Chapter 5 Murder in the soundproof room of the cinema
"Come in, come in!" said Dr. Sam Hawthorne. "What are you drinking? It's still the same? Very good! I promised you that this time I will talk about the secret room murder that happened at the centennial celebration of North Hill Town, right? Those During the days, Beishan town was celebrating everywhere. As early as the summer of 1927, we commemorated the 300th anniversary of the Puritans’ settlement in the local area. In the summer of 1932, it was the commemoration of the 100th anniversary of Beishan township. In the midst of the Great Depression and the presidential election, the ancestors of North Hills had already made plans, knowing that what their descendants need most now is celebration..."
For most, the culmination of the centennial event was the opening of the North Hills Cinema.It was the first sound movie theater in town.For most of the townspeople, the movie theater is a step into the future, far more important than when Saints Memorial Hospital opened its doors a few years ago.The opening ceremony of the theater was scheduled for Wednesday, June 29, and the mayor of Trenten promised to cut the ribbon for the theater himself at that time.This also opened the prelude to a week of celebrations.The festivities will culminate with fireworks on the fourth of July, Monday of the second week.
I went to join in the fun on Tuesday, the first day of the theater's grand opening.The film news announcement has been posted, and two films will be released simultaneously in the first round, "Bleak Winter" starring James Cagney and "Fantastic Man" starring Chester Morris.Theater owner Matt Creeley was as thrilled as anyone else in town.
"I'll show you around, doctor." He took my arm. "The theater can comfortably accommodate four hundred and thirty spectators, which is half the population of Beishan Town. Besides, the people in Cape Sean will be taken by us." Attract it. There is no such good thing in their town!"
The screening hall does look good. "What's that glass room in the back for?" I asked.
"Oh, it's specially prepared for families with babies or small children, and it can be soundproofed. If they sit in and watch a movie, even if the baby starts crying, it won't affect other viewers. It's kind of like a soundproof room. The sound of the movie goes through the speakers Send it to the room. Not many movie theaters in the country have this kind of equipment." His voice was full of pride.
"You've done a great job, Matt," I said, looking at the glass room with about a dozen chairs.We walked in along the corridor in the middle, and I turned around and said, "Is the screening room above the soundproof room?"
"Yeah. Sometimes I show it myself, but I also have Freddie Bell, who does it full-time."
"Can you keep him awake?" Ferreddy was a celebrity in town.Even during Prohibition, he was more drunk than sober.
"Doctor, he has been doing well recently. I taught him how to play movies, and he is very interested."
"That would be great." I told him.Freddie Bell rented a room on the second floor of the Main Street barber shop.I often see him on the way to work.
As we were going out, a pretty brunette came up to me and wanted to ask Creeley something.He turned to me and said, "Do you know Willa Smith, Sam?"
"I don't seem to know one." I'd heard he'd hired a conductor from Cape Sien, but didn't know she was such a charming girl.
"Villa, this is Dr. Sam Hawthorne. If you get cramps from collecting money, you can call him for help."
She gave me a charming smile: "Hope that doesn't happen."
"Do you live in town?" I pretended I didn't know anything about her situation.
"No, I live in Cape Sean and drive to work."
"It's a good job with good prospects."
"Mr. Creeley keeps saying that," she replied.
"I've got to hire some boys to be ushers," said Creeley, "but it won't be until the afternoon. I'm going to put an ad in the paper in the morning."
"good luck."
"Here are some tickets for the premiere tomorrow, doctor. Bring a girl."
"thank you very much."
I didn't make any female friends that summer.As soon as I got back to the office, I asked Nurse Aibo if she would like to go with me. "Tomorrow night?" she asked. "After Mayor Trenten cuts the ribbon?"
"That's right."
"I would love to! But what should I wear? In the magazines, everyone at the opening of the theater is wearing a dress."
"It's not necessary in Beishan Town. What you wore that time—"
Just then, the phone rang.It was Sergeant Lan Si with an excited voice: "Doctor, come quickly! There is a dead body beside me."
"Where are you, Sheriff?"
"Upstairs from the barber shop, Freddie Bell's room. He just killed himself."
Ferreddy's room was sparsely furnished and dusty—just as I'd imagined it would be.There was a half-bottle of Scotch on the table, apparently bootleg.Ferreddy was slumped in an easy chair beside him, a revolver dropped on the floor to his right.
"He shot himself in the head," muttered Sergeant Lens.
I looked at the bloody wound on his temple. "Gunpowder residue. Looks like suicide yes, Sheriff."
"The woman across the corridor heard the gunfire an hour ago, knocked on the door and got no answer. That's why she called me."
"Poor Freddy, how did he kill himself?"
"Oh, he left a suicide note, doctor. Never seen such a goddamn thing."
I picked up the handwritten suicide note, and the writing on the suicide note trembled unsteadily.I read it quickly: I killed Mayor Trenten on the opening night of the North Hills movie theater.I hate him because I love drinking and he keeps getting the cops on me.I cut a hole in the projection room floor, through to the ceiling of the soundproof room.When the mayor entered the soundproof room to test the seat, I made some noise on purpose.As soon as he looked up, I pulled out my pistol and shot him between the eyes.Then, I plugged the hole so no one could see it.Moreover, because the room is soundproof, no one knows that he died in the soundproof room.I have no doubts.However, conscience does not allow me to escape punishment.Therefore, I choose to end my life.Freddie Bell.
"but--"
"That's right, doctor. The opening ceremony isn't until tomorrow night, and the Mayor of Trenten is still alive. The murder hasn't happened yet, and Ferreddy has pleaded guilty."
Freddie Bell's suicide note was eventually dismissed as the ramblings of a drunkard.The mayor of Trenten laughed it off: "Maybe he did intend to kill me, and after getting drunk, he thought he really did it."
Sergeant Lens and I went and inspected the floor of the projection room and the underside of the projection room—the ceiling of the soundproof room—in person.We didn't find any potholes.If Ferreddy's plan is serious, he hasn't had time to implement the first step.
"The projectionist is gone, what should I do?" Matt Creeley said angrily, tossing his thinning hair, "I was going to meet the audience downstairs, but now I have to be stuck in the projection room, Show the movie yourself."
"Everything will be fine." Sergeant Len Si reassured him.
"Also, what if the mayor is afraid and refuses to cut the ribbon?"
"Erni Trenten is not afraid of anything." Lan Si comforted, "And what else is there to be afraid of? The murderer is already dead."
As I left the theater, I asked Sergeant Lens, "You'll be at the opening ceremony tomorrow, right?"
"Of course. Not because of the suicide note, though. My wife and I want to watch a few good movies comfortably in town." He squinted at me. "You're not worried, are you?"
"Not really."
"What's the matter, doctor? I can see you have something on your mind."
"I was just thinking about the half-bottle of Scotch. You know how much Ferreddy drank. If he was going to kill himself, you think he'd keep the half-bottle?"
"Not likely," the sheriff admitted. "However, if someone killed him and planned to kill the mayor, how could they be stupid enough to leave a suicide note and warn us in advance?"
"I don't know either," I said, "I don't know how to understand it."
The afternoon of the opening ceremony was sunny.Warm summer days are perfect for opening celebrations.The entire Municipal Square has been decorated for the centenary.The mayor of Trenten is not the only politician who has taken advantage of opportunities and made a lot of friends.I noticed that one of Trenten's sworn political enemies, town councilor Gaspar Derek, was there, saying hello.
He saw me and said, "Dr. Hawthorne! Please wait!"
"Hello, Gaspard." He was thin, ulcerated, and had his ups and downs.Over the years, I have seen many diseases.
"Very good. Tell me, what happened to Freddie Bell's suicide?"
"He just committed suicide and left a suicide note."
"That's odd. Creeley just offered him a job at the movie theater."
"I know." I don't want to say too much, I hope the contents of the suicide note have not been made public.
"Are you going to the opening ceremony tonight?"
"Of course not. See you then, Gaspard."
A few minutes after seven, I picked up Aibo in the Stutz sports car, and she was ready.In summer, the sun is long, and the sky is quite bright after seven o'clock.We drove around the square and stopped near the cinema.Although the National Day is still five days away, the children can't wait to set off firecrackers and play with toy guns to start celebrating.Children are playing near the bandstand.In a sense, their slapstick presence added a festive vibe to the ensuing event.Sergeant Lan Si stood on the side of the road watching them, and did not step forward to stop them.
"Nice to meet you, Doc. You too, Aibo," the Sheriff greeted us as we got out of the car.
"Is your wife here too, Sheriff?" asked Aibo.
"She went in first and took a few seats. I want to come out and watch the mayor cut the ribbon."
Tonight's guests had been specially invited, so Willa Smith was not required to be at the ticket booth.She was at the theater door, standing with Matt Creeley, checking invitations as people entered.When Creeley spotted the Mayor of Trenten present, he temporarily stopped the audience from entering.A section of red ribbon was pulled up at the entrance, and we all surrounded it.
"Friends and townspeople," said the burly mayor, as if making a campaign speech, "it is an honor to be here tonight at one of the hallmark events of our town's centennial—the North Hills Cinema, the first in town Grand opening of the soundtrack." He raised his scissors and cut the ribbon.A burst of cheers erupted from the crowd.
People followed the mayor and crowded into the theater.I noticed Gaspard Derek whisper something in Willa Smith's ear as he entered.No matter what the content of the speech was, Vera blushed and smiled anyway.Ib and I found seats in the middle rows, and the Sheriff's wife was at the other end of the same row, and we waved to her.After a while, Sergeant Lens came in and grabbed my arm.
"Doctor, there is trouble. Mayor Trenten wants to watch the first half of the film in a soundproof room."
I couldn't help laughing: "Sheriff, you are not superstitious, are you? We went to the room to check, and there is no hole in the ceiling. Besides, whether Freddy is serious or not, he is dead anyway. "
He shook his head: "I just don't think it's good, it's a bit of an ominous fate."
"Then I'll go talk to him," I said.Aibo promised to help me keep my seat.However, she looked at the audience excitedly, and I didn't expect much.
Trenten, with Matt Creeley and Gaspard Derek, admires the interior of the theater.Matt was the first to talk to me: "Doctor, if the mayor insists on watching movies in the soundproof room, can you accompany him? I have to go upstairs to work in the screening room, and the sheriff better stay outside."
"I think you're all making a big fuss," Trenten said, and I agreed. "I was just going to be in the room for five to ten minutes, to get a feel for it. Then I'll come out and sit with everyone." I suddenly It occurred to me that he was so persistent that he might be trying to win the votes of young women.That night, Matt did not invite the family of three with young children to try the soundproof room.
"Then I'll sit with you until you come out." I said, "Let's go."
Matt Creeley finally smiled and waved to Vera: "Tell the ushers to stand in the back row. I don't want them blocking the audience's view."
The mayor and I walked into the glass-fronted room and sat down in the first row.The sound-absorbing panels feel weird to my ears.I deliberately kept my voice down when I opened my mouth to speak, and it took me a while to realize that people outside couldn't hear us at all. "It's not bad for the thick glass," I said. "It must have cost Creeley a lot."
Mayor Trenten nodded: "In this respect, even Boston can't compare with this town."
"Where did Mrs. Madam go tonight?" I asked casually.Hilda Trenten was near middle age and had a good personality.She often accompanies the mayor to social events.
"I had hoped she would arrive in time. This afternoon, she has something urgent to go back to her mother's house in Cape Sean to see her mother."
"Sean Point. The ticket girl Vera is from there, too."
Trenten muttered, "She looks familiar. I may have met her somewhere."
The lights in the projection hall dimmed, and the gorgeous red curtain was drawn back.When the first black and white picture appeared on the screen, the audience couldn't help applauding.Speakers are installed on the top of the soundproof room, and music is transmitted from the speakers. "These seats are not bad," I said to the mayor, "but Creeley should have a carpet."
Trenten stared at the big screen and muttered something casually.
Opening first is the second film, "Fantastic People," about a gang of villains who turn their backs on evil with the help of spiritual mentors.Mayor Trenten seems to have seen the silent version with Lon Chaney.Within ten minutes he couldn't sit still and suggested we go outside and join the others. "I must look for Hilda. She should be here."
Just then, a character in the film pulls out a gun.No sooner had Trenten stood up than I heard a muffled sound as if someone had fired from afar.I thought it was the sound from the movie at first.But the mayor next to me screamed. "Oh God! I've been shot!" He slumped back into his chair, and I noticed he was gripping the underside of his left shoulder. "Let me see." I unbuttoned his coat.The shirt was stained with blood, and the hole where the bullet had penetrated was clearly visible.
At this moment, the door opened suddenly, and Sergeant Lan Si put his head in and said, "Mayor, your wife has just arrived. Do you want me to bring her in?"
"He's been shot!" I yelled. "Get help."
"Shot? How is that possible? You and him are the only two in the room, doctor. Besides, I have been guarding the door."
"Maybe it was Freddie Bell," I murmured. "Go and turn on the light, and I'll see how I can save him."
Hilda Trenten almost fainted after hearing the bad news: "Will he die? I want to see him. I want to be with him!"
"Of course you can see him," I reassured. "We'll take him to the hospital right away and he'll be fine. Luckily, he was just about to stand up when the shot was fired. Otherwise, the bullet would have landed on the side of his forehead."
"But why—"
Sergeant Lan Si helped the mayor stand up.The movie screening had stopped long ago, and the hall was brightly lit.An ambulance from Saints Memorial Hospital was on its way. "Be careful, Mayor," I warned. "It looks like a flesh wound, but it's too early to say for sure."
He was pale, and I was afraid he would go into a convulsion.Secretly wishing the ambulance would arrive soon.Gaspard Derek appeared in the crowd, trying to squeeze in beside us. "What's the matter? Is he dead?"
"He's alive and well, Gaspard. Keep the crowd out of the way!"
Finally, the ambulance arrived.We persuaded the mayor to lie on a stretcher.His complexion improved slightly.I got into the ambulance with him although I thought it was nothing major.I said to Sergeant Lens, "Check the ceiling again for bullet holes. And the walls, don't forget. Those sound-absorbing panels—"
"Leave it to me, doctor."
Hilda Trenten insisted on going to the hospital with the ambulance.When we arrived at the hospital gate, she looked weaker than her husband.The resident had been notified earlier, and Trenten was immediately wheeled into the operating room.I disinfected, put on the surgical gown and hat, and followed inside.
The whole operation took only fifteen minutes.Dr. Las took out the bullet and showed it to me. "The bullet only came within an inch of the body," he said. "Either it came from a long distance, or the bullet passed through an obstruction and slowed down."
"Is it possible to kill him?"
"Depends on where you hit, of course. He's lucky." He bent over the operating table. "A few stitches and he'll be back soon."
"Keep the bullets," I said, "the sheriff will definitely need them."
I left the operating room and went back to Hilda who was waiting outside.
"Tell me the worst, Dr. Sam," she said. "Will he die?"
"Hilda, he's all right. A scrape at best."
"Someone shot him, though!"
"That's right."
"Who would do such a thing?"
"Politicians have enemies," I replied, thinking of Freddie Bell.
"They could do it again, even right in the hospital."
"I'm sure Sergeant Lens will have someone guarding the door of the ward, Hilda."
I relayed Hilda's concerns to the sheriff and he said that guarding officers had been dispatched.
I told him Dr. Lasso's deduction as to what obstacle the bullet might have passed through. "The gunshots did sound muffled," I added.
"Like a silencer?"
"I've only heard the sound of the silencer in the movie. However, to me, it's more like a cough or a suction sound. Anyway, there is indeed a gunshot, but it's not loud. Of course, it may also be caused by the sound-absorbing strips. Effect."
Sergeant Lan Si shook his head: "It doesn't make much difference, doctor. There are no bullet holes in the windows, walls or ceiling. The small holes on the sound-absorbing strips are not as big as bullets. Although the door is not as strict as you like A locked room in the sense of the word, but that's about it. You know, I'm at the door, and you're always inside. No one ever goes in, and no one shoots through the door. No crime at all, Doctor."
"If you think about it, nothing is impossible. Maybe Freddie Bell really wanted to kill the mayor. It's just that the method he said in his suicide note was false. Suppose he set up a certain situation in the soundproof room in advance. A kind of trap - hide a gun in a chair, or in a speaker, set a specific time, and shoot automatically."
"I don't know, Doctor—"
"Let's go and see."
Frustrated by the shooting of Mayor Trenten, Matt Creeley stops a movie screening.When we got to the movie theater, he was pacing up and down the empty hall, very excited. "Gasper Derek said you were forewarned," he chided us. "Is that true?"
"Not at all," Inspector Lens replied. "We thought the threat had been eliminated."
"This is the grand opening ceremony of my movie theater, but you ruined it by yourself."
"We didn't destroy it," I reminded him, "but the murderer."
I followed the sheriff into the theater.He had already sent someone to guard the door of the soundproof room. "In the soundproof room, everything is the same as when we left," he said. "I checked the walls and the ceiling, but nothing was touched."
I can see it.The bloody handkerchief lay on the floor beside Trenten's seat.The navy blue jacket that I had taken off for him after he was shot lay nearby.Luckily, the jacket wasn't too damaged—just a bloodstain or two on the lining. "You can take the coat back to the mayor," I said. "Is there any possibility? One of the sound-absorbing bars can move, or is there a small hidden door behind the sound-absorbing bars?"
"Impossible, doctor. I've tried everything, even checked the screening room upstairs."
I got a ladder and checked the speakers myself.There was no gun inside.Then, I carefully turned all the seats over - same result.The cinema's brand new floors are spotless.I picked up a small piece of red paper on the ground.Smaller than a fingernail.Other than that, nothing. "A dead end, Sheriff," I said at last.
"Even you were defeated?"
"Perhaps. Tell me, how did Gaspard Derek know what Ferreddy's suicide note contained? He told Creelee that the police had been warned."
"During the gathering this afternoon, the mayor of Trenten himself said it. He said that he went to the theater at night, which was a bit of a Lincoln-like tragedy."
"You think the whole thing has something to do with Gaspard?"
Sheriff Lan Si waved his hand: "I doubt it. In my opinion, he is more interested in news from Chicago."
"Chicago?" I almost forgot that today is the day the Democratic Party officially announces its presidential candidate.New York Gov. Franklin D. Roosevelt won the candidate seat after the fourth ballot.To the astonishment of the crowd, he flew himself to Chicago to deliver his acceptance speech for the seat.
"Roosevelt mentioned repealing Prohibition in his speech, just as Hoover did two weeks ago. No matter who gets elected, Prohibition must be repealed."
"What does that have to do with Gaspard?"
"Well, I shouldn't talk too much—"
"Sheriff, one man is dead, and the other nearly died tonight. If Gaspard and—"
Sergeant Lan Si was a little uneasy: "Doctor, this is just a gossip I heard. It may have nothing to do with tonight's shooting. You see, if the prohibition law is abolished next year, anyone who hoards a large amount of imported alcohol Everyone will be happy."
"You mean, bootlegger?"
"Or those who hold a license issued by the state, under the banner of medical use, and legally import people... I heard that there is a new pharmaceutical company in Cape Sean that is doing this business."
"Sean's Point?" The place kept coming up. "Gasper has something to do with it?"
"Well, I can't prove it. But how do you get a license if you don't have anything to do with the government? I hear there's a warehouse in Cape Sean full of Scotch waiting for Prohibition to be repealed. Pharmaceutical companies The warehouse was guarded by the Perkinston Security Company."
We went back to the Great Hall, and Willa Smith was with Creeley. "If nothing else, I'm going to go home," she said.
"Go ahead," said the theater owner sullenly. "Maybe things will be better tomorrow."
"Wait a minute, Vera." I said loudly, "I'll accompany you to pick up the car."
As she walked out, she took out her car keys: "Will the mayor of Trenten get better?"
"I see no problem. Luckily, he just stood up when the gunshots rang out."
"But who did it? How did it happen?"
"We're looking," I said. "You live in Cape Sean, don't you?"
"That's right."
"I saw you were talking to Gaspard Derek just now. Did you meet him at Cape Sean?"
"Of course, that's why I know him. Sometimes I run into him at the bank, sometimes I see him shopping or something."
"Does he have business in town?"
"I haven't heard of it," she said uncertainly.
I held the door for her and she climbed into the cab of the Ford. "Can you go back and inquire and see if he has done business with anyone?"
"If you insist, no problem." However, I could hear that she wouldn't really ask.
After I watched her leave, I returned to the theater again.The sheriff was putting a seal on the soundproof room door. "Seal it for a few days, lest others go in and destroy the scene." He said, "We'll check it out tomorrow."
"What do you think, Sheriff?"
He looked at me and shook his head: "Damn, doctor, we know who the murderer is. The problem is, the murderer committed suicide yesterday."
I'm a little worried about the safety of the mayor of Trenten.The next morning I saw him out of bed and ready to go home with a huge sigh of relief. "Thank you for sending me the coat," he said. "At least I came out looking refreshed than when I was brought in last night."
"How's the shoulder wound?"
"Doctor Las asked me to come back for a follow-up visit in ten days to remove the stitches. The wound may ooze a little in the past two days, but there are no other problems."
Hilda Trenten came to meet her husband, smiling broadly.She regained her composure and once again acted like the mayor's wife. "Did the sheriff catch the killer?" she asked.
"He's got a clue," I lied, and then I added the fact that "he's looking into Cape Sean."
Trenten was still a little unsteady when he walked due to excessive blood loss.But he managed to get into the car by himself.The deputy sheriff followed closely behind.Inspector Lan Si gave him instructions to protect the mayor until the end of this golden weekend.Sheriff Lan Si also appointed another deputy sheriff to take over at the mayor's house at night.
I found Sergeant Lens at the Municipal Plaza.He was pretending to chase some children playing with firecrackers and toy guns. "Let them go, Sheriff," I said loudly. "They haven't broken the law."
"They set the grass on fire," he grumbled, bending down to pick up a red firecracker ball that had just gone off.
"Mayor Trenten is home."
"Very well," he said with his usual puzzled expression, "doctor, I examined the bullet they took out of the mayor's shoulder. I only looked at it with a magnifying glass, but judging by the size and the notch on , a lot like killing Freddie Bell."
"Oh?"
"However, that gun has been locked in my office safe since Tuesday."
"I understand what you mean."
"This is a secret room, it is impossible to shoot, and the murder weapon has long been locked in the safe by me!"
"Can you find that bootleg warehouse in Cape Sean?"
"what?"
"The warehouse full of scotch."
"I don't know. Maybe. Too many warehouses over there."
"Then let's go."
"What for? What do you want, doctor?"
"Find the last piece of the puzzle. I want to find out if the whiskey in the warehouse is the same brand as the bottle on Freddie Bell's desk."
He looked at me for a long time, and finally said, "Let's go."
Along the way, I sorted out my thoughts and finally figured out what happened.It sounds crazy, but it makes sense when you think about it.
We both knew in our hearts that Cape Sean was beyond the jurisdiction of Sheriff Lens.However, since he didn't intend to arrest people, it didn't make any difference.The sheriff quickly found the Saints Pharmaceuticals warehouse.He said to the bodyguards in Parkinston, I am a doctor, to check their stock of medical whiskey, and tricked the bodyguards into trusting them with sweet words.
"Go in, I think it's okay." The bodyguard let go, "The boss is inside."
"We're looking for him," I said.
He leads us through aisles amidst piles of whiskey crates.I looked at the whiskey label, and it was exactly as I expected.At the back of the warehouse there was a small office with a light on.As we approached, a strange man came out.He frowned and walked towards us.
"Get your gun out, Sheriff," I whispered.
Following the strange man, the person who appeared in front of us was the mayor of Trenten.
For a moment we stood face to face, each other dumbfounded.The mayor of Trenten came back to his senses and shouted at one of his men: "Shoot them! They are robbers!"
Sergeant Lan Si didn't pull out his gun, but took out his badge: "Mayor, what do you mean by saying that? Tell your subordinates not to do anything. I think Doctor Sam has something to say."
"That's right." I took two steps forward, and stood still facing Mayor Trenten in the narrow corridor, "I have to admit, you almost fooled us all. You almost succeeded Reversed roles of murderer and victim. Freddie Bell became the murderer and you became the victim, but it was just the opposite. Freddie knew about your connection to the bootleg warehouse. Prohibition is about to be lifted Now, he probably wants to blackmail you. You bring a bottle of whiskey, let him drink half of it, kill him while he is drunk, and imitate his crooked handwriting, and forge a suicide note. You should take the rest poured the whiskey down the drain. The half-bottle was the first clue that made me suspicious."
"You seem to have forgotten that I was shot myself." Trenten said, "Lance, I want to dismiss you."
The sheriff said nothing, leaving me to speak. "Your shot was the best move. I have analyzed your technique, but why you did it, I can only guess. You are afraid that Bell will leave something-such as a letter accusing you of passing political connections to obtain a license to import medical whiskey. If this letter gets out after he dies, you'll be prime suspect right away. How can you kill the blackmailer and get away with it? Simple, you forged A suicide note that made it look like he was planning to kill you, and when he was drunk, he mistakenly thought he had done it. In this way, even if he did leave a letter accusing you, it would look like drunk nonsense."
"You were watching when I got shot," Mayor Trenten reminded me.
"In order to make it look like you were shot, you really took a risk. Before going to the theater, you first pierced a hole under your shoulder with an ice pick or something, and then stuffed the bullet from the shot into the wound. I hope you remember to sterilize the bullet , or you would get an infection. You stuffed a handkerchief in the wound to soak up the oozing blood. When everything was ready, you set off for the theater. You may think that if you can really do it after Freddy's weird suicide note is discovered One shot can further disturb the police's sight. Even if his extortion letter is exposed, the police will not suspect that you are the murderer. However, we should be aware from the very beginning that the so-called shooting of the mayor can be realized. The condition is that the mayor wants to watch movies in the soundproof room. No matter who the murderer is, he cannot predict your insistence on entering the soundproof room. Therefore, no matter Bell or anyone else, it is impossible to pre-arrange the killing mechanism. Only you can pre-determine. Arrange everything, Mayor."
"You were sitting next to me, you should have heard the gunshots too."
"I heard a crackling sound, the sound of a child's toy gun firing. You threw it on the soundproof room floor beforehand. When you were about to stand up, you stepped on the toy gun and let it fire. The sound Not small enough to be mistaken for a dull gunshot. Toy gun bullets probably stick to the soles of your shoes, but I still found a small red crumb on the floor. When the toy gun goes off, you tear Take out the handkerchief that plugged the wound and throw it on the floor to let the blood flow out. You thought of digging a hole the size of a bullet in your shirt, but you can't move your coat first, or everyone will see it. I didn't think until later, and there was no wound Your coat just exposed your tricks. Today, I deliberately brought up the clues of Cape Sean. You can’t sit still, get rid of the police officers sent by the sheriff to protect you, and come to confirm for yourself whether everything is as usual.”
"I'm leaving," Trenten yelled.He turned around, and before we knew it, he was running down the narrow aisle.
"Follow me!" the sheriff called to me, and I ran after him.
We were halfway through the chase before I realized it was a trap.Trenten pushed down a stack of wine crates, trying to crush us.He is a tough and cunning opponent...
"Of course," said Dr. Hawthorne at last, "I'm still sitting here telling stories, so you know I'm not dead. Inspector Lence is all right. The box is upside down and has Mayor Trenten under it. He was dead when we pulled him out. In the last few days of his life, the mayor may have gone mad. That's why he came up with such a far-fetched murder plan, wounded himself, and put bullets in his body. We have kept the truth from others. Now that Bell and Trenten are dead, the police are treating it as a suicide and an accident. Even if there is any suspicion of what the mayor is doing in the warehouse full of whiskey, no one has mentioned it publicly. .But the story of the bootleg warehouse is not over yet. The feds are here to take over, and the bootleggers want to be the first to remove the stock. The town's 100-year summer isn't over yet, and yet another homicide. And, That case, like the shooting of the mayor of Trenten, seemed at first glance to be an impossible crime."
Notes:
Notes: