Part 3 - The Third Part

The inspector looked down at the case files on the desk. Case 1, a man who built himself into a wardrobe. Case 2, a chap who seems to have consumed fifteen sachets of furniture glue. Case 3, the bloke who did that horrible thing with the Allen key. The inspector shuddered at the memory. Case 4, the new guy, the one with the paper tape measure round his neck. There had to be something that linked these deaths. He racked his brains. Perhaps they were linked by being totally unconnected. He imagined the headlines "Police solve the case of the completely unrelated murders". He shook his head. Probably not. Someone was standing at his desk. He looked up. Constable Wilkins did not seem himself. His uniform was disheveled and he had what appeared to be sawdust on his jacket.

"Bad night constable?" asked the inspector.

"Not too bad sir" came the reply "Although those doors with the fitted hinges are a devil to fit, and the handles were the wrong ones..".

"What do you want?" The inspector did not fancy another drawn out description of DIY.

"There's a chap at the front desk who wants to see you. Swedish bloke. Says he knows something about the recent deaths."

"Oh well, send him in."

Lars Swedishname was a small, nervous man with a package under his arm. As he spoke he looked constantly around, as if he expected something to jump out from the shadows at any moment.

"I know what is causing the killings" he said breathlessly as he sat down, clutching the package to his chest. "Something terrible, something evil. And I have in my possession the only thing that can stop it".

"And what would that be sir?" asked the inspector smoothly. He knew from experience that the best thing to do with these types was to humour them.

The little man indicated the package he held and leaned forward towards the inspector.

"The Blessed Electric Pencil Sharpener of Salvation" he whispered.