Minute Mysteries [Detectograms] 19 – Ripley · Verses Across
Literature · Crime, Thrillers & Mystery
Minute Mysteries [Detectograms] 19Chapter 18
18
Literature · Crime, Thrillers & Mystery
Minute Mysteries [Detectograms] 19
Chapter 18
RipleyEnglish
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!’
