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“No,” Delaine said. “Not at all. Josh was always battering on about how there were something like thirty-five shipwrecks in Charleston Harbor alone. Plus, another hundred and sixty in nearby waters. He thought they should all be carefully preserved. He hated the fact that some people—some divers—took up the sport just so they could freelance as treasure hunters and then sell the stuff for big bucks.”
“Thanks, Delaine,” Theodosia said. “You’ve been a big help.”
Theodosia gazed at Drayton and there was almost an audible click, as if a piece of the puzzle had dropped into place for her.
“Do you remember Helene telling us how well she and Usher worked together?” Theodosia asked. “At the time I thought Helene was referring to the movie, to Helene helping with all that tax credit paperwork. But what if it was something more? Something different? Something to do with her shop?”
Drayton nodded. “Go on.”
“When I snuck into Josh Morro’s room…”
“What!”
“Hear me out. When I looked around his room there was a scuba diver’s watch sitting on the dresser. And Riley told me there were bits of algae found on the carpet in Helene’s office…”
“So what are you saying?” Drayton asked.
“What if Josh Morro had been out diving and seen something that was highly irregular? Some sort of illegal recovery operation?”
“And then he was killed?”
“Because Morro was a witness,” Theodosia said. She held up a hand. “Okay, indulge me here. What if Helene got in over her head? What if she was unknowingly fencing marine artifacts for Usher? Let’s face it, Helene was fairly trusting and a little bit ditzy.”
“And when Helene realized she was being used, she got cold feet?” Drayton said.
“So maybe Usher had to get rid of Helene, too?”
“Who exactly is this Lewin Usher?” Drayton asked.
“He heads something called Dragon Capitol. I think it’s a hedge fund.”
“Call them.”
“It’s late. They won’t be open.”
“Give it a shot anyway.”
Theodosia called Dragon Capitol and got a canned message. Blah, blah, blah, office is open weekdays from eight thirty to four thirty.
“What if you called Lewin Usher at home?” Drayton suggested.
“And do what?”
“Hint around that you know something? See what his reaction is?”
“I don’t have his number,” Theodosia said.
“Maybe try Information?”
Theodosia tried and, surprisingly, got the number. But when she called Usher’s home, his housekeeper answered.
“I’m sorry, but Mr. Usher isn’t home right now,” the housekeeper said. “But if you’d care to leave a message I’ll certainly relay it to him.”
“It’s urgent I get hold of him,” Theodosia said. When she was still met with polite resistance, she added, “This has to do with the film that Mr. Usher is coproducing. It’s pretty much an emergency.”
“Oh,” the housekeeper said. “A business emergency. In that case Mr. Usher is on his boat, has been for most of the day. I’m not sure he’s reachable by cell phone but he should be coming in fairly soon.”
“That’s great. Thank you,” Theodosia said. “By the way, do you happen to know the name of Mr. Usher’s boat?”
