Chapter 12 Lightning Room Mystery
"Come in!" said old Sam Hawthorne with his usual eagerness to the afternoon visitor. "Come, sit here! I'll get us a couple of drinks. What can I say to-day? Oh, of course—it's nine The story happened in the summer of 2035, when nurse Aibo just left her job to get married..."
Since I started a clinic in Beishan Township in 1922, I have only used one nurse, Aibo.When she met Mr. Right in Maine and was going to marry him, it really hit me.However, I cannot selfishly stand in the way of her happiness.Aibo plans to get married at the end of January.She promised to finish February, during which time she would train her successor.However, in a place like Beishan Town, it was easier said than done to find a master like her.March 1st was Friday, her last day at work, and I persuaded her to help me for another week.
"Sam," she sighed, "I've got to go back to Maine and get ready for the wedding. There's going to be a wedding right after Easter."
"You've got plenty of time, Ib. You're going to be Mrs. André Mulhorn for the rest of your life."
"Sounds good, doesn't it?"
"I can only say that in the past month, you have been happier than I have ever seen. Help me for another week, and I will definitely find someone to replace you."
Perhaps it was because of the pressure of the imminent deadline that I was so hungry when Sergeant Lens stopped by on the next Monday morning.
"Are you still looking for someone to replace Aibo, doctor?"
"Of course, Sheriff. Can you recommend one?"
"Speaking of which, a funny thing happened yesterday on the county road. My deputy ran into a young lady in a yellow Duesenberg limousine. It went off the bend and got stuck in a ditch. .Anyway, she will stay in a hotel in town for a while until the car is repaired. She asked me this morning if I could introduce her to a job so that I can earn money to pay for the car repair.”
"How can a lady who can afford a Duesenberg have no money to fix her car," I said. "And, I'm looking for someone who can work like Aibo for thirteen years, not some part-time job."
"The lady said she liked North Hills very much, and would stay here if she could find a suitable job. She used to work for a dentist in Stanford. Working for a dentist is like working for a general doctor, isn't it?"
"There is something in common," I admitted.
"Well, then, I'll give you her name. You know, she just happened to succeed Abby, because her name is May."
I chuckled. "Okay, Sheriff, I'll talk to her," I said.
Sergeant Lansi didn't come back until noon.I made a detour to Rex's garage on my way out for lunch.I've loved luxury cars all my life, and if there's a yellow Duesenberg in town, I don't want to miss it.
When I got into the garage, Rex was at work himself, knocking back the last dent in the front fender. "Nice car, isn't it, doctor?"
"That's right." I walked around the car, admiring the fine workmanship on the body.
Just as I lifted the hood to look at the engine, a young woman came in from the street. "What do you want to do with my car?" she squealed.
"It's okay, miss." Rex Stapleton wiped the oil on his hands and comforted her, "This is Sam Hawthorne, the best doctor in North Hill Town. He likes a luxury car like yours. "
"My name is May Russell," she smiled, and came forward to shake my hand. "The sheriff said I should talk to you." Shaking.Wearing a gray sweater and a matching gray pleated skirt, she was in her mid-twenties, a dozen or so years younger than Aibo.
"I'm admiring your car. Dusenberg luxury, it's amazing."
"Thank you. I just hope this Mr. Stapleton can make it run again."
"Fixed, like new," Rex assured, and he slammed the door hard to show he was right. "Here's the bill. The car didn't hit too hard."
I watched her pay with two crisp twenty-dollar bills.Then, I asked, "Would you like to talk about your application?"
"Of course—get in the car, and I'll take you back to the clinic."
I couldn't wish for it, so I quickly got into the car.Turn right after leaving the garage and onto Main Street.I had the illusion that everyone in the town was paying attention to us.
"Miss Russell, why do you want to live in Beishan Town?"
"To escape."
"Oh?"
"Getting away from the fast cars and fast pace of life in Boston. I thought Stanford would be a good choice, but it's too close to New York. I wish I could slow down."
"Is this car given by your parents?"
She looked away and nodded. "I gave it to me when I was a sophomore at Radcliffe College. I graduated from college five years ago. -Mr. Stapleton said you like luxury cars. Your own car is Which kind?"
"A red Mercedes 500K Series convertible."
"Very nice!"
"You can see it when you get to the clinic."
"I didn't go the wrong way, did I?"
"Turn left at the next intersection. The clinic is just beyond the outpatient clinic at Saints Memorial Hospital."
"Are you a surgeon?"
"It's not that powerful. It's just an ordinary general practitioner."
She skillfully fiddled with the steering wheel and turned the corner without hesitation: "Is it still far?"
"Not far. Less than a mile from town. You're a good driver. How did you fall into the ditch?"
"Accidentally lost my mind," she said. "I lost some clothes in the accident. Looks like I need to buy some more."
"Sergeant Lens said you worked for a dentist..."
"Exactly. At Stanford, I tried to live on my own."
"The results of it?"
"The dentist's wife is a jealous person." As if thinking about it, she asked again, "Are you married?"
I couldn't help laughing: "No, not yet."
As the car pulls up the hospital driveway, I point her to pull up next to my Mercedes: "Did you just walk into town?"
"Of course. I hike back and forth almost every day, weather permitting. It's the best exercise for me."
She raved about my brand new Mercedes.I promised to give her a ride sometime.Then, I took her to the clinic to find Aibo.
"May, this is Aibo--soon to be Mrs. Aibo Mulhorn."
"Hello, Mei." Aibo smiled at her, made a few jokes about the names of the two, and then began to point out the work in the clinic, obviously expecting this to be her successor.I decided to hire May Russell.
As the first few days passed, I quickly figured out May's strengths and weaknesses.I called the Stanford dentist, who reluctantly provided a recommendation.I knew right away that May was smart, serious about her work, and gracious to all her patients.She seems to be born for this job, expertly keeping medical records and bills, arranging patient queuing, and even finding the best route for my visits.Of course, she is not as skilled as Aibo in nursing.Sometimes I wish she'd been more helpful during my doctor's visits.However, she is willing to learn.This is the most important.
This Friday, Ib's last day at work, I took the two ladies out to lunch at a nice little restaurant across from Rex Stapleton's garage.Rex is a regular customer here, and he showed up as usual this day, just passing by our dining table. "How is Duesenberg doing?" he asked May.
"Not bad, thank you."
"I hear you work for the doctor," said Rex Stapleton to May. "Is he a good boss?"
"It's the best kind." Mei smiled at Aibo and me.
After lunch, she left first.Aibo and I were able to be alone for a while. "Listen to me, she will never replace you." I said to Aibo sincerely.
"Give her a chance, Sam, and she'll do it."
"Is there anything in particular that needs my attention?"
"Of course it's nothing at work." Aibo hesitated for a while, and then said, "She seems a little afraid of thunder, but I think it's okay..."
"Afraid of thunder?"
"Remember that terrible burst of lightning and thunder when you went to visit the inpatients on Wednesday afternoon?"
"It's quite scary. It's only March, and there's that kind of lightning."
"It only lasted a few minutes, but it terrified her. She lay prone on the desk and said that there used to be a lightning shelter at home. During the storm, her parents would always drag her and her brother into it, scaring them out of their wits."
I know quite a few old New England homes that have lightning rooms, even quite a few in North Hills.Lightning shelters usually have no windows and are used for the whole family to take shelter during a thunderstorm.I've always thought that stuff was more terrifying than the thunderstorm itself.May's response partly proves my point. "Fortunately, there is not much thunder and rain nearby." I said.
Able reached across the table, took mine and said, "I'm going to miss you, Sam. You're a woman's dream boss."
"I wish you happiness. Have you made a date with Andre?"
"As soon as Easter is over. I hope April 27th, Easter is too late this year. We'll let you know when it's fixed. You'll come, won't you?"
"Of course, nothing can stop me."
The rest of the month is fairly quiet.Mei and I see patients, make outings, and issue bills every day.Aibo didn't like to go out with me for medical appointments before, but when it came to Mei, I dragged her out at least twice a week.On the one hand I like having her company.More importantly, in this way, patients will be more familiar with and trust her.She is even more useful when emergency patients call.
At the end of March we visited old Foster's in Bailey Street.The weather has been uncharacteristically warm since March, with intermittent thunderstorms throughout the month.It was also a bright spring day when we went to Old Foster's.Along the way, some farmers can be seen already busy in the fields.Hank Foster didn't play, having been bedridden for most of the winter with a serious knee injury.
Hank's wife, Bruna, is tall and serious.Neighbors know that she does most of the work in the fields.She opened the door for us, greeted me, Chongmei nodded slightly, and led us into the living room.
"Doctor Hawthorne, I hope you can get him to stand up as soon as possible. Otherwise, I can only call my son back from Chunye City to help with spring plowing."
I checked Hank Foster's knee and bent it a few times: "How does it feel?"
"Better than last time, doctor. I'm pretty much better."
"Your old house is a nice one," May said to Bruna Foster after my inspection.
Mrs. Foster pondered for a moment, then suddenly became easy-going: "Do you want to visit?"
"Very happy."
The two ladies wandered around the kitchen and the second floor, and I stayed downstairs with the patient.I can hear them moving above my head.Suddenly, there was a pounding sound from the second floor. "What's going on?" Hank asked, trying to get up from his chair.
"I'll go and see." I ran to the stairs and called, "Is everything all right?"
"No," Bruna replied loudly, "your new nurse passed out."
I ran upstairs to find May lying in the doorway of a windowless, dimly lit room.She has begun to wake up, which is a relief to me.I took out the smelling salts and gave her a few sniffs, and soon she was sitting up.
"What happened, May?"
"I don't know. I—I thought it was the room."
"This is a lightning protection room," Bruna explained. "Obviously, the original owner of the house was afraid of lightning and would hide in during a heavy thunderstorm. Hank and I also use it sometimes."
"It reminds me of parts of my childhood," May explained. "You're laughing." She staggered to her feet.I helped her down the stairs.
"I'm really not a good nurse!" She shook her head reproachfully.
"Everyone has this time." I reassured her.
Next Monday is April Fool's Day.But it wasn't an easy day for Sergeant Lens.When I stopped by the prison, he was doing his monthly cleanup of homeless people caught near the railroad.There were a total of six homeless people in this group, including a large black man and a small man with long blond hair and a beard.
"These guys have been locked up for four weeks," the sheriff said to me. "Can't find work here. I can't keep them locked up. I'll have to get out of town and let somebody else worry about it. Washington's Help the crooks better find a way to deal with the current Great Depression quickly."
Most left quietly, desperate to be free again.But the little blond man insisted and asked the sheriff to return him the suitcase he was arrested with.Sergeant Lan Si found it in the property preservation room and sent him on the road.
"There are social workers everywhere, so they must be able to find some work?" I asked.
"They don't want to work, they just want to wander around and get something for nothing. That big man looks as strong as three ordinary people, but he just doesn't want to use his strength to make a living." The sheriff returned to the desk, "at least I put the cell Evacuated, you can shut down another group of people. Now, what can I do for you, doctor?"
"I went to the Fosters' house a few days ago. On the way back I saw some battered cars in the Old Bailey's field. Do you know what it is?"
Sergeant Lansi slammed his fist on the table: "Still there? Rex Stapleton rented the land a few months ago. The Old Bailey must have thought he wanted to use it for farming. No Thinking of using it to park a broken car. He said that some parts may still be useful. I told him earlier that it is too intrusive to put there, so let me get it away. I will send him to come right away."
"I just wanted you to know."
"Thank you, doctor—how's the new nurse doing?"
"Mei did a good job. She can't replace Aibo, but she is very interesting. To some extent, I feel closer to her. Although she is not as professional as Aibo in nursing, she is more kind."
"When is Aibo's wedding?"
"Saturday in three weeks. I'm going to Maine to attend her wedding."
"Please pass on my best wishes, doctor. I have always liked her."
After that, I went back to the clinic.The early spring wave of disease hits as usual.When I got back to the clinic, I found that there were quite a few calls.May answered three calls.Two patients with a cold, and a woman who called to say her son had a rash.He already had measles, so I assumed it was chickenpox.But I still promised to go there myself.
"One day, doctors will be able to stay in the clinic peacefully and let patients come to the door." I packed my things and prepared to go, Mei said beside me.
"That was a miserable day for medicine," I said. "Some people can't afford a car. How do you get them to come to see a doctor?"
On Thursday, there was a sudden thunderstorm, just like the storm last month.It was also the first time I had witnessed a thunderstorm frighten May Russell.She had been restless this week, as if she knew a storm was coming.As soon as the first thunder broke through the sky, she was so scared that she hugged her head.
It was just the two of us in the clinic, no one else.
"Come, May," I said to her, "and me. Don't be afraid."
At this moment, a burst of lightning flashed across the sky, followed by a burst of thunder, which was closer than the previous burst of thunder. "You don't know," she moaned.
"Do not know what is this?"
She didn't answer, and the whole person seemed to be in a trance. "Go in and lie down for a while." I helped her into the inner consulting room and went to the examination bed to lie down.She lay still and I walked away and left her alone for a while.
Fifteen minutes later, around three o'clock, the thunderstorm finally passed.The muffled thunder could still be heard in the distance, getting farther and farther away.I found May sitting on the edge of the bed.
"I'm sorry, Dr. Sam. I thought I was going to get better. But every time there's a thunderclap, my mind is in a mess."
"are you asleep?"
"Looks like I fell asleep for a few minutes. I had a dream, a nightmare - a sledgehammer, people being killed."
"It's all right now." I reassured her.
"I hope so." She slid off the bed and went back to the outer consulting room.For a split second, she looked less like a confident woman in a yellow Duesenberg limousine than a frightened child.
"Would you like to go and see a professional?" I suggested. "I'm not a big believer in Freud's theory, but many doctors these days are."
"You think I'm crazy?" she whispered, waiting silently for my answer.
"Of course not. Whatever is bothering you, we're going to get to the bottom of it," I said.
Just then, the patient who had an appointment for three o'clock arrived.He was a few minutes late because of the thunderstorm.I asked Mei if she wanted to ask for leave and go back first, but she insisted on staying at her post.
More than an hour later, Sergeant Lan Si came to the clinic with a serious expression, and at a glance he knew that something was wrong.May must have seen it too. "Someone's been killed, doctor," he said straight to the point.
"What? Who was killed?"
"Hank Foster. Killed in his own home an hour ago. Someone broke into the house during a thunderstorm. The murder weapon was a hammer."
"My God!" I looked at May, remembering her dream, "Where's Bruna? How's she?"
"She got a bruise on her shoulder. Dr. Quinn's with her."
"Dr. Quinn? But Bruna is my patient!"
"In that case, doctor, I think it would be better to find another doctor."
"what's the situation?"
The sheriff looked painfully away from me and turned to May: "Bruna swears that it was May who broke into her house and killed her husband."
Strangely enough, my first reaction was to breathe a sigh of relief.It couldn't be, it couldn't be May.I can easily prove it, so no worries. "It's unbelievable," I said to the sheriff, "May was with me in the clinic during the thunderstorm."
"Bruna said she was sure, Doc. She was inches away when Hank was killed."
Mei's face turned pale. "Where is it?" she asked reluctantly, "is it in the lightning protection room?"
"That's right." Sergeant Lan Si stared at her cautiously, "Do you remember what happened now?"
"No, of course not. I wasn't there at all. The murder has nothing to do with me."
"Then how do you know that the incident happened in the lightning protection room?"
"You said it yourself that the murder happened during a thunderstorm. When I was with Dr. Sam, I saw their lightning-shelter. I suppose they must have been in it to get away from the lightning."
"May is very afraid of thunderstorms." I explained.I then told the sheriff everything that had happened during the thunderstorm, assuring him that there was no way May would have had enough time to slip out and commit the homicide.
"But doctor, she was out of your sight for fifteen minutes. You just told me yourself."
"Fifteen minutes at most, just before three o'clock. When did the murder happen?"
"That's when the storm was at its heaviest."
"Well, May rested in the examination room for fifteen minutes at most. Do you want to say that in such a short time, she climbed out of the window, drove her car to the Foster's house, and killed Hank?" Foster, drive all the way back and climb in through the window again? It's raining so hard it'll take her at least fifteen minutes each way. And, as you can see, her clothes are completely dry."
"Doctor, hasn't she been in the examining room for twenty or twenty-five minutes?"
"Impossible! The three o'clock patient was a few minutes late. May was already at her desk when he arrived."
Sergeant Lan Si seemed restless: "Well, actually, I don't trust Bruna Foster at all, but you know, I have to investigate."
"I'd like to talk to her if I could. I'm just as anxious as you are to find out."
"She's still in shock. Dr. Quinn thinks—"
"I'm her doctor, Sheriff."
You could tell the sheriff was torn between duty and friendship, maybe regretting why he didn't call me in the first place. "Okay, come with me," he said.
Before we left, I said to May, "Don't worry, no one really thinks you're involved in the murder."
"Thank you, Dr. Sam."
As it turned out, Dr. Quinn had brought Bruna to Saints Memorial Hospital for X-rays.We found her in the observation room less than a hundred yards from the clinic, sitting under a blanket while Dr. Quinn read her x-rays. "Hello, Sam," said the doctor, "I didn't mean to meddle in your case, but the sheriff called and said—"
"It's okay, I understand." I turned to Bruna, "I'm sorry about Hank."
"It was she—your nurse, May Russell! She killed Hank!"
"Calm down." I stood behind Dr. Quinn, looking at the X-ray, "A fracture?"
"No. Just superficial, as I suspected. She tried to protect her husband, and she took a blow."
"May also wants to kill me," the woman insisted.
I sat next to her and said, "Tell me what happened, Bruna."
Unpleasant memories made her complexion sink: "Twenty minutes to three o'clock, the thunderstorm started. What time is it?"
"Five soon."
"Only two hours! It seems like a day."
She didn't speak again.I urged: "Thunderstorm——"
"Yes. The storm was coming from the west, and it was raining hard. Hank and I weren't really afraid, but we went to the lightning shelter as usual. There are no windows in the lightning shelter, and after closing the door, you can't hear the thunder. Later A few minutes later, there was a movement downstairs—Hank said it looked like the front door had been slammed shut."
"Is the front door unlocked?"
"God, of course not! Is there anyone around here with a lock in broad daylight?"
"please continue."
"After another minute or two, there was a violent thunderclap. We could hear it through the door. Hank was afraid that the lightning would lead the barn away, so he opened the door to take a look. As soon as he opened the door, he found May Russell was standing at the door with a hammer in her hand, her eyes were crazy! Her hair was straight, soaked in rain, and her whole body seemed to have been soaked in water. From the beginning to the end, she didn't say a word."
"What clothes is she wearing?"
"A green dress with a black belt and a black coat over it, but the rain soaked her through."
I turned around and faced Sergeant Lens: "Are you satisfied, Sergeant? May is wearing a blue sweater and a black skirt today. I've never seen her wear a green dress. And, you've seen— She was fucked all over her body."
"That's her!" insisted Bruna. "She hit Hank on the head twice with the hammer. I tried to get the hammer back and she hit me again. I dodged and got a guy on the shoulder. It was her! "
"Could it be someone else pretending to be May, like wearing a wig?"
She shook her head. "When she attacked me, I grabbed her hair, not the wig."
"and then?"
"I fell to the ground, thinking she was going to swing the hammer at me again—kill me as well as Hank. But the storm passed, and she seemed to change her mind at once, escaped from the lightning shelter, and rushed to the Downstairs. I heard the front door slam shut. Then I struggled to call the sheriff."
"Did you hear the car start?"
"No."
Dr. Quinn continued his examination, and I pulled Sergeant Lens aside.
"What do you think?" he asked. "It sounds like she's telling the truth."
"But that's impossible, Sheriff! She's either mistaken, or she's talking nonsense with her eyes open. There's no third possibility."
"How do we investigate?"
I thought about it for a moment: "We need to get some similar girls back, like the police in the city, and let Bruna identify people. Bruna only saw May once at home, and may have mistook the others for her ...I went to find some blond-haired nurses, and asked May to change into a white coat and mix in. Then I let them go through the door one by one, to see if Bruna could recognize May."
"I think this method is feasible." Sergeant Len Si echoed.
I'm pretty sure that would solve the problem.The nurses were very willing to cooperate and put on the same white coats one after another.Then I went to May and told her the ins and outs.I let the nurses go through the door one by one, and Bruna Foster watched from the room.Finally, I let May go over.
"It's her!" Bruna stretched out her trembling fingers and exclaimed, "It's her who killed my Hank!"
That night, I drove behind May and walked her back to her rented apartment above the big pharmacy.When we got there, I went upstairs and chatted with her.
"The woman is lying," I said, "it's as simple as that."
"It's not that simple! Why did she make up such a story? If she killed her husband, it can be said that the intruder was an unknown tramp. Why did you bite me?"
"I do not know either."
"I did lose consciousness for a few minutes when I was startled by the thunder. Maybe I was unconscious and really ran there and killed the poor man?"
"You really think you can change twice, drive back and forth, and even dry your hair in fifteen minutes?"
"I don't know, maybe I flew there!—I told you I dreamed of the hammer."
"That's right." I never wanted to recall the dream she mentioned.I don't believe in the paranormal, or that anyone can fly without an airplane.
"If she's telling the truth, is there any other explanation?"
"I don't know. Do you have a twin sister?"
"No." She smiled slightly, "I can't imagine there are two me in this world, how about you?"
She insisted that I stay for dinner, and I respectfully obeyed.She is a good cook.We sipped cocktails while she stewed the pork chops.I didn't expect to receive such hospitality in Beishan Town.
Just after dinner, Sergeant Lan Si came.Seeing me there, he seemed rather upset. "God, doctor, I'm sorry."
I noticed the fear on May's face.
"Sorry for what?"
"I have to arrest you, May. We have a second witness who matches Bruna's."
"what?"
"Rex Stapleton was on the field near the Fosters' house when the storm came, removing the old cars. He said it was just before three o'clock, when the rain had died down, and he saw When you ran from the Fosters, May, he said you had a hammer in your hand."
Unable to control her facial expression, she turned her back to us, resting her hands on the dining table. "It's not true," she said. "I didn't kill him, I didn't."
"Of course you didn't," I said to her, "the sheriff—"
"I'm sorry, doctor. Your alibi is indeed strong, but now two people insist that they saw her at the crime scene. I have to detain her, at least tonight."
"I'm going to see Stapleton."
Stapleton also worked overtime in the garage.He was working on the engine of one of the latest Oldsmobiles, looked up, and said, "Hello, Doctor. Wait a minute."
"Rex, why are you lying about seeing May Russell near the Fosters today?"
"Huh? I'm not lying. There she is." He stood up. "I'm really sorry, Doctor. As soon as I heard there was a murder, I went to the sheriff."
"She was with me when the murder happened. It is impossible to be at the crime scene at the same time. No one can be in two different places at the same time."
"I don't know that, doctor. I just know what I saw. I heard the door slam, looked over at the Fosters' house, and saw her running from the porch with Something. I can see it clearly. It's a hammer."
"Where did she go?"
"Behind the house, she ran across the fields to Snake Creek and disappeared into the woods. I thought it was weird. When I got back to town, I heard there was a murder."
"You're not mistaken, are you?"
"Damn it, it's her, Doctor—"
I had restless sleep that night, thinking about impossible crimes and running through my mind with every possible explanation.Towards the morning, I even imagined an affair between Rex Stapleton and Bruna.The lover kills the poor husband, and then the adulterer and the adulterer lie together.Even if that were true, though, the same enigma remains—why did they frame May, the last person to kill?
I arrived at the clinic early in the morning and worked listlessly until nine o'clock.I expected Mei to show up at any time, and then I remembered that she was in prison.
What if Bruna and Rex hadn't lied?
What if May hadn't confessed everything to me?
I called the Registrar's Office at Radcliffe College in Cambridge.As soon as the phone was connected, and a woman picked it up, I introduced myself and asked about May Russell. "She graduated from your school in about 1930," I said.
"Yes, Doctor, I remember May. A very charming young lady."
"Does she have a twin sister?"
"No, I'm sure of that. She's the only one in the family who attended our school. She's doing very well."
"Do you know the address of her home? I need to talk to her parents, it's very important."
"Her parents? Don't you know? When she was in her sophomore year, her parents were both killed."
"What?" I felt dizzy and grabbed the desk quickly, "What did you say?"
"Both her parents were murdered. Someone broke into the house and killed the couple with a hammer. The killer was never caught."
I took a deep breath and asked, "Is Mei suspicious?"
"Oh, no. She was in the school dormitory when it happened."
After thanking the woman for her help, I hung up the phone.Then it was time to inform the sheriff, and let him look into the details of this old case.But I knew without investigating that May's parents died in their lightning shelter during the storm.
How can something similar happen to the same person twice?Does May have some sort of split personality that can be in different places at the same time?No matter what the answer is, I have to see her.I plan to question her with the information I just learned and force her to confess to me.
I drove to the jail and hurried into the sheriff's office. "I must see May," I said.
"It's too late, doctor. A lawyer came out of nowhere early this morning and took her away. I had no choice. I couldn't detain her until the case was brought before the county grand jury."
"A lawyer? Where did she go?"
"Going back to her apartment, I guess. She didn't call you?"
"Come on, Sheriff, let's go find her together."
"What's wrong?"
"I'll tell you on the way. Take my car."
I was driving down Main Street in the Mercedes and told the sheriff exactly about the call to Radcliffe.I have a feeling that something is wrong.It's not just the unusual light in the sky that portends another storm later today.What's more, I feel the urgency of the situation, but I can't say why.At this moment, the pharmacy downstairs of Mei's apartment appeared in front of him.At a glance, I saw the familiar yellow Duesenberg car on the corner of the street, galloping away like a caged animal.It was May who was driving, and she looked back at us in surprise, then slammed on the gas pedal.
"Sit tight, Sheriff!" I yelled.
"Where is she going?"
"Catch up and you'll know."
Duesenberg galloped down Main Street, faster and faster.I followed closely behind, getting closer and closer.When we came to the county road outside the town, I found myself with the opportunity to catch up and drive alongside her.However, at this moment, she suddenly turned her head to look at me with crazy eyes, and then turned the steering wheel sharply to the left.
"She's crazy," cried Sergeant Lens. "She's trying to hit us."
Indeed.The body of the Mercedes shook violently, and there was a sound of sharp metal scraping in my ears.I know she succeeds.The Mercedes shook violently and nearly fell under the embankment.I speeded up the car, trying to go around and block her way.It turned out that this decision was wrong.Duesenberg hit the front of the Mercedes hard on the side and nearly knocked us over.May backed the car fifty feet, and I thought she was going to circle us and keep going.It was the sheriff who first discovered her true intentions. "Doctor, she is going to kill us!"
The Duesenberg car was coming straight at us, getting faster and faster.I wanted to run, but I was trapped in the wrecked car, and the crazy face of the woman was getting closer and closer. I thought this would be the last scene I would see in my life.
It was too late and then too soon, Sergeant Lansi raised his revolver and fired a shot.Under the impact of the bullet, Duesenberg's windshield was shattered.
I heard a scream of fear as the car lost control.Her car narrowly passed me, hit the rear fender of the Mercedes, and slammed headfirst into a tree.
I ran to the wrecked car with the sheriff.The sheriff still had a gun in his hand, but it was obvious that it was unnecessary.There was blood all over the car, and I tried to find her heartbeat, but failed.
"Here's the murderer you're looking for, Sheriff," I said to him, "but it doesn't look like there's going to be a trial."
"It turned out to be May Russell! But what is it, doctor? How did she do it?"
"It's not May Russell," I corrected him. "It's her twin brother. You've been holding him for the past month without knowing it."
We went back to May's apartment and found her.Her mouth was gagged and she was tied to the bed.As soon as we let her go, she asked me, "Where's Martin?"
"Is he your twin brother?"
She nodded: "I should have told you about him earlier."
我们把发生的一切告诉她。她不禁哭出声来，但哭得不算凶。
“是他杀死了你们的父母，对吗？”
她点点头，擦了擦眼睛：“直到汉克·福斯特被杀，我才敢肯定。案件细节太相似了，不可能是巧合。正因如此我才那么沮丧。当他从监狱放出来后，跑来找过我。我恰好跟他说起在福斯特家的避雷室晕倒的事。说我是因为想起父母被杀，才失控地昏过去。昨天暴风雨来袭时，他跑到福斯特家，犯下了和过去一模一样的案件。那时候我就全明白了。”
“他穿的是你的衣服。”
“我不明白这是为什么，”她摇摇头，“现在我才知道，他病得厉害。”
“他怎么会被我关进监狱？”蓝思警长问道。
梅叹了口气：“一个月前发生车祸时，我和马丁都在车上。那天他突然发了疯，想跟我抢方向盘，所以我才开到沟里——”
“你说当时分了心，”我指出，“但一直没进一步说明。你还说在事故中丢了一部分衣物。我当时就觉得奇怪，又没烧起火来，车子也没怎么受损。在这种情况下，你的衣服怎么会丢？除非是被人偷了。”
她点点头：“我们冲进沟里之后，他抢过我的一个行李箱，逃进树林里去了。箱子里有几件他的衬衣，但大部分是我的衣服。我猜他逃跑是怕我生气，怕我因为车祸对他发脾气。而且，我确实很气——那全是他的错。”
听到这儿，我替她接着说道：“梅说自己没有双胞胎姐妹，但从没说过兄弟的事情。我知道她有个兄弟，因为她告诉过爱玻。今天上午在汽车追逐战中，我发现梅居然对她的宝贝汽车毫不爱惜，直接朝我们撞过来。那时我才明白，她不是梅。要么是她的另一个人格，要么是另外一个人。如果是另一个人格，不能解释为什么同一时间，她可以出现在不同地方。因此，唯一可能的解释是，那是另一个人。不管是梅，还是拉德克利夫的女人，都说过梅没有双胞胎姐妹，但兄弟呢？会不会是双胞胎兄弟？”
蓝思警长打了个响指：“我想起来了。他就是你到我办公室那天，被我释放的那个流浪汉！”
“没错。当时他还留着胡子，所以我没看出来和梅长相一样。你当初抓他，多半就是因为一头长发和乱蓬蓬的胡须。”
“他一看就是个流浪汉，不是这附近的人。”
“他还带着行李箱。关押四周后，你释放他时，不得不去财物保存室翻出来。在我看来，没几个流浪汉有拉杆箱吧。”
“被释放后，他来找我。”梅说，“我还以为他早离开了。我问起行李箱，他说弄丢了。山姆医生，你可能注意到了，见到他后，我整个礼拜都坐立难安。后来我听说了福斯特命案，一切都明白了——是他杀了我们的父母，现在又再次犯案。不过，我没办法告诉别人。”
“所有事都说得通。”我说，“剃掉胡子后，他和你看起来一模一样。布鲁娜说过，凶手一直没开口。她没撒谎——她是真以为那是你。”
梅点点头，半晌才控制住情绪，再次开口：“今天早上他找来一个律师，把我弄出监狱，自己就在公寓等我。当时他身穿一件我的连衣裙。简直太疯狂了。我想跟他讲道理，说服他去接受专业治疗。结果他把我捆起来，开着车跑了。”
“他居然没把你也杀掉，真是个奇迹。”蓝思警长说。
“我知道他不会，”梅眼中涌出泪水，“那就像是让他自杀！”
“我希望梅关于父母惨死的噩梦就此过去。”山姆医生说道，“但她决定回波士顿接受心理治疗，我们只好告别，这让我挺难过的。第二年圣诞节，她写信告诉我过得不错，遇到了一个很好的小伙子。她那辆杜森博格汽车撞得没法修了。雷克斯倒是把我的梅塞德斯修整一新。因此，我当时只缺一个护士了——后来也找到一位，芳名琼恩，而且她竟然帮忙解决了一桩连我都被难倒的谜案呢！具体情况下次再说。”
Notes:
Notes: