Questions And Clues

• Nayssa Kapadia, Grade 7
• Short Story
• 2022

The water collected into a drop and fell at a steady pace into the bucket. Any clues? Answers? Suspicions?

“Who was it? Who can it be! There are three people sitting in that room, one of them killed her. One of them had enough wit, strength and sly skill to kill Mrs Smith!” Agent Kelly remarked.

As if I haven’t heard this candid summary of the case a million times already, I gave my usual response.

“ Yes sir. How could someone kill our detective agency’s boss!”

My black suit begins to feel monotonous compared to Kelly’s. He sat comfortably on his chair and rhythmically tapping his bony fingers on the table. The slight jingle in his tapping made me think. I (labelled Kelly’s trainee detective)suggested we interrogate the suspects.

“ Good idea Jill.” He said

“ Sorry sir but it’s Jackie.” I softly quoted.

An eerie atmosphere filled the room of suspects: a retired policewoman, Mrs Smith’s gardener and her personal chef. They were all in the residence during ‘crime time.’ Kelly asked for a ‘small talk.’ I followed him into the room with the leaking ceiling. He began “ I’m thinking we should play this good cop: you, bad cop: me.” I agreed although this method was unexpected.

Kelly thunderously yelled, “WHO KILLED MRS SMITH?” After minutes of unending yelling and no productivity Kelly admitted that I should be bad cop. This is interrogation? Now I am beginning to doubt Kelly: his idea of an interrogation is comical and he arrived to the room an hour late with coffee.

During my questioning time, suspects were asked for their time at 1:06 pm ( time of Mrs Smith’s death.) I received normal responses. I asked what they were doing and after more questions, I had a summary… none of these people killed her.

My ringtone enlightens the room. Kelly gives approval to callback.
“Hello mom. I’m at 106 Lin Street, Kelly and I are trying to solve the mystery about Mrs Smith. I will be home soon. We haven’t got many clues yet. See you soon.”

That sounded unprofessional but it was worth it.

Seconds later police officers barge in and handcuff Kelly. On my call (which was half muted) to the police they heard: “Hello, I’m at 106 Lin Street and Kelly killed Mrs Smith, I got many clues. See you soon.”

Kelly stared at me in disbelief: his plan to overthrow Mrs Smith was ruined! Before he was jammed into the police car out of his sleeve came a golden key labelled ‘Smith Residence.’ The jingle gave him away! The gardener came to me and he wondered how I cracked the case. I told him about the jingle in his tapping , he entered with unbranded coffee from someone’s house and he was not taking the case seriously!
While writing the case file in the office I came across a beautiful quote – “Knowledge is knowing the right answer but intelligence is asking the right question.”