If Mackay"s fingers had danced the polka before, now they performed a Highland jig as both hands drummed on his desk. "This has been a most confusing case, Watters. It has been most confusing indeed. I confess that I am nearly as much at a loss now as I was when the events occurred."
"Yes, sir," Watters said.
Mackay stilled his fingers, sighed, and leaned back on his seat. "Tell me what"s happened, Watters. Start with Mr Beaumont."
"Yes, sir. Mr Beaumont was aware that somebody was targeting his business without knowing who it was. He heard about the threat to destroy Lady of Blackness, so hired an ex-Royal Navy steward, Cattanach, to infiltrate the crew under the name of Jones. When they were in Calcutta, Cattanach saw the fellow in the hold with gunpowder and fuses, crept up, and kill
