Murder at the ABA Author:Isaac Asmov He stared at me for a long moment, then he said, in a voice half an octave higher than normal, " The police say he was killed?" — "Not the police," I said "They think it was an accident, as far as I know. So does everyone else. I think it's murder. As far as I know, only I think it's murder. And I'm trying to find evidence to support it, and I w... more »ant to talk to you about it."
"To me?"
"Why not? You owe me a little help. Damm it, your final speech at the panel shook me up and made me uncertain of my own certainty of his murder. You made me think that perhaps he wasn't killed."
Asmov looked relieved. "Good. I'm sure he wasn't. Drop it, Darius."
"I can't. I failed him night before last and I've got to find out that didn't contribute to his death. -And even if I knew it didn't, I've got to make up that failure."
"It won't bring him back to life"
"Oddly enough, Isaac, I realize that. Getting this settled, though, will help me continue to live with myself. Just a little, anyway."
"Well then, what do I do? Play the role of Watson?"
"Not unless I can be Holmes, and, judging by what's happened in the last twenty.-four hours, that will be never. No, I just want you to help me fill in the time between my last sight of Giles alive and my first sight of him dead."
"How can I help you there? I saw him two nights ago briefly and then never again-except for the autographing session. And besides" -he grew thoughtful-"I'm not dying of eagerness to get involved. Once you start being a witness, heaven only knows how many hours you have to waste with the police and the courts-and I've got deadlines to meet."
It was the mention of the deadlines and the knowledge that he had at most three months to write his mystery novel that impelled me to attempt a peculiar bribe. I said, "look at it this way. If this turns out to be a murder, as I think it will, you may find yourself with a plot ready-made for your dammed mystery."« less