A Family Affair

A family affair

(A detective story about murder investigation)

One sunny Thursday morning, Inspector Hudson left his bedroom, went downstairs and left the house. It was time to get to work. He was working on a murder case. The victim was 45-year-old Eric Horn. The prime suspect was Jay Horn, Eric’s son, an 18-year-old boy with a criminal record. Jay hated his father, because he had left home when Jay was a baby. The problem was that Hudson couldn’t prove Jay’s guilt.

Hudson thought about the facts while he drove to the police station. Eric Horn died after somebody put rat poison in his dinner. Horn’s new wife found his body on the kitchen floor when she returned home from work. The murder was carefully planned. Hudson was sure that the killer was a member of the Horn family. Eric Horn’s ex-wife, Maggie, didn’t like her ex-husband. But it was clear that violent Jay Horn hated his father more than anyone else.

Hudson was just outside the police station, when his mobile phone rang. He answered the phone, “Inspector James Hudson!”

“Hello, Inspector Hudson,” said the woman’s voice at the other end. “This is Maggie Horn. I need to speak to you in private. Meet me on Liverpool Street in an hour. It’s urgent.”

Hudson chose a table in the café. A minute later, Maggie arrived. She was pretty, with long blond hair and stylish clothes.

“Hello, Inspector Hudson,” she said. “I see you’re surprised. You didn’t expect a phone from you, did you?”

“What do you want to talk about?” Hudson asked.

After a moment, Maggie said, “I want to confess."

“What?” Hudson asked quietly. “You killed Mr Horn?”

“Exactly. I hated the man. I wanted him out of my life forever. Divorce wasn’t enough for me. I wanted Eric dead.”

Hudson was suspicious. Why is she changing her story, he asked himself. And why is she telling me here in such a public place? Earlier, she said she wanted to speak to me in private. And why won’t she look me in the eye? Hudson didn’t think Maggie was telling the truth.

“How strange,” Hudson said. “So why did we see Jay on the CCTV outside Mr Horn’s flat?”

“What?” Maggie asked. “Really?”

“Yes,” Hudson lied. “And Jay’s fingerprints were found on important pieces of evidence: a bottle of rat poison and a glass of water in Mr Horn’s kitchen. Your son even left dirty footprints on the kitchen floor. He clearly isn’t a very clever criminal.

“I don’t believe it,” Maggie began to cry. “Oh yes,” Hudson continued to lie. “And what’s more, Jay confessed this morning. So we’ve got all the evidence we need.”

“I told to wait for a solicitor!” Maggie said through her tears. “When he confessed to me, I told him not to confess to the police until...” she looked Hudson in the eye. “But Jay was at home all morning. He can’t have confessed.” “That’s right!” Hudson said. “He can’t have confessed this morning. But now he doesn’t have to. You’ve done the job for him. Jay hates his father and he’s a violent boy. He was always the prime suspect but I needed evidence.

“Oh no,” Maggie replied. She was crying even more now. “And now I’ve given you the proof you need. I confessed to a crime that I didn’t commit...” “You must think I’m mad,” she laughed.

“Oh no,” Hudson shook his head.

A young woman walked into the café with her baby. She sat down and placed the baby in a high chair.

“Would you like a drink, sweetheart?” she asked the child. “A coffee for Mummy and some milk for you?”

“No, no.” Hudson repeated to Maggie. “I can see you would do anything for your son. You’re not mad. You’re a mother." 

1) Who is Maggie? Who is Jay?

2) Where did Maggie meet Hudson?

3) Who is the murderer? Is the prime suspect also the murderer? How was Eric killed?

4) What is a CCTV?

5) Find a synonym to: PROOF –

CRAZY –

LAWYER –

DEAR –

6) Decide whether the statements are true or false:

Maggie Horn’s husband is dead.

Hudson thinks that Jay Horn shot his dead.

Jay has never committed crimes in the past.

Eric raised Jay until he was 18.