creativeWriting
The two men rushed down to the cellar and found a very shaken, shocked, and frightened Nora Stuart. She pointed and they gasped. Lying next to a closed clothes trunk, piled high with hats and old kitchen utensils and a poorly constructed closet with boxes of albums, books, handicrafts and a broken sewing machine was a lifeless Albert Stuart.
His entire body was blood-splattered and his legs were at an odd angle. His gray-white hair was smothered with dirt and his spectacles lay shattered a few feet away. Mrs. Stuart started crying, "My husband! My dear husband! My Albert!." The inspector bent down. In the dim light he could make out a shiny silver blade covered with blood lying in front of the trunk.
"Nolan, call the chief at once!"
"Who in the name of the Lord would murder my husband?" Nora shouted, furious,
"We're uncertain at this point, but rest-assured we'll find out," the inspector replied. Dr. Nolan came down the stairs.
"Chief Sheldon is on his way, sir"
"Excellent. In the meantime, we'll need a brighter light to make out that blade." Inspector Watkins and Dr. Nolan went back upstairs in time to see the chief’s car pull up.
Chief George Sheldon opened his door and stepped out. "Hello gentleman, I see you have no doubt found Albert Stuart's body." The inspector nodded.
"We also found a silver blade with blood on it a few feet away. No doubt it's murder." Chief Sheldon shook his head.
"This is disgraceful. Albert was a fine gentleman. Why anyone would want to do away with him is unspeakable." The two men and the chief went to the cellar and began rummaging through the closet and trunk for more evidence.
Inspector Watkins took Nora upstairs. She took a lace handkerchief from the pocket of her skirt and dabbed her eyes. "Do you think Jefferson had something to do with this?" she asked the inspector.
"I don't think so. Jefferson's still missing. When did you last see him?"
"Last Wednesday. He came outside and helped me with my roses. He has such a way with gardening. He talked about his wedding plans. I offered him some wine but he didn't take it. That was all."
"Do you know Beatrice McDonald?" the inspector asked,
"I know she lives in a red bricked house not far from the bank. But I've never met her." Nora replied.
Just then Dr. Nolan and Chief Sheldon showed up. Dr. Nolan held up the blade. "Well, we know one thing. The object is a cleaver. No telling how the murderer managed to sneak it out of your kitchen, Nora." Nora's face went pale.
"I can't believe it. My Albert! Murdered by a cleaver wielding lunatic!"
"We'd best be off. We'll need to inspect this at the station." The inspector and Dr. Nolan got on the road and went back to the station.
When they reached the station, Inspector Watkins noticed a green car parked in front. "That's peculiar. Who could that be?" Dr. Nolan looked.
"There's no one inside. They probably went into the station." Inspector Watkins shook his head and pointed across the street. There was the figure leaving the donut shop. Dr. Nolan gasped.
"I don't believe it! It's Sullivan Lowe!"
in the mansion
10
Murder
Angela Roseneder
Chapter 4