A Murder in the Observatory

By Laura

Masked in the cloak of his own ego Lord Hutterdome did not here the door begin to unseal

That was his big mistake.

November 18th 1879…..

I received an urgent telegram, that Lord Hutterdome was killed in the observatory of his family home Tombstock Manor at one-thirty am that morning, it read:

Dear Detective Thomas Fielding (me)

a tragic event occurred at one-thirty of this morning,

my dear husband was murdered whilst

tracking a meteor shower in his observatory.

I would be eternally grateful if you would solve my Husband’s murder.

Yours Sincerely

Lady Alice Hutterdome.

This case was a big break I was so determined to solve it I was at the house that very day. It was a curios old building it was….. Decrepit, yet…… beautiful much like an old statue that’s been warn away or a painting that’s faded but has shown more detail. As I approached the majestic lion head door knocker I almost felt enveloped by the cloud of grief that surrounded the old manor. Knock Knock Knock, the door was opened by a young Spanish girl, she must have been only 15, and she looked nervous, unsettled: I had seen the first suspect.

“Hola, oops hello I’m Miss Iglesias the new maid,” The girl spoke through a thin Spanish accent.

“Hello,” I replied “I’m Detective Thomas Fielding.”

She then informed me “The Lady is asleep.. Shall I wake her?”

“No need, just show me to the observatory, if you will.”

“Of course, right this way.”

I then thought this the perfect opportunity to interview her.

“So” I began “where were you at one-thirty this morning?”

“Ummmm,” She pondered “I was in bed, sewing up a rip in Lady Catharine’s corset for her ball next week.”

“Lady Catharine?”

“The heir.”

Just then we arrived at the door to the observatory. Miss Iglesias departed and left me to work.

I entered the room to find the body of the stargazing Lord slumped atop of his telescope like a dress carelessly slung over a washing line, it did not take two minutes to figure out he had been stabbed and it took less than one walk around the building to establish it can’t have been someone from outside the house (it rained heavily that morning and there were no muddy footprints inside or outside the manor). It was clear that I would need to establish a base to interview, review evidence etc. So I went to see the head butler (Mr Milson) he told me I could use the library.

“Miss Iglesias!” I called

“Sí?” She answerd.

“Could you wake her Ladyship please?” I replied “And tell her to come to the Library.”

Walking away she rubbed and held a pendent close to her chest it appeared to be a cross. As I was strolling towards my designated base I heard a piercing gut retching, stomach turning scream it took me a mere 30 seconds to reach the source of the scream.

The murderer had struck

AGAIN……