| Donaldson was last 
      seen alive buying a lottery ticket in Kensington, central 
      London. He was found dead by his wife 
      when she got back from bingo at 11.30pm. A door key for a hotel in Milan 
      was next to Donaldson’s body. His wallet had been 
      stolen. 
 The police suspected Dickey Bird, a 
      small time drug dealer and security guard at the Notting Hill Bingo and 
      Social Club. Bird and Mrs. Donaldson were having an affair.
 
 Rick however, had his doubts. Mrs. Donaldson was 
      paying him to investigate her husband’s murder. Rick walked up 
      to Inspector Jim Corner of Scotland Yard who was in charge of the murder 
      investigation. Rick took off his 
      sunglasses and looked the inspector in the eye.
 
 ‘I’m Rick Mansworth.’ said Rick. ‘You must be Corner of the Yard’.
 
 ‘Yes, that’s right Mr. Mansworth’ replied the inspector, ‘Scotland Yard. 
      How did you know me?’
 
 ‘You’ve only got one eye. You lost the other one drinking coffee.’
 
 ‘Yes, that’s very clever of you Mr. Mansworth. But now I always take the 
      spoon out of the cup.’
 
 Dickey Bird ‘So, who have you arrested 
      for this one inspector?’ asked Rick. Looking around the crime scene.
 
 ‘Bird of course’ replied the inspector, laughing. He’s the only suspect.’
 
 Rick walked away and left Corner of the Yard laughing behind him. A blue 
      BMW was parked outside Donaldson’s 
      flat. Rick looked through the window and saw a map of Milan on the 
      passenger seat. There was a white hotel towel on the backseat. Rick looked 
      closer and read the writing on the towel ‘Hotel Valiente, Milan’. Rick 
      took out his mobile and phoned Air 
      Italia. He was going to Milan.
 
 The Hotel Valiente was on of the worst Hotels Rick had ever
      seen. As he walked into reception he
      saw mice and cockroaches packing their 
      bags to leave! The receptionist checked the coffee-stained register for 
      the name of Donaldson. There was a newspaper next to the register. Rick’s 
      Italian was bad, but he managed to translate the headline; ‘$6 million in 
      cocaine stolen from Milan Police’
 
 ‘Yes Sir’ said the receptionist in an Italian accent, ‘he was.. a here 
      for.. a two days. He a…checked out.. a.. yesterday.
 
 ‘Did you notice anything unusual about him?’ asked Rick, nervously 
      watching a cockroach coming out of the lift.
 
 ‘I sure..a..did.’ said the receptionist, ‘He..a only had..a.. one eye.’
 
 So that’s it! Thought Rick as the taxi flew 
      through the streets of Milan to the airport. Corner used his police 
      identity to steal the cocaine from the Milan police. Then he used 
      Donaldson’s connection with Dickey Bird the drug dealer to put the 
      suspicion on Bird.
 
 As Bird was being questioned Rick 
      arrived at Scotland Yard.
 
 ‘You’ve got the wrong man!’ shouted Rick, as he ran into the police 
      station. ‘He did it!’ Rick was pointing 
      at inspector Corner.
 
 ‘Be careful Mansworth.’ warned the inspector. ‘I’ve got my eye on you.’
 
 ‘Too late Corner’ said Rick. Your fingerprints 
      were found on the map in Dickey Bird’s car. The hotel bill in 
      Milan is on your visa card and the bullets taken 
      from Donaldson’s body came from your gun.’
 
 Success. Rick had solved another case 
      and, as he sat on his balcony with a whisky and a cigarette, he looked at 
      the busy London streets below and thought about dinner. Fish in the 
      microwave, or chicken in the pub? He finished his drink quickly and put on 
      his jacket. Tonight he didn’t feel like being alone.
 
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