Casebook 4: A Score Settled - 4.13[index]

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“Code?”

He studied it thoughtfully for a while.

“Hungarian.”

We called in Hallgató to translate. He looked very distressed, then read to us:

“'My heart's desire – You have murdered me.'”

“Then it is clear,” Taub declared. “He is spurned in love. He makes the parting shot. And then ...” He looked towards the open window.

“Possible,” I replied. “And yet ...”

“And yet?”

“And yet: One – he is in good spirits when he returns to the room.”

“And two?”

“Two – Where is the note?”

“Who knows? Posted this morning. Thrown in the waste bin at the last minute.” There was no conviction in his voice.

“No. The waste bin is empty. And it wasn't posted this morning. It was the last thing he wrote, and Hallgató saw him write it seconds before he died.”