Discover Smith Mountain Lake
SUMMER 2015
26
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A
You don’t see everyday
UNIQUE
PHOTOS
Irving Gottbuchs, a prominent local businessman, had been
found dead outside his home. Detective Cabumble from the
homicide division was called to the scene of the murder.
Upon arrival, he examined the body, and took in the scene. Mr.
Gottbuchs was found slumped in his chair on the patio by the
pool. Two empty glasses were sitting on the table, along with a
nearly empty bottle of Scotch whiskey and an ice bucket, which
now contained only water.
Fingerprints on one of the glasses belonged to Mr. Gottbuchs.
The other glass bore the fingerprints of his partner, a Mr.
Hazitol. The fingerprints of both men and the butler were found
on the ice bucket and the whiskey bottle.
Cabumble interviewed the domestic staff who worked at the
party that night.
The two had spent most of the evening together, drinking Scotch
on the rocks, during a backyard soiree. Many of the guests who
were interviewed made comments about Hazitol’s drinking,
which he famously did to excess. This particular event had been
no different. Hazitol became loud and unruly, at one point
losing his balance and spilling the ice bucket in his partner’s lap.
Gottbuchs had instructed his chauffeur to escort Hazitol safely
home.
Gottbuchs, in the meantime, as host of the party, had nursed
his drink for most of the night, in order to remain sober. After
Hazitol’s departure, several of the guests had taken occasion to
visit briefly with Gottbuchs.
One was a new employee, Albert Adler, who kept very much to
himself. Mr. Adler had seemed very cross with Gottbuchs about
something.
Mrs. Huntenpeck, who was Gottbuchs’s secretary, had
petitioned him for a long overdue raise. She had not seemed
pleased with his answer.
The soon-to-be ex-Mrs. Gottbuchs, a much younger woman, had
crashed the party and cornered her husband late in the evening,
demanding that he amend their pre-nuptial agreement, since
she had borne him a son. They had exchanged angry words, and
then she had left the party.
Some time later, in the wee hours of the morning, the few
remaining guests assumed that Gottbuchs had fallen asleep.
However, the butler attempted to wake him, and discovered the
truth.
Cabumble ordered an autopsy, which revealed that Gottbuchs
had died from a dose of a highly lethal poison. Traces of this
poison were found in his glass. Tests came back negative on the
bottle of whiskey, the ice bucket, and Hazitol’s glass.
Further investigation failed to provide any more clues.
“That’s OK,” Cabumble growled. “I don’t need any more
information. I’m prepared to make an arrest.”
Whom did Cabumble arrest, and why?
TEASER
“Look behind me? I’m not falling for
that old gag... ”
“My contacts! Don’t anybody move!”
“THIS is not going to end well...”
“Like I said… not ending well…
someone is gonna pay for this…”
“Up, periscope!”
It never ends well...
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