Case of a One Handed Accident

The coroner said his death was accidental but I have my suspicions — I just can’t prove anything.”

Detective Nose stood inside the secluded cabin with the deceased’s brother. The cabin consisted only of two small rooms. It was very spacious with the antique kitchen being the highlight. It had an old wood burning stove and hand carved cabinets. On the blue stained counters sat, some food including some freshly opened canned goods, some apples, a few dirty dishes and a handheld can opener. The common area was small with a couch and a table. The second room was tucked away in the back. In it there was a single bed covered with an exquisite handmade quilt and a plain brown desk. The deceased’s body had been removed just a short hour ago.

“So tell me what lead you to conclude that his death wasn’t accidental after all?” Detective Nose asked.

“My brother was a handicapped man; he recently lost his arm in a horrible mechanical accident. Ever since then he’s required a nurse to help him out with even the simplest of tasks.”

“I’m really sorry to hear that,” Nose interrupted. “Please continue.”

“Well, this week he insisted on going up to the cabin alone for a few weeks. He was determined to prove to everyone that he hadn’t lost his independence. He had only been gone for a few days and because there is no phone out here, I decided to come up on check on him. Even though he insisted on spending the week alone, I was worried about him. When I arrived, I knew something was not right. There was an extra set of large footprints going into the cabin, my brother had small feet, but the police stated that it was not enough evidence to go on. Inside, I found him dead on the couch. I must admit that it was common knowledge that he owned this cabin but my brother was afraid that if he told anyone where he was going that they might try to stop him. I was the only person who knew where he was and that was because I was more than just his brother; I was his best friend. I know in my heart that his death was no accident. Therefore, I phoned you. My brother deserves justice.”

The Detective pursued the cabin once more. “Tell me, has anyone been in the cabin or touched anything since you reported the death of your brother.”

“No, only the police and the medical staff have been here.”

“Well based on what I’ve seen I don’t believe this was any accident either and I think I can help you prove it! Can you think of anyone that may have wanted to kill your brother?”

What evidence did the Detective find that lead him to believe that there was no accident?

More Two Minute Mysteries

Comments

19 Responses to “Case of a One Handed Accident”

  1. mark on October 27th, 2009 10:47 pm

    My cousin has one arm and there is almost nothing he can’t do.

  2. Darel on November 27th, 2009 4:10 pm

    I loved mysteries like these when I was a kid. So glad I found this website.

  3. Eric on February 24th, 2010 9:15 pm

    Not trying to nitpick…I came up with the intended answer, but then opened a can with a handheld can opener with just one hand without too much difficulty on my first try. Much slower than two handed, but far from impossible. Additionally, if the brother, “was determined to prove to everyone that he hadn’t lost his independence,” it would make sense that he’d open canned food with a handheld can opener to prove to himself he could…

  4. Ashwin Devaraj on March 3rd, 2010 7:26 am

    @eric-right u are….and its also told that the nurse used to help him in every walk of life….if that was the case then the brother wasn’t the only one who knew the location…

  5. sherlock holmes on April 21st, 2010 5:15 am

    this mystery is easy, but i admit i read the 1st paragraph twice because before i came to read the “freshly opened canned goods and the can opener and i knew that it was the clue after i found out that his brother was a handicapped man.

  6. Dumped on April 26th, 2010 10:54 am

    I knew it from the very beginning!

  7. Xsert Emina on November 4th, 2010 1:12 am

    haha.. weee… i was able to answer it…. weee…

  8. Brainiac on January 8th, 2011 6:51 pm

    Also, a robber wouldn’t eat canned vegetables. I liked it anyway. Ha Ha! Wee!

  9. daniel smith on February 10th, 2011 9:41 am

    i dont think it was an accident because it said that the body was moved not long ago!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!

  10. purrrr on February 19th, 2011 2:33 pm

    I thought it was because of what he said about the phone… How would he know about the phone if there was none!?!?!

  11. Emil on September 20th, 2012 4:23 am

    Hi I wanted to know if the brother did it CAN I PLZ KNOW thanks

    PS MY FRIENDS WON’T STOP DEBATING I think the bro did it though

  12. jamil on November 9th, 2012 7:14 pm

    i think because hes body is removed “from the bed, when he is found by his brother in the couch”

  13. lol on February 9th, 2013 11:00 am

    the brother did it….

  14. eshan on October 13th, 2015 8:54 am

    i think the brother did it because they said the brother was the only other person that knew about the deceaced s location

  15. Tiff on January 31st, 2016 1:14 pm

    It was the brother
    The food was fresh and been opened with the HANDHELD CAN OPENER which needs two hands to do. But the brother had one hand nobody else had been there

  16. not koda on January 4th, 2017 11:23 am

    lol in class really bored using dis website

  17. not koda on January 4th, 2017 11:23 am

    lol

  18. Your Mom on January 3rd, 2019 1:06 pm

    the brother did it

  19. Your Mom on January 3rd, 2019 1:07 pm

    Enjoyed it.

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