EQMM, May 2012 Read Online Free Page B
Author: Dell Magazine Authors
Hakanson thought he was in over his head, because now Hakanson was the prime suspect in the murder of Olaf Gedda.
"Umm-hmm,” Uggla said as she began to prove, once again, that she was a most excellent choice for managing editor.
* * * *
PART 2
Lumbricus Terrestris
Because they help aerate and enrich the soil, Charles Darwin wrote of earthworms, “It may be doubted whether there are any other animals which have played so important a part in the history of the world, as have these lowly creatures.” For this very reason Aristotle called earthworms “the intestines of the soil.” They are also frequently called night crawlers because they crawl around at night, and angleworms because they make good bait for fishing. They are indigenous to Europe and are hermaphrodites, but cannot see or hear. Some have been known to have survived in captivity for ten years. Neither Darwin nor Aristotle commented on the fact that most fishermen are born honest but get over it pretty quickly, whether they fish with a worm, a jerkbait, or a fly.
* * * *
Friday, July 11
Salamander drummed her fingers impatiently on the security barrier in front of her as Rhindtwist seated himself. He smiled at her and said, “That color goes well with your purple hair."
Salamander looked down at her DayGlo orange one-piece prison coveralls and said, “Drop dead."
"Well, now that the pleasantries are out of the way,” Rhindtwist said, “will you answer some questions for me?"
"It depends on the questions,” Salamander said.
"Gotilda, drop the attitude,” Rhindtwist said. “And trust me."
"I tried that once, remember? Look where it got me."
Rhindtwist placed a hand on the chainlink window that separated them. “Please, not now, Gotilda.” He sat back in his chair and opened his notebook. “Let's start with your whereabouts the morning Herr Gedda was murdered."
"I was in my apartment getting ready to go to work when Tonsoffun called me and asked me to come up here."
"Was there anybody with you?"
"I haven't been with anyone since—"
"My mistake,” Rhindtwist said hurriedly. “Any witnesses?"
"No one except the hoods who threatened me outside my apartment."
"And what time was that?"
"Ask Tonsoffun, but I'd say around quarter of ten."
"Problem number one,” Rhindtwist said. “The coroner's report indicates that Herr Gedda was killed between six and seven, giving you plenty of time to get back to your apartment and carry on as though nothing had happened."
Salamander gave Rhindtwist an icy stare. “Is that what you think?"
Rhindtwist wasn't sure what he thought but hedged his bets and said it didn't matter. “What counts is that's what the police think, and Paulsson and von Otter think you did it too."
Salamander felt like a bag of bananas that had been left too long in the sun. “Guilty until proven innocent?"
"Maybe, maybe not.” He tapped his notebook with his pen. “But what's with the bucket of worms?"
Salamander looked down at her hands and twirled her thumbs.
Rhindtwist sensed that, once again, he'd struck a nerve. “Are you keeping something from me?"
"Between you and me?"
He nodded.
She sighed.
He closed his notebook as a gesture of confidentiality.
"I've had a hard time catching a trout big enough to qualify for the Lunkersklubb with a fly so, on occasion,” she smiled sheepishly, “I fish with a worm."
"That's it?"
She raised her hands to silence him. “I lost a really good one a few weeks ago—must have been seven pounds—but I know where that bad boy lives and I'll catch him yet."
Rhindtwist was exasperated and confused. “Not if you go to prison, you won't."
Glum silence.
Finally, he asked, “Did you know you were in Herr Gedda's will?"
"Of course."
"Of course?"
"He told me."
"When?"
"Sometime last year."
Rhindtwist asked if Herr Gedda had told her how much he planned to leave her.
"All he said was that I'd be very comfortable. Von Otter told me about the twenty billion
"Umm-hmm,” Uggla said as she began to prove, once again, that she was a most excellent choice for managing editor.
* * * *
PART 2
Lumbricus Terrestris
Because they help aerate and enrich the soil, Charles Darwin wrote of earthworms, “It may be doubted whether there are any other animals which have played so important a part in the history of the world, as have these lowly creatures.” For this very reason Aristotle called earthworms “the intestines of the soil.” They are also frequently called night crawlers because they crawl around at night, and angleworms because they make good bait for fishing. They are indigenous to Europe and are hermaphrodites, but cannot see or hear. Some have been known to have survived in captivity for ten years. Neither Darwin nor Aristotle commented on the fact that most fishermen are born honest but get over it pretty quickly, whether they fish with a worm, a jerkbait, or a fly.
* * * *
Friday, July 11
Salamander drummed her fingers impatiently on the security barrier in front of her as Rhindtwist seated himself. He smiled at her and said, “That color goes well with your purple hair."
Salamander looked down at her DayGlo orange one-piece prison coveralls and said, “Drop dead."
"Well, now that the pleasantries are out of the way,” Rhindtwist said, “will you answer some questions for me?"
"It depends on the questions,” Salamander said.
"Gotilda, drop the attitude,” Rhindtwist said. “And trust me."
"I tried that once, remember? Look where it got me."
Rhindtwist placed a hand on the chainlink window that separated them. “Please, not now, Gotilda.” He sat back in his chair and opened his notebook. “Let's start with your whereabouts the morning Herr Gedda was murdered."
"I was in my apartment getting ready to go to work when Tonsoffun called me and asked me to come up here."
"Was there anybody with you?"
"I haven't been with anyone since—"
"My mistake,” Rhindtwist said hurriedly. “Any witnesses?"
"No one except the hoods who threatened me outside my apartment."
"And what time was that?"
"Ask Tonsoffun, but I'd say around quarter of ten."
"Problem number one,” Rhindtwist said. “The coroner's report indicates that Herr Gedda was killed between six and seven, giving you plenty of time to get back to your apartment and carry on as though nothing had happened."
Salamander gave Rhindtwist an icy stare. “Is that what you think?"
Rhindtwist wasn't sure what he thought but hedged his bets and said it didn't matter. “What counts is that's what the police think, and Paulsson and von Otter think you did it too."
Salamander felt like a bag of bananas that had been left too long in the sun. “Guilty until proven innocent?"
"Maybe, maybe not.” He tapped his notebook with his pen. “But what's with the bucket of worms?"
Salamander looked down at her hands and twirled her thumbs.
Rhindtwist sensed that, once again, he'd struck a nerve. “Are you keeping something from me?"
"Between you and me?"
He nodded.
She sighed.
He closed his notebook as a gesture of confidentiality.
"I've had a hard time catching a trout big enough to qualify for the Lunkersklubb with a fly so, on occasion,” she smiled sheepishly, “I fish with a worm."
"That's it?"
She raised her hands to silence him. “I lost a really good one a few weeks ago—must have been seven pounds—but I know where that bad boy lives and I'll catch him yet."
Rhindtwist was exasperated and confused. “Not if you go to prison, you won't."
Glum silence.
Finally, he asked, “Did you know you were in Herr Gedda's will?"
"Of course."
"Of course?"
"He told me."
"When?"
"Sometime last year."
Rhindtwist asked if Herr Gedda had told her how much he planned to leave her.
"All he said was that I'd be very comfortable. Von Otter told me about the twenty billion
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