A Sherlock Holmes Alphabet of Cases, Volume 1 (A to E) by Roger Riccard

Author:Roger Riccard [Riccard, Roger]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fiction, Mystery & Detective, General, Traditional, Collections & Anthologies
ISBN: 9781901091694
Google: jdJotAEACAAJ
Publisher: Baker Street Studios Limited
Published: 2017-06-15T19:31:47.043533+00:00

Chapter Five

I went out to the hall to see about grabbing my coat and hat to join Holmes and Musgrave outside, but just as I was about to do so they returned. Our host invited us to join him for cigars in his study to discuss the day’s events.

Once settled into comfortable armchairs before a substantial fireplace, we were offered some fine Cuban cigars and soon a blue haze had pervaded the room.

“Well, old friend,” enquired Musgrave, “can you offer any enlightenment into this tragedy? Was I correct in surmising a criminal act rather than a ‘misadventure’?”

Holmes exhaled a long stream of smoke as a preamble to his voicing his thoughts. At last he spoke.

“All the physical evidence, in addition to your observations and the fact that they were eliminated, point to a human culprit, Musgrave. Watson, you may wish to make note of these facts for we will surely wish to lay them before the police.”

I took my ever-present notepad and pencil from my inner breast pocket.

“The evidence you attempted to preserve,” continued Holmes, “the blood and drag marks, indicate that that spot is where the murder actually occurred. Hancock was struck in the forehead by an object resembling a horseshoe. He fell on his back, his head rolling to one side. Bleeding profusely as head wounds are wont to do, the pool of blood which you observed spilt out. The murderer then grabbed the victim under the arms and dragged him up into a position where he could get a shoulder under him to carry him back to the horse’s stall. The short drag marks of the boots on the ground and scraping of his boot heels, which I observed, confirm this. Also, there was dirt upon the rear of the trousers and the back of his shirt, where his jacket had ridden up. This does not match up with his being struck from the front by a horse and falling on to his chest.”

Holmes took another puff of his cigar as he contemplated his next words.

“Our killer must be someone of considerable strength. Although Hancock was a lean young man, he still weighed around 175 pounds. Not a small feat to lift upon one’s shoulders and carry for some thirty feet to the stall. He is also quite methodical, to have constructed a weapon which resembled a horseshoe and somehow lure the footman out into the stables at that time of night. It was a well thought out scheme and likely would have succeeded, as the police have accepted this story with their erroneous conclusion.

“They, however, failed to note that such a blow as Hancock was purported to have received would have thrown him back against the wooden stall gate with tremendous force and, as the good Doctor here has observed, would likely have broken his neck. The gate shows no signs of receiving such a forceful impact and the man’s neck was intact.”

Musgrave interjected, “But what of the broken ribs and the damage to the back

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