Mini Mysteries

by Acologic

The Strangler

‘There’s no need to stick your snout in, Slippy,’ said Inspector Wormstead, the cocksure flatfoot with a healthy contempt for private investigators. ‘We’ve got our man.’

‘He confessed?’

‘Not exactly, but I’ve a witness – a post pony who claims to have watched Spinner strangle our stiff to death with a garrotte. He’d just delivered magazines when he saw Spinner “pull open the door of his house and enter”. Shortly afterwards he heard a scream and, rushing over to investigate, saw Spinner through the open window, dispatching his wife in the manner previously described.’

‘Ah, but the witness,’ said Slipstar. ‘Can he not lie?’

‘Ruddy devil’s putting on one heck of an act in that case. He seemed as genuine as the ice and snow.’

‘Is he to testify?’

‘Surely.’

‘I strongly recommend that you arrest him on suspicion of murder.’

Why?

Slipstar realised that the ‘post pony’ was lying. He claimed he saw Spinner pull open the door of his house. Private-house doors open inwards – a fact that any real post pony would know.

Comments

[BellChime]

Before checking: She couldn't scream if she was being strangled?
After: Nuts.

[GMBlackjack]

I'm not sure, but... Possible solution: This is very shaky, but he mentions an open door earlier, and later in the story it ends up an open window. If I was an investigator I wouldn't consider this good evidence, but I can't find anything else.

After: Gosh freaking darnit. There was no way I'd figure that out.

-GM, master of detective work.

[Acologic]

9300731
The window and the door can be open at the same time, yes, which disproves nothing. You're going about these the right way, though, looking for little inconsistencies in the text.

And thank you for the comment. Dang, but I really do like comments.