DEAD ENDS

“I suppose the murderer is completely unknown,” Baley said.

Gruer looked particularly uneasy. “No, I cannot say the murderer is completely unknown. In fact, there is only one person that can possibly have done the deed.”

“Are you sure you don’t mean only one person who is likely to have done the deed?”

Gruer shook his bald head. “No. Only one possible person. Anyone else is impossible. Completely impossible.”

“Completely?”

“I assure you.”

“Then you have no problem,” Baley concluded.

“On the contrary. We do have a problem. That one person couldn’t have done it either.”