Mystery Story Riddle 1 : The Case of the Arrowless Bow.
The chief clue in the death of Bart Weaver was an archery bow, lying on the carpet. at the top of a narrow twisting flight of stairs his home.
“Weaver was found at the bottom of the stairs, his neck broken,” Inspector Winters told Dr. Haledjian. “Had be fallen, his momentum would not have carried him around the twists in the stairs. He was pushed, and hard.
As far as we can determine, the only thing missing from the house is Weaver’s famous Lu-zon diamond. My theory is that Weaver heard burglars. Fearing for the diamond, he tied it to an arrow and shot it out this open window, expecting to reclaim it later.”
An exotic theory, but perhaps true,” said Haledjian. Our prime suspect is Hugh Tiff. He’s been trying to buy the diamond for years,” said the inspector. “I’m having him picked up.” Haledjian hid the bow. The two men descended the stairs just as Tiff was brought in by two policemen. Tiff listened arrogantly as the inspector said, “Bart Weaver was pushed down these stairs and killed. The Luzon diamond is missing. Were you in this house during the past three hours?” “No, and I don’t know a thing about Weaver’s death.” insisted tiff. “But find the diamond, you dumb cop! I’ll buy it!’
“The Diamond won’t be hard to locate,” said Haledjian. And staring up at the top of the narrow staircase, he added, “It’s only an arrow flight away.”
“Then let’s go outside and look!” exclaimed Tiff. “Arrest him,” Snapped Haledjian.
How Come!
Solution of the Mystery Story Riddle
As Haledjian stared at the stairs, Tiff, had he really known nothing, would have heard the sleuth say, “…a narrow flight away,” Not sleuth say, “…an arrow flight away.”
Tiff should have said to look for the diamonds upstairs, not “outside”.