The Wall Lake Mystery

Chapter 5: A Scrap of Cloth

A/N: Thank you so much to everyone who has read and commented so far! I really appreciate it. Now, onward! To the story...  

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It was too early for my liking after such a restless night that I felt Holmes shaking me awake.

"You have eight minutes to ready yourself," said Holmes.

I groaned and passed a hand over my eyes. The only light in the room came from the dying embers of the fire.

"Of course," continued Holmes, "I could always speak to Dr. Mauer without you."

My brain was too sleep-addled to tell if he was teasing me or not. "No, that won't be necessary." I struggled into a sitting position.

Holmes snorted. "Seven and a half," he said and swept from the room.

I was ready in a hair under seven minutes when all was said and done. I checked that my doctor's bag held the investigation tools we might need and inhaled a little black coffee while Holmes asked the innkeeper's wife for directions to Dr. Mauer's practice, and then we were on our way.

The sky was clear and the dim, predawn light was enough by which to see. It was a short walk, as was everything in Wall Lake, and in under ten minutes Holmes was marching up the frosty steps and knocking on the door.

It was answered a minute later by a middle-aged man in thick-lensed glasses. "Are you the London detectives?" he asked, squinting through the dark.

"I am," Holmes replied. "And you are Dr. Mauer?"

"Yes, yes, now come in out of the cold," the doctor said, ushering us inside. It was warmer inside though not much brighter. "My practice is down here, but my wife and I live upstairs, and while it's more comfortable up there, I try not to wake her before nine of a morning or she's a bear all day." He chuckled, seeming to expect some commiserative comment, but Holmes and I were bachelors. "No matter," Dr. Mauer continued, expression turning serious. "If you are here to speak to me about Hugh Hieman, I suggest we step back into the cold and impose on his unfortunate family before their store opens this morning. I'm sure Mrs. Hieman would rather we come knocking before sunrise than while folk come in looking for shoes."

Holmes nodded. "Of course, but I would like to put a couple questions to you before we do."

Dr. Mauer gestured for Holmes to continue. I set down my bag; my arm was already weary.

"What time was Hugh Hieman's body found, and what time did you arrive?"

"It was before seven, but not by much, and he had been dead several hours. One of Hugh's younger siblings came to fetch me right away. I was there an hour before the Sheriff arrived."

"Cause of death?

"Blow to the forehead, fracturing the frontal bone near his right temple. There were other minor injuries from the fall."

"Is there any possibility of poison?"

"A moderate alcohol content, but I found no sign of any poison. And with such a head injury, it would have been superfluous."

"Could the injury have been caused by a push from behind?"

"About as likely as a hard fall," Dr. Mauer replied. "Though this killer would have to be quiet indeed to make it to the upper story, throw Hugh out of the window and leave undetected by the rest of the family."

I thought of the earrings stolen from Mrs. Blomberg's ears. "A skilled burglar, perhaps?" I asked, gauging Holmes' expression.

Holmes gave a curt nod. "You seem to follow my line of reasoning, Watson. Perhaps these cases are connected after all."