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so violent.
Bland ignored her. 'He didn't want me on the ship. He did everything he cou ld
to make it difficult for me. He even altered figures in the catchers' bo oks
so that the Tonsberg men should be able to bring complaints. He was afr aid my
father when he died would make me chairman over his head.'
'Come to the point,' I said, as he paused. 'Why did he accuse your father of
ruining him?'
'He needed money,' Bland answered. 'He was making a desperate bid to get c
ontrol of the company. He badgered my father until he let him in on a deal he
was planning in South African mines. He put everything he'd got into i t. The
crash came two weeks after we left Capetown.'
'What was the name of the company he invested in?' I asked. 'Was it Wyks
Odensdaal Rust Development?'
'Yes,' he said, and his voice sounded surprised.
The plan foreman in his evidence had suggested that it was from Erik Bland,
not his father, that Nordahl had obtained financial advice. I hesitated. But
there was no point in raising the matter. 'In your opinion Nordahl was brok e
then?'
'Yes. He'd mortgaged everything - all his holdings in the South Antarctic Com
pany - in a desperate effort to cash in.'
'Then he was going to buy out the other people interested in the company?'
'Yes. That was his idea.'
'When he'd done that, would he have thrown your father out?'
Again Bland hesitated. 'I don't know,' he said.
'What you were really afraid of,' I said, 'was that he'd throw you out. Isn't
that it?'
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He ignored the point. 'The case didn't arise,' he said. 'My father was too sm
art to be caught like that. I tell you, Nordahl was broke - finished. And he
knew it. He cursed me there on the deck.'
'Why did he cry out?' I asked quickly.
Again that momentary hesitation. 'He didn't cry out,' he answered. 'I think pe
haps it was I who cried out. I don't know. All I know is that he hit me. I lef
t him then. I didn't want to hit back at an older man, especially as he was wr
ought up over his losses.'
'Do you remember an altercation you had with Nordahl in his cabin?' I asked.
'One of the crew overheard it. Nordahl demanded your resignation. You refus ed
it. You said - "See what my father does when he arrives." ' I looked down at
my notes. 'Nordahl then said - "Your father can do what he likes. I'm no t
going to be saddled with a rat like you and I'll see that the company isn'
t either." ' I looked across at Bland's white face. 'You didn't baulk at str
iking an older man then,' I said. 'Are you sure it was Nordahl who struck
you?'
'Yes,' he said. 'Nordahl struck me and I left him then.'
The man whose evidence has produced all this,' I said slowly, 'went straigh t
back to the spot where Nordahl had been standing. Nordahl wasn't there.'
'I tell you, he knew he was ruined.' Bland's face was tense. He was fighting
to make us see it his way. 'He was finished. He could never face Tonsberg a
gain. He took the only way out.'
'My father never took an easy way out in his life.' Judie's voice was clear-cu
t and distinct. It was like a douche of cold water on the heat of Erik Bland's
argument.
'Well, he took it this time.' There was something almost truculent in the way
he said it.
I looked at Eide. 'Any more questions?' I asked. He shook his head. I turned t
o Judie. Her lips were compressed. She was staring at Erik Bland with a sort o
f horror in her eyes. 'All right, Bland,' I said. 'That's all.'
He got up slowly as though he didn't want to be released like that. He start
ed to say something, but then his eyes met Judie's and he turned quickly and
went out. I realized then that whatever he had once meant to her it was fin
ished now. And I was suddenly, unaccountably glad about that.
As the door closed behind him, I said: 'Well, do we need to call anybody el
se?' I was thinking: It's a matter for the police now. Either Bland killed
him, or Nordahl committed suicide. Those were the only two possible alterna
tives. Judie said he would never commit suicide. She ought to know if anyon e
did. She was his daughter. But who could possibly tell how a man would re act
when all he's lived for and worked for is shattered in the wreckage of a wild
gamble? He'd played his hand and lost. He'd tried his hand at Blond'
s game -finance - and failed. How could she know what he would do in those
circumstances?. It was Judie who interrupted my thoughts. 'I would like to
call Doctor Howe,' she said in a small, bleak voice. It was drained of all
emotion - empty, toneless.
I looked at her in surprise. 'Doctor Howe? Why?' I asked. 'He wasn't even o n
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the Southern Cross. He was in Capetown, waiting for us.'
'I think he might be able to tell us something,' was all she said.
'All right,' I agreed and nodded to Kyrre.
Howe was pale and nervous when he came in. It was as though he'd been nerv ing
himself for this moment. Judie said, 'Walter, we want some information about
father's affairs.' His Adam's apple gave a leap, but his hands were steady and
his gaze was direct as he looked at Judie. 'Was he involved in
Wyks Odensdaal Rust Development?' she asked him.
Howe nodded. 'Yes,' he said.
'And he'd mortgaged everything he had - all his holdings in the South Antar
ctic Company - for this gamble?'
'Yes.'
'I see,' she said quietly. 'And he acted on Colonel Eland's advice?'
'I don't know whose advice he was acting on.'
She nodded. Thank you. That perhaps explains it.' Her voice was barely audi
ble.
I nodded for Howe to go. He hesitated, looking at Judie's bent head. He want
ed to help her. I saw it in his eyes. His face didn't look ugly in that mome
nt. Then he was gone and I heard myself saying in a matter-of-fact voice, 'W
hy is it that Howe knows so much about your father's affairs?'
'Bernt and Walter were very close,' she answered quietly.
'You're satisfied your father was gambling in South African mines?' I asked.
She nodded.
'You can call Colonel Bland himself if you like,' I said.
'It's not necessary. Walter wouldn't lie to me.'
I glanced at Hide. 'You satisfied, too, Captain?' I asked him.
'Ja. I am satisifed.'
'Very well then,' I said. 'It only remains to agree on our findings.' I
glanced at Judie. Her thoughts were far away. 'Judie,' I said. 'Can I have
your views?
'
'I will agree to whatever you think,' she said. Her voice was vague. She so
unded as though she were far away.
The telephone rang and I picked it up. It was Bland. He wanted to know wheth
er we were through. 'In about five minutes,' I said. 'We're just deciding on
our findings.'
'Good. As soon as you're through I want you and Eide to come up to the salo
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on. The gunners are all here.'
When I put the receiver back Judie had risen. 'You must wait until we have ag
reed on our findings,' I said gently.
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