PUZZLER OF A PUZZLE

[timbo]

Sergeant Frank Bonacci went up the steps onto the porch and walked into the living room. "This one they'll have to change the name to the dead room" Frank thought to himself.

Hustle and bustle went the Crime Lab people. Flash flash went the camera as every angle of the body and the immediate area was shot.

Officer Joe Blow stood by the door to keep those unwanted gawkers out of the house.
Frank had to ask him:"Is that your real name on that brass plate on your pocket?"

"Nah",the officer replied," I had this made up just for the giggles. It's amazing that the Sarge aint caught it at inspection every day. I've worn it for a month now."

Frank looked at this 30 something cop and shook his head. "I couldnt have gotten away with that all those years ago when I was in uniform." Frank scanned the room as he always did when at a scene like this.

"Pete woulda reamed me a new one if I woulda pulled that trick." Pete was the old cigar chomping sergeant Frank was under many years ago. "What a tough ol' cop he was",thought Frank. "Nothin missed that old WWII veteran." Frank started walking over towards the body and the other plainclothes man standing there.

"Pete was the guy that taught me the trick of never letting your eyes settle on anything at a crime scene. Pete was like a movie camera,just taking everything in and then going over the film later."

The other plain clothes cop turned to Frank. "Hey Frank,hows it hangin?" "Not too low Hugo" Frank said to Second Detective Hugo VonBrockdorff who came on the department sometime just before this town became a city. "Well it seems that long" Frank thought. "There was probably still indian raids when Hugo came on" Frank's thoughts rambled.

Hugo reaches down to the table and picks up what looks like a letter and says,"You'll be otta here before the body is cold Frank. Got us a Sooooercide note."
Frank noticed that Hugo,even with his studied casualness still barely touched the paper.

"Whats it say?" asked Frank. "Love lost,shame to family,feel so bad." said Hugo.

"The blah blah of every note I've ever read" Hugo said with that Germanic gutteral chuckle at the end of his talking.

Frank cocked his head to the right to read the note himself. Of course that was after Frank slipped on his "half seein eyes dog" glasses as the younger detectives use to chuckle and poke Frank in fun about. Frank didnt care as long as he could see the menu in the softly lit Italian restaurant,Papa Joes,his home away from home.

"Got everything but the blah blah Hugo,you are right on." Frank then went on to ask Hugo," Is that a cross word puzzle under his head?" "Ya,one of those Noo Yok Times ones" Hugo growled back.

Next to the mans right arm was a pencil "#2" Frank thought,"do they make like a #43 pencil or just #2's in this country? Man those teachers have all the control in the pencil industry. Can't find a #1 pencil anymore."

Frank,with his camera rolling eyes checked out the pistol just above the victim's head and inches away from his right hand. "Good thing he was shot in the chest,or we wouldnt be able to tell what kind of book that was with blood and brains all over" Hugo said as he squinted at the slumped over body and the book underneath the victim's head.

"Hugo wouldnt wear no "eye cheaters" Frank thought "even if the Pope ordered him to".
The "Pope" was their captain of detectives. "Nice guy" thought Frank,"but a little heavy on the 'canons' and regulations of the department."

The Pope was also a little freaky about his detectives swearing too. He would punish the swearers by giving them those rotten cases no one else could stand to do. Kept the swearing down more than anything else would.

Frank,still poring over the scene checked the victim's clothes,hair and both hands and even checked the victim's shoes.
The man's left hand was also over his head as the right hand was. Frank hummed a slight "Hmmmmm" as he noticed the left pinky seemed to be dirtier than the rest of the hand.
"Hugo,"Frank asked,"has anyone been in here that you know of after the shooting happened?" Hugo,who looked like he was trying to figure out the clue to 32 down on the puzzle said "Nah,the cruiser got the radio call that a neighbor had heard a shot and when they went to the front door,they could see the guy slumped and the bloody white rug under him. They didnt even enter until their sarge got there."

"Well Hugo old chum and pal and playmate,we are going to be in this a lot longer than you thought," Frank tightly clenched teeth said.

"What you say" Hugo,who normally never raised his voice said this in a china rattling volume. "What you say and why you say that?" Hugo thundered. Not a story telling rumble,but an honest to J.Edgar Hoover rumble from his lower intestines.

Frank,still in camera action mode said, "This is murder."


Anybody? Why would Frank say this was murder?

[SomeAverageJoe]

Nice opening, I Like these openings alot better than giving the full history of the main character before any action.

The J.Edgar Hoover reference is a little too old for me, Never heard the guy speak.

I don't know why he thinks its a murder, other than the clue of the dirty pinky, which is a good hook into the next chapter. Can't wait to find out why

[murgatroid_98]

He thinks its murder because the guys left pinky is dirty. He was doing crossword puzzles left handed. The pencil was found beside his right hand. The suicide was staged.

[timbo]

Good one Murg!
I am a lefty and when I get done writing anything I have pen and pencil smudges on my left pinky.

Been that way my whole long life.

Plus it is rare for someone to commit suicide shooting oneself in the chest.

And having a crossword puzzle half done as well!