Chapter 5 Chapter V Expert Testimony

In order to attract people into the shell, Night Minions are always the first to tell the truth, To lure people into the shell with honest small favors, Then betrayed with the most serious consequences. Just as a low air pressure shrouded the scene, a sharp bell sound woke everyone up.All eyes turned to the door of the living room.The door opened slowly, and the police officer who had quietly left the house an hour ago under the order of the coroner returned to the scene, with a young man beside him.He has a neat appearance, intelligent eyes, and an air of trust.His appearance was just like his profession.He works for a business firm that does not deceive old men, and his position is the confidentiality commissioner.

Despite the curious eyes of all the eyes in the room, he advanced without apparent shyness, and nodded slightly to the coroner. "You're looking for someone from Byrne," he said. There was an uproar at the scene.Bourne & Co. is a well-known pistol and ammunition dealer on Broadway. "Yes, sir," replied the coroner, "we have a bullet here which we would like you to examine. Do you have any idea of ​​the business going up and down the business?" The young man just raised his eyebrows as a signal, and casually took the bullet. "Can you tell us what pistol the bullet came from?"

The young man slowly turns the bullet with his thumb and forefinger, then lowers it. "It's a thirty-two-gauge cartridge, usually used with Smith & Wesson miniatures." "Small pistol!" exclaimed the butler, springing up from his seat. "The master used to keep the small pistol in the drawer of the little table. I see it often. We all know it." There was a commotion at the scene, and there was even more discussion among the servants. "Really!" (I hear someone yelling in a heavy voice.) "I saw the master cleaning the gun once." The person who speaks is the chef.

"In the drawer of the little table?" asked the coroner. "Yes, sir, at the head of the bed." He sent officers to check the nightstand drawers.A moment later the officer returned with a small pistol, placed it on the coroner's table, and said, "This is it." The crowd immediately stood up, but the coroner handed the pistol to the Byrne Commissioner for examination and asked if it matched the previously described pistol.He replied without hesitation: "It's Smith & Wesson, if you don't believe me, see for yourself." Then he began to check.

"Where did you find this pistol?" the coroner asked the officer. "In the upper drawer of Mr. Leavenworth's bedside grooming table. The pistol was in a velvet case with a box of ammunition. I brought one of them." He put it next to the bullet he had found earlier. "Is the drawer locked?" Everyone's interest rose to the highest point, and the room was full of loud conversations.A loud cry suddenly came out: "Is the gun loaded?" The coroner frowned at the crowd and said with great dignity: "That's the question I was about to ask, but first I want to maintain order."

The noise died down instantly.Everyone's interest and desire to satisfy their curiosity made them unwilling to obstruct the progress of the interrogation. "Speak, sir!" cried the coroner. Byrne's commissioner took out the roulette and held it high in his hand. "There are seven chambers in there, all of which have bullets." His decisive words elicited a murmur of disappointment. "However," he added softly, after inspecting the surface of the wheel, "the cartridges were all recently loaded. One cartridge was recently fired from one of the chambers."

"How do you know?" one of the jurors asked excitedly. "How do I know? Sir," he turned to the coroner, "please examine the condition of this pistol." He handed the pistol to the juror, "Look at the barrel first, it is clean and bright. A bullet went through it recently because someone wiped the gun. But now look at the surface of the wheel, what do you see?" "I saw a not-so-obvious smudge in one of the chambers." "That's right. Let others see." The pistol was passed down immediately. "Guys, that smudge on the edge of the chamber is proof. A bullet leaves a smudge when it goes out. Whoever fired the gun knew it, wiped the barrel, and forgot the roulette." He stood aside, arms folded. .

"Thank God!" came a gruff, cheerful voice from the door. "That's very nice!" The voice came from a countryman who had just come in from the street and stood carelessly at the door.His presence, though abrupt, was not entirely obnoxious.Everyone in the room smiled, and men and women relaxed.Eventually order was restored and the officer was ordered to describe where the little table was, and how far it was from it. "The desk and the side table are in two separate rooms. To get from the desk to the side table one must go diagonally through Mr. Leavenworth's bedroom, through the passage between the two rooms, and..."

"Wait a minute. Where is the door and the little table between the bedroom and the hall?" "You can go in the door, go right around the foot of the bed to the little table, get the pistol, and walk halfway down the aisle without anyone sitting or standing in the study seeing it." "My God!" exclaimed the cook, terrified.She pulled up her apron to cover her head, as if it could hide the terrifying image, "Hannah definitely doesn't have the guts. Absolutely not!" Mr. Gritz stretched out his hand and pressed her back heavily on the seat, calming her emotions while reproaching her, with admirable skill.

"Please find out," she yelled at those around her, "it's definitely not Hannah, it's definitely not!" The commissioner of the Byrne company stepped back, and everyone took advantage of this gap to move.Then it was Mr. Havel's turn again.He got up and showed reluctance. Obviously, the previous testimony either contradicted his statement or deepened the suspicion he wanted to clear up. "Mr. Harwell," began the coroner, "we have learned that Mr. Leavenworth possessed a pistol which was found in his room after a search. Were you previously aware that he possessed such an item?"

"Know." "Does everyone in the house know?" "Should know." "Why does everyone know? Does he have a habit of keeping his pistol where others can see it?" "I can't tell. I can only tell you how I found out about the pistol." "Very well, let's talk." “One time we were talking about guns and ammunition because I was into guns and always wanted to have my own pocket pistol. I told him that one day and he got up from his seat and went over to get the gun and showed it to me.” "How long ago was this?" "months ago." "So he's had the pistol for some time?" "Yes, sir." "Did you only see it once?" "No, sir," the secretary blushed, "I saw it again later." "when?" "About two weeks ago." "Under what circumstances?" The secretary lowered his head, a haggard look suddenly appeared on his face. "Can you not say it, everyone?" He hesitated for a while and asked. "No," replied the coroner. His face became even paler. "Excuse me for naming a lady," he faltered. "We are sorry too," the coroner said. Young Javier turned abruptly to the coroner, and I couldn't help wondering why he had been considered mediocre before. "Miss Eleanor Leavenworth!" he cried. After hearing this name, everyone except Mr. Gritz went into a commotion.He was having an intimate conversation with his fingertips and didn't seem to notice. "It's not dignified to mention this lady's name, not to mention the respect you and I have for her," Harwell went on. Yet the coroner insisted he answer.He folded his hands across his chest (an act of determination in his), and began to say in a slow, subdued tone: "Well, folks. One afternoon, about three weeks ago, I happened to be at a different time than usual. Entering the study. I went to the mantel-piece to get the pencil-knife, which I had neglected in the morning. Then I heard voices from the next room. I knew Mr. Leavenworth was out, and the ladies were not there, So I decided to see who was breaking into the study, and to my surprise I saw Miss Eleanor standing by her uncle's bed with his pistol in her hand. I was puzzled to bump into her. I was hoping to leave before she saw me, but it backfired. As I was about to step over the threshold, she turned and called my name and asked me to explain the pistol to her. Guys, I had to take orders and take the pistol. That's it, except That time, as I said, was the only time I have touched or seen Mr. Leavenworth's pistol." He could not lift his head, his posture was full of indescribable excitement, and he waited for the next question. "She asked you to explain what pistol means?" "I mean," he went on feebly, trying to catch his breath to look calm, but wasted no time, "how to reload, aim, fire." A look of enlightenment appeared on the faces of the people present one by one.Even the coroner suddenly revealed his emotions, sitting in his chair and staring at the pale and dejected Javier in front of him.The coroner also showed unexpected sympathy, which not only made young Javier aware, but also made those who watched Javier feel the same way. "Mr. Harwell," he asked at last, "do you have anything to add?" The secretary shook his head sadly. "Mr. Gritz," I whispered, grabbing him by the arm and pulling him towards him, "please, I beg you..." But he didn't let me finish. "The coroner is about to question the ladies," he interrupted quickly, "and if you want to do something with them, it's time to get ready." Do your best!These simple words woke me up.What the hell am I thinking?am I crazy?My mind is filled with images of lovely cousins ​​weeping weakly over the dead body of a loved one whom they regarded as their father.When Mary and Miss Eleanor Leavenworth were summoned, I got up slowly, stepped forward, lied that I was a friend of the Leavenworth family, and asked that I could go upstairs and escort them down.Hope my lies don't go against me. As soon as I finished speaking, there were more than a dozen pairs of eyes aimed at me.It was embarrassing for me to be the center of the room with just one word that came out of nowhere. However, my request was quickly granted. I quickly got rid of the embarrassing situation and came to the hall quickly. I felt my face was hot and my heart was beating faster. Mr. Gritz's words were still echoing in my ears. "The back room on the third floor, go up the stairs to the first door. The ladies are waiting for you."