The Perfect
Murder by Stacy Aumonier is a short murder mystery. Two brothers Paul and Henry
are seated at a café discussing the topic murder. On the table, before them,
lie newspapers with news of a murder happened previous day. Paul has good
physique and unmarried, while Henry is married with three children to look
after. Paul says that it is easy to murder a person with whom you lived. Henri
makes a note of this statement. Though both brothers have love and help each
other in the case of need. Well, overall both are not so better off, they
rather struggle for money all the time.
They have an
uncle called Robert Taillander, he is well off with no children. Both brothers
visit him occasionally. Robert is so miser that in his life he never gave a
single franc to any of the brothers. When Robert dies, both brothers feel a
tinge of hope that there would be something left for them. Well, when the will
was read, they got nothing. Everything now belongs to their aunt Mme
Taillander, and she was eighty-two years old. Both brothers expect the lady may
die soon, in a matter of some months. She was kindhearted when Robert was
alive, that time she would lose some money for both brothers. Well, now she is
alone, both Paul and Henry try to squeeze her off money, but she gives them
very negligible money, contrary to their hope and needs.
With time, she
grows eccentric and ill-tempered. None of her companions is able to stay with
her for long time. Only the lady cook Ernestine remains in the service, since
she herself is very self-disciplined and profession. Both brothers go to her,
turn-by-turn, but she refuses to give them any penny. It has been over a year
and there is no sign of her being on a deathbed. She is strict and fine. If she
dies, both brothers will get at least eight to nine thousand Frances per month,
from various income-generating sources. Her death is going to give them good
days of luxury. It is in their mind to plan her death, but neither of them is
too cruel to do that nor bold enough. One day Paul faints before her – after
that she allows Paul to stay with her in her mansion. Except money Paul gets
everything there. Henri eats out his heart in jealousy that Paul has made his
place in the house, and now he must be getting monetary benefits. Henri asks
for money from him, but every time Paul gives the same answer. Time passes by,
brothers begin to age but that lady isn’t dying. One day both brothers
frustrated from their financial situation meet up at the same café where they
once talked about murder. So, there in the darkest spot of the café they plan
her murder. Since Paul lives with her, he knows how she can be murdered without
the need of any violence and trace.
Mme Taillander
is accustomed to eat fish and soufflé alternatively. Paul knows which the fish
day is and when is the soufflé day. Since soufflé is required to have two
beaten eggs, it is easy to mix up grinded glass powder in it. On the day of
soufflé, Paul mixes the glass powder in the beaten eggs.
It is shown
that Henri grows concern about her death and the sin they are to perform. For
two days, including the fateful day, he remains ill-headed and drunk, unable to
go to office. He waits for Paul, he wants to meet him, but not able to find him
in any of the cafés. Finally, he goes out and sits in the café, in the news he
read that a man called Paul complaint of pain in stomach and died.
Investigation about his death starts off. He knows that he hasn’t done anything
suspicious. How did he get killed? Well, the puzzle is simple that day was not
for soufflé – the old lady haggled and insisted that she should be given fish,
not soufflé. To avoid the wastage, an omelet with its dreadful elements was
given to drunkard Paul. Well, as a matter of fact, Henri has set the lady cook
for this murder of Paul. Now Henri will receive the full money every year after
the death of old lady.
Heard it as an audio story but How the cook was set by Henry and when remains a mystery to me?
ReplyDeleteSame. Some one please explain.
DeleteVery interesting story
ReplyDeleteOn the day of his brother's death he took sick leave and its not suspicious. Wtf.
ReplyDelete