Minute Mysteries [Detectograms] Chapter 4: Part 4

other end of the corridor and directly opposite it a staircase led to the servants’ quarters above. ‘Diana Lane, a house guest of Mrs. Yelpir at the time of the murder, was questioned, and she appeared nervous. She insisted, however, that she had been in her room at the time Yelpir was slain. ‘Nora, a servant, testified that, as she was descending the stairs leading from the servants’ quarters, at midnight, she saw Diana Lane, wearing her famous emerald pendant and dressed in an enticing black negligée, walk down the lighted corridor to Yelpir’s room. She said she followed a minute later and heard Diana and Yelpir violently quarreling. She returned to the servants’ quarters and, as she opened the door of her room, she heard a shot. ‘In the face of such evidence, Miss Lane admitted having gone to the study at the time, but protested her innocence, declaring she had remained only a minute. ‘While Miss Lane was acquitted, you know, her reputation was not above reproach. Even so, I knew without further investigation that Nora’s testimony was maliciously false.’ How did the Professor know? 15 _A Yachtsman’s Alibi_ ‘I’ve often remarked,’ said Professor Fordney, in an expansive mood, ‘how very difficult it is to fake an alibi without someone’s assistance. A case in point is a messy affair we cleared up recently. ‘I didn’t definitely suspect Picus when I happened to bump into him at the Fourth-of-July parade, the morning after an acquaintance of his had been found dead under suspicious circumstances. I rather casually asked him where he had been and what he had been doing the previous afternoon about four o’clock, the apparent time of the man’s death. He related the following story: ‘“I took my sailboat out about noon yesterday. It was great on the water. Around three o’clock, however, when I was perhaps ten miles out, the wind died down completely. There wasn’t a breath of air, and I knew that, unless I could attract some boat, I was in for an uncomfortable time. Remembering that the international distress signal is a flag flown upside down, I ran mine up to the top of the mast in that manner. Thank God it was a clear day. ‘“In about an hour the steamer Leone hove to, and I went aboard her after securing my boat with a towline. The Captain said he had seen my distress signal about four miles away and would put me ashore at Gladsome Landing. He did so, and, as there was no one about, I hailed a passing motorist who gave me a lift back to town. Imagine my surprise when I read in the paper this morning that the Leone had been sunk in a storm after putting me ashore, and all hands had been lost!” ‘While I knew,’ remarked the Professor, ‘that the Leone had been sunk with all on board, after hearing Picus’s story I immediately arrested him on suspicion of murder.’ What was wrong with Picus’s alibi? 16 _Murder at Coney Island_ Inspector Kelley and Professor Fordney were seated in the former’s office when Policeman Fanning and his charge entered. After Fanning’s hurried explanation, Jasper told his story: ‘I’m the ticket taker on a merry-go-round at Coney Island. This bein’ Saturday, we had a big crowd. The trip was almost over when I reached out, saying, “Ticket, please,” and I see this woman sittin’ up in the middle of the chariot with that terrible look on her face. She didn’t answer, and when I shook her, she slumped over in the corner. I screamed, jumped off, and ran for the manager. I got blood on my hand when I shook her. ‘Yes, sir, she’d ridden a couple of times and I seen the man she was with on the two rides before,’ continued Jasper, giving a detailed description of him. ‘I happened to see him jump off just before I got to her.’ ‘The doctor said she had been stabbed through the heart and had died instantly?’ queried Professor Fordney. ‘That’s right, sir,’ replied the policeman. ‘It seems strange, Jasper,’ remarked the Professor, ‘that you can give such a good description of this woman’s companion on two previous rides when you just “happened” to notice him jump off. Does the merry-go-round ever make you dizzy?’ ‘No, sir; I’m used to it.’ ‘Well, Inspector,’ said Fordney, turning to his friend, ‘I suppose you are going to hold this man?’ ‘Certainly,’ replied Kelley. ‘That’s just about the dizziest story I’ve heard in a long time.’ What justified the police in holding Jasper? 17 _Too Clever_ ‘Receiving no reply to my ring and finding the door unlocked, I went in,’ said Albert Lynch. ‘Dawson was seated at his desk shot through the head. Seeing he was dead, I called the police and remained here.’ ‘Touch anything, Lynch?’ asked Professor Fordney. ‘No, sir, nothing.’ ‘Positive of that, are you?’ ‘Absolutely, sir.’ The Professor made a careful examination of the desk and found Dawson had been writing a letter at the bottom of which and covered by the dead man’s hand, was a penned message: ‘A. L. did thi——’ and weakly trailed off. Further examination disclosed several kinds of writing-paper, a pen-tray holding the recently used pen, inkwell, eraser, stamps, letters, and bills. The gun from which the shot had been fired was on the floor by the side of the chair, and the bullet was found embedded in the divan. After a few questions, Fordney was quickly convinced of Lynch’s innocence. ‘What do you make of it, Professor?’ inquired Inspector Kelley. ‘Though the scrawled note certainly looks like Dawson’s writing, I am sure an expert will find it isn’t. I’m not surprised to find the gun free of prints. Pretty thorough job, this. Good thing for you, Lynch, and for us too, that the murderer was careless about something.’ ‘Right,’ said Kelley. ‘But you aren’t such a wise old owl, Fordney. This is like the Morrow case we handled. Remember?’ ‘Good for you, Inspector,’ laughed the Professor. How did both men so quickly determine that the incriminating note had not been left by Dawson? 18 _Bloody Murder_ ‘A bad mess, this,’ said Professor Fordney to Sergeant Reynolds, as they viewed the bloody scene. ‘Yeah, I wish these guys wouldn’t be quite so thorough when they bump themselves off,’ replied Reynolds as he set grimly to work. A man with his throat cut, the head almost severed, sat slumped over a blood-spattered desk. What a horrible sight! His bloodstained coat flung across the room, the razor! the shirt! the tie! his hands! covered with blood, made a ghastly and awesome picture framed by the flickering light of a dying candle. After turning on the lights, Fordney bent down to take a closer look at the man. ‘His face seems vaguely familiar, Sergeant, but I can’t recall at the moment where I’ve seen him. How long has he been dead, Doctor?’ ‘About two hours,’ replied the police surgeon. At this moment the telephone rang. The caller, upon hearing Fordney’s voice, immediately disconnected. ‘Odd,’ murmured the Professor as he hung up the receiver. ‘I remember now where I saw this man. His name is Thompson.’ As he glanced around, he observed that the alarm-clock on the dresser had stopped just two hours and fifteen minutes before. The telephone rang again and Fordney motioned Reynolds to answer. ‘Hello!’ he said. ‘Mr. Thompson stepped out for a few minutes. Leave your number. I’ll have him call you.’ The man at the other end inquired who was speaking and, when Reynolds replied, ‘A friend,’ he hung up. ‘Better trace that call, Sergeant; this is murder,’ said Fordney. ‘What!’ exclaimed Reynolds. ‘Still looks like suicide to me!’ Do you agree with Reynolds or the Professor? Why? 19 _Death Back-Stage_ Claudia Mason, beautiful and popular young actress, was found lying across the chaise-longue in her elaborately furnished dressing-room, dead from a bullet wound in the temple. She had sold her jewels and, with an heroic gesture, partially paid her many debts. Near Claudia’s right hand, Sergeant Reynolds picked up the revolver with which she had been killed, and after careful examination said: ‘No finger-prints, of course. Gosh, Fordney, there’s two rocks she didn’t sell,’ he exclaimed, pointing to a large emerald on her left hand and a diamond on her right. ‘Call Maria, her maid. I want to find out who this fellow is,’ said the Professor, nodding toward a man’s photograph signed, Juan. ‘This was evidently addressed to him,’ he said, passing over a note which read: Dear Juan: I am so despondent. The money from my jewels was not nearly enough. Claudia ‘Not many of these dames kill themselves over their debts,’ muttered Reynolds as he went to call Maria. The maid entered the room, sobbing and hysterical. ‘Who is Juan?’ asked Professor Fordney. ‘He’s the leading man in the show.’ ‘Why wasn’t this note delivered to him?’ ‘I forgot it.’ ‘You found her?’ ‘Yes. When I came to help her dress she—was—like that!’ ‘Is Juan in his dressing-room now?’ ‘I believe so.’ When Reynolds brought him into Claudia’s room, he dropped to his knees beside the dead girl. ‘My God! She’s killed herself!’ ‘No, she hasn’t, young man. She was murdered,’ said the Professor. Why was he sure it was not suicide? 20 _An Easy Combination_ ‘I was working late, preparing an advertising campaign,’ continued Fellows whom Professor Fordney had been questioning. ‘About ten-fifteen I heard the outer office door click. Being unarmed, I hurriedly turned out the lights in my office and waited breathlessly, as there was a large sum of money in the safe. I knew my chances of attracting attention from the tenth floor were small, so, reaching for the telephone, I hastily dialed Headquarters and told them in a low voice to send help immediately. Then, creeping noiselessly to the open safe, I gently shut the door, twirled the combination, and crawled behind that big old-fashioned desk. ‘Shortly afterward the robber entered my office, flashed his light over the place, and went to the safe. He had it open in a few minutes, took the money, and left. That’s all I know about it.’ ‘What time is it now, Mr. Fellows?’ inquired Fordney. ‘Why, I haven’t a watch.’ ‘How, then, did you know it was about ten-fifteen when you heard the door click?’ ‘I had gone next door for a sandwich and as I left I glanced at the restaurant clock and noticed it was ten-five. I had been back about five minutes,’ replied Fellows. ‘You say the burglar was masked,’ continued the Professor. ‘How did you know it?’ ‘As he focused his flashlight on the combination and bent over, I saw the mask,’ returned Fellows belligerently. ‘Very interesting,’ smiled