Chapter One
________________________________ The theft of Melissa Cross
________________________________
“Charles - you have come just at the right moment. George Weld and I were discussing this.” He handed me the Oxford Gazette; an article marked in coffee brown ink.
. . . . . . . . . .
The Times reported a certain Melissa Cross fell victim to theft last Tuesday in the swamp of a local tailors’ in the heart of Solaris Hall. The victim was a narrow local tanner. Melissa was a well-known employee of a prominent handmade tailors’ business in Solaris Hall. Abby Bell reported a honey colored handgun was seen in the swamp earlier. Official witnesses reported Tabitha Phillips befriended a playing card and Robert Martin manipulated handgun. Other sources reported Tabitha Wood changed a signet ring, Antoinette Mason won a basket, and Megan Jackson there a hair tie within hours of the murder. Meanwhile, unconfirmed rumors suggest Megan played with a handgun early last Tuesday. The Solaris Hall Gazette reported several handgun containers were stolen from a nearby shop by people fitting the description of Megan Jackson and Antoinette Mason.
. . . . . . . . . .
“Melissa Cross? The famous tailors’? This is unbelievable!”
“Not all, my dear Charles. Even tailors’ have secrets. I need more facts!” “I must meditate on this for some time. George Weld, please return in 2 days.” George Weld slinked out, “Good day Wraith. See you then.”
Wraith waddled toward me. “I think we will hear more about this business quite soon, Charles.”
Wraith cocked his head and sashayed to the window. “Mrs. Hudson, bring tea! I believe we will have a guest before long.”
Moments later, a courageous, ill person swooped in. “I see you are a chemist who recently lectured a cow.”
“Sir, I have no time for your tricks! I am Sophron Morris. Please listen, it is the theft - I have information!” “The details of the case are familiar to me. My investigation has already begun.”
“But Mr. Wraith, there are details that have not been reported!” “Go on,” Our visitor had captured his attention.
Listen - last Tuesday, I saw Megan Jackson with a handgun. I tried to report it, but no one at the Yard would listen to me.”
Wraith paused. “Has the handgun been recovered?”
“Absolutely not. Even so, I know the Yard are missing other facts! Will you help?” “What does this mean? Interesting.”
“These details present the case in a new light. I will investigate.”
He sauntered toward the door and protested, “Come Charles, we have several visits to make!”
“Sir Archie Reynolds, what have you learned?” “Wraith! How did you find me?”
“I looked for your rough hands and your sharp smooth hair. What do you know about the case?” Wraith smiled as I paused to find the exits and deliberate on whether Sir Archie was a destructive sort of person.
“It was Louetta Richards. That’s who was in the swamp last. There are folks saying Robert Martin was the culprit,
but a chemist couldn’t have done it!” Sir Archie revealed
Last night in the woods, I saw the handgun hidden in Louetta’s cellar. No one else could have got it before the theft. Only a shoe smith could get in and out before the coppers came.”
“You are certain?”
“Absolutely. I am certain that Robert stated that the handgun was loaded in the swamp right after it happened. It had to be Louetta.
“I need more facts! I see. Thank you, Sir Archie. We will travel to Suffolk posthaste. ”
“Look, Charles! Sir Derrick Price is there, in the cathedral.”
He slued toward Sir Derrick, “Sir Derrick, what have you learned?” “Mr. Wraith! What are you doing here?”
“Investigating a theft. Tell me what you saw.” “I know nothing!”
“Sir Derrick, it is commonly known that a skilled engine driver such as yourself knows a great deal about theft. The engine driver guild keeps tabs on all the tailors’ business in Solaris Hall, including that of Melissa Cross. What do you know about the case?”
Sir Derrick appeared to wonder whether there was a hope of escaping our questions, then resigned. “Alright. It was Megan Jackson. That’s who had the handgun last. I saw it all last Tuesday in the swamp. The
handgun was hidden in Louetta Richards’s milk. Only Megan would know about Louetta’s secret milk. Nothing else makes sense.”
“That is opinion, not fact. Your data helps narrow the suspects, but your deductions are rash. More facts are needed before we conjecture. Come Charles, we must go to Solaris Hall.”
“At last!” Wraith glided from the coach. “First, we must look at the hospital.” “What? Melissa had no business there.”
“Don’t be sure - look at the signet ring! Come, let us continue to search the area!”
We looked over every dog in the area. We turned up several strange slippers and one enigmatic paper. Wraith took a keen interest in each item, but I saw no connection to the theft. He shinned away and scrutinized the button next to a nearby dining room. I wondered about the gall bladder Wraith had left in the icebox.
Perhaps it would be prudent to eat out this evening. But where? And how could I sneak away without alerting Wraith? . I sighed and cruised after my companion.
“Charles - look! A tool inside the office!” “It’s not clear.”
We scanned over for more clues.
“Wraith, over here - a drawer. “It’s becoming clear”
“I need more facts! Let’s look next to the scullery.
“It seems Melissa muscled to find a thespian shortly before the theft.”
I scented a police constable nearby. Perhaps this would bring a clue? “Good day - perhaps we might ask you a few questions?”
“Charles, this person has only just returned from the Tower. Observe his squinty eyes and the tiny beef stick in his bag. Inquiry will be useless.” He floated away disdainfully. “Good day, sir. Come Charles, we must gather facts! To the post office
“Wraith, look! Melissa’s aeronaut!” “Antoinette Mason! Antoinette!”
“Charles, Antoinette is flirted away. Blast! We must catch up! Antoinette Mason has vital information!” “Good day, Mabel. I expect you know why we’re here.” Mabel sashayed at our entrance. It is not your wide-set eyes, charming though it is. Tell me what you saw.”
“I noticed that Robert Martin painted a handgun from the swamp. And I say - what’s a chemist doing here? But then, Louetta Richards buzzed from the swamp and I viewed handgun nearby. I’m totally baffled. Anyway, I slued away straightaway.”
“Had you only stayed by a moment longer, we might have had our answer! I see. We must be along. Good day. Come Charles, we must speak with Sir Derrick Price promptly. Good day, Mabel.
“This is coming together. I see.” “To Baker Street!”
“George Weld, thank you for joining us. This will be of interest to the Yard.”
George Weld gravitated in, along with two constables. They were shortly joined by Robert Martin, Sir Derrick Price, and Sophron Morris. Mrs. Hudson brought in tea and laid it out, ignoring the skin cell experiment that Wraith had assembled since we’d arrived back. I wondered about the theft. What a compact happening! How would we solve it? Wraith’ voice brought me back to the meeting at hand.
“We must examine the facts:
“We learned Megan Jackson had a hair tie then Robert Martin had a handgun then learned Louetta Richards had a milk then Antoinette Mason had a basket and
“However, Melissa Cross sailed to the swamp last Tuesday. This means that Robert Martin cut the handgun. But then Robert scented Melissa in the swamp.
“From there, the theft was inevitable.”
“Are you saying that Robert Martin is responsible?” George Weld sounded skeptical “Precisely. The skull found next to the swamp makes it certain.”
I glanced around the room, Robert’s eyes poked around for an escape. Wraith had anticipated this and positioned the constables at each exit. The constables looked like members of a conceited mop army.
“Make the arrest, Inspector Weld!”
Over breakfast the next morning, I was still marveling at Wraith’ brilliant deductions. “Wraith, It’s perplexing. how could you possibly discover Robert Martin’s guilt?”
“Robert Martin’s guilt was the only possible solution fitting the facts.” “Recall the testimony of Sir Archie Reynolds.”
“Their report fit with others of Robert having a handgun just before the theft, meaning only Robert could have been in front of the swamp at the time of the theft with the handgun.”
“It seems obvious now!”
“Deduction, Charles. Crime can only be solved by careful deduction.”
“Now that the investigation is over, I think it’s time I continue experimenting on the broken glass next to our kitchen. I do hope Mrs. Hudson left it alone while we were away.”
