A new puzzle mystery. And before I'm asked, The Shadow is known as "Ying Ko" in Chinatown. Yat Soon is the Ancient Arbitrator of Chinatown, the true power there. The Dragon's Daughter is my own invention, Chinatown's avenger. Doctor Roy Tam is The Shadow's agent in Chinatown. And now to our mystery.....
Chinatown Trial by Jonathan Blade
Three grim-faced men faced three unflinching figures in a secret room deep within the bowels of Chinatown. All were handcuffed, and none spoke.
“Come, ease our burden.” The central figure, that of an elderly Chinese man in a golden robe spoke softly. “One of you is a cold-blooded killer, who has slaughtered seven innocents, the last shot but an hour ago. That man must die.”
The third figure, a slender Chinese princess in a red robe with a scarlet Imperial dragon coiled about it, fingered an odd crossbow. "Since they will not speak, let us kill them all. Then we will kill this snake in our midst.”
The old man shook his head slowly. “Not so, Dragon’s Daughter. We must let them go. It is better to let the guilty go than that two more innocents die.”
The third figure, a slender Oriental in Western dress spoke up. “We cannot risk that, Yat Soon. Given time, my men and I can find the guilty man.”
A shadowy form appeared through a secret panel. The Dragon’s Daughter instantly turned to cover it, then relaxed. “Ying Ko!”
The Shadow spoke. “Doctor Tam, I can save you the time. The last victim was shot, correct?”
A nod from Dr. Tam. The Shadow produced a square of gold sponge rubber and an automatic. Instantly, a pit yawned in the floor, courtesy of Yat Soon. The Shadow removed a glove, then fired the gun down the pit, which quickly vanished. The Shadow touched his thumb to the golden square. In seconds, it turned gold.
“A test for the presence of gunpowder, which is quite infallible. Free your prisoners and have them touch their thumbs to this square and hold their hand behind their back. Then have them all show their thumbs at the same time.” He looked at The Dragon’s Daughter. “You will know who to shoot.”
HOW CAN THIS WORK? http://www.clicksmilies.com/s0105/sp.../policeman.gif
