Free The Riddle Of The Third Mile by Colin Dexter Page A

slightly swollen left jaw and prodding down viciously on the offending double-fang. He took the letter lying on the desk in front of him, pressed it very carefully between sheets of blotting-paper, and then removed it. The paper was not so sopped and sodden as he had feared, and with a pair of tweezers he was soon able to unfold a strip about two inches wide and eight inches long. It was immediately apparent that this formed the left-hand side of a typewritten letter; and, furthermore, except for some minor blurring of letters at the torn edge, the message was gladdeningly legible:
     
    Dear Sir,
    This is a most unusua
    realize. But please re
    because what I am pro
    both you and me. My wa 5
    College has just take
    final examinations in G
    in about ten or twelve
    an old man and I am de
    how she has got on ah 10
    The reason for my r
    ridiculously impatient
    to America in a few
    able to be contacte
    want to know how J 15
    this. I have spent a
    education, and she is
    I realize that this
    only that you should g
    to such an impropriet 20
    publication of the cl
    July.
    If you can possibly se
    shall be in a positi
    unconventionally. You s 25
    most select clubs, sa
    give you a completely
    delights which are as
    Please do give me a r
    may be, at 01-417 808 30
    you feel able to do
    result, I shall give
    able to enjoy, at no c
    the most discreet er
    ever imagined. 35
    You
     
    Morse sat back and studied the words with great joy. He’d been a lifelong addict of puzzles and of cryptograms, and this was exactly the sort of work his mind could cope with confidently. First he enumerated the lines in 5’s (as shown above); then he set his mind to work. It took him ten minutes, and another ten minutes to copy out his first draft. The general drift of the letter required no Aristotelian intellect to decipher-primarily because of the give-away clue in line 7. But it had been none too easy to concoct some continuum over a few of the individual word-breaks, especially “wa – “ in line 5; “ah – “ in line 10; “cl-”in line 21; and “sa-” in line 26. This is the first draft that Morse wrote out:
     
    Dear Sir,
    This is a most unusua l letter as I know you’ll
    realize. But please re ad it with great care
    because what I am pro posing can benefit
    both you and me. My wa strel daughter at _
    College has just take n (without much hope) her
    final examination in G eography, and will get the result
    in about ten or twelve days time. Now I am
    an old man and I’m de speratly anxious to know
    how she has got on ah ead of the official lists.
    The reason for my r equest is that I am
    ridiculously impatient, and in fact I am off
    to America in a few dfays time where I may not be
    able to be contacte d for some while. All I
    want to know is how J -got on, if you can tell me
    this. I have spent a great deal of money on her
    education, and she is the only child I have.
    I realize that this is a improper request. I ask
    only that you should g ive a thought to stooping
    to such an impropriet y. I think the official date for
    publication of the cl ass list is-
    July.
    If you can possibly se e your way to this favour
    I shall be in a positi t to pay you very well if
    ununconventionally. You s ee I manage some of the
    most select clubs, sa unas and parlours and I will
    give you a completely free access to the sexual
    delights which are as sociated with such places
    Please do give me a r ing whatever your decision
    May be at 01-417-808 -. If it so happens that
    You fell able to do what I ask about J
    Result I shall give you details about how you’ll be
    Able to enjoy at no c ost at all to yourself,
    The most discreet er otic thrills you can have
    Ever imagined
    You rs sincerely
     
    Morse was reasonably pleased with the draft. It lacked polish here and there, but it wasn’t bad at all, really. Three specific problems, of course: the name of the college, the name of the girl, and the last bit of the telephone number. The college would be a bit more