The Case of the Telltale Clock

Readers around the world love mystery stories. One reason mysteries are so popular is that reading them is a kind of game. Readers try to find out why something happened or who did something. The mysteries below are solved by a police detective named Dr. Haledjian. As you read each story, you will watch Dr. Haledjian study the problem. You will learn all that he learns. See if you're as good a detective as Dr. Haledjian.

The Case of the Telltale Clock

Police found the body of Buffalo Fenn in his apartment. The electric cord of his clock was tied around his neck. The clock had stopped at 7:00.

Police Inspector Winters had Pete Skones, Buffalo's longtime enemy, arrested for questioning.

Pete claimed that on the morning of Buffalo's murder, he had been playing cards with friends. The friends said he never left the hotel room where they had been playing all night.

A week passed with no new clues to the murder. Then Nick the Nose went to see Inspector Winters, who had Dr. Haledjian in his office.

Nick grinned. "I know something", he said, "I know someone who saw Buffalo's murder. Broadway Ben."

"Ben," said Nick, "had a room down die hall from Buffalo. He was passing Buffalo's room when he saw Buffalo's door was open a little. He didn't hear anything at first except the ticking of Buffalo's clock. And suddenly the ticking stopped.

"Then Ben heard a man scream. He hid in a doorway at the end of the hall. Two minutes later he saw Pete Skones run out of Buffalo's room and race downstairs.

"Ben was so scared after he read what happened to Buffalo that he hasn't looked at a clock for a week. He's hiding, but I can take you to him if you pay me $5,000."

"Don't pay, Inspector Winters," said Dr. Haledjian. "Nick is lying."

How did Dr. Haledjian know Nick was lying?

The Case of the Murdered Brother

Dr. Haledjian finished examining the body of Mike Page, which lay on die red carpet of his fashionable home.

"Mr. Page was beaten to death with the handle of that gun," the famous detective said.

The gun had been found near die body. Sheriff Monahan was carefully examining it for fingerprints.

"I've telephoned his brother at his office," die sheriff said. "I only told him he'd better hurry home. I hate the job of telling him that his brother has been killed. Will you do it?"

"All right," Haledjian agreed as he watched die body being carried to an ambulance. Then he sat down to wait for John Page.

The ambulance had driven off to the hospital when John Page rushed through the front door. "What happened? Where's Mike?"

"I am sorry to have to tell you this. He was murdered about two hours ago," said Haledjian. "Your cook found the body in the living room and telephoned die police."

"I cant find fingerprints on the gun that was used to murder him," interrupted the sheriff, holding the gun wrapped in a cloth. "I'll have the laboratory examine it thoroughly."

Page stared at the outline of die gun through the cloth. Suddenly he grabbed the sheriff’s arm. "Find the monster who beat Mike to death. I'll offer a $50,000 reward!"

"Save your money," said Haledjian. "The murderer won't be hard to find!"

mystery таємниця

solve вирішувати, пояснювати

case справа (судова)

telltale зрадницький; що є свідченя чого-н.

cord ел. шнур

questioning допит

claim заявляти, стверджувати

murder убивство

clue ключ (до розкадки), доказ

scream пронизливо кричати

race мчати

scared наляканий

lie брехати, обманювати

examine оглядати

handle ручка, рокуятка

gun револьвер, пістолет

fingerprint відбиток пальця

ambulance машина швидкої допомоги

drive off від’їжджати

rush (through) вриватися

wrap загортати

cloth тканина

thoroughly як слід; ретельно

stare пильно дивитися

outline контур, обрис

grab схопити

monster чудовисько

reward винагорода