The Case of the Angry Actress: A Masao Masuto Mystery Read Online Free PDF Page B

somehow he got up the nerve to ask her to marry him and she agreed. Gratitude. He endeared himself to her. But it was essentially a father-daughter relationship, no more than that. He was a widower. Of course, her becoming Jewish was not as serious as it might have been. I instructed her for two weeks and then her interest waned. But I got to know her a little—only why should this matter to the police?”
    Detective Masuto told him why it mattered to the police, and the rabbi ate his yogurt and listened with interest, and then when Masuto finished, said, “I called the house when you telephoned me. Mrs. Greenberg was still asleep. I think I had better go over there now. She’ll need someone to lean on.”
    â€œYou don’t appear surprised.”
    â€œAt murder?” asked Rabbi Gitlin. “But you don’t know that it is murder, and nothing should surprise us in this world.”
    â€œI am not completely at home with the social relationships and overlaps of your Western religions, but would a man like Mr. Greenberg, under great stress, cry out the name of Jesus Christ?”
    The rabbi shrugged. “Who knows what any of us would do under great stress.”
    â€œMay I ask you an unspeakable question?”
    â€œOf course,” the rabbi smiled. “But you must forgive me if I give you an unspeakable answer.”
    â€œIn your opinion, could Mrs. Greenberg have murdered her husband?”
    â€œNot unspeakable, but interesting. You do not ask whether I think she had reason to, incitement to—but only whether she could have. But how could either of us, Detective Ma suto, even know what the human mind and soul is capable of? Murder is a terrible ultimate. It is the ghost, the monster that lurks wherever human beings live. It is not your question that is unspeakable, but murder itself. I cannot accept the proposition that Al Greenberg was murdered, but if he was murdered, then that defines the murderer. You told me that you met Al Greenberg?”
    â€œSeveral times.”
    â€œThen you must understand that if he was murdered, then your murderer is without heart or compunction, someone who will stop at nothing. The very thought of such a murderer is particularly terrifying. I would be relieved if you told me your own thoughts.”
    â€œThat there was no murder?”
    â€œI would like to think that, Detective Masuto.”
    â€œHave you time enough for me to call Dr. Baxter—our medical examiner? He should be at the hospital now, completing the autopsy.”
    â€œIf you wish.” The rabbi pointed to his telephone, and Masuto dialed the hospital and was transferred to the autopsy room. A nurse answered and asked whether he would wait a moment or two, since Dr. Baxter was washing up. The rabbi watched Masuto thoughtfully. Then Baxter got on the phone and told him testily that he had spent three hours on a lot of nonsense.
    â€œWhat did you find?” Masuto asked.
    â€œThat he died of a heart attack.”
    â€œSuppose—Doc, suppose that he fell down and someone held a pillow over his face for a minute or two. Would it show up in the autopsy?”
    â€œNo.”
    â€œJust like that?”
    â€œJust like that. No. What do you want, an autopsy or the kind of nonsense you read in novels?”
    â€œBut the pillow would cause his death?”
    â€œWell, of course it would. You don’t breathe, you die.”
    â€œThat would be murder.”
    â€œNot with me on the witness stand, it wouldn’t. I told you he died of a myocardial infarction. That still goes.”
    â€œBut the pillow?”
    â€œI could invent a lot of other ways to kill him, and it would still be a heart attack. So you’re on your own, my lad.”
    Masuto replaced the telephone and turned to the rabbi, who smiled sadly. “I’m afraid I prefer to agree with your doctor,” he said. “If you want a murder, Mr. Masuto, you must find