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Not really knowing how to proceed Lessing put the matter in the back of his mind until a few weeks later he read a curious article in the state news in the local paper. It recounted the accidental death of a Riverton man in a strange accident in his home. A middle-aged man named Lane Keene lived alone on the edge of Riverton. He was single, a self-employed bookkeeper, and according to the police account had apparently been going up the fold-down ladder to the dry attic carrying a large number swords wrapped in a heavy blanket in this arms Keene must have tripped and the weight of his load pulled him backwards off the ladder where he struck his head, breaking his skull. He died at the bottom of the stairs. When Keene did not appear for his scheduled office calls and did not reply to messages left on his answering machine, a concerned client contacted the police who visited the house and spotted the body through a window..
There was no indication of any drug or alcohol involvement nor any other indication of foul play so the case was recorded as accidental death. Being a small town the story was reported in the local paper. The unusual nature of the death as well as the bundled swords caused the story to be picked up and reported in the state news.
Lessing logged onto Epay to check the activity of Isa2878. Isa2878 had placed another sword for sale a couple weeks before and it had been won by a bidder at the close of the auction. However, the bid winner had posted a negative report against the seller for failure to communicate with him following the auction. The evidence was still pretty flimsy to make a connection between the dead man in the paper and Isa2878 but Lessing decided it was enough more than he had had before that he would make a call or two. He started with the police department in Riverton. They referred him to the county sheriff's office since it was beyond the scope of what the small police department handled. The sheriff's switchboard passed him to the county detective, a young-sounding woman named Saracena. Lessing realized the police would not be likely to want the assistance of an ordinary citizen in the investigation of a possibly grisly murder so he had prepared an introduction designed to pique interest while requiring his further involvement if there was to be a real investigation. In a larger city the police would probably not be interested in such weak evidence, but in a smaller town there would be few similar challenges.
"Detective, I have reason to believe that death of Mr. Keene might have been more involved than just a fall off the ladder."
"I see, Mr. Lessing," she responded with hesitation in her voice. "What leads you to believe there is more to this story?"
Lessing could sense the reluctance to take him seriously but he had at least got a nibble at the hook so now was his chance to set that hook.
"I bought a sword from Keene and found a small amount of human blood and liver tissue on the blade." He waited for a response. It came only after a long pause.
"What makes you believe it is human tissue and not just a chicken he wanted to cook?"
"I had it analyzed by someone who would know the difference."
"And who might that be? Are you a private investigator?"
"No, I am an industrial specialist and know my limits. However, I am not stupid and recognize a likely crime when I see one."
"Then why haven't you contacted the police before this?"
"I have but there was not sufficient information to connect the evidence to a crime and the police in my area are too busy and too short of resources to follow up on something that did not happen in their jurisdiction. I think the crime -- if there was one -- more likely happened in your area."
"You may be right. Would it be possible for you to come to the office here with you evidence so we could discuss this further?"
"Yes, detective, it's possible but as I work full time and it is quite a drive, do you think we could make an appointment for a weekend, for example, this Saturday?"
"Yes, I am sure I could reserve some time for you this Saturday. Would noon give you time enough for the drive?"
"Yes, noon will be fine. I'll bring the sword and my other information with me."
Epay Stories - German Officer's Sword - Used Page 2