Description
“We must check every possibility,” Baltman said slowly and then as the Captain turned to his officer, Baltman caught a questioning sound from Ryan. Before the Captain could speak, Baltman asked, now holding the crew list Ryan had handed over, “Could we speak to Heinrich Esselman? Our investigation suggests he might have known where the deserters went.” Both Germans stiffened. “He does not know,” the captain replied blank-faced. “All the same, could we talk to him for a few minutes?” “He fell overboard while we were headed here,” the captain said in a monotone. “His body was not recovered. It was noted in the log.” He nodded to the bound book open on the table attached to the back wall of the wheelhouse. Baltman let the silence stretch out until the First Officer took them to the book and turned back a page. Baltman looked at the entry, turned further back to see that the current voyage had begun in Singapore, then forward to the present. “I’m sorry Sir,” Baltman said. “Was he depressed? Long trips away from home can have that effect on some men.” The captain replied, “Yes. His family was notified,” in a monotone.
Written by K.G. Watson
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