The+Deadly+Cruise

"The Deadly Cruise" by Annie P., Daria, and Mary

“I didn't do it.” That's what all four suspects said first as they walked into the questioning room. But, what's the first thing you should learn about criminal cases? Suspects lie. One of them is going to be charged with the murder of Rosabelle Halu and Blakely Alohalani, the question is who. It all started with a group of 18 children from Mr. Khai's 9th grade class in Hawaii going on a cruise as a field trip around the islands of Hawaii.Eighteen kids go in, one comes out jailed, and only sixteen come out alive. Savannah, Cabin 1B This is my experience of the murder that I'm supposed to be recording for the police. So, it was the first night that we were on the boat. I was in my cabin unpacking. It was about six oclock in the evening, and Rosabelle and Blakely had just left my cabin to go to dinner at the restaurant. About five minutes later I heard a dog barking, loud screaming, a splash, and then silence. I thought maybe there was a dog on the ship, but I didn't really know who's it could be. A couple of seconds later I heard someone running, another scream, loud footsteps, then more silence. I ran out to the deck and found Amberlee, a blind girl in my class, with her cane, yelling, “What happened? Somebody? Help!” In front of her was the corpse of Blakely. Her formerly blue shirt was stained red, and she laid face down. Her black hair streamed across the deck like shining black rivers. “I just- I don't-” Amberlee began, but her face crumpled in tears and she stopped. “Where's Rosabelle?” I demanded as I turned over the body to reveal my best friend's mangled corpse and questioned about my twin sister Rosabelle. A large, jagged, stab mark streaked across her chest. Now tears were streaming down //my// face. “I heard a splash and a scream and...I think...maybe Rosabelle fell in,” said Amberlee. I didn't even have time to process this as I checked Blakely's pulse, but there was nothing there. My sister. My best friend. All gone. That's when I saw red flashes before my eyes and everything went black as I fainted. Some time later, I don't know how much, I woke up on a white bed, in the hospital wing with somebody next to me covered by a sheet. I felt light-headed, but needed to know who was under it, needed to be sure. I needed to make sure what had happened on the ship earlier was real. So, lifting the sheet up, under it was Blakely. She looked so peaceful, with her eyes closed and the white sheet covering everything but her pale face. A question crossed my mind that I had never thought of before. Who did it? Now here I am, with a tape recorder shoved in front of my face, as I rant about what I saw, who I think did it, and everything I know about the victims. Police Interview: Interviewer--- Officer Keeli Interviewee--- Amberlee Brown Officer: How and why did you get to the crime scene, Amberlee? Amberlee: As you can see, I lost all ability of sight in both of my eyes, but my guide dog led me to the scene. I wasn't sure what to do, or what he was leading me to, so I just followed. Officer: Do you have any clues of where the missing girl, Rosabelle Halu, has gone to? Amberlee: As I was arriving, I had heard a scream and a splash. I believe she might have gone off the side but...I really don't know. I was just so scared, Officer. My dog was barking so much. He could sense danger, and he barks when there is danger. Officer: We have sent police divers looking for a body in the area that you showed us, and a boy in a cabin nearby, James Mahu, I believe, said that he thought he might've seen blood in the water through his cabin window, but blamed it on his imagination and went back to his bed. He didn't hear the noises of barking and splashing because he was listening to music. Is there anyone on this ship that's not particulary fond of Blakely and or Rosabelle? Amberlee: Well... I wasn't supposed to say... but it's-um- James. Blakely is the popular girl at school, and she started spreading rumors about him, it- it ruined his reputation, he's held a grudge ever since. I wouldn't put it past him, I don't think he's quite... right in the head. I don't want him to know I told- //please.// Officer: Thank you for your help. We will contact you on any progress made in this case. James, Cabin 1A I hate her. I hate Amberlee and I bet she did it. But they decided she was an, “unlikely suspect” because of her blindness. Sure, I've got no idea how she could've done it, but she was the only person that witnessed it. And now she has the police thinking that I'm the main suspect. I didn't do it, I didn't do it, I didn't do it. Before my police interview she even came in to tell me what she told the police because she felt, “soooo terrible.” I know that I didn't do it, but I have no alibi, no proof that I was in fact alone in my room listening to music on my new phone. But there's overwhelming evidence against me. First of all, there's a passageway from my room to the main deck where it happened. I didn't know about it, but they think I did. And then apparently I have a motive because the mean girl at school spread rumors about me. Lastly, Amberlee some how convinced them that I am, “Not quite right in the head,” which I assure you, my mental health is in perfect condition. So I was just laying down on my bed today and messing around on my new phone waiting for them to come in and arrest me any minute, when I saw an hour long video in my folder on my phone. It was of me, sitting down listening to music for an entire hour. And it had the time on it, which was the hour that Rosabelle and Blakely had gotten killed. You can even hear the screams in the background. This just might be my alibi. Officer Keeli I was sent out immediately to question all 16 kids of Mr. Khai's class, and the kitchen staff. So far our main suspect is James, but he said he has some evidence to show us tonight, so I was going to meet him in his cabin. I knocked on the door and James swung it open. I entered the room, and the first thing I did, before he showed me the alibi, was ask if it was okay if I checked his room. It's what I always do, and if they say no then I know that they have something to hide. He was very open and immediately let me search the room. When I was on the second drawer, I found a blood encrusted knife in the bottom of it. The same kitchen knife that was right by where Blakely died. He swore that he had never seen that knife in his life, but this really made me ready to arrest him. I just needed a little bit more evidence. We had the evidence to take him to court, but then he showed me his alibi. Sure, the video made it less likely that he did it, but it definitely wasn't an air tight alibi. I know people that could change the time on a video in 4 minutes flat. Unless he's a master at technology, which he very well could be, I doubt he did it. But then how did the knife get there? I asked him who had been in his room. The maid, Millie Kelena, the chef, Gustavo Leverrnattoo, Amberlee, and Savannah. Since Gustavo has easy access to all of the knifes, I decided to interview him first. Police interivew Interviewer: Officer Keeli Interviewee: Chef Gustavo Leverrnattoo Officer: Where were you on Friday night between 6:00 and 6:23? Chef: A customer had a complaint about service, so I had a argument with him at that time. Then I cooked customer's food on side-grill on our tables at resteraunt, just to prove I cook correct. That was bad time...what's the word? Waste- waste of time. Sorry, my English not too good. Came on ship from Italy. Officer: Thank you. Do you have any proof of that alibi? Chef: Ask customer. Name is Robert Phillips. Officer: I will call Robert right now. //Five minutes later Robert enters the room, having his appearance being requested by Officer Keeli.// Officer: Robert, were you with chef Gustavo on the night of the crime? Robert: What crime? Officer: Uh, the murder of the two girls last night... Robert: Ooohhhh.... //That// one.... Well, I was having an argument with the chef because the idiot got my order wrong! Chef: I got order fine, but the sharp knife I use was gone, so I had to use cheap knife that didn't cut steak well. Robert: Whatever, he cooked the food in front of me at that time, because it was terrible, and never left until we heard screaming and we ran outside, but we went through separate exits, one of us went through the wrong one. Chef: //You// went through wrong leaving door. Robert: Whatever. When I got outside and there was nobody there, I went back to my table thinking it must've just been some kids having fun. Officer: Wait, Gustavo, why didn't you tell me about this knife sooner? Chef: I am very clumsy, I thought I lost knife. Officer: So Robert, you were with Chef Gustavo the whole time, he didn't leave at all until there was already the screams of Blakely? Robert: Yes, but who's Blakely? Officer: The girl that got murdered. Robert: What murder? Officer: You can go now. Amberlee Cabin 4A Sure, James now has an alibi, but Savannah has none. I mean, she was found with poor Blakely when she was dead! I can't believe James thinks that I did it. How on earth would I stab somebody without vision? Savannah could've been there the whole time killing Rosabelle and Blakely, and I only heard Savannah talking later, when she says she came in. She doesn't even have an alibi, she was alone in her room! By now you're probably wondering, what's my alibi. I was in the restaurant and I left at six, and I went out with my dog to the deck to get some fresh air. Then I smelled blood and my dog barked which means there was danger. I heard screaming and had no idea what was going on. That's when I heard Savannah asking me where Rosabelle was. It's obvious that she did it. But how do I prove it? Officer Keeli Right now I'm in my office, making an audio tape of what I know of this case. My impression of the story: At six o'clock nearby passengers reported sounds of dog barkings and screams. Savannah and Amberlee were found at the crime scene. Savannah passed out and the other, Amberlee, was screaming for help. Rosabelle was gone, and Blakely was stabbed with the the knife we later identified as Chef Gustavo's kitchen knife, which was in the kitchen right by where Blakely was stabbed. The passenger in the room nearby, James, has an alibi, as does the chef, although the witness of his alibi seems well…untrustworthy because of his idiocy. My prime suspect right now is Savnnah, but the only problem is, that Amberlee lied about her alibi. Her quote from a callback from me for an interview is, “I was in the restraunt and left at six to get some fresh air. Then when I went out there I heard screaming.” But whenever you are eating in that restraunt, you have to check in to '//Ze Book',// where you sign in whenever you eat. She wasn't in it. So if she isn't guilty of something, why would she lie about her alibi? But she is blind. Wouldn't Rosabelle run away before getting pushed off, or be able to struggle against her? Something doesn't add up. We have divers looking for Rosabelle's body, and I believe that once they find her we will find major clues. I guess the only thing to do is wait for more news. //Ten minutes later// Wait, I'm getting a call. “We have finally found the girl's body,” the scuba diver says gravely. “I'll be right there to investigate,” I reply. I will continue to record the investigations on this tape recorder. Currently I am walking to the other side of the ship to the location of the body. It has been identified as Rosabelle by her friend, Savannah, because of her jewelry and appearance. The girl is stained with blood, and appears to have been injured before going overboard. The injuries are on her arm, stomach, right cheek, forehead, and chest. Now someone is coming in and washing the blood off in order to investigate the wounds further. Now I am seeing that there seems to be almost claw scratches on her forehead, and on her arm there is almost...bite marks. There happens to be a vet on board who is now identifying the marks for sure as dog bites. There is only one dog on board. And it belongs to Amberlee. Police Interview: Interviewer: Officer Keeli Interviewee: Amberlee Brown Officer: Were you holding on to your dog the entire time you were on the deck? Amberlee: Well yes...of course. I always have complete control of my dog. He follows my every command. Officer: What commands does he know? Amberlee: Well he leads me places, wherever I want, he comes if I need him to, he barks... Officer: Does he by any chance, attack on command? Amberlee: Of course not why...why would you ask that? //Officer pulls out '//Ze Book' //and shows her the fact that her name is not in it.// Officer: There are dog bite marks on Rosabelle.There is only one dog on board. Yours. How do you explain this? Amberlee: My dog would never do that, he's been especially trained to only do what I say! And I would never stab Blakely! Officer: I didn't ask you if you stabbed Blakely. Amberlee: Well I just...I thought maybe that's what you would say next? Officer: There are several stab marks on the ground around where Blakely died, as if the person missed many times before hitting their target, Blakely. Maybe that person couldn't see too well, maybe they were blind. Blakely's ankle was broken, which means she couldn't get away and would be an easy target, even if the killer couldn't see. Amberlee: I didn't do it, I didn't do it! Officer: There's overwhelming evidence against you, Amberlee. Do you have anything to prove you didn't commit the crime? Amberlee: I-I I didn't mean to kill her. I d-didn't mean to hurt anyone. Officer: What were your intentions then? Amberlee: I j-j-just wanted t-to scare R-Rosabelle, because I kn-know she has a fear of d-dogs. But my dog went t-too far, and I c-couldn't stop him. When it was c-clear that she was a-already d-d-dead I had my d-dog lead me over to her. I didn't w-want there to be any evidence so I pushed the b-b-ody overboard. I h-h-heard Blakely scream then f-f-footsteps of Blakely running away. N-n-no one could witness what I did. So I-I felt around in the kitchen and grabbed a knife. I-I-I killed her. I didn't mean to! I'm sorry. Officer: Why did you want to scare Rosabelle in the first place? Amberlee: Rosabelle has everything. She has a great family, popularity, friends, attention, and, most of all, sight. I have none of that. She always teased me. She called me names and ruined my life. I just wanted to make her feel the way I do all the time-- scared with no control. I wanted to make her feel afraid. I wanted her to tremble with fear. Officer: It seems as if this case is solved. Come with me. Please put your hands behind your back. We're calling your parents and teacher and we'll have a proper trial when we get back. For now you will stay in you're room until we dock back in Hawaii. Thank you for your cooperation and confessing. It was the right thing to do, telling us. //Handcuffs Amberlee and leads her to the cabin.// Amberlee, Cabin 4A See? Suspects lie. And you know what? I'm not sorry for what I did. They deserved it.