The Top hat: The Top Hat, #1

By P. Capomasi

A crime, a quiet town, an old Commissioner a foreign Detective and
...The Top Hat!

*Several mysteries gathered in a single novel.

Detective Green has arrived in a new town, join him in the first cases that involve him under
The Top Hat, in this classic detective novel.
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The Top Hat
From the glass door he saw him enter, with his head down he walked as if trying not to be seen, seconds later an officer pointed towards the office. He came in unannounced, it seemed even more somber.

- The new
- I would prefer Officer Green, Officer or Green
- Funny?
- Skeptical. You must be Commissioner Silva
- Deputy Commissioner. I don't know why I'm in charge here, but that's what they decided from above - he gestured
- Upset?
- Skeptical. Other with a foreign surname
- I am a foreigner
- What brings you here?
- They kicked me out - he threw himself on the chair
- I can't imagine why - ironically - Impertinent
- And a bit of a drinker...

Mystery, intrigue and lots of Humor!

• Language: English
• Publisher: P. Capomasi
• Release date: Feb 25, 2023
• ISBN: 9798215665114

P. Capomasi

P. Capomasi ha creado una serie original y lo demuestra con su primera novela, Anulus, una obra de ciencia ficción épica y fantástica para adultos.   Ambientado en el mundo de las fantásticas aventuras del Guardián de la Cumbre y comenzando el mundo mágico de Los Cuentos de Mateo, logra traspasar las barreras del tiempo De Héroes, Espadas y Magia. También ha cruzado géneros al escribir la Serie El Sombrero Inglés y Cuentos Desordenados.   P. Capomasi actualmente está escribiendo y ya tiene algunos trabajos publicados en otro idioma. Vive en Buenos Aires.

Book preview

Preliminary Notes

My fanaticism for literature has taken me through endless stories; among them, I have to highlight those whose genre belongs to the mystery; among so many authors, I always preferred stories set in other times that lacked modern scientific resources, allowing the imagination to be maximized when analyzing each chapter.

It should also be noted that it was not only my enthusiasm that led me to insert myself in the writing of the genre, it was the interest of my son who not only helped me by transcribing it into digital format, but also me. Surprisingly, his interest in this type of literature motivated me to continue with this series of intriguing stories.

But I must clarify that, in these stories, the characters have been carefully selected, highlighting in each one their particularities in order to be in harmony with the environment in which they take place, the time and the history of our people, always present in each of my books.

Without further ado, I hope you will participate in these stories inspired by the memories of the past with my family, where the imagination flew between the lines written on those pages full of that particular smell that used books know how to leave us.

P. Capomasi

To my father, a lover of literature passionate

About recognized authors in the

Genre of mystery novels, my eternal

Gratitude for his legacy

I still miss you...

The Top Hat

Standing in front of the crime scene, the two policemen in front of the corpse were horrified, the doctor spent the report on his knees studying every detail.

- No marks, no signs of strangulation, he does not appear to have been suffocated and there are no bruises from blows

- Poison, maybe

- I really doubt it. We will take it to analyze in the morgue

- Fine - rumbling the commissioner walked to the car

- Sir? - Said an officer

- Inquire the neighbors, someone must have seen something

- And you? -

- I'll go to see old files to see what I find

He arrived at his office expecting the doctor that he would not find anything in the files; in a place as small as that anything could happen, but a crime... No

- Sir! Excuse me. The coroner asks to see him

- Thank you Mrs. Gorrini. I will go immediately

He walked down the long hospital corridor and suddenly felt cold between those refrigerators

- And?

- Nothing

- Excuse me?

- I would say it was his heart - He passed a medical file - but it turns out he has no history of illness

- Impossible, no one dies just because if.

- No, commissioner, no one dies just because if - She showed a mark on his neck - Almost imperceptible except for me. Miss Leticia pass me the scalpel

- I do not need more. Thanks a lot

He went back into that old corridor listening to the doctor's voice in the distance. Man of medium height, Caucasian..., the musty smell gave him even more of a feeling of disgust mixed with the anger of having seen the local on the metal as cold as his body lying on it.

On the way to the office he was with one of his assistants.

- Sir, there was no staff in the house, the gardener would not arrive until Saturday

- Mr. Lemos today works at Mrs. Palmer's house

- He did not have maids, he himself was in charge of the housework, we all know that Mr. Melo was a single man

- There were no marauders in the area either, although the neighbor assures that he used to visit the house of Miss Vida

He arched an eyebrow mischievously.

- I'll see what I can find out.

Night was falling, he phoned his wife announcing that she would not come to dinner; Hanging up the phone he headed for the brothel.

The burly man approached to meet him when he recognized him.

- Commissioner?

- Commissioner no, Miss Vida?

- I'll accompany you - He entered the great hall and was received by an elderly woman

- In that I can help?

- I'll get to the point, Mr. Melo was murdered this afternoon, we found him lying on the ground in his backyard

- That awful! A murder, years...

- Right - She remembered an old incident

- And I guess we're under suspicion

- No. You have a business which I do not share, but murder does not

- I understand - He took a deep breath - Mel, as my girls used to tell him, contrary to what you think, he never requested a lady for his company, he was a great gambler, but we have never had to deprive him of a drink and I assure you that around here all we appreciated it. He was a lovely man

- Very gambler?

- As far as I know, he not only played at my tables. Don't make that face, here anyone can play cards or dominoes, if they bet, I can't stop it

- You can, you don't want to. And it's also illegal.

- They don't do it in front of me, and many of their officers would be...disappointed if I closed down my shop.

- Are you threatening me ma'am?

- Not at all. Think about it a bit - He opened his painted green eyes - If they didn't look the other way when they bet, they would be at that Asian guy, betting with those men and you know how hard they usually are with their debtors

- Do you doubt them?

- No. One of his officers was around here, said something about extravagant

- Do you know if he had debts?

- Mel was not used to being talkative, apparently, he had a good life, his expensive clothes and his jewelry gave him away

- Love affairs?

- Not that I know, and I know everything in matters of the heart

- Do you know anything about his family?

- Once he told something. Let's see? Lulita! - he yelled at a pale girl going to meet him

- Miss? – She turned inquisitively to the commissioner.

- Does Mel have a family?

- I don't know, maybe Luz knows something. They talked a lot. Something happens?

- Speak girl. You and Luz are very good friends - He ordered

- He is player

- I know that -cut the commissioner- Anything out of the ordinary?

- Now that you mention, yes. Once he was missing his ring, I remember he was obsessed with it, when he got it back, he apologized for his bad manners. He said something about the engraving

- Recorded? A shield maybe?

- Yes, that, a family shield. was from Scotland

- No, he was English- said Vida

- Did you have problems with someone?

- Not that I know sir

- How did she become so confidant of her friend?

- I think they understood each other well- the man could notice his nervousness

- Anything else? The other woman burst in.

- That's it. Thank you very much

- Go, go back to work -The woman obeyed Madam Vida- Satisfied?

- For now. I'm going to ask you for names and addresses

- First thing in the morning you'll have them in her office - she argued nervously.

Back in the office, Gorrini hurried to meet her, clicking her shoes.

- Sir, a man left you these notes - she extended a paper with names and addresses

- Thanks, continue with yours

From the glass door he saw him enter, with his head down he walked as if trying not to be seen, seconds later an officer pointed towards the office. He came in unannounced, it seemed even more somber

- The new

- I would prefer Officer Green, Officer or Green

- Funny?

- Skeptical. You must be Commissioner Silva

- Deputy Commissioner. I don't know why I'm in charge here, but that's what they decided from above - he gestured

- Upset?

- Skeptical. Other with a foreign surname

- I am a foreigner

- What brings you here?

- They kicked me out - He threw himself on the chair

- I can't imagine why - Ironically - Impertinent

- And a bit of a drinker

- He didn't answer my question - Something in him was irritable

- I would like to say that he brought me a love, but he would lie

- And why did he hit his boss?

- Oh, you know...

- We live on another continent, that does not leave us less resources than you

- They, now I work here... I think

- By the way, nice accent. - suddenly she felt behind the door the stunned looks of the women towards the man - I answered

- A case of grand theft, my boss assigned it to an idiot son-in-law who got a promotion

- And you resentful, he hit you

- No, that was after he fired my partner for accusing him of being incompetent

- I see, his partner was the one who solved the case

- Getting shot in the chest, avoiding the robbery. He traveled to his lands - he pointed to the ground - His mother was from here and I followed him; I was late, but I finally won a position, I think - he jumped up - I'm ready to answer the phone or fill out paperwork - he said with disinterest

- Here we already have a telephone operator and a detective warming up chairs is no use to me

- Another detachment passes. Where will he be this time?

- I'm sick of it, let's go

The man was surprised and without saying a word he accompanied him to the post office

- Pipa - He greeted smiling!

- Pascual, come in man. What brings you here?

- Mel was killed

- The Irish?

- He wasn't he English or Scottish?

- Irish. His family arrived by boat a few years ago, the boy grew up here, I know because he receives money from someone. A company from abroad, every month he comes to get his pension

- Pension?

- Yes, apparently his family had a trust, I don't know exactly; He told me something when he couldn't explain the checks that come from that address - He searched through his papers -Here it is, take it - he handed him a piece of paper - You know

- Don't worry, I'll bring them right away

- Good morning, - said his companion.

- Let's go back to the office I have a hunch

She followed him in silence, as if thoughtful; his somewhat careless appearance seemed to see him look more attractive to the women who passed by his side looking at him sneaky until he noticed them, making them blush

- Let's see? Here it is, check the list of names; Do you see the building near the plaza? tonight mingle with those people... Bets?

- I know something - twisted his mouth

- Find out what you can about Mel

- Fine - I was leaving

- Aren't you going to ask? What kind of detective are you?

- One who does not ask questions to the boss of him who does not want to answer

- Luz knows him well. Ask her friend, a petite girl a little less than your age, brown and a bit short, but it's the Asian one that interests me; I saw her say something to the waiter when I left - she touched her forehead as she watched him walk away - This boy will give me green gray hair - She snorted

- Sir...

- Come on, tell me

- That man... He has the girls intrigued

- I imagines! Stop whispering there is a lot of work Gorrini

The place was packed with men, he approached a couple of tables looking for an empty place, focused on the games, nobody seemed interested in him. An empty chair at a nearby table gave him the opportunity

- Play?

- Excuse me?

- Weird accent, European?

- Something, invite me?

- Of course! we are missing one

He noticed the oriental-looking woman in complicity with the waiter. The man gave her a drink and she approached him

- House invitation

- This just? - He smiled at his table companions.

- The rest is shared with the house

- Stairs. Out - he said to the playmates looking at her from the side - They recommended me to Luz

- I don't know what she will have - She limited disgusted - But she is not

- Too bad, Mel told me she was a good girl

- Mel? Was she a friend of his?

- Maybe. I lost, that for talking to women - she smiled at the men

- Sexist - she walked away offended at the laughter of the rest

- Gentlemen... good game - he got up approaching her - I was rude, a drink?

- I'm working - she wrinkled her nose.

- Then make it two - she showed her fingers to the waiter

- What do you want, sir...?

- Call me Green

They talked for a long time, she finally arrived at the pension calling her boss

- How did you get my number...? Forget it I don't want to know

- The Guide. Nothing, she chattered endlessly, but she just talked nonsense

- Did he say anything about the other one?

- Yes,