling and on the back of Sam's shirt. Sam had several fresh bruises that could not have been done by the woman. As strange as Sam's account, the evidence supported it. Sam had no weapon on him, did not have an opportunity to hide a weapon or throw it over the side. The Captain knew Sam for several years. Brutally killing a woman was just not in his character. As outlandish as it seemed, there was a vicious killer loose with an unknown weapon and unusual skill. He had to be found and found quickly before he could claim another victim.

The Captain had held an early muster of the crew to select individuals to search the ship without alarming the passengers. The muster uncovered that one crew member was missing...Seaman Martins. This concerned the Captain. Most likely, either Seaman Martins was the killer or was also killed by the killer. The only good thing about the missing Seaman is that it provided an excuse for surreptitiously searching the ship without alarming the passengers.

Seaman Gondeschall and the Lorenson brothers quickly volunteered to search for Arian (Germans stick together!). The Captain selected two other Seaman and the Second Mate to join the search. The Captain was waiting for the Second Mate to report on the progress of the search before going to breakfast (by tradition, the passengers would not be served until the Captain took his seat). The Second Mate was a few minutes late before appearing before the Captain to give his report:

The search was going slowly. So for nothing significant had been found. However, the Second Mate also mentioned that during the search of hold #1, Seaman Gondeschall discovered one case of cabbages was missing???

The Captain thought briefly: why would anyone on this ship want to steal a case of cabbage? Filing it away as just a curiosity, the Captain ordered the Second Mate to continue the search and proceeded to join the passengers at breakfast...