Lycée Chateaubriand de Rome

"I’ ve never had any dealing with private detectives, Mr Marlowe. I don’ t know anything about them. Your references seem satisfactory. What are your charges ?"
"To do what, Mrs Murdock ?"
"About two years ago my father was sick and since that day he has always been tired but..."
"I can’ t do anything to fight ageing, I’ m really sorry"
"This isn’ t the problem, I think he is being poisoned".
She was really angry because of the unpleasant joke so she tried to go away but Marlowe blocked her.
"Where are you going ?"
She sighed but she didn’ t answer, her eyes had become really sad.
"Let’ s talk about this "poison", he said, why should someone kill your father"
"I really don’t know but he has lots of enemies because of his work".
"I should list them all, how much paper should I take ?"
"Ha, ha, ha, this is not funny," she said angrily", let’ s start however, there are all his colleagues, the butcher, the baker,..."
"-The whole city in fact"
"You are really getting on my nerves, but this is almost true"
"The investigation will not be so easy and my charges will be pretty high."
"Never mind," she said with a forced smile "my father is really rich, this is not a problem"
"Ok, I’ d like to start from his workplace, I’ll follow you there."
They left the house and got there by car.
"Hello sir, I am Marlowe, I know you are Murdock’ s best friend and a manager of his factory, can you help me ?"
"Of course," said he hopefully "I’ ll do anything for him"
"So, do you know someone here who would like to see Mr. Murdock dead ?"
"I think everybody would like him dead, he is really unpleasant with his workers"
"Ok, I need a moment to make up my mind."
Mrs. Murdock got closer
"Have you any suspect ?"she asked
"Not for the moment, they seem to be really good criminals, this will not be easy".
He turned back and asked another question of the manager :"What kind of education have you received ?"
"I graduated in medicine and specialised in toxic substances"
"And what kind of advantage would you have if Mr Murdock died ?"
"Nothing, just nothing," he said in an angry way
Mr Marlowe left him alone and asked Mrs Murdock to go to his father’ s notary. They got there in five minutes and got in his study.
"Good evening sir", said Marlowe.
"It’ s a pleasure to have you here, what is your business ?"
"I am here with Mrs Murdock’ s daughter, I would like to see his father’ s last will."
"No problem, here it is, you can read it as you wish."
Mr Marlowe read it and found that mister Clandus, Mr Murdock’ s best friend, was the heir of the whole factory.
"Everything makes sense now let’ s get home as fast as possible," said Marlowe
Once there they began a conversation :
"Do you want a cigarette, Mr Marlowe ?"
"Yes please, a Chesterfield if you have any"
He took the cigarette from her hand and lighted it in a skilful way.
"Ok now we have to wait for the culprit’ s call, I’ m sure he will phone, we are pretty close to the solution, I’ll come back tomorrow, good-bye Mrs Murdock."
He immediately left the house. As he stepped through the palace door the phone rang. Mrs Murdock was now alone. She answered still trembling.
"Hello, who’ s speaking ?" she said fearfully.
In this moment the light went off, as in a blackout. She was crying now.
"Who I am is not important, the only thing you have to know is that tomorrow you will kill your detective or I will kill you and all your family," replied the voice. She saw a shadow running through the dark room. She wanted to shout but the voice spoke again :
"Nobody will hear you, this would be useless"
"Who are you ?" she said desperately
"I’ m someone who wouldn’ t like to kill you but wouldn’ t mind doing so if forced to," he said
"But how should I kill him ?"
"You have to make your brain work, now I’ ll leave you thinking alone"
"No ! No ! I can’ t do it" she said but the man had already put down the phone, the light went back again two minutes later.
She cried for a while. Suddenly the door opened and Mr Marlowe entered pointing a gun at Mr Clandus.
"Now we will go to the police all together and explain this strange story." Marlowe said.
Mr Clandus explained he had to kill Mr Murdock because his son was ill and he hadn’ t the money to cure him, so he decided to use his knowledge to kill Mr Murdock without any suspects.
"This investigation is closed, Mrs Murdock, call me again if you are in trouble" Marlowe said.
In a little while Mr Murdock regained his former strength.