A month ago, the dog was poisoned they said. Rose loved her dog, never leashed it. She blamed me for his death. She said I poisoned him. The dog was a menace, ran all over the town, chased my cat and her kittens. My rose garden was his digging ground, all my beautiful roses…… They were the best grown in town. I won every year at the flower show.
By the way I am Miss Storm. I am 71 years old living with my cat Precious and her six kittens. I have lived in this town, this house and garden all my life.
Ding, Dong !!! That’s the doorbell.
" Well Good Afternoon Inspector, How are you?", I greeted Inspector Brown.
"Good Afternoon Ma’am, we were going through Mrs Rose Smith’s belongings, and investigating her death.", said Inspector Brown.
" Come in, Inspector, tea and cookies."
"Yes, Thank you".
"Quiet tragic, and so young, 30 and what a way to go. Feels like it is my time to go. But here I am but she is down there. You said you were going through her belongings, what are you looking for?"
"Well ma’am, it seems she was sitting in her bedroom, her back turned to the door. Her husband Edward came in. He did not find her around so he stepped in to the bedroom and quietly went to her and kissed her neck fondly. And she popped her eyes out, gasped for breath and before Edward could see all this she collapsed in the chair. She had this book in her hand."
The Inspector handed me a book, " The Neck In a Noose".
" I don’t understand what could have made Rose to die in such a state of terror" said the inspector.
Well I think I need to ask some more questions to Edward. Maybe it’s foul play. But the coroner said that she died of shock. I personally checked the scene of death, there was nothing out of place. She was seated in an arm chair, her back turned to the door, facing the gleaming sun outside. And death embraced her with horror and anguish written all over her face."
I listened patiently to the Inspector. "Yes, I think it was her time to go. She had a weak heart."
"Well I have to go too, Ma’am, thank you for tea. I needed it after long funeral under the hot sun."
"Inspector can I keep this book, as the last remembrance of Rose."
Oh sure, I guess you knew her better than all of us. I am sure she would have liked you to have it. It has some initials on the first page, C S , mean anything to you ?"
"Not that I remember, Inspector. She was Rose Smith – R S."
"You are right C S really means nothing." See you at the flower show next week. I hope you win this year too. Bye" . I waved the Inspector good bye and carried Precious inside. Now let’s see what we have here.
I opened the book found a page slightly loose, I guess Rose was reading this page when she collapsed.
It read," my few hours remaining. I am going to be hung, for a crime I don’t remember doing. My hands tied to my back, the metal intensely piercing through my flesh. Walking through the dark halls, smelling the stench of dried blood and sweat. Foot prints all going one way, all towards the dungeon of death. My head will be covered. I will see nothing, I have stopped seeing a long time ago. The dark prison cell was dark all the time, it was like seeing nothing at all. The noose will be put, the rope…….
So deep and mighty, it will tighten slowly, the threads pulling together, stretched clasping and holding my neck. So strong that my skin never felt being pinched so hard. It will draw out all the air in my lungs, my throat, my mouth will be so parched. My neck so lofty which held my head high, will disfigure, will detach from my dying carcass. The blood vessels, capillaries will BURST…….
Edward kissed her neck from behind at this very moment. She shrunk in fear. She always had a weak heart , jumped when Precious scratched her window. My roses would die if I had not stopped that mutt. She would tell everybody she threatened.
C S is me, Claire Storm my maiden name.
I killed her.
