A Study In Murder

?I looked around at the halls that were rapidly filling up.

?“This isn’t the place to discuss this,” I suggested and took Mark’s arm to direct him to the elevator bank.

?We got into an elevator and Mark pushed the “12” button.

?“That means I didn’t kill her,” Mark disclosed.

?“Of course not.”

?“I wasn’t absolutely sure until now.”

?“Mark, you couldn’t do something like that.”

?“Sheryl, I can’t remember a thing from that night. It’s possible I could’ve killed her and then blanked it all out.”

?“You were drugged, Mark.”

?“So, someone set me up to be the fall guy.”

?“It might be more than that.”

?“Then what?”

?I gave him a sly smile. “I don’t have all the facts yet.”

?“Will it be enough to clear me…uh…us?”

?The elevator door opened and we stepped out. “The problem is,” I went on as we walked, “that we are not aware of any other clues that the murderer may have created to misguide the—”

?I stopped as we both looked at the door to Mark’s room, number 1228.

?It was open.

?I put a finger to my lips and we moved to the wall and slowly made our way quietly to the door and peeked in.

?A uniformed officer spotted us. “Here they are, sir,” he bellowed, and in one quick movement, he grabbed Mark by the collar and me by the arm.

?“Well, look who we have here,” a familiar voice rang out.

?“Detective DeStadler,” Mark greeted and attempted to remain glib, despite the officer holding him so near his windpipe. “Been so long, I thought you didn’t like us anymore.”

?“No, you are two of my favorite people. Especially since I’ve got the nail for your coffin, right, Bobby?”

?“Um—yes, sir,” a thin young man answered. He looked about sixteen and had a protruding Adam’s apple. Mark and I were brought into the room, where the young man was standing in front of Mark’s laptop, which was open and running.

?“Hey!” Mark protested. “What are you doing to my computer?”

?“We have a warrant to go through your hotel room, as well as your personal effects,” DeStadler reported, and showed a paper. “Actually, all we had to do was ask the hotel to let us in, but since you are now represented by Louie DeSoto, I wanted to make sure that nothing gets thrown out of court.”

?“But my laptop…” Mark attempted.

?“Bobby here is with the Computer Crime Unit,” DeStadler explained and gave a nod to the young man. “Seems he found something interesting.”

?“Look, if you came across my new book idea, it really isn’t very good,” Mark observed as DeStadler took his arm and pulled him toward the computer.

?“You have a right to remain silent, do it!” DeStadler warned. “Bring it up, Bobby.”

?Bobby opened the computer’s e-mail program, then opened a folder of messages. A window appeared on the screen. Both Mark and I peeked over the policeman’s shoulder and saw the message. It read: