Free The Mystery of Rio by Alberto Mussa, Alex Ladd

unusually lengthy stay in the room, Madame Brigitte asked someone to wake up their illustrious client, which was when he was found dead, bound tightly to the bedposts, with deep thumb marks on his neck. The police report confirmed the cause of death as asphyxiation, with no signs of robbery.
    According to the capoeira, Aniceto, the prostitute’s brother (a fact that did not need documentation due to their extremely similar physiognomy), Fortunata returned to the building where she rented a room, in a hurry, saying she had made a silly mistake and needed to escape.
    She left a letter addressed to the House manager, Madame Brigitte, which was never delivered. The sister also left the capoeira money and jewelry, including the famous earrings. Witnesses identified the other pieces as also belonging to the prostitute.
    According to forensics, Fortunata would have arrived at Conceição Hill between half past six and twenty to seven—in other words, after dark. The owner of the building did not see the prostitute enter or exit, although she could not remember whether or not she had retired by then. She was unaware of the true profession of her tenant (who had intentionally kept her in the dark) and had never noticed a man staying with her in her room. Although she was forced to admit that Aniceto had described the house perfectly.
    The capoeira’s version was also corroborated by the authentication of Fortunata’s handwriting and signature in the letter to Madame Brigitte, which were compared to the fake nursing reports required by the Polish doctor.
    The police search of the second floor apartment occurred around 9:30 p.m . Aniceto had left at around 8 p.m . (shortly after his sister) and had immediately gone to Rufino the sorcerer’s house. He used the earrings to pay for certain services. Rufino was surprised after midnight in the English Cemetery with those same earrings, as well as other objects he claimed to use in his activities. His testimony was highly credible and confirmed the capoeira’s.
    Baeta pointed out that the old man, although he would occasionally clam up, had always been unwavering in his statements. He even announced that Aniceto would be appearing at his home, a fact that was later confirmed.
    Unless a body was found, the theory that Fortunata had been murdered and robbed seemed to have little credibility. If there was a body, it was not in the English Cemetery. Forensic investigations performed on June 23rd found no evidence of tampered graves, and in the mass grave—opened on the 9th of that month and showing signs of recently overturned earth—all of the corpses were male.
    It had not been possible to establish a connection between the crime in question and the fact that on the 27th clear evidence of tampering had been found in the mass grave, although no bodies had been stolen. Fresh footprints indicated the presence of a barefoot male at the scene.
    Since the footsteps heard by witness around 2 a.m. on the 27th were those of a male wearing shoes near the cemetery gate, no conclusions could be drawn. One theory was that it was another of old Rufino’s clients (or that of some other sorcerer), who had just finished some magic rite. The incinerated waste found did not clarify matters any, but it was very likely that it was linked to those rituals.
    The report concluded by suggesting that Fortunata’s most important patrons be investigated. The expert’s theory was that the crime had political motivations. Fortunata had simply been used to carry it out, and those who hired her must have helped her escape.
    The theory that the death had been an accident, the result of excessive zeal in the simulation of torture to which the secretary liked to submit himself, was somewhat weakened because the assassin had employed great strength—indeed, unusual strength for a woman.
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    The crime at the House of Swaps was by no means the only one of its kind.
    Since this