The Amateur Crime

by

A. B. Cox

Contents

[Prologue]
I.[The Nesbitt Combination]
II.[From Cocktails to Criminology]
III.[Mr. Priestley Is Adventurous]
IV.[Red Blood and Red Ink]
V.[Confusing the Issue]
VI.[Adventures of a Pair of Handcuffs]
VII.[Inspector Cottingham Smells Blood]
VIII.[Two into One Will Go]
IX.[George Says Nothing, Much]
X.[Laura Surpasses Herself]
XI.[Perspicacity of a Chief Constable]
XII.[Mr. Priestley Becomes an Uncle]
XIII.[Cynthia Begins to Smile]
XIV.[Interesting Scene in a Tool-Shed]
XV.[Various People Get Busy]
XVI.[Mr. Priestley Bursts a Bombshell]
XVII.[Awkward Predicament of Some Conspirators]
XVIII.[Mr. Priestley Solves His Last Problem]

to

my sister

Prologue

The young man waved his arms violently. “You’re a cabbage!” he shouted. “A turnip! A vegetable marrow! A—” He paused. “A snail!” he concluded, relinquishing this horticultural catalogue.

Mr. Matthew Priestley blinked at him mildly through his glasses. “Am I, Pat?” he asked, not without surprise.