I'm Only the Trombone Player

Mystery At Sea

5 DAY Andre the Blog Monkey's April Fools Mystery Writing Challenge

Blog Prompt for Day 3 - In today's mystery blog challenge you'll write a detailed description of a MURDER scene. Da - Da - Daaaa

You'll have a victim and a cast of suspects, including possible murder weapons, motive, etc.

End your entry with this challenge to your readers. "It's up to you to solve this murder in a comment on my entry."

Merit Badges will be awarded to the best MURDER scene and the best solution to the mystery.

Nobody leave the building!

The Motor Vessel Banana Republic drifted silently as a tomb, becalmed in the torpid currents of the Tropic of Cancer. No signs of life lingered on her barren decks, no answers to the to repeated hails as the USS Fullam. The Fullam approached warily, circling the deserted vessel twice before sending a launch over to the MV Banana Republic.

Ensign Matt Hooper was concerned, this was his first “command” and he didn’t want to blow it, “Chief, let’s circle once and come up on her bow.”

Chief Roberts acknowledged the “command” with a curt “Aye…sir”, he was here to keep the newbie out of trouble, those were the Captains orders. Roberts was over joyed, another newb to keep out of trouble, fifteen years of service in this mans navy and most of it spent babysitting newbs…

Finishing the circle, still in eerie silence, the launch approached the ship’s bow, bumping against the hull gently as Roberts expertly brought the launch alongside. One of the Marines secured the now tiny seeming boat to the Banana Republic with a grappling hook tossed across the ships aft mast.

A second grappling hook made its way over the ships railing. Hooper made for the rope, only to feel Roberts’ hand on his arm. “Hold up…Sir,” pointing at the three Marines, “they go up first,” nodding a go to the Marine corporal leading the team, “then you.”

Hooper looked a bit disappointed, but he saw the Chiefs point, the Marines did this for a living and were packing more firepower than his sidearm.

It didn’t take the Marines long to scale the vessels sides, nor to drop the rope ladder down. Hooper and Roberts made short work of climbing the ladder and joining them on deck. “Anything Sarge,” as he looked around the bleak deck.

“Corporal, Ensign,” grinning, “not a thing movin’, makin’ noise or shootin’, but I do thank ya’ kindly for the unofficial pre’motion.”

“Uhh, yeah, sorry Corporal,” recovering, “let's make a sweep of the ship…”

The radio crackled to life, a tinny version of the Captain’s voice asked, “Hooper, what’s your status?”

“Just hit the deck Sir,” regretting not having initiated that report himself, “we about to sweep the ship.”

“Let the Marines handle that Hooper, you and Roberts head for the bridge, see what you can find there.”

Roberts and Hooper both answered, “Aye Sir,” at the same time.

The corporal started to split the men up to begin the sweep, Roberts was about to object when Hooper spoke. “No dice, you guys stay together…”

“Sir, we’ll get this done a whole heck of a lot fasta’…”

“No way,” insistently, “nobody goes anyplace on this tub alone.” Hooper smiled when Roberts nodded his assent, waving the Chief on, “now move out corporal, and stay together that’s an order.”

Making their way to the bridge, their path was littered with banana peels, hundreds of peels scattered across the deck. It made for slow a slippery going. Roberts couldn’t help but remark, “what the deuce is with all these banana wrappers, was the ship commandeered by a herd of monkeys?”

“Barrel.”

“What?” The startled chief looked around. “Where?”

“A group of Monkeys is called a barrel Chief…”

“You mean like in a barrel of…”

“Monkeys.” Hooper laughed. “Exactly, but these peels were peel from the stem end of the fruit.”

“Whatta’ mean Sir?” Roberts was clearly puzzled.

“They’re peeled wrong Chief.” Picking up a peel. “Somebody went to a lot of trouble to set up a monkey.”

They entered the abandoned bridge, Roberts checked the ships controls while Hooper pulled up the ships log.

“Chief, I may have found our problem…”

Crossing the bridge, Roberts asked, “what is it Sir?”

“Chief, the ships last log entry was entered when she was at 25.0000° N, 71.0000° W…”

"It's up to you to solve this murder in a comment on my entry."

...I'm only the trombone player!

Janus on WdC SuperPower Reviewers Group