Mrs. Riley was a woman of courage. Her husband had been killed in the first World War, and one of her sons in the second. For many years she had to work to support hefself and her one remaining son, George. She had been able to give him the necessities of life, but nothing more.
When he grew oder, he understood all that she had done for him. He managed to get reasonably good work, and could then give her some help in the battle of life.
After these years of trouble and anxiety , neither of them expected any unusually good fortune; but a piece of good luck came to them. Mrs. Riley's sister, who had beeen living in Australia for many years suddenly died; and the sister had been a rich woman.
One morning Mrs. Riley received a letter from a London lawyer which explained this fact; it added that the Australian sister had left MRs. Riley a large amount of money in her will. "It will certainly not be less than fifty thousand pounds," said the letter , "and maybe a great deal more. I have therefore much pleasure in sending you now a cheque for fifty thousand pounds, and hope
".to write again in the near future
When George returned from the office that evening, he found his mother in a state of shock. She did her best to explain to him that she now had fifty thousand pounds in the bank , a state of affairs that had seemed impossible the day before. She quickly got better : fifty thousand pounds can bring a lot of comfor into a woman's life.
She bought hefself a new house in teh country, and she bought George a new flat in the town near his work. She could now give him all the things that he had never had before. She enjoyed hefself in the shops. She bought him some new clothes , some good furniture for his flat, a fine radio set, two electirc fires, and so on. She even bought him one or two valuable paintings to hang on the walls. She had the telephone put into his flat and into her own house. She found it very convenient herself for ordering food from the shops, and for ringing up George , who now lived some distance away.
When George had most of things that he wanted, she spent some more money on hefself. Then her bank manager mentioned that it might be a good plan not to spend all the money, but to keep some. "You never know what will happen in the future Mrs. Riley," he explained.
She agreed , and stopped spending . Several more weeks passed, and then , one friday evening , her telephone rang. It was the London Lawyer . " I've got a bit of good news for you , Mrs.Riley" he said . " You remember that I said you migh get a little more money. Well, your sister's affairs ".are now settled, andI'm glad to say that I have to pay you just over seven thousand pounds
Do you mean seven thousand pounds more than I've received already?" shre cried"
"
Yes , Mrs. Riley . Seven thousand, two hundred and six pounds more, to be exact. I've posted a "cheque to you this evning
"?You have posted it"
"Yes,"
he said with a gentle laugh. " I have posted it. There's no doubt about it! You'll receive the cheque tomorrow morning. I'm very glad for your sake; and now, if you'll pardon me, I have one ".or two other things to do
That night Mrs. Riley had an idea. She could now spend a little more money, and even her bank manager couldn't object. She could buy George a new car. His own car was really old: it might be called ancient. He thought to have somethng better.
She rang him up after lunch.
"George"
she said "I want you to go to the Motor show and choose another car: a new one. I've got some "more money
"A new care, Mother "
"he cried " I don't need a new car. I've got a car. You are spending too much for me
"I can't do too much for you George"
she said
"...You can spend about a thousand pounds. so do go and"
At this moemnt she heard on the telephone a loud knocking in George's flat.
"Just a minute, Mother"
he said
"There's someone at the door. Wait! I'll be back in a minute or two"
Mrs Riley heard him put the telephone down on the table with that strange sound that all telephones make when they are put down on tables. She waited, listening. She thought she could hear distant voices. Yes , there certainly were some voices somewhere: they were growing louder and louder. They were angry voices. She listened anxiously.
"?George!" She called into the telephone. "George! what's happening? Are you all right"
George did not reply. Instead , the noise increased and she heard a terrible sound, like the sound of breaking furniture. She heard something __ prob ___ ably a table ___ falling over, and there seemed to be a fight. She could hear low cires and th esound of blows on men's bodies
"Someone's hitting George" , She thought angrily, " and breaking all his new furniture."
Then there was some shouting snf sgyrt yhsy s loud cry of pain.
George! George!" she called into the telephone"
What's happening, George?" Suddenly she heard the sound of a shot, followed by a terrible silence"
George!" she shouted into the telephone with a sick feeling in her throat"
No voice replied to her cry. Instead, she thought she could hear someone walking about without any shoes on . Who could that be? why was someone walking about the flat softly like a thief? She could hear the sound of heavy breathing.
IT was enough. Suddenly Mrs. Riley became very active indeed. She had learnt many lessons during her hard life, and she was determined to do everything possible to help her one remaining son; but it might already be too late. Was he lying there on the floor in his own blood? OT would be too cruel if he lost his life just when it was looking brighter
She put down the telephone and immediately rang up the police. Her explanation was clear. , and in a few moments a helpful voice was asking some shar questions. then it stopped. Then it started again. "We'll do everything we can , Madam" the voice said " A car is already on its way "to your son's flat. We'll ring you up when we have some news for you
Five minutes after this conversation, an officer and two policemen were running up the great stairs of building in which George lived> " This itme" the officer said " we maybe in time to catch the murderer before he escapes. It was lucky that our car was so near when we got the "message
The door of the flat was locked when they reached it. " Open up!" the officer shouted, knocking heavily on the door. " Police" he could hear voices inside the flat , and continued his heavy knocking.
Suddenly the door was thrown open, and a young man looked out with a very surprised face . " What's the matter?" he began ; but the officer pushed him away from the door and rushed into the sitting-room " What do you want?" shouted the young man angrily , following the officer
?"from the door. " Do you often push your way into a man's flat without permission
The officer looked round the room for signs of blood, but he could see no blood . All the furniture seemed to be in its place, and a big radio set was turned on. The voices that he had heard outside were coming from it there was no one else in the room. He went into the bedroom , but it was
?"empty too " Turn off the radio" he said " and then we can think. Are you Mr.George Riley
I am " said the young man , turning off the radio"
Will you kindly explain" he asked in a tired voice "
"?Why you've come here like this , and what you want"
Where's the body?" the officer asked"
"?What body? What are you talking about"
"
Your mother, Mrs. Riley , rang up the police because she heard a fight in your flat she was "telephoning to you, but you left her to go to the front door. Then she heard blows and a shot
George Riley was laughing loudly by this time. " What are you laughing at?" the officer asked angrily
"My mother rang me up when I was listening to a play on the radio"
he said. " then the milkman came to the door, and I went to get the milk and to pay him. I always pay him on Saturdays for the whole week. I left the radio turned on, and my mother "probably heard it. The fight that she heard was in the radio play. It wasn't here
"?the officer sat down. Then he said in a gentle voice " What sort of play was it? what was its title
Oh, it was a very good play, and you've interrupted it . It's called 'Murder in Flat Number "Seven'. If they do it again you ought to listen to it. It's really excellent
He turned the radio set on again. " If you don't mind," he said, "I'll just listen to the rest of it. "Good afternoon
"Befre you settle down again to your afternoon's evertainment"
"the officer suggested, " ring up your poor mother. She still thinks you maybe dead
"Ofcourse!" said George. "I'll do that . I ought to have remembered her feelings"
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