The Let's Play Archive

Layton Brothers: Mystery Room

by HydroSphere

Part 10: The Bungled Burglary - Part 4






Oh my--Keep your furry friend under control!

Well, I do declare! Mah 'furry friend' as you put it does have a name, Ms Baker. Bingo. But I call him Bing.

Well, I can't say I approve of the collar, but I hope that chain's a good'un!

At the risk of repeating myself, Ms Potsby-Mahn, would you mind, er...?

Yes, yes, I know. Bing, go wait for me in the car, boy. The trunk's open.

I am sure the good Inspector will not be keeping me long.

Arf, arf!

Bing leaves.



I always go to the park with Bing around this time of day.

Don't worry, Ms Potsby-Mahn. I'm fairly sure this'll be the last time we meet.

So what exactly requires mah attention now, may I ask?




If you'll cast your mind back to our previous conversation, we established that the victim was...



The victim was stabbed from behind without warning. He was caught completely unawares. Aye, Mr Potsby had no idea what were coming.




Of course, we cannot deny the possibility that your husband was indeed asleep at the time.

However, if that were truly the case, it would be at odds with something else that happened.

In other words...



Because the window were shattered!

All that glass breaking would've made a right din and no mistake.



I do declare, you are as slow as a snail sometimes, Ms Baker! Mah husband was quite exhausted that day. Why, he was sleeping like a log.



Well, there's nowt more to be said on that front then, I suppose.



And it was on hearing that scream that you ran out of the bathroom to see what was happening?

That is correct. Mah sudden arrival scared the outlaw away before he could steal even a bitty bit.

I know it was that thief they caught in the grounds.

I see.



I have never said anything to the contrary.

So, if I may just recap?

You were having a shower in the bathroom when you heard the sound of glass shattering. Immediately after that, you heard Mr Potsby scream.

That's what you're telling us happened, are you? It's also what you said in your statement.




Well! A liar?

Indeed. And there is a certain piece of evidence on the scene that will prove me right.

Well, I am all ears. If this evidence really exists, then I sure would like to see it.




Oh, that is hogwash! All these l'il bitty bits of glass prove nothing of the sort!

Would you care to explain, Lucy?

Tell Ms Potsby-Mahn exactly what the broken glass reveals.




What order of events?

You claim you heard the window smash first and then your husband scream.



Ah...



But they aren't, are they, Ms Potsby-Mahn? They're on top.



So it would seem you have deliberately given a false statement.

I, I have done no such thing! Why, I have simply confused matters in mah head.

I am all torn up about the loss of mah dear husband. This simple misunderstanding proves nothing.

I retract mah statement. I simply cannot remember if I heard the scream or the glass breaking first.



Oh, you little weasel!

Let us assume for a moment that you were indeed mistaken. That introduces a new complication.

It does?

Indeed. Because we know that the door and the window were both locked before the incident occurred.




What I'm trying to say is simple.

We can now be sure that the true perpetrator of this crime is...




At the time of the attack, the window and the door of the flat were locked.

The only other way in were by smashing the window. But we know that happened after the victim died.

With no method of entry available, the only conclusion is that the culprit did not come in from outside.

No, the person who did this was in the flat from the outset.



Am I to understand that you are accusing me of murder because I was in mah home the whole time?

Aye, you are to understand that.

Then I must remind you of something of vital importance that you appear to have overlooked.

Oh? What's that?

Oh, just a l'il bitty thing called a murder weapon! I hear it told that you have still not found it anywhere inside the apartment. Which I never left.



Indeed, I confess to having been stumped by that conundrum.




Huh? I, I beg your pardon?



I, I do declare...Why, that's simply not possible...

You didn't dispose of the murder weapon outside the flat. No, it's been in there the entire time.

You're starting to rile me, Inspector! Tell me where this murder weapon I am supposed to have used is.



The murder weapon were hidden int' clock!

Wha--Are you quite sure?

Sure as eggs are eggs, aye! It were the minute hand of the clock that were used to kill Mr Potsby.



Well, the shape of the hand matches the victim's wound perfectly.

Aye, you haven't got long to wriggle your way out of this one.



Telephone rings.

Speak of the devil...

Hello?



Lucy is off taking the phone call.

Well, it is almost...

You admit it now?

I don't think so, do you, Inspector?



What's the matter?

The results! From forensics! They found nowt on it! No traces of blood whatsoever!

Really?

Mah, what a terrible shame.



No. I must have missed something.

Prof?

Can I assume we are finally on the same page now, Inspector? That outlaw, Nicks, is responsible for mah husband's death, and I am no longer under suspicion?

If you could just fill out these forms for me with words to that effect...

Forms?



Have you got no shame at all? We're talking about a man's life!

Why, you have no idea what you are talking about, missy! Jack doted on me.



How do you have the gall to say summat like that?

Music Stops.