Murder in Two Acts Craig Price

Act One - the Murderer

Here we are in a secluded corner of my gentlemans club. He is here, at my invitation, and we sit talking over old times like friends. The arrogance has not dulled over the passing of time and he is still so sure of himself, and just as damned handsome. Arthur is his name, but what sacrilege to utter it, even in thought. We were once close, in those dreadful days during the war when the skies over England were thick with the sound of fighter craft trying to ride their luck and be the last man standing. We both saw our share of action, but that is where the similarity ends. Arthur (that name again) would be the toast of all the boys in the mess; and lets face it, we were boys. The thick cigarette smoke in the mess would accompany his boasting of the numbers of Jerries that he had taken care of, reciting his victories with such verve. My thoughts were always with the boys who would not be coming home, and for a while it looked like I might be joining them in the great Hereafter. I remember it all as if it were yesterday, though a good nine years have passed. I was unlucky enough to be caught from behind, which in the panic of the dogfight was not unheard of. Well, I somehow managed to land the kite back at base but the thing caught fire at the last second and I was dashed lucky the chaps on the ground were on top of their game. Even so I lost a leg as there was nothing they could do with it, and I was burnt up a fair bit. At the time I was glad to have lost only a leg and be a bit crisp round the edges as I

was still alive and young enough to make the most of it. So many dear friends had been denied that chance and I feel would gladly have taken my place. Lucky I say and lucky I was. I had my beautiful fiance Alice, Arthur treated me like a brother and couldnt do enough to help me. I had everything I wanted. I hopped a bit and I wasnt exactly an oil painting but those medical boffins were working on some new treatment for burns and I was their willing guinea pig. It was far from easy, but I had the love of a good woman to help me through the difficult times ahead. It was Alice I was thinking about above everything else when I came down that day, I had to get back to her, I couldnt leave her alone with the war still raging. What a fool I have been. The treatment went well and while I was recuperating both Alice and Arthur would visit me all the time to keep my spirits up. Of course, looking back I should have seen it coming; they had become too close for comfort. I was devastated when Alice called off the engagement, I began to wish I could have changed places with some of my dear, departed friends. You couldnt blame her though; Arthur had so much more to offer than I did. Women were like putty in his hands, and always would be. I had little choice but to let her go and wish her the best of luck, I had a feeling she would need it. By all accounts it wasnt easy for her. Arthur carried on behaving like the cad he was, when she announced that she was expecting he threw her out. Love em and leave em as always. I heard later that she had taken her own life rather than come back to a cripple like me. Arthur forgot her and moved on to his next conquest. Forgetting Alice is something I have not been able to do.

Well, the war finished and here I am. I came into some money a year or so ago and also took over the family business, not a big concern but it keeps me out of trouble. It also allows a circus freak like me to be treated with a degree of respect, though I would gladly give it all up to have my Alice back. Arthur is rattling on about something I just nod politely to. Another drink old chap? I ask him. Think I might go for a coffee myself, clear the head a bit, Good idea Raymond, he replies. If uttering his name is sacrilege it turns my stomach to hear him use mine. I control myself however, and call a waiter over to us. Poor fellow has quite a walk over to our corner. He soon returns with two steaming cups of black coffee for us. Blast, I cry out as I knock over my walking stick, which has been leaning against the table between us. Dont worry, Ill get it, Arthur says as he leans over to pick it up. In that split second I acted. I have been waiting for just such an opportunity and I can barely contain the shiver of excitement it sends up my spine. Here you go, he says as he stands my stick up again. Thanks dear boy, I say with a smile on my face. Not been using a stick very long, only recently got the leg, I expect it does take some getting used to, though it must be wonderful to walk around on two pegs again though, he gasps suddenly and for a moment I panic. Anything wrong? I ask, trying to remain calm.

Coffees a bit hot, he replies. I breathe again. I watch him carefully as he drinks the coffee down. You know, Arthur? I say as he takes one last sip. I dont care about myself but I will never forgive you for the way you treated Alice. Shes the only girl I have ever loved and she deserved so much better, He looks at me for a moment with a shocked expression. Dont worry, I tell him. Wont be long now and who knows? You may see her again if theyll have you upstairs, Suddenly he chokes and grabs his throat. His eyes look like they will come out on stalks and it strikes me as such an amusing sight. I am aware of a chuckling sound, and I realise its coming from me. I keep laughing as I watch him fighting for his life, giving one last gasp as he collapses back in his seat, dead. The poison had done its job. Soon I will join him; already I can feel the noose tighten around my neck. I love Alice and always will, I just hope at least that I have achieved justice for her.

Act Two- the Victim

Good old Raymond! I cry as I read the letter in front of me. An invitation to dine with him at his club. I havent seen the fellow in years, not sincewell anyway, its good to hear from him after all this time. I remember the old days when we took on Jerry to defend King and country in the skies above our fair land. Pity Raymond took a shot like that, we were all pleased that he made it back. We were shocked by the news of the fire though, to see such a popular chap come a cropper like that was galling. I remember those days when he was being treated for burns, clever chaps worked wonders. He looked better with time, almost normal really. Of course, one cant expect miracles but as I say, the chaps worked wonders. That was when I met Alice. What a girl, you could see she was struggling to come to terms with what had happened to Raymond. It was hard for us all though. Alice had to be strong for her man but you could see the doubt in her eyes, anyway we started to spend quite a bit of time together as I assumed she needed a shoulder to cry on. Raymond couldnt take her out from a hospital bed so I helped out and showed the girl a good time when I was off duty; I figured I owed it to the lad. The promotion helped with the spare time, training those frightened boys how to fly was hard work but I had seen more than my share of action as we had fought to reclaim our skies. Alice, yes she was a stunner. Fun to start with, then of course she started to get serious. Called off the engagement and said she wanted to tie the knot with me! Well, I ask you? Marriage? Me? You have to laugh, mind you it wasnt funny when she announced she was expecting. I knew it was

mine, I had kept the other men away from her out of duty to Raymond. Say what you will about me but I never shirk my duty. All turned a bit sour though if you ask me, I wasnt going to marry her and I told her so. I said to go back to Raymond, it wouldnt bother a cripple like him to bring up somebody elses child. As I told her, the women were hardly beating a path to his door so he would be more than happy to take her back with or without a child. I thought I had talked some sense into her as she left that night and I never saw her again. It was some time later that I heard she had topped herself. Now call me old-fashioned but I considered it rather selfish of her, after all there was the child to think of, but who knows the things that go through a girls mind at times like that. At any time come to think of it. That letter from Raymond had got me thinking about Alice for the first time in years. Like I say, it was fun for a while but I was too young to be tied down. I daresay Raymond took it badly, being spurned by the girl he loved, and I knew how much he loved her. He would have thanked me for trying to get them back together. I wonder how he looks these days, I know they are getting better all the time at that stuff, made a few boys look almost human again. I lost touch with the fellow for a while, I assumed that if Alice had gone back to him she wouldnt have wanted me around to complicate matters. No, she had to realise she was with Raymond, only of course she wasnt. Made things a bit tricky, I didnt know quite how to deal with it so I kept out of it. I did hear that Raymond had come into money. That pleased me a great deal because lets face it, he would have the means to get the best

treatment for himself. Hes running the family business too, people will never stop dying so hes in there. I expect he wished it could have happened sooner as he would have liked to give Alice a good send-off. Well anyway, he cant be too badly off with membership of that club, been turned down a few times when I tried to get in. I expect you have to be an upstanding funeral director to please them, well I can do without that stuffiness so its their loss. I parked the Lagonda outside the club and told the lad to keep an eye on it before I was shown to where Raymond was sitting, he looked better but he was obviously still conscious of his disfigurement as he was hiding in a corner well out of the way. So good to see you old chap, I said to him as we shook hands. And you, dear boy, he replied as we both sat down. I must say, you are looking well, I told him. Thank you, the advancements in medicine these days are awesome. Makes one dizzy trying to keep up with them! Well, he still has his sense of humour I thought. We ordered meals and I have to say it was a good spread. Glad Im not picking up the tab for this, Im not made of money like some people. Strange how life is, I could do so much more than Raymond if I had his money. It really is good to see you looking so much better these days, I said. It was the least I could do as he was spending all that money on food and drink for yours truly. Thank you, he replied, but seemed not to want to talk about it so I moved on.

Got myself a Lagonda outside, the lad is keeping an eye on it. At least I hope so for his sake! I chuckled. Got a job with an aircraft manufacturer. Take their kites up to try them out. Much more peaceful since we sent Jerry packing, but I do miss those days. It was the most exciting time of my life, Raymond nodded. I took it that he didnt want to talk about our flying days either. Not much else one could talk about though, I mean whats interesting about running a funeral parlour? Hows business? I asked out of politeness. He mumbled something in reply before asking me if I wanted another drink. Now youre talking, rather partial to a large brandy. Sadly he said he wanted a coffee so how could I ask for a brandy after that? Good idea Raymond, I reply, actually thinking the opposite. The waiter brings two cups of black coffee. I can always stop off for a quick one on the way home. Blast, I hear him cry and his walking stick falls over. Dont worry, Ill get it, I tell him and bend over to pick it up. Here you go, I say, leaning it back against the table. Thanks dear boy, he says. Not been using a stick very long, only recently got the leg, False leg? The marvels of modern medicine! I expect it does take some getting used to, I say politely. Must be wonderful to walk around on two pegs again though, and taking a sip of coffee I give out a shocked gasp. Anything wrong? he asks. Coffees a bit hot, I tell him, feeling a bit of a fool. At least the rest of the stuff goes down without episode.

You know, Arthur? I hear him say as I finish off the dregs. I dont care about myself but I will never forgive you for the way you treated Alice. Shes the only girl I have ever loved and she deserved so much better, I suppose I must have looked a bit shocked, its the last thing I expected him to say. Dont worry, he goes on. Wont be long now and who knows? You may see her again if theyll have you upstairs, I was about to ask him what he was talking about when suddenly I choked and made a grab for my throat. I am aware of a chuckling sound, and I realise its coming from him. All I can see as I struggle for breath is his laughing face in the seat opposite, mocking me. It doesnt really matter though as the room is getting darker and darker the more I struggle for air. As breathing becomes impossible all I can do is wonder why this is happening to me, I have always treated Raymond as more than a friend, hes like the brother I never had. As consciousness slips away I wonder how long he had been planning this.