SANDLER’S CASE

It was a rainy day when suddenly Robert Patrickson’s phone started ringing, it was a young boy called Brian. His father had been murdered and the police couldn’t find the murderer so he needed someone more efficient. This case was different to the other ones because he had a lot of enemies so he accepted it. So the next thing he did, as he did in every case, was going to the scene of the murder.

He entered the house and the butler welcomed him, he was a middle aged, tall man and the first thing that Patrickson did was question him:

“Where is Mr. Samuel’s wife?” Asked Robert “She’s not here she’s rehearsing for a play she’ll be working on.” answered the

butler quickly. “Ok then I’ll have to ask you some questions.” “Where were you the night of the murder?” asked Robert. “I was here serving dinner, nothing important just his family and a business

partner.” “Do you know what did he do for a living?” “I think he works as a real estate, but I think he had done something illegal, he

swindled people.” “Ok, did you see something suspicious that night?” “I saw a shadow passing through the window when the lights went out and the

business partner wasn’t at the table when it happened.” “And the lights went out in the entire neighborhood?” “Yes, I think that’s right.” “Thank you.” He said politely. After that Robert went to talk to the business partner, he was a rich old

gentleman, he was sitting in a chair smoking a pipe in the living room, he seemed very serious and that he wasn’t affected emotionally by the murder.

“Hello I’m Robert Patrickson, I’m here to ask some questions about Mr. Sandler death.”

“I know who you are, what do you want me to answer?” He replied rudely. “Did you notice something strange that night, something suspicious?” “No, everything seemed fine but Samuel’s wife seemed weird not as if she had

killed the man but I believe she’s hiding something.” “What do you mean?” “I don’t know but you should talk to her later.” “Ok and one last thing where were you when the light went out?” “I went to the bathroom to clean my hands before eating, why do you ask me

that?.” “No reason.” He said pleased with his answer. “That’s all I needed to know.”

And he turned around and went to look at the corpse. The first thing he noticed was that he had something in his jacket, it seemed

like a book and when he got nearer he realized it was a diary. After he read it he noticed that there were more people than he knew that hated him. There was his business partner with whom they swindled people and Samuel was going to give him out, a person whom they swindled called Alan. Also the butler who was being treated badly, and on top was having his salary reduced and a neighbor who was a Nazi called

Helmut. He also had a pawnbroker called Evan whom he owed money, who apparently lived in the Bronx.

Later, he kept looking for clues and when he turned the body around he found a swastika drawn with blood and in the middle there was a hole, Samuel had been stabbed with a butcher’s knife.

Next, he went to the Nazi’s house. When he arrived the German was drinking a cup of tea, he was blond, tall and strong, Robert couldn’t stand Nazis, he’d hated them since the Second World War because his brother had died fighting against them. After Helmut drank the tea, Robert started the inquiry:

“Did you kill Samuel?” asked Robert really angrily. “Hey, calm down, I did nothing, I found out earlier today that Samuel was

dead.” replied Helmut very calm. “So Mr. Helmut, you say that the swastika that we found on the back of Mr.

Samuel Sandler, your neighbor, has nothing to do with the fact that you are a Nazi and Mr. Sandler was Jewish?” asked Robert.

“Why do you come to me, they are probably trying to frame me, a lot of people hated him, he was cheating his wife, he owed a lot of money and he was swindling people but I couldn’t have done it, a lot of people are watching everything I do” answered Helmut the German.

“Oh please, but you hated him for the fact that he was a Jew and you were in the house next door, could you tell me what you heard from your house?” said the detective trying to know more.

“I was having dinner and watching T.V. at home, it was dark, and there was a storm. Suddenly the lights in his house went out and I heard a very loud scream from next door, that’s all I know.”

“So the lights in your house didn’t go out?” “No.” said Ian trying to figure out why he was asking that. “Thanks, I’ll talk to you later.” He said suddenly calming down and that’s how

the conversation ended. Robert left thinking of the last words he’d said, “The lights in his house went

out.” That could only mean that the Nazi or the butler was lying. Then, he went to the pawnbroker’s shop, he was called Evan. The shop was in a

very poor neighborhood, it was controlled by the mobsters and people there were very rude everyone carried a gun. When he arrived of the shop, the door was closed so he had to break in through a window at the back of the shop. After looking for Evan for a few minutes he suddenly heard the wooden floor creaking and in less than a second he heard a shot and he jumped behind a couch and took his gun.

Gunfire had started, bullets were whizzing through the air without stopping, in a few minutes the police arrived, Evan was trapped, and he had no exit. A few seconds later, Robert had run out of bullets so Evan stood up shot for the last time and he gave him in the leg. Finally, the police broke in, handcuffed Evan who was taken to the police station, Robert was having a hemorrhage so he was taken to hospital.

A few days later, Robert was in hospital and he received a call from Brian Sandler, Samuel’s son, saying that they had caught the wrong guy and he knew who the killer was so they should meet, so they planned a meeting for the next day. A few hours later Brian’s mother went to the hospital, she was crying.

“What happened?” Asked Robert shocked about her sudden visit.

“It’s Brian... he’s dead!” murmured Helen. “What?” Shout Robert shocked. “He died half an hour ago, he was shot in the head, I’m worried

someone is going to kill me, I can feel it.” murmured Helen. “Don’t worry, I’ll protect you.” replied Robert trying to calm her down. “Thank you, but I need you to catch the killer, please.” “Ok, I’ll keep investigating now.” And Robert asked the nurse to give him a walking stick, he called some

friends who were cops to protect her and he left. The first things he did was go to Samuel’s house, he knew something

was missing. He entered the house and the butler received him. He went quickly to the room where the corpse had been found. After looking for some time he found nothing just a bill and some more papers.

Next, he went to Samuel’s room. Everything there was tidy and it seemed he wouldn’t find anything but it was worth the try. He looked for clues for half an hour. He carefully looked in Helen’s purse there was nothing except some cigars called “zero style brand”, he continued looking. When suddenly when he was checking an old, wooden work desk he found there were some secret compartments. There he found some money, his will in which it said that if he died his wife would inherit most of the money and his son a small fortune which was a lot of money and after he read it he got interested in a letter which said Helen was pregnant He was puzzled, why wouldn’t she tell him? He waited for some minutes trying to figure out why but he couldn’t so he went to ask her. That might be the thing the business partner was talking about.

She was in the living room and some policemen were there looking after her, it seemed she was still shocked about her husband and son’s death. When he got there he asked the policemen to leave the room and after for a while of talking he went to the point.

“Why didn’t you tell me you were pregnant?” “Because I was thinking of having an abortion, I can’t do this again, I can’t do

this by myself, I don’t want another child.” And the crying started again. “Ok that’s fine it’s your baby and you should do whatever you want with him

but maybe you should give him in adoption, it would be better for both of you.” He said and the crying stopped.

Then he went to talk with one of the last suspects, the person who had been swindled. He lived in a refuge for homeless with his family. When he arrived he asked the one who was in charge who was Alan and he pointed at him, he was sleeping on a big mattress with all his family, he had long, black, curly beard, he seemed sad, Robert felt sorry for him, for all of the homeless who lived there. When he arrived they started talking:

“Do you know Samuel Sandler?” “Yes I know him, why do you ask?” Then he coughed, he was ill everyone there

was ill.” “He’s dead.” And a smile appeared on Alan's face. “Why are you smiling?” “He deserved it, he left me where I am.” He replied calmly. “He doesn’t deserve it, no one deserves to die.” He said wisely. “I didn’t kill him.”

“You’ve just smiled when I told you he was dead, why should I believe you?” “You should believe me because I have to be with my family or working.” “I’m sorry for that.” He said sincerely. “But could you tell me what he did to

you?” “I gave him money for a house but he didn’t give me the real property titles so I

couldn’t keep the money and as I have no evidence I can't sue him.” “I’m sorry for that.” He repeated. And he left. When he get into the house, the buckler stopped him and asked “How are you getting on?” asked the buckler. “Oh not as I expected but well” replied Robert. “Ok, now I have to go home to solve some business so...bye!” Robert got away from him because of the smoke his cigars caused. Then he

realized, the cigars were “zero style brand”, so as he didn't have any evidence he decided to chase Helen, she was going to a house in a poorer neighborhood. Later he realized it was the butler home and from the window he saw them kissing.

Then he called them to the police with each one not noticing he called both ones. There he started talking to both of them and finally he got the final story, they loved each other and they had an affair when Robert was alive and after a long time Helen got pregnant but Robert didn’t knew and after some weeks they decided everything; they would kill Robert and draw the swastikas on his back so that everybody, would think it was Helmut and she’d the money and they would leave but things went out of control, Brian called Robert and made things harder if they escaped he would catch them. Then it got even harder Brian saw them and was going to talk so the butler killed him but they were careless and Robert saw the cigars and he caught them.