Desk Murder - 3 minute Mystery

Three Minute Mystery

Match wits with P.I. ‘Guy’ and his assistant,‘Ty’

Today’s episode, The Desk Murder

The Caper: The shooting death of an executive of the Trusty Trust Bank and Loan of Rhode Island and Palm Beach, Florida.

The Location: An office on the Fifth floor of the Bronson Building at the corner of Main and Charlie Burger Streets in a suburb of Providence, Rhode Island.

Dramatis Personae:

The P.I. - Guy Spie

Assistant P.I. - Ty Greer

Andrew Taylor, Public Relations Director of Trusty Trust

Clement Sears, First Vice President, Trusty Trust Investment Corp.

Guy Spie opens the questioning: “Mr. Taylor, tell us how you happened to discover the body.”

‘I wanted to speak to Mr. Sears about a new marketing campaign for our main bank. I didn’t have an appointment but I decided to call on him before going to lunch.  His assistant was not at her desk, so I knocked on his door.  He didn’t answer. The door was unlocked so after a moment I went in.”

“And saw what?” demanded Ty Greer, the thick curly hair on his head bristling as he thrust his chin towards Taylor.

“Clement Sears was at his desk and he had been shot through the

Head,” Taylor answered meekly, “He was obviously dead so I did not call for an ambulance, instead I called the police and waited for them right here in the office.’

“When did the assistant return?” queried Guy, calmly with a pleasant look on his long face.

“Right after I telephoned for help.  She came in and nearly collapsed.  She quickly recovered and said that her instructions in any event of trouble, were to contact you.”

“Yes,” responded Guy, “we are on retainer and happened to be only a block away.  That’s how we managed to get here before the authorities.”

“Now think carefully Mr. Taylor.  Did you touch anything?”

“No sir. I did not.  I didn’t touch a thing.”

“Are you absolutely certain of that Mr. Taylor,” wondered Ty Greer, looking doubtfully and nudging his compact, wrestler-type body closer to the bank executive.

“Just the phone.  I used it to make the call.  Only the phone,” Taylor shot back defensively.

“Take a seat Mr. Taylor, while I examine the desk,” ordered Guy, still in a soothing, non threatening voice.

“There is nothing on it except a note that the victim began writing after he was shot. His hand fell across the note when he lost consciousness. The gun is on the floor by his chair.“

“As for the letter, it looks like it was written with an excellent “Cross” pen.  Those writing instruments are made very near to here are they not, Mr. Taylor?”

“Yes sir.  The Cross pen factory is just a few miles away in the city of Pawtucket and Mr. Sears may well have owned one but in the bank we only use the marketing pens that I designed.  They have clever sayings on them and promote the bank.”

Mr. Taylor pulled two company pens from an inside pocket of his jacket and handed one to each P.I.

“Yes, I understand,” said Guy.  “Thank you for the pen and for the information that all officers of the company use them.”

“Not just officers,” Taylor added, “every employee uses one of our advertising pens while on the job.  It is company policy.”

“Now as to the writing - It stops abruptly, as though he died before finishing,” observed Guy.  “He attempted to give us the details of the shooting.  It’ says ‘A. T. did thi…and then trails off’.”

Ty Greer jumped in, his brow less than an inch away from the trembling banker, “And your initials are A.T. for Andrew Taylor.  It looks like you’re in big trouble Taylor, I’m afraid…..

“No Ty,” interrupted Guy, “the critically wounded Mr. Sears did not scrawl that note and I’m certain that an expert’s testimony will confirm that.  I’m also sure there will be no prints on the gun.  Equally I am certain that someone is trying to frame Taylor for the crime. It is a good thing for you Mr. Taylor and for us too that this murderer was careless about one thing.”

“What is it boss?  What have you discovered?”

“Think about it Ty.  (And dear reader, you ponder it too.)  I have told you the desk is clear.  There is nothing on it but the note and Sears’ hand which fell on it when he died.  Where is the pen, the Cross pen?”

“Why it’s in the pocket of Mr. Sears’ suit jacket,” both Ty and Taylor responded.

“AHA! Yes. Yes. That’s the key Ty.  The murderer wanted us to believe that Mr. Sears wrote the note incriminating Mr. Taylor.  The shooter wanted us to think Mr. Sears died while trying to finish the note.  But had Sears written the note and died before completing it, how could he put the pen back in his pocket?”

“What’s the meaning of the Cross Pen?” wondered Ty.  

“Another mistake by the murderer Ty.  That particular Cross pen is a ‘Peerless’ Titanium Model.  It costs upwards of $700.00.  With a pen that expensive, there’s always a paper trail.  We’ll visit the Cross factory and show them the pen.  It’s likely that we’ll track down the owner within hours.  He’ll probably spend tonight in jail and face murder charges in the morning.”  

"Great job Chief," applauded Ty.  "So I guess the guy was not very cautious when he decided to commit murder....and Guy, you know what I always say." 

"No Ty, I can't say that I do.  So tell me.  What do you always say?"  

"An incautious killer into danger, always takes a turn,  
and sends himself to the 'Chair', in which he will burn."
  
"Stick with detective work Ty and leave the writing to the pros."  

"But I am the 'prose' guy Chief."  

"Well forget about it for now Ty.  Let's go get bad guy and then you can write up the story for our 3 Minute Mystery Series." 

-0-

Another case solved by the P.I. Guy.  How did you do?  Did you solve it right along with the famous detective?  Join us again soon for another tale from the Casebook of the P.I. Guy: Guy Spie.  

-0-

Written by Bill Russo, author of Ghosts of Cape Cod, Jimmy Catfish, Creature from the Bridgewater Triangle and many other books.  Available on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Kindle, Smashwords, Walmart (Kobo) and all major retailers world wide. https://www.amazon.com/Ghosts-Cape-Cod-Bill-Russo-ebook/dp/B01BL1TP7U