Words of WISDOM

On a murder case, DI Sally Fourth could read the suspects like a book

- Christine Sutton

The End. Vincent Wisdom typed the words that signalled the completion of Condition Critique-al, the fifth outing for his hugely popular private investigator, Justin Thyme.

He smiled, pleased with the way he'd committed all the endearing little quirks and foibles of his writers' group friends to paper well, laptop, anyway.

What better way to thank them for all their help than with affectionate cameos in his book? He couldn't wait to share his other news too. News that he hoped would help one very talented member enormously.

He'd just finished logging off when a floorboard creaked behind him. He turned.

'Oh, hi, you're early. I was just...' The words went unfinished as the Dead Easy Award he'd won the week before made contact with his skull. Vincent Wisdom slumped lifeless to the floor.

Pulling on latex gloves, DI Sally Fourth entered the study.

White-suited scene-of-crime officers were gathering evidence as she crossed the metal stepping-plates to join her colleague, DS Colin Green.

'Evening, Colin, what have we got?' 'Evening, ma'am. Deceased is 60-year-old widower Vincent Wisdom. He writes the Justin Thyme novels and hosts Don't Tell Porkies.

Bewildered, Sally shook her head.

'It's a TV show where celebrities reveal five facts about themselves, and contestants have to work out which is true based on amusing studio reenactments.' 'Sounds hilarious. Murder weapon?' He pointed to an evidence bag containing a trophy on a weighted base.

'He won it for his last murder mystery, It Takes Guts. Hmm...' he added when Sally's brows rose, 'takes guts to read it too.