Saturday 24 October 2009

The Perfect Crime 5

The bloodstain was still there on the fireside rug where the major’s body had been found in the library, the assegai protruding from his back.

Inspector Cutler and Sergeant Walsh walked back out into the hall and closed the door. The houseguests were assembled in the drawing room, the staff confined to their quarters; they had time to take stock. Cutler ran through the facts, which Walsh ticked off with a stubby pencil in his notebook.

“Time of death: eleven to eleven thirty. Mrs Prendergast was walking into the village with the vicar. The Batterby’s were seen on the golf links. Dr. Johnson was attending Daphne Hewitt in her room. Cook was with the gardener in the kitchen garden, seen by Boucher from the road. Boot boy on his bike coming back from Admiral Bascombe’s with the handbag Miss Glamis had left there.”

“Miss Glamis?” Walsh squinted at his notebook.

“On the ten forty five to Worcester,” sighed Cutler. “Makes no sense. Everyone’s in the clear.”

“Somebody isn’t, sir,” replied Walsh, tersely.

“Time for a smoke eh, Sergeant?” Cutler never carried smokes of his own.

Walsh walked over to where his raincoat was draped across the post table and rummaged in the pockets.

“My lighter,” he cried, “It’s gone!”

“You must have left it at the station, man,” replied Cutler dismissively.

“It was there when I came in, sir!” insisted Walsh, “It never leaves me. Solid gold. Anniversary present. My wife’ll go potty.”

“At home, then.”

“It was in my pocket when we rang the doorbell, sir,” Walsh persisted, “I remember making sure. I knew you’d be cadging a...” he faltered.

“Well, forget it,” snapped Cutler, “We’ve got more important things to do.”

Up in the attic, the boot boy fingered his gleaming prize. Nobody would be bothered with him.

8 comments:

Oscar Grillo said...

Sorry. I've read this story hastily and drew it whitout registering that inspector Cutler rummages for his lighter in the raincoat draped across the post table. Well I drew the scene with the inspector and the sargeant in the garden outside the mansion.
I was wrong.
Please, try to picture these two characters back inside the house and everything will fall into place.

Sorry about the confusion.
Good afternoon.

Oscar Grillo said...

Ahhh...I also drew THE INSPECTOR as the one who lost the lighter...I assumed than Walsh provided the fags and Cutler provided the light.

It would have been better if Chips had written it that way. It could have created a better relationship between the characters.

Oscar Grillo said...

I promise to read more carefully your stories, Chips!

Patricia said...

That's all very well, but what about the murder victim? Someone isn't in the clear alright.

Chips said...

The great Agatha could not have created more diversions and distractions.

To clear up the matter,

The Inspector smokes but never has any cigarettes. Or a lighter.

The sergeant has the gold lighter stolen by the boot boy.

The major has been done away with by aahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

No One In Particular said...

Wherever they are, whomever the culprit, it's Oscar on the left and Chips on the right.

Oscar Grillo said...

I am taller, Persona.

ariel tenorio said...

siempre paso para ver los dibujitos nomas ji ji salud