The Cluedoville Files Case #9: The Guilty Paw Points South
"Help! Help! I've been stabbed!"
Reverend Jonathan Green's hollering was so loud, that it was heard in the nearby town of Greenberry. But I was sound asleep in my bed when it happened; not even a herd of elephants could wake me up. So, naturally, I had no idea what had happened until John walked into my office the next day. What I saw made me gasp. John had his arm in a sling and gauze wrapped around his shoulder.
"What in the world?" I asked no one in particular.
"Yeah, the reverend was stabbed last night," came the response from my secretary, Miss Josephine Scarlet. "Didn't you hear him scream? It almost woke the dead. But it obviously didn't wake you," she said with a sneer.
"Okay, John, tell me everything"
"I was at the church, preparing for Sunday's service, when someone in a black mask came up to me and said 'This is for everything you've done to me and my family!' Then she produced your secretary's dagger and stabbed me." He demonstrated exactly how he was stabbed, with the left hand to the right shoulder. "Brother Teal came to apply first aid while I dialed 711."
Let me explain 711, because it is exclusively a Cluedoville thing. Here in town we have only one physician, Doctor Abigail Silver. But before she became our local doctor, the nearest medical professional was 100 miles away. If we dialed 911, we would have to wait until said medical professional got here, and by then it might be too late. So we, the people of Cluedoville, North Dakota, developed 711, which is a direct page to Dr. Silver, who is never more than 30 seconds away from anywhere in town. Wow, I think I just wrote the longest sentence is history. Anyway, back to the story.
"So, you want me to find out who stabbed you?"
"I think I already know who it was."
"Who?" Miss Scarlet asked.
"I think it was you, Joey! After all, it was your dagger!"
"But, my dagger has gone missing!" she said in her own defense. "Anyone could have grabbed it and used it against you. Besides, why on earth would I want to stab you? You've been nothing but kind to me and my family."
"Well," John said, "I know this much. My attacker was left-handed."
I smiled. Now we could narrow down the suspects easily. And this case was a great chance for me to use my new surveillance equipment, which just came in yesterday! Without missing a beat I hit the pavement.
The first place I visited was Miss Rachel Peach's house. I was hoping to catch her doing something with her left hand, but she wasn't home. I looked through the window at her dining room table (which was nothing more than a cable spool) and took a picture of what I saw. Next, I went to Mrs. Blanche White's office at city hall. She wasn't there either, but I did get a picture of her office with enough evidence to prove her dominant hand. Finally, I went to Madame Samantha Rose's place. Once again, my suspect wasn't present. But I did get a good shot of her place.
After I got my shots developed, I headed back to the office. Joey was still there, doing her job. I noticed that she always wore her watch on her right wrist. Being a rightie myself, I always wore mine on the left. But, then again, I always knew Joey was left-handed.
I examined the pictures. On Rachel's table I saw a plate of fries with salt and pepper shakers nearby; the pepper was to the left of the salt. In Blanche's office there was a white business suit with a note pinned to it. The note read "SEND TO THE CLEANERS"; the pin's point pointed to the left. At Sam's house, there was a pitcher of milk with a small saucer nearby. Scorpio was licking from the saucer; the pitcher's spout pointed to the right.
I had my suspects, but I still needed a bit more evidence. A simple test would prove my theory of who the guilty party was. I staked out by Madame Rose's place until she came home that afternoon. I followed her in. She was startled when I tapped her on the shoulder.
"Brown! What in the world?"
"Well, hello to you too," I said. "I'm looking for the person who stabbed Reverend Green last night."
"Oh, that's nice. How's it coming?"
"Actually, I'm almost done. I just need your help to confirm who I think it might be."
She gave me a suspicious look, but agreed to help me. I went to her kitchen and came out with a butcher knife.
"I want you to hold this knife at me as if you were going to attack me."
Mme. Rose picked up the knife in her left hand. She gripped the knife with her fingers underneath, and her thumb on top, the way someone would hold a switchblade. She pointed the knife in my direction. "Like this?" she asked.
"Yes," I said, "That's perfect."
I raced back to my office to tell Joey I had solved the case.
"Let me guess, you want me to hold all your calls so you can bust the perp," she said.
"No, Miss Scarlet," I said. "I need you to come downtown with me."
Now, Cluedoville law states that when any person causes injury to another person (i.e. Joey stabbing John) the penalty for said injury shall be at the injured party's discretion (i.e. whatever John wants it to be). Green had Scarlet sentenced to 30 days in a convent in Greenberry. Before she left, John asked me how I knew it was her.
"Easy," I said. "I used my camera to see for myself which hand these people use. I discovered that only two people in all of Cluedoville are southpaws: Joey and Sam. So I used a simple test to see whether it was Miss Scarlet of Mme. Rose. I asked Sam to hold a knife as if she were going to kill me. She held the knife underhanded, like a switchblade, not like a dagger. That proved she was innocent."
"But that still doesn't answer the most important question in any mystery," John said. "Why?"
I didn't quite know that. I guess we will have to wait.
Until next timeā¦
