The Case of the Shattered Art Piece
The case of the shattered art piece story was written by Razia Sheikh.
“The Qureshi family was known to be in reduced circumstances. Owed everybody,” said Haroon, the insurance investigator.
“The ten thousand dollars they’ll collect on the shattered art treasure will save their scalps.”
“Then it’s your conviction the jade art piece was deliberately broken?” asked Detective Farrukh.
“Of course, but I can’t budge the eyewitness, Mrs. Anita. She’s the neighbor and closest friend of Qureshi family.
“A few moments before the alleged ‘accident,’ Mrs. Anita received a box containing a mink coat. It was her first fur, and since it was a warm August day, she went directly upstairs to unpack and hang it in the storage closet.
“The window next to the storage closet,” continued the insurance man, “is the only one in her house that has a view into the Qureshi’s bedroom. After hanging up the coat, Mrs. Anita heard Mrs. Qureshi scream and saw her neighbor stumble into the art piece. It sailed through the open bedroom window and shattered on the patio below.
The four company’s driver noted the delivery was made at 3:30. About a minute later, he heard Mrs. Qureshi’s scream. Rushing from the truck, he saw the fragments of the art piece and both women at their windows.
“As it was a warm August day,” interrupted Detective Farrukh,
“Why wasn’t there a screen on the Qureshi’s window?”
“It was being repaired. That was the first angle I investigated. About the only thing I’ve got to go on is the hunch Mrs. Anita is lying for her friend,” said Haroon.
“I should take the matter to court before paying,” agreed Farrukh.
“And make sure you have several women on the jury.”
“What do you mean I should take several women on the jury? Have you solved the case in your mind?” Haroon astonished by the last remark.
“Well,” continued Detective Farrukh,
“Mrs. Anita’s presence at the only window where she could substantiate Mrs. Qureshi’s claim was obviously part of a plot to collect the insurance money. I believe that other women would instantly see through it. No woman receiving her first mink would ever put it directly into storage. She would try in on and purr over it.”
“That’s sensible, now their false plot to collect the insurance money would be exposed with your idea in the court,” said Haroon.
