Uncle Merton's mansion was the best place for everyone to gather. We got all the suspects together including Rebecca Backstrom, the seventy-year-old woman my uncle had been apparently dating.
The inspector kicked things off by telling the guests that they were all told to report to the mansion for a reason, "And that reason is because of this," he said before taking the bedsheet off the painting to reveal that two of the witches were gone.
"Now, each one of you is going to tell everyone what you know about this painting."
Margie Hansen went first telling all of us that all she knew about the painting was that it sat above the fireplace in the library and that she was ordered never to touch it because it was very valuable.
"Is that what he told you while he was screwing you," Rebecca Backstrom shot back at her. I couldn't help but laugh. I knew my uncle's gray-haired girlfriend wasn't too fond of my uncle's housekeeper, but I didn't know she resented her that much.
Miss Backstrom went next, telling us that she knew the painting existed but all she was told about the painting was that it was an inheritance for me.
"Me?" I asked. I was confused because I never knew anything about it, but Genoa did.
Apparently, my uncle told him that if anything should happen to him that Genoa finds me right away to make sure I get my inheritance.
Genoa went next and told the group he knew nothing about the painting until I told him about it and Miss Cross was the same.
Robert Valentine knew more about the painting than anyone else. He confessed to knowing the contents behind it. He revealed to us all how my uncle purchased the painting from a witch museum and how he ended to put the stock certificates behind them.
"I thought he was mad," Valentine said, "but now after seeing that two of the witches are gone, I am starting to believe it was true."
The inspector then turned to you and asked what you knew about the painting. Your story was the best one. You knew where my uncle had purchased the painting and what he intended to use it for. After hearing you speak, the inspector accused you of being the murderer.
"That will be hard to prove," Genoa said, "Doctor Angel was with us when Kalista Kalzone passed away." A thought seemed to enter his mind and he spoke for all of us. "Rodriguez could have been the murderer. After all, he killed himself when we tried to take him in for killing Kalzone."
"He could have done it," the inspector said. "After all, it seemed like he was the most likely suspect, but now that he's dead, we will never know."
The inspector asked you what your opinion of the whole thing was.
You said, "As a psychiatrist, I can speculate that he killed his girlfriend after she revealed to him that Mister Genoa and Miss Cross had interrogated her, but what I don't understand is why he would leave the painting after murdering her."
"Unless he tried to open it and couldn't," Genoa shot back.
"Then, you solved the mystery," Miss Backstrom said as she headed towards the door.
"Don't you want to see what's behind it?" Miss Hansen asked her.
"I have no reason too, and neither do any of you. That cursed thing belongs to the boy. It is none of my business anymore," and after giving us her speech, she walked out of the room.
"So, does this case just go unsolved?" Valentine asked. "Doesn't anyone care about what is behind this painting? Are we just going to blame Rodriguez for this whole thing?"
"He makes the perfect fall guy," the inspector said before he pointed to Miss Cross and said, "and don't quote me on that."
YOU ARE READING
The Case of The Perplexed Painting
Mystery / Thriller17-year-old Simon Blink hires a private eye to help him find who murdered his uncle. It is soon discovered that his death was linked to a mysterious painting.
